IKIGAI - The Japanese secret to a long and happy Life

 

Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.
- Japanese Proverb

 

This book shares the Japanese secrets to a long and happy life. It has IX chapters, which talks about the mysterious word "IKIGAI", anti-aging secrets and words of wisdom from the longest living people in the world.

First, the book explain what is "IKIGAI". 

'What you are good at'  and 'What you love' is your passion.
'What you are good at' and 'What you can be paid for' becomes your profession.

'What the world needs' and 'What you love' can be your mission.

'What the world needs' and 'What you can be paid for' is Vocation. 

And, What you are good at' , 'What you love, 'What the world needs' and 'What you can be paid for' combined becomes your IKIGAI.
IKIGAI is your reason for being. If you know your IKIGAI, then life is very simple and enjoyable.

To identify our IKIGAI, we should identify the activities which brings us in the state of FLOW. Flow is a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. If we know what all activities bring us to the state of flow then we can find our IKIGAI. To achieve the state of flow, we can work on these strategies:

1. Choose a difficult task but not too difficult.
2. Have a clear and concrete objective
3. Concentrate on a single task at a time.
   

When we do multitasking, our brain switching back and forth between tasks very quickly. So, we end up spending more energy then required. Concentrating on one thing at a time is the most important factor in achieving flow.

According to Albert Einstein, a happy man/woman is too satisfied with the present to dwell on the future. We all should sit and write what all activities that bring us to the state of flow. These could be simple task like cooking food for your loved ones. Enjoy doing these tasks to our best. Japanese word "ganbaru" also means the same, "To stay firm by doing one's best".

Happiness is in doing, not in the results. 

We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
- Aristotle

Some of the main learning from this book are:

• Hara hachi bu - This means fill your belly to 80 percent. One should not do over eating. Replace junk food with fruit.
• Mens sana in corpore sano - This means a sound mind in sound body.  Just as lack of physical exercise is bad for body, lack of mental exercise is bad for our mind. Meditation is one way to exercise our mental muscles. 
• Stress - Most of the health problems are caused by stress. We all should be mindful in reducing stress.
• Wabi-sabi -teaches us to appreciate the beauty of the fleeting, changeable and imperfect nature of the world around us.
  
•  Ichi-go ichi-e -  means this moment exists only now and won't come again. This saying teaches us to focus on the present moment and enjoy each moment that life brings to us.
• Relax - Slow down a little and don't live a hurried life. Life is a marathon, not a 100 m sprint.
• A lot of sitting also age us. Some of the everyday habits can help us in this, like
• Walk to work
• Use your feet instead of elevator
• Participate in social activities
• Play with children or pets, or join a sports team
• Get right amount of sleep, even models sleep between nine to ten hours before a fashion show. As sleep not only relaxes our body and mind, it also help us look beautiful.
• Stay busy and don't retire. Spend your morning in your vegetable garden. 100% of interviewed super centenarians kept a vegetable garden.
  
• Moai - Connected to the local community.They believe in celebrating each day, together and nurturing friendship every day. Smile and say hello to everyone you meet.
• Celebrate little things in life with your friends and family.
  
• Be conscious of your daily routine in order to identify the harmful habits and replace them with positive ones. 

The most important lesson from the book is:

If you keep moving with your fingers working, 100 years will come to you.