Finding your IKIGAI

Finding your IKIGAI

Do you wake up in the morning with a sense of excitement?

Or, if you are more like me, the only reason you roll out of bed is the enticing smell of coffee? If the smell of coffee is the only thing that gets you out of bed than you are probably lacking IKIGAI, which is a Japanese concept for purpose.

For Japanese people IKIGAI is the reason they get up in the morning, their sense of excitement to live their lives in a meaningful and purposeful way. 

I have been searching for my IKIGAI for as long as I can remember. I thought I could find the answer on top of a mountain, jumping out of an airplane, getting a degree, traveling to exotic places, meditating on the beach, or looking for inspiration in other people. What I didn’t know is that the answer lies deep within myself; I had to take the time to explore the one thing I neglected, which was myself.

I thought the best way to find out about IKIGAI is to speak with a Japanese person. On a recent trip to Japan, the land of never-ending beauty, I was fortunate to interview Yoshiko, who at 78 is vibrant, healthy and funny. When Yoshiko heard that I wanted to interview her for my blog her face lit up with joy. Communication was not easy because Yoshiko barely speaks English, but we managed thanks to her family members translating the best they could and a miraculous invention called the iPhone (how did we ever survive without our smart phones?). Yoshiko’s husband Hideo, who at 80 still plays Golf and dresses up every day like he is going to an important meeting, was keenly listening to the interview.

I asked Yoshiko what gets her excited to get out of bed every morning (her IKIGAI). She said that she enjoys doing her daily chores (hmmm….cleaning is not something that excites me but good for her), she loves teaching young kids the art of calligraphy in the hopes this ancient art will not get lost, she enjoys watching her students improve on their work and she likes to envision a bright future for her students.

My next question to Yoshiko was how she creates IKIGAI in her life? Yoshiko said that self-care is very important. Doing the things that bring her joy, like visiting friends and family, exercising, and learning from her students.

I loved her answers so much that I had to throw in one more question. I asked Yoshiko: “What do you think is the Secret to Happiness?” She said it’s about family and your partner, having enough money for stability and safety, eating healthy foods, staying humble and positive, and being physically and mentally healthy. I was so inspired by this woman that I wanted to pack her into my suitcase and take her home.

I recruited my brother Leon to provide me with his insight about IKIGAI. He took this task very serious by not only reading a book about IKIGAI but also sending me very long, almost essay-like, answers…..I really appreciated his enthusiasm : )

What motivates Leon every morning to get out of bed is his eagerness to enjoy and improve his life in many different ways. Also, he takes pleasure in simple things, like going to a coffee shop, listening to music, a satisfying workout at the gym, and spending quality time with his wife.

I asked Leon how he creates IKIGAI. He said that he likes to build or invent things that can improve other peoples’ lives. He feels fulfilled when he can be creative, when he can coach and motivate people to fulfill their potential, he gets excited to make plans and watch his ideas come into reality.

Yoshiko’s and Leon’s IKIGAI might be different but their similarities are in doing things that bring them joy and make their lives more meaningful.

I wanted to dig deeper into the concept of IKIGAI.

The internet has plenty of information on it, but I wanted to narrow it down to four components, which are:

1.    What you Love

This can be anything that brings you joy, like gardening, socializing with friends, traveling, writing, cooking, hiking, making a bucket list, etc. What’s important is that the anticipation of doing it gets you excited, and the activity itself makes you happy.

2.    What you are Good at

Everyone is good at something even if we will not admit it to ourselves or the world. To be honest, I thought I was a terrible writer until several people told me that I needed to continue writing. We will not be good at anything unless we commit to it, continuously do it, and believe in what we are doing.  

3.    What the World needs

Well, besides peace and less poverty. It might feel daunting to think about what you can offer to the world, but everyone has something special to offer to make this world a more beautiful place. My friend Lela is a wonderful artist. I have one of her lovely paintings hanging on my wall making me happy every time I look at it. It’s difficult to know what the world needs until you put it out there and watch peoples’ reactions. Believe me, it’s nerve- wrecking to share your heart, your soul and creativity with the world, but you never know what kind of impact you can make on someone’s life until you try it.

4.    What you can be Paid for

It’s everyone’s dream to get paid for what they are passionate about, but unfortunately there are too many starving artists in this world. Trying to earn a living with something that you love to do should not sound like a crazy idea. It might not work out at the end, but it will not leave you with regrets that you didn’t pursue your dreams. Also, your potential of growth is unlimited.

IKIGAI can be anything that brings you joy, gets you excited to wake up in the morning, makes you feel good about yourself, and provides you with purpose at any stage in your life.

I hope you have already found your IKIGAI. If not, that’s ok. Sometimes, it takes a life journey to find our true purpose.

Before I let you go, I wanted to share my own IKIGAI:

·      Meaningful relationships

·      Spreading kindness

·      Sharing my wisdom

·      Creativity

·      Connecting with nature

·      Exploring

·      Curiosity

·      Helping others

·      Learning

Have fun discovering your own IKIGAI : )