IKIGAI: Follow your heart, Find your purpose

The people of japan believe that everyone has an ikigai.

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Find a reason to jump out of bed every day.

The ten points we can take out of this beautiful book are below. Read and take it into your life.

1. Stay active; don't retire

Those who give up the things they love doing and do well lose their purpose in life. That’s why it’s so important to keep doing things of value, making progress, bringing beauty or utility to others, helping out, and shaping the world around you, even after your “official” professional activity has ended.

As bunny says in YJHD,

Main udna chahta hun, daudna chahta hun, girna bhi chahta hun. Bas, rukna nahi chahta.

2. Take it slow

Being in a hurry is inversely proportional to quality of life. As the old saying goes, “Walk slowly and you’ll go far.” When we leave urgency behind, life and time take on new meaning.

from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (2013)

Beautiful things don't ask for attention.

3. Don’t fill your stomach

Less is more when it comes to eating for long life, too. According to the 80 percent rule, in order to stay healthier longer, we should eat a little less than our hunger demands instead of stuffing ourselves.

from "Ratatouille" (2007)

Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell. There is excellence all around you. You need only be aware to stop and savor it.

4. Surround yourself with good friends

Friends are the best medicine, there for confiding worries over a good chat, sharing stories that brighten your day, getting advice, having fun, dreaming... in other words, living.

from "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

"I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam." - Frodo Baggins

5. Get in shape for your next birthday

Water moves; it is at its best when it flows fresh and doesn’t stagnate. The body you move through life in needs a bit of daily maintenance to keep it running for a long time. Plus, exercise releases hormones that make us feel happy.

from "Rocky Balboa" (2006)

It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!

6. Smile

A cheerful attitude is not only relaxing—it also helps make friends. It’s good to recognize the things that aren't so great, but we should never forget what a privilege it is to be in the here and now in a world so full of possibilities.

from "Up" (2009)

"Adventure is out there!" - Ellie Fredricksen

7. Reconnect with nature

Though most people live in cities these days, human beings are made to be part of the natural world. We should return to it often to recharge our batteries.

from "Into the Wild" (2007)

"I read somewhere... how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong, but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head." - Christopher McCandless

8. Give thanks

To your ancestors, to nature, which provides you with the air you breathe and the food you eat, to your friends and family, to everything that brightens your days and makes you feel lucky to be alive. Spend a moment every day giving thanks, and you’ll watch your stockpile of happiness grow.

from "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)

"Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence

9. Live in the moment

Stop regretting the past and fearing the future. Today is all you have. Make the most of it. Make it worth remembering.

from "Kung Fu Panda" (2008)

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present." - Master Oogway

10. Follow your ikigai

here is a passion inside you, a unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end. If you don’t know what your ikigai is yet, as Viktor Frankl says, your mission is to discover it.

from "The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006)

"You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period." - Chris Gardner

Don't worry too much about finding it. Let it come.

Best regards,

Abhi ??