According to the book by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, ‘Ikigai’ is The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. They write that ‘It is a concept, which roughly translates as “the happiness of always being busy”.’
Apparently, our ikigai is hidden deep inside of each of us, and finding it requires a patient search. According to those born on Okinawa, the Japanese island with the most centenarians in the world, our ikigai is the reason we get up in the morning.
When the authors of the book interviewed 100 of the eldest members of the Okinawa community (all of whom were over 100 years old) they discovered that every single one of them keep, tended and eat from their own vegetable garden and drink green tea on a daily basis. Some of their other statements on their secret to a long and happy life are;
- Don’t worry
- Cultivate good habits
- Nurture your friendships every day
- Live an unhurried life
- Be optimistic
Well, it all sounds like good advice to me and it is a book that I thoroughly recomend reading. I’m off to make a pot of green tea! (Without rushing, before I go to work!!!)
