When I was in the canopy of Mathrubhoomi Book Festival in Trivandrum, the attractiveness of the binding of this book and the title of this work "IKIGAI" embraced me to feel it. And to my wonderment, it was sweeter than I anticipated."IKIGAI" is a Japanese concept which translates roughly as "the happiness of always being busy."
The book was written by two souls who stayed in Japan for the long term to experience the culture and mysteries that help People of Japan to have a happier, healthier, and longer life than their counterparts in other parts of the world. They had the opening to interview more than a hundred villagers of Okinawa about their philosophy for long and happy life. (Okinawa is a village in Japan where the inhabitants live for longer than any other place in the world)
It is a must-read book for those who retain the demand for a simple and happy life more than any other accomplishment in the world. The entire essence of the book is the lifestyle of the long-living people in Okinawa and how we can reciprocate the same in our cultures. So many small suggestions to enhance our mental wellbeing is accessible in all chapters of the book. The book ended superbly by making the entire content into "The ten Rules of IKIGAI."
THE TEN RULES OF IKIGAI
1. Stay Active; don't retire.
2. Take it slow
3. Don't fill your stomach.
4.Surround yourself with good friends
5. Get in shape for your next birthday.
6.Smile
7.Reconnect with nature
8. Give thanks
9. Live in the moment
10. Follow your IKIGAI.
The first chapters of the book will exhibit the authentic panorama of the stress and anxiety level we are enduring compared to our forefathers. When they faced genuine stress only during a natural catastrophe that transpired once in a while, we are facing the same stress level whenever our mobile is buzzing, intimating a WhatsApp/Facebook/email notification. The guidance to improve the lifestyle discussed in the book are also practical and straightforward. By studying the book, we will get a feeling to have a life that the centenarians in Okinawa Village are living. The book shares with us the diet and the exercise patterns followed by Okinawa people. The main charm of the diet is the variety of food they take, and that of exercise is the flow of body movements that refreshes them.
Even though the entire lifestyle adds to the longevity and happiness in our lives, the key is the "IKIGAI." The question that the books project to the readers is, What is your IKIGAI?.
I am rebuilding myself every day to find out my IKIGAI. If you also feel about joining this journey, then this book is a must-read for you. Those who are bored with your profession and those who keep your passion hidden, I invite you to read out this short book 194 short pages to find out your Ikigai.
My rating 4.8 out of 5
About the Authors
Héctor García is a citizen of Japan, where he has lived for over a decade, and of Spain, where he was born. A former software engineer, he worked at CERN in Switzerland before moving to Japan, where he developed voice recognition software and the technology needed for Silicon Valley startups to enter the Japanese market. He is the creator of the popular blog kirainet.com and the author of A Geek in Japan, a #1 bestseller in Japan. Francesc Miralles is an award-winning author who has written a number of bestselling self-help and inspirational books. Born in Barcelona, he studied journalism, English literature, and German, and has worked as an editor, a translator, a ghost-writer, and a musician. His novel Love in Lowercase has been translated into twenty languages.