Lyndol Lyons
Ikigai is the Japanese concept for finding meaning in life. Ikigai helps you understand what it is that you do best, and how to find happiness in everyday things.
It’s not about striving for perfection or chasing after your dreams; it’s about finding joy in the mundane.
This article explores how to find your ikigai and use it to live a more meaningful existence!
Now’s never been a better time!
How to find your ikigai?
“Ikigai” is the Japanese word for “reason for being.” It is a term that describes the purpose that gives your life meaning. It can be as specific as you want it to be.
It can be as general as you want it to be, but the point is, it should be something you find truly meaningful and exciting.
An ikigai can change over time. Some people start out with a very strong sense of purpose in their lives and then slowly lose their connection to it over time.
This happens because we become accustomed to doing things that don’t make us happy, or because we become familiar with activities that are not fulfilling.
When this happens, we may feel like our lives have lost their purpose.
Finding your ikigai can be difficult, but it’s not impossible.
So, if you’re eager to find your ikigai, here are 10 top tips to guide you on the right path.
1) Look for a meaningful calling
Here’s the thing, we all have a purpose. What is your calling? What makes you tick?
If you don’t know, then that’s okay.
Most of us don’t know our calling until we are older.
But if you are looking for something, I would suggest that you look for it now and start figuring out how to start making an impact in this world as soon as possible!
We can all find meaning in life in different ways, which may not always be the same as others. But if you don’t know what your calling is, it could be time to start looking for it.
If you haven’t found yours yet, start with this guide from Huffington Post on finding your calling in life.
The article suggests that many people who are trying to figure out their purpose end up feeling lost or disenchanted because they aren’t following their true passion—a process that takes years rather than months through self-reflection and inner contemplation.
2) Find a cause that matters
For many, finding ikigai is not about doing what you love but about finding a calling that you love. Therefore, the first step in finding your calling is to look for something passionate about.
If you’re not sure what that is, then ask yourself if this passion drives you to do work that makes a difference in the world.
If so, it may be time to start looking into a career in your field of interest.
Your callings could also come from hobbies or passions like family and friends or personal development pursuits such as sports activities or spiritual growth endeavors.
2) Make it personal
Another important step in finding your calling is to make it personal.
The best way to do this is by using ikigai as the lens through which you view the world.
Ikigai, a Japanese concept that means “the reason for being,” can be translated into English as making sense of life and providing meaning beyond just survival or pleasure-seeking activities such as work or leisure pursuits.
It’s not about what you enjoy doing but why you’re doing it – whether there are deeper values behind your actions than simply making money, seeking status symbols, etc., and how they might impact others around them.
If you are passionate about saving the environment, think about how you can do this practically. What can you do to make a real difference in improving the environment?
This is one of the key ways to find ikigai.
3) Look for a life purpose
When it comes to finding your ikigai, it’s important to look at life from a whole different perspective.
If you want to live an interesting and fulfilling life, you must look for something meaningful and purposeful.
Ikigai can be defined as why people wake up in the morning or put their nose on their desk every day without feeling like they are doing work just because they need money and because they enjoy what they do so much more than anything else out there.
It’s not about how many hours per week of work someone does (although this will have an impact) but rather whether or not one feels fulfilled by their job; if they enjoy what they do enough–regardless of how difficult things get–to warrant getting up each day with enthusiasm for going into work.
4) Find your why
If you don’t know why you will never be able to find your ikigai. Finding your why is the key to finding a life purpose. When it comes to finding a life purpose, there are really only two options:
A) Do what you love (but don’t make it a career)
B) Find something that you are passionate about and then work towards making it into an actual job or career path for yourself to earn money and give back so others can live their lives better too!
5) Look for a meaningful life purpose
When you look for meaning in your life, you should choose something meaningful to you personally and not just something that the world needs. If this is what you want, then consider the following:
A) A Meaningful Life Purpose: This means that your purpose will be something that you are passionate about and that you are willing to work towards.
B) The Ultimate Goal of Your Life: Consider a goal or an end-goal in which everything else becomes irrelevant when achieved.
C) What Makes You Happy?
When considering these questions think about things like family time with loved ones and hobbies such as reading books or playing games; also, consider how much money would make someone happy if they had enough of it all around them at once (e.g., $1 million).
6) Look for a life purpose that is efficient and effective
If you want to live an interesting and fulfilling life, you must look for a life purpose that is efficient, effective, and meaningful.
As I mentioned earlier, finding your ikigai can be tricky if you don’t know your why.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the current state of society, it’s that people are becoming more detached from their jobs or careers than ever before in history.
This detachment has caused many individuals to wonder about their own sense of meaning in this world–which leads me back to my point:
We need something greater than ourselves driving us forward; without our higher-self guiding us through all these confusing times with clarity and truthfulness, we’ll never find happiness on Earth!
If you are passionate about saving the environment, think about how you can do this practically. What can you do to make a real difference in improving the environment? This is one of the key ways to find ikigai.
If you are passionate about saving the environment, think about how you can do this practically. What can you do to make a real difference in improving the environment?
This is one of the key ways to find ikigai.
An example would be recycling and turning off your lights when not needed as well as using solar power or other renewable energy sources like wind turbines or hydroelectric dams to generate electricity for your home, business, school, and/or community.
You could also plant trees where they won’t take up too much space on your property but still provide shade from sunlight while absorbing carbon dioxide emissions into their leaves which helps combat climate change by reducing global warming gases in our atmosphere.
7) Look for a career that will help you live an interesting and fulfilling life
When it comes to finding your calling, you must look at life from a whole different perspective.
If you want to live an interesting and fulfilling life, you must look for something to help you live this life.
Ikigai is one way of accomplishing this goal by looking within yourself and figuring out what makes your heartbeat the fastest when things get tough or when there are obstacles in front of them.
This can be anything: hobbies, passions or even just doing something because they love their job so much!
People who find ikigai often feel fulfilled and confident about how they spend their time on earth with no regrets after death.
8) Find something that you are passionate about
When it comes to finding your passion, think about what you are passionate about.
If you are passionate about helping the environment, you can use your passion to help someone else and create a business that helps the environment.
This is one of the key ways to find ikigai.
Ikigai is Japanese for “the reason why” or “reason for being.” It’s also translated as purpose in life because we all have something that drives us forward; it could be family, friends, work-related activities, or even an idea like saving animals from shelters (or any animal) so they don’t get euthanized just because there aren’t enough homes available and people who want them!
9) What can you do to improve your life?
If you want to find ikigai, you must think about how you can make a real difference in improving the world around you.
Think about something that will make a difference in improving the environment.
Ikigai has been described as “the reason for living,” and many people have found their life’s purpose through finding their own personal values or sense of mission which they pursue with all-consuming passion because it gives them meaning and fulfills them by fueling creativity and innovation, helping others grow personally along with society at large.
10) How can you improve your life?
Not quite the same point as above, but it’s similar.
It would help if you thought about making a real difference in improving your life.
Think about something that will make a difference in improving your personal life.
Some people choose to improve the world around them by volunteering for charities or organizations like Greenpeace or Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Others might choose to help their community become more environmentally friendly through recycling programs, planting trees near their homes, or installing solar panels on rooftops.
Still, others might focus on helping those who are less fortunate than themselves by donating food and clothing donations at local shelters.
Identify your ikigai by asking yourself three questions
I’ve touched on some of these points above, however, the quickest and easiest way to find your ikigai is to ask yourself these three questions :
1) What do I want to do with my life?
You might be surprised to find out that some people are happier doing something they don’t enjoy.
For example, if you’re doing something you don’t like and aren’t enjoying it, you could be wasting your time.
If this sounds like you, then ask yourself: what do I need to change? What needs to change for me to feel more fulfilled in my life?
For example, if the reason why you are unhappy is that someone else disapproves of the things you’re doing, then you need to find a way to make them change their opinion.
2) What do I want to learn?
If you feel like the things that interest you are boring and there’s nothing new for you to learn, then it might be time to do some soul searching.
The purpose of life is to live a meaningful one. If there’s nothing new for you to learn, then your purpose in life will begin to fade and eventually die out.
If this sounds like you, start asking yourself questions like: what would I like to know more about? What knowledge or skill do I want to improve? (and why).
3) Who are the people that inspire me? Why do they inspire me?
Everybody has a hero, you know, that one person who we look up to and think, wow, they really have it all.
The kind of life they have, the way they live it, and the way they look at life. For me, my hero is my dad.
He was a hard-working man with a tremendous work ethic and a positive attitude. He encouraged me to do well in school and supported me throughout many ups and many downs.
He never gave up on me and his voice is still the one I hear in my head when I’m about to throw in the towel.
He accomplished all of his goals because he never gave up on himself. He always had a positive outlook and thought positively about everything that happened to him.
He was never afraid to try new things, and he made sure that I knew that I could do the same thing if I tried.
Longs story short…
Find your hero and take note of the things they say and do that make them successful.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll find that your responses align with the four principles of ikigai, making it easier for you to identify yours!
What are the four principles of ikigai?
1) Purpose
ikigai is the main element that defines your life in a sense.
It is an aspect of your life that you are passionate about and feel fulfilled by doing it; 2) What does ikigai mean? – Ikigai means “the reason for being” or “reason for existence.”
The word was coined from Japanese, which has been used since ancient times to describe what makes one’s life worth living.
2) Passion
The concept of ikigai has been around for a long time, and many people aspire to find it.
Ikigai can be translated as ‘the reason you get up in the morning.’
It refers to finding something that will keep your mind occupied, entertained, or satisfied so that you are motivated enough throughout the day to continue doing it despite any obstacles.
If someone doesn’t have passion for what they do, then it would be difficult for them to find ikigai because there’s no point in continuing with their current job if they don’t enjoy what they’re doing.
3) Meaning
The third component of finding ikigai is meaning.
If your purpose or passion does not have meaning, it will be difficult for you to find ikigai because there will be no point in doing something you don’t enjoy.
When people search for their life’s work, they often search within themselves and ask: what am I passionate about? What do I love doing with my time? Is this a job where the hours fly by without me noticing them passing?
These questions can help identify whether one has found their calling in life or just an occupation paying well enough to get through college.
4) Connection
It would help if you had a connection with your purpose or passion to find ikigai.
If you don’t have a connection, it will be difficult for you to find meaning, and it will be difficult for you to keep going when things get hard.
A connection can also mean relationships: friends, family members, significant others who support one’s journey towards their goal/passion – they are all relevant as connections that help provide motivation and inspiration along the way.
How do I bring ikigai into my everyday life?
Need more ikigai? Simply keep on asking why!
As mentioned previously, Ikigai is a Japanese term that means “a reason for being.” It’s a way of looking at the world that allows you to see the beauty, joy, and purpose in your life.
It’s an essential part of finding happiness and meaning. Ikigai is the reason you get out of bed every morning. If you don’t have an ikigai for a living, then why are you doing it?
What does ikigai look like?
For many people, it looks like: being happy at work; enjoying your family; having meaningful friendships; making a difference in the world, and feeling connected.
For others, it feels like: being more positive; feeling more energized and alive; having a sense of purpose, and feeling more connected.
Do I really need to ikigai?
You may be wondering if you need ikigai. It’s not a question of if you need it—it’s a question of how much you need it!
You can have an abundance of ikigai, even without having an abundance of money.
You can have ikigai even if you don’t have a lot of time.
You can have ikigai even if you don’t feel like doing anything. You can have ikigai even if you don’t feel like living.
With that said, if you don’t see a purpose in this life, ikigai is definitely going to change your life for the better.
What is the best way to get more ikigai?
The best way to get more ikigai is to figure out what it is that makes you happy and purposeful.
Of course, there are many different ways to pursue this, but here are a few ideas:
Get more sleep. It’s easier than you think to make yourself happier and more productive by getting enough sleep. Try making it a priority to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.
It’s easier than you think to make yourself happier and more productive by getting enough sleep. Try making it a priority to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.
Read books that inspire you. Reading fiction can be a great way to get your mind working on a different level, and it can also help you figure out what makes you happy and purposeful in life.
Books like The Happiness Project or How To Be a Stoic are great examples of books that can help you figure out what makes you happy and purposeful in life.
Reading fiction can be a great way to get your mind working on a different level, and it can also help you to become more creative. Nothing boosts our creative juices more than a great book!
Useful methods to help you find your Ikigai.
Now that I’ve got you thinking more about your ikigai, how do you go about putting it into practice? Here are some ideas:
Journaling to find your ikigai.
There are many different ways you can use journaling to find your ikigai.
You might want to start by writing down what makes you happy and purposeful in life.
Then, write down how you spend your time throughout the day.
Perhaps, you could even write down how much time you spend on Facebook each day, or how often you eat bad food because it’s convenient.
By doing this, you will be able to see where your time is going and what you could do with that time to become happier and more purposeful.
Buddhist practice
Buddhist practice is a great way to find your ikigai.
Buddhists believe that the purpose of life is to be happy, and they use a set of practices to help them get there.
It’s no secret that meditation is a great way to find your ikigai, but it’s also important to balance your practice with other activities.
If you want to learn more about Buddhist practice, here are some resources:
You can also learn more about Buddhist practice by reading books like Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind or The Shambhala Guide to the Buddhist Path.
Get active!
Get some exercise!
You heard me!
Exercise is a great way to get rid of stress, and it’s also a great way to find your ikigai.
Try running, hiking or yoga. You can also try playing sports like soccer or basketball, which are both ways to get rid of stress and help you find your ikigai.
Mindful meditation
Meditation can be an effective way to help you find your ikigai.
Make time each day to sit in a quiet, peaceful place and think about what it is that you’re looking for in your life.
Think about what your vision is for the future and how you can achieve it.
If you’re looking for a new job, think about what kind of work you want to do and how you can make that happen.
If you’re looking to move or change your city or town, think about which factors are important to you in choosing a place to live.
A few minutes of daily mindful meditation will help you to find your ikigai.
Conclusion
So what’s the bottom line?
What’s the most important thing to remember? What’s the most important message that I should take away from all this?
Here it is:
The only way you can find your ikigai is by looking at your life, noticing the different things that make up your life, and realizing each one has a purpose.
Once you start to appreciate the purpose of each thing, then it will be easy for you to find your ikigai.
And once you find your ikigai, it will be easy for you to keep going when things get hard, and it will make everything in life easier.
