Purpose – Crisbie Coach

Ikigai: The Japanese Art of Finding Purpose in Everyday Life

In the busy and frenetic activity of our daily lives, the quest for meaning is a universal pursuit. In Japan, this quest is encapsulated by Ikigai, a term that reflects the intrinsic motivation that propels us out of bed each morning and infuses our lives with a profound sense of joy.

The beauty of Ikigai lies in its simplicity, transcending the pursuit of fame or fortune. Rather, it centers around a singular priority, often operating in the background of our consciousness. For some, particularly artists and seasoned professionals, Ikigai intertwines with their life’s calling. An undeniable fulfillment comes from engaging in work that holds deep personal significance. However, even those without a career-centric Ikigai discover purpose in the rhythm of daily routines.

Ken Mogi, in his enlightening book, “The Little Book of Ikigai: The Secret Japanese Way to Live a Happy and Long Life,” breaks down Ikigai into five essential pillars:

Starting Small: Ikigai encourages us to begin our journey with modest steps, recognizing that meaningful achievements often arise from humble beginnings.
Releasing Yourself: Letting go of preconceived notions is integral to Ikigai. True purpose emerges when we free ourselves from self-imposed limitations.
Harmony and Sustainability: Achieving Ikigai involves cultivating a harmonious balance within ourselves and with the world around us. Sustainability, both personal and environmental, is key.
The Joy of Little Things: Often, it’s the small, seemingly inconsequential moments that contribute significantly to our overall happiness. Ikigai encourages us to find joy in life’s simple pleasures.
Being in the Here and Now: Ikigai emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and fully engaged with life’s opportunities.

At its core, Ikigai is about being in the flow—a state reminiscent of childhood, where time seemed to slip away unnoticed during moments of pure enjoyment. It entails being in harmony with our internal selves and the external world, attuned to the opportunities life unfolds before us.

The profound secret of Ikigai lies in self-acceptance. Embracing our unique qualities, bestowed upon us at birth, forms the foundation of Ikigai. The affirmation “I love and accept myself as I am” becomes a powerful positive affirmation, a reminder that each of us is a unique and irreplaceable individual navigating life’s obstacles in our own way.

To uncover your Ikigai, reflect on the following questions:

What are the small things that bring you joy and contentment?
Which simple pleasures help you face each day with a positive outlook?

As you start your journey to discover your Ikigai, remember that it’s a personal odyssey, a celebration of the authentic self in pursuit of a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.

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Indugiare

Indugiare, rimandare, procrastinare… quante persone conosci così? E tu come ti consideri? Sei una di quelle persone che rimandano il pagamento delle fatture, non prendono l’appuntamento dal dentista pur avendone bisogno, non portano giù la spazzatura? Oppure sei una persona che cerca di agire in anticipo, per non farsi cogliere di sorpresa e impreparata?

Aspettare a lungo può avere conseguenze. Pensa al cambiamento climatico. O a una malattia. Se non cerchi di scoprire subito quello hai, poi potrebbe diventare troppo tardi. Potresti sentire il dottore dirti: “Se fossi venuto prima, avremmo potuto intervenire e tentare di guarire la tua malattia. Ora è troppo tardi”.

Negli Stati Uniti, le statistiche dicono che il 20% circa della popolazione, rimanda i compiti i noiosi al giorno dopo, come se i compiti in questione avessero poi la capacità di scomparire o divenire meno noiosi (in realtà, è piuttosto il contrario, no?).

Uno studio cinese dimostra che le persone con tendenza a rimandare (chiamiamoli “procrastinatori“. Dal latino cras che significa domani e pro che significa per) hanno certe aree del cervello iperattive, che causano un vagabondaggio mentale: quando è tempo di pagare le fatture, prendere l’appuntamento dal dentista o portare giù la spazzatura, queste aree vanno in tilt e inducono la persona a pensare a qualcosa d’altro. E, diciamolo, a cercare delle scuse su quanto sarebbe sgradevole fare quella cosa.

Inoltre, i procrastinatori hanno un’altra zona del cervello debole. Si tratta della zona che blocca le attività di dispersione e che consente, invece, di rimanere concentrati.

Le persone che lavorano anticipando gli eventi e agiscono secondo un piano o un programma in modo da non essere colti di sorpresa da un esame, o da una scadenza fiscale, hanno un’attività elevata in quest’area del cervello, in modo tale che il divagare é bloccato e rimangono concentrati.

Quando la mente si distacca dallo scopo programmato e comincia a vagare, diventa vulnerabile e soggetta alle influenze della zona del cervello che comunica quanto sia sgradevole quella cosa. Il procrastinatore è quindi bloccato dal suo cervello e cerca immediatamente qualcosa che lo faccia stare meglio. Il compito sgradevole è perciò spostato nel futuro e percepito come innocuo.

Che fare? Il cervello è un muscolo e possiamo allenarlo per sfruttare la sua plasticità.

Unplug your mind, find yourself

When e-mails, text messages, conference calls, Webex, Whatspp, FB, Instagram, Tweeter, Google and anything else from your partner to your boss invade our lives, it becomes necessary for our survival to stop for a while and be silent.

Our always connected minds take us away from the best of ourselves and our creative potential.

Referring constantly to what one or the other has said, we forget to connect to our essential being, which is unique and precious.

We have become individuals driven by technological change that moved away from ourselves, from our awareness of being human, from the first component of Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI is recognized today as a condition of success in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world, as it is the one we live today.

Refocusing, looking inside, listening to silence and our inner voice. In the depths of ourselves we find an enormous amount of resources and our most authentic creativity: it is our treasure, a unique, rich and colorful, magical place where everything is open and possible.

In this space, we can find synchronicity, messages and insights that will enable us to make the right decisions for our lives.

In this space real relationships can arise, authentic relationships between sincere people who are now masked by the ego that continues to rule us.

What to do then?

Give yourself moments of silence! Be for a while without your mobile phone. Go out for a walk without it, walk with no direction in the nature and feel, look, listen, use all your senses to the maximum.

Be present in this unique moment and let yourself be pervaded by the harmony that surrounds you.

Practice your favorite hobby, and if you do not have it, think about finding one. Quietly cooking at home, knitting, painting, drawing, gardening and all the other activities that you may be passionate about.

Stop for a moment and stop moving from one activity to another, from one piece of information to another. Your brain can not take it anymore, it also needs a rest. Give yourself time to deepen the reasons of your choices and discover the reason of your being, your purpose.

So many people today cannot make a decision, if it has not been recommended by someone, a friend, a colleague, or a family member.

People feel lost. Most probably they are really lost: they have disconnected from themselves to live in connection with the social networks.

It is not my intention to condemn social networks and sources of information, I also use them. The problem is their overuse: a lot of people nowadays lives constantly with an external reference and far away from their real life.

I can accompany you on a journey where you will learn to clear some space for your inner needs. I will show you techniques to manage your stress that will help you to go back to your daily occupations in a more balanced way. And live your life fully. You deserve it!