My takeaways from “Ikigai”
I had a very brief idea about the book Ikigai until I got to read it completely . Perhaps, my husband got easy to pick this for my birthday as we more discussed on well being and mortality rate.
First things first what is Ikigai?
Iki means “life” and gai means “to be worthwhile.”
This concept of Japanese is certainly the reason for longer life than people from other parts of the world, and they believe that Ikigai shapes them to live a long and happy life.
Well, I have recieved lot of insights about living a happy and long life which is vicariously brought to me on desk by the authors from the centenarians of Japan.
And, I always like to embrace positive lifestyles from anywhere in the world and show the ropes to my tribe.
While reading Ikigai I had many points which needed my attention in personal life, reading a book or stories which reaches my heart should go to my diary. This time I chose to pen it on Medium. Some of the important essentials of life I will walk through from the inhabitants of this island are —
Active mind~youthful body
Interesting fact to my notice is, our neurons start to age while we are still in our twenties. As shocking as it looks like, added factor — I feel more comfortable to do many tasks as they’ve always done them and now this book aback me that this puts our brain on automatic pilot mode in a comforting way reducing the intellectual activity. Furthermore, in the current competitive market pace, stress is constantly centrifuged in everyone’s life— affecting the neurons associated with memory and adds on as a reason for premature aging.
While this baffles me, and it would baffle you if you are a person who likes to age gracefully and alongside not be a laggard.
How can I avoid stress when I have to reach the needs and goals?
And the best kept secret I receive to have a youthful mind and body are to keep learning something new everyday, playing games so my neurons don’t deteriorate. Avoiding the threats of a predator the brain receives from the notifications on mobile and having a positive- stoic attitude to reduce the collective stress and anxiety.
Looks simple but needs a slight modification of living pattern to reach it.
Power of flow
While I struggle to concentrate on one thing for long and that is the most challenging factor to achieve flow. Today morning I was reading an article about Winston Churchill, used my google to find the place which he was talking about and it dragged me on looking for other locations in United Kingdom and I got swamped in internet, pulling me away from state of flow.
This is just an example and it happens alot over the day unnoticed.
“Power of flow” got me connected to the obstacles I face in my daily life and shined me with wisdom to increase my chances of achieving flow — is to not look at any kind of screen for the first hour am awake and the last hour before going to sleep, starting my work with a ritual I enjoy and end it with a reward, practice mindfulness when I get distracted and lastly dividing activity into group of related tasks.
And the boon of achieving flow gives a focused mind, free from worry, mind is clear, under control and pleasant.
Steve Jobs indeed was fascinated and inspired about Japan’s work culture, he was more captivated by the simplicity and quality of their work.
Meditation
Meditation is one of the underrated practice by most of us. Well, I make up myself to do as it is more respected and practiced in my family and it has certainly helped me to some extent. Keeping my focus on one object is so challenging, I have millions of thoughts flowing and the notifications of emails, messages and phone calls roars for my attention. And the meditation ends there with eyes and fingers on my phone.
Seventeen year old girl who was the winner of 1988 Olympic gold medal for archery says meditating for two hours everyday was the key to her success. Hearing the benefits of certain practices from achievers gathers my intense attention to take it seriously.
Giving me the faith that meditation is paramount to achieve state of flow and practicing meditation generates Alpha and theta waves which enhances our creativity levels, reduces anxiety and clears mental horizons.
Aristotle says “ We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit.”
Miracle diet
Okinawa is one of the place in Japan which was highly affected during World War II, but today they have recovered to have had one of the most longest living citizens. And the cardio vascular disease in Okinawa is lowest in Japan. This has gained attention around the world to discuss the concrete “Okinawa Diet” followed by their people.
And what I learn from their diet— they eat variety of fruits and vegetables which includes atleast five serving every day, they rarely eat sugar, salt consumption is limited upto 7 grams everyday, grains like rice are the main foundation of their food, and lastly portion size control — they stop eating when they are 80% full. Food isn’t served as appetizer, main courses and dessert. It is served in small plates.
And the other secret is drinking green tea, has tremendous health benefits. I was excited after reading about this, grabbed a new brand of green tea the same evening and gulped it before going to bed which made me restless and I couldn’t fall asleep.
The next morning I checked on the tea package which explained this brand of green tea was caffeinated!
The purpose of the story : avoid drinking caffeinated green tea just before bed.
Exercising
The village of longevity in Japan is always active, they don’t stay in sedentary.
Going to gym or exercising intensively is not their type, instead they engage in moving a lot over the course of their daily errands. Although, yoga comes from India, it is popular in Japan.
People of Okinawa are always busy, they occupy themselves with certain tasks. During the documentary of the Ikigai authors noticed not a single person sitting unoccupied on bench, they are always in momentum.
Final thoughts after reading this book Ikigai, the key takeaways for me:
- Enjoy mundane tasks
- Concentrate on single task at a time
- Have a clearly defined objective
- Focus on the process
- Live an unhurried life
- Finding flow in everything I do.
These are some of my findings and learning I received from the centenarians of Okinawans.
Ikigai is unique to each of us and it is buried within us. Happiest people are not the people who achieve the most but the ones who spend most time than others in the state of flow.
If this bridges your thoughts please do read the whole book.
Reference: https://www.amazon.com/Ikigai-Japanese-Secret-Long-Happy/dp/0143130722
