What do Japanese artisans, engineers, Zen philosophy, and cuisine have in common? Simplicity and attention to detail.It is not a lazy simplicity but a sophisticated one that searches out new frontiers, always taking the object, the body and mind, or the cuisine to the next level, according to one’s ikigai.When someone sets out to create something, his/her responsibility is to use nature to give it “life” while respecting that nature at every moment. During this process, the artisan becomes one with the object and flows with it.It's not man versus nature, but rather a union of the two.

Sophisticated simplicity

As Nicholas Taleb explains "we use the word fragile to describe people, things that are weakened when harmed, and the words robust and resilient for things that are able to withstand harm without weakening, but we don’t have a word for things that get stronger when harmed". Taleb proposes the term antifragile.“Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.”Catastrophes and exceptional circumstances offer good models for explaining antifragility.

Beyond resilience: Antifragility

Whether threats we perceive are real, stress is an easily identifiable condition that not only causes anxiety but is also highly psychosomatic, affecting everything from digestive system to skin.The central premise of this stress-reduction method is focusing on the self: noticing our responses, even if they are conditioned by habit, in order to be fully conscious of them.In this way, we connect with the here and now and limit thoughts that tend to spiral out of control.One way to reach a state of mindfulness is through meditation, which helps filter the information that reaches us.

Be mindful about reducing stress

Spending too much time seated at work or at home not only reduces muscular and respiratory fitness, also increases appetite and curbs the desire to participate in activities.Being sedentary can lead to hypertension, imbalanced eating, cardiovascular disease, and even certain kinds of cancer. We can access a more active lifestyle that makes us feel better inside and out - we just have to add a few ingredients to our everyday habits:<ul><li>Walk to work</li><li>Use your feet instead of an elevator</li><li> Participate in social /leisure activities</li><li>Replace your junk food with fruit</li><li>Get the right amount of sleep</li></ul>

A lot sitting will age you

Ask yourself these questions:<ul><li>What do the activities that drive you to flow have in common?</li><li>Why do those activities drive you to flow? For example, are all the activities you most like doing ones that you practice alone or with other people?</li><li>Do you flow more when doing things that require you to move your body or just to think?</li></ul>In the answers to these questions you might find the underlying ikigai that drives your life. If you don’t, then keep searching by going deeper.Also, try new things that are not on the list of what makes you flow but that are similar and that you are curious about.

Using flow to fing your ikigai

There is village in south of Japan named Okinawa, where there are 24.55% people over the age of 100 for every 100,000 inhabitants - far more than global average.Is ikigai the reason there are more centenarians in Okinawa than anywhere else?  How does it inspire people to stay active until the very end? What is the secret to a long and happy life?The purpose of the book is to bring the secrets of Japan's centenarians to you and give the tools to find your own ikigai.

Book's Intention

<ul><li>Stay active; don’t retire.</li><li>Take it slow.</li><li>Don’t fill your stomach.</li><li>Surround yourself with good friends.</li><li>Get in shape for your next birthday. </li><li>Smile.</li><li>Reconnect with nature.</li><li>Give thanks.</li><li>Live in the moment.</li><li>Follow your ikigai.</li></ul>There is a passion inside you, a unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end. If you don’t know what your ikigai is yet, as Viktor Frankl says, your mission is to discover it.

The ten rules of ikigai

Both Buddhism and Stoicism remind us that the present is all that exists, and it is the only thing we can control. Instead of worrying about the past or the future, we should appreciate things just as they are in the moment, in the now.We should never forget that everything we have and all the people we love will disappear at some point.Being aware of the impermanence of things does not have to make us sad; it should help us love the present moment and those who surround us.“All things human are short-lived and perishable,” Seneca tells us.

The here and now, and the impermanence of things

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept that shows us the beauty of the fleeting, changeable, and imperfect nature of the world around us. Instead of searching for beauty in perfection, we should look for it in things that are flawed, incomplete.Japanese concept is that of ichi-go ichi-e , which could be translated “This moment exists only now and won’t come again.” It is heard most often in social gatherings as a reminder that each encounter is unique and will never be repeated, meaning that we should enjoy the moment and not lose ourselves in worries about the past or the future.

Wabi-sabi and ichi-go ichi-e

One of the most common sayings in Japan is “Hara hachi bu,” which is said before or after eating and means “Fill your belly to 80 percent.” This is why stop eating when  stomachs reach 80 percent of capacity, rather than overeating and wearing down bodies with long digestive processes that accelerate cellular oxidation.The way food is served is also important. By presenting their meals on many small plates, the Japanese tend to eat less. Having five plates in front of you makes it seem like you are going to eat a lot.

The 80% Secret

The Japanese concept, which translates as " the happiness of always being busy".According to the Japanese,everyone has an ikigai - French philosopher might call a raison d'être(purpose). Having a clearly defined ikigai brings satisfaction, happiness, and meaning to our lives. The purpose of this book is to help you find yours, and to share insights from Japanese philosophy on the lasting health of body, mind and spirit.

IKIGAI

What is the best way to live longer? Here are a few factors within your control

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Science & Nature

longevity

Longevity

food

Food

health

Health

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

How To Live A Long Life

The book brings out the purpose or how to continue even without purpose with doing the mundane tasks like walking, doing dishes, cleaning house and many more things that will keep us busy and helps us enjoy life, whilst we search for our purpose. Because those who discover their ikigai have everything they need for a long and joyful journey through life.

Los Angeles Times bestseller • More than 1.5 million copies sold “If hygge is the art of doing nothing, ikigai is the art of doing something—and doing it with supreme focus and joy.” —New York Post Bring meaning and joy to all your days with this internationally bestselling guide to the Japanese concept of ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy)—the happiness of always being busy—as revealed by the daily habits of the world’s longest-living people. *And from the same authors, don’t miss The Book of Ichigo Ichie—about making the most of every moment in your life.* * * * What’s your ikigai? “Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.” —Japanese proverb According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai—a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world’s longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier and longer life. Having a strong sense of ikigai—the place where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect—means that each day is infused with meaning. It’s the reason we get up in the morning. It’s also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there’s no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they’ve found a real purpose in life—the happiness of always being busy. In researching this book, the authors interviewed the residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds—one of the world’s Blue Zones. Ikigai reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and—their best-kept secret—how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. And it provides practical tools to help you discover your own ikigai. Because who doesn’t want to find happiness in every day? A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE

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Motivation & Inspiration

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Society, Arts & Culture

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • 1.5 MILLION+ COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE “Workers looking for more fulfilling positions should start by identifying their ikigai.” ―Business Insider   “One of the unintended—yet positive—consequences of the [pandemic] is that it is forcing people to reevaluate their jobs, careers, and lives. Use this time wisely, find your personal ikigai, and live your best life.” ―Forbes Find your ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) to live longer and bring more meaning and joy to all your days. “Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.” —Japanese proverb   According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai—a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world’s longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier and longer life. Having a strong sense of ikigai—where what you love, what you’re good at, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs all overlap—means that each day is infused with meaning. It’s the reason we get up in the morning. It’s also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there’s no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they’ve found a real purpose in life—the happiness of always being busy. In researching this book, the authors interviewed the residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds—one of the world’s Blue Zones. Ikigai reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and—their best-kept secret—how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. And it provides practical tools to help you discover your own ikigai. Because who doesn’t want to find happiness in every day?

Hector Garcia was born in Spain in 1981 and has been living in Tokyo since 2004. During his spare time he writes aGeekinJapan.com, one of the most widely-read blogs in the world in Spanish and in English, as well as books about his experiences in Japan. He is the author of the bestsellers: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life and A Geek in Japan. You can find more of Hector's musings at ageekinjapan.com

Héctor García

Francesc Miralles Contijoch is a Catalan writer, essayist, translator, and musician.