Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Author: Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia

Genre: Self-Help, Japan, Health, Happiness

Rating: 4/5

Verdict: Do me a favor and read this. A very uplifting and calming book with simple language.

Don't you feel an instant calm and happiness when you see the cover of this book? Just staring at the cover relaxes you and puts you in a great mood. The book lives up to the much hyped and talked about "Ikigai". I was holding off on reading this book after bring burnt by reading about - The Hygge. I thought what if this is yet another latest fad which doesn't offer any meaningful insights into the true concept of Ikigai and boy was I wrong! Happy to have been wrong and read this book.

The book talks about the world's centenarians and in particular about the lifestyle and habits of the people of Okinawa - one of the blue zones, where people live the longest and the healthiest. Ikigai is about finding your purpose in life, what makes you get out of bed everyday. It is different for different people but the underlying idea is how to be content and happy with yourself and live everyday with meaning and passion. Although I completed this book in 2 days, I would recommend reading it slowly, savoring every line and idea, ruminate over it and take notes along the way. I loved reading about the inhabitants of Okinawa and their way of life. So much of their habits and life style resonated with me because I spent my entire childhood in a very closely knit colony of self sufficient people. My parents and everyone in the colony had a vegetable garden where they grew and got their produce from, a cooperative society for loans, discounted prices on things, an organizing committee for conducting various events and celebrations. Everyone knew each other and formed very special bonds and friendships which I recall fondly even now. This is exactly what the people of Okinawa live and I now long to visit the island and see them! I'm sure someday I will!

Some reminders I noted down:

- Stay active, never retire

- Don't fill your stomach to the full, eat only until you are 80% full

- Surround yourself with friends and nurture and cherish relationships

- Get in shape for your next birthday

- Fall seven times, but get up the 8th time.

- Slow down a little

- Do not multitask. Focus on a single thing at once.

Like I said, take your time to read this book, it will give you a warm fuzzy feeling when you start which will stay that way until you finish the book and every single time after that when you recall what you read!

A refreshingly simple read! I loved it.