Ikigai
Ikigai Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
“For many, helping others might be an ikigai strong enough to keep them alive.”
A little gem to keep by your bedside (forever?) so you can pick it up every time you might feel a bit misaligned or lost in life. Every time you ask yourself: why am I here - kind of existential questions. I know you know what I am talking about. This little book found me just after I had watched the Blue Zones documentary, which delves into the secrets of human longevity and just before my first trip to Japan. Ikigai, a key concept in Japanese culture, is one of the reasons people there live long and happy lives. Initially, I wasn't surprised by the information delivered - having read a lot of personal development literature, it felt all really familiar and not far from the big concepts we keep hearing about and find everywhere. However, what struck me about this short book is its practicality and poetry. It offers a clear structure, uses relatable examples, and plants seeds of ideas for how you can incorporate its principles into your own life to find your Ikigai while inviting you to look at life through the lens of hope. In a bit of a grey world that is often depicted to us, reading Ikigai act as a ping of joy!
