What are you reading at the moment?

What are you reading at the moment? I have started reading a book called Ikigai, The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, written by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. Having been searching for more meaning in my life for some time, I was intrigued when I heard about the Japanese concept of an ikigai, which is essentially a person’s reason for getting up in the morning. It is a crossover point between someone’s passion, mission, vocation and profession. It encompasses what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid to do, and what you are talented at.

I have been seeking my purpose in life, and this idea seems to hit the nail on the head. The Japanese believe that finding your ikigai is the secret to happiness. I figured it was worth investigating, and the book has been on my Kindle for a few weeks now while I finished John Williams’ book. I can’t wait to update you with the full details of what I learn!

Stress

Most of us seem to fall in to jobs that we don’t really like, and then don’t leave them because we need the money. This causes us huge amounts of stress, which can lead to burnout, and is a contributing factor to a lot of diseases, in my opinion. I have made a conscious decision to leave my stressful job, to follow a more creative, relaxed lifestyle in the future. I instinctively knew that I wanted to write a blog, but didn’t know if I could make a success of it.

Flow

A good indication that you have found your ikigai is when you take part in an activity and become so engrossed in it that you lose track of time. This is called being in flow, and it can happen for musicians, artists, athletes and anyone else who loves what they do. For me, this happens when I write. I love to express my thoughts, whether or not I share the writing with others. It gives me the same pleasure to write in my diary or to write an article that I intend to share with other people. I simply love to write. I think I have finally found my ikigai! What are you reading at the moment? Maybe you can use this book to find your ikigai too…

Project 365

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year. This seems like quite a difficult challenge, and I have no idea if I will run out of ideas before the end of 2021. However, I am up for testing myself to see if I can manage it!

Do you often wonder to yourself “How can I give up my job?”

I do, and I have put into action a project to do just that. Project 365 has begun. The countdown to freedom has started. 362 days to go!