“Only things that are imperfect, incomplete, and ephemeral can truly be beautiful because only those things resemble the natural world.”

It’s okay to see what’s wrong. But don’t forget the privilege of being here and now in this world full of possibilities. Always share a smile whenever you can.

1. Smile

Stop blaming the past and fearing the future. All you have is today. Make the most out of it. Make it worth remembering.

4. Live the moment

Take a moment of the day to say thank you, and you will increase your flow of happiness.

3. Be thankful

We all are a part of this natural world, we should return to the nature by doing good deeds. We should do it regularly keep the cycle running.

2. Reconnect with nature

Find your unique purpose that gives meaning to your life and pushes you to give your best until the end. If you haven’t found your Ikigai.

5. Find your Ikigai

Interviews with the residents of a Japanese village that has the world's highest percentage of centenarians reveals the secrets to happiness and longevity through "ikigai," the intersection of passion, purpose, and mission.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

books

Books

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.

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