“Ikigai“ by Francesc Miralles & Hector Garcia

Happy Saturday!

I spend hours putting these takeaways together and I honestly hope you learn something cool today too!

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The author 🖋

Francesc Miralles is a journalist, researcher and award-winning author from Spain who went around the world exploring how different cultures approach happiness and the meaning in life.

Héctor García is a Spanish author who moved to Japan and immersed himself in its culture, well-known for his writings about Japanese philosophy and ways of life.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Find your Ikigai

Imagine a diagram with circles for things you love, things you're good at, things that help others and things that can get you paid - the sweet spot in the middle is your Ikigai.

Based on the Japanese way of life, this convergence is central to feeling fulfilled and motivated in life.

2. A happy balanced life

To feel good and live a long life, it's important to take care of your body, mind and heart.

Slowing down, staying present and appreciating the beauty of little things tasks, like the taste of your favorite food or the feeling of sunshine on your face, while living a “naturally active" lifestyle that incorporates gentle and regular physical movement, such as walking or gardening.

These things are the biggest contributors to a happy life.

3. Cherish and foster relationships

Social connectedness is crucial for mental and physical health.

People who we care about and who care about us provide emotional support, reduce stress and contribute to a sense of belonging and purpose.

The authors suggest that based on the principles of Ikigai, fostering good relationships with friends, family and people in your community can add years to your life and life to your years.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book explores the concept of Ikigai, a Japanese philosophy for a long and happy life.

It delves deep into the lifestyle habits and philosophies of the people in the Japanese island of Okinawa to look for correlations between its high concentration of centenarians and the practice of Ikigai.

That’s a wrap!

I’d love to hear your thoughts or book suggestions - just hit reply, I write back to everyone :)

- Monty

P.S. Find this valuable & want to say thanks? I love drinking coffee ☕

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