5 December 2024
Michelle Knight,
The Life Passion Coach
Passion Discovery
Today, I’ll be talking about the benefits and methods to finding “flow” and a widely known Japanese concept called “Ikigai”. The Japanese believe everyone has an ikigai. This is a Japanese concept that means your reason for being, your life purpose, or your bliss. To find out more, you’ll have to read on.
Bonjour mes amis et bienvenue! I am The Life Passion Coach, Michelle Knight. I’m a semi-retired solopreneur digital nomad, a passport stamp collector and an avid reader and motorcyclist. Today I want to talk to you about finding our passion and fulfilment in life. The Japanese call this finding your “Ikigai”. It’s the place where your needs, desires, ambitions, and satisfaction meet. A place of balance. Small wonder that finding your ikigai is closely linked to living longer.
The Japanese have no word for retirement. Most continue to work as long as they are able and instead of staying home and taking it easy, they will pursue hobbies with the same ethic they applied to their work life.
Many of the world’s longest-lived people, who live on the islands of Okinawa at the southern end of Japan, find their ikigai and prioritise it nearly every day of their lives. “Ikigai” is a Japanese concept that means your reason for being, your life purpose, or your bliss.
The Japanese believe everyone has an ikigai. For a fulfilling life, we must find our raison d’etre or “a reason to live”. Ikigai is a combination of the words “iki” which means “to live” and “gai” which means “reason”. When we follow what we love with passion, gain skills and are aligned with what the world needs as well as what you can be paid for – it is both our vocation and our profession. Being fulfilled is deeply meaningful and brings joy and purpose to our lives.
When we are in tune with our Ikigai, we can enter a state of flow, and it is this that helps to give us joy and fulfillment. When someone is in a flow state, they may experience feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. This is sometimes called ikigai-kan. Flow is a state of mind that occurs when a person is totally immersed in an activity. It can occur during a wide variety of tasks such as when a person is learning, being creative, or participating in a sport. When in a flow state, people pay no attention to distractions and time seems to pass without any notice.
Having the best experience possible while concentrating on your raison d’etre boils down to increasing the time we spend on activities that bring us to this state of flow. Rather than allowing ourselves to get caught up in activities that give us immediate pleasure, like sitting in front of the TV for hours while eating unhealthy foods. Here are some tips for finding flow in pursuit of ikigai:
The journey to finding ikigai can take time and effort, but it’s something that everyone can do. Thankfully, there’s a framework that you can follow to achieve a state of flow. Think about a time you were completely immersed in what you were doing, from singing your heart out to a song you love to reading a book so good you didn’t even realise that the sun went down.
Gravitating towards the activities that spark this state of “flow” can lead you to your “ikigai,” which is what the Japanese term “the happiness of always being busy”. In 2013, Owen Schaffer, who was a researcher at DePaul University, delved deeper into this “flow” concept and suggested that there were seven conditions for achieving flow:
In 2012, Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia co-wrote a world bestselling book called “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life”. “Being in a state of flow can increase your focus, free you of worries temporarily and allow you to be more present”, García and Miralles wrote. “The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow,” they add. “Flow is mysterious. It is like a muscle: the more you train it, the more you will flow, and the closer you will be to your ikigai.”
Did you know that finding your purpose in life is linked to living longer? According to a recent study, nearly 7,000 older adults were surveyed on the relationship between mortality and finding one’s purpose. The results showed that those who did not have a strong sense of meaning in their lives were more than twice as likely to die prematurely as those who had figured out their purpose in life. Interestingly, having a sense of purpose also reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.
What’s more, these results were universal, even when controlled for income, race, gender, and education level. Therefore, it’s clear that finding your purpose in life is not only essential for happiness and fulfilment, but it can also help you live a longer, healthier life.
So, take the time to explore your passions and identify your purpose – it could be the key to a longer, more fulfilling life!
Do you ever find yourself struggling to find your true purpose in life? You’re not alone. Many people are held back from answering the question, “What is my purpose?” by two main factors.
The first is certainty. As humans, we have a deep need for stability and predictability. We create routines to conserve mental energy, and staying within our comfort zones prevents us from feeling anxious and getting hurt – emotionally and physically. However, this need for stability can keep us from growing and finding our true purpose. It can keep us in unfulfilling jobs and unhealthy relationships, preventing us from reaching our full potential.
The second factor is limiting beliefs. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are can either hold us back or propel us toward fulfilment. Limiting beliefs, such as thinking we’re not good enough or don’t deserve to be happy, can lead to limiting behaviours like fear of failure and self-sabotage. On the other hand, believing that we have no limitations in life gives us the confidence to find our purpose. As Tony Robbins says, “We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish.” By embracing this belief, we can overcome our limiting beliefs and find our true purpose in life.
So, why is it difficult to find your life’s purpose? It is only difficult because you aren’t focusing on yourself. Discovering your life’s purpose is all about discovering your true self, exploring your interests, and drawing inspiration from positively minded people. Try focusing more on yourself, try out new hobbies, talk to the ones who know you best: your loved ones. Try taking time for yourself, to discover what your true needs are and think about what brings you joy.
Just remember, there is no correct path in life. Your life is a personal experience and whether or not you are on the “right” path can only be answered by you. The journey of life will always take us to unexpected paths. But you don’t have to walk the path alone, I will stay with you every step of the way to help you make an informed and confident decision.
I am a passionate person and I don’t do things by halves. If I decide to do something, I’m always all in – it’s the only way I know how. This can make me seem intense at times and some people have mistaken my passion for something that it’s not. However, my passion for reaching my goals and my dedication to helping others is what sets me apart from the rest. I’m committed to helping you achieve your dreams and I’m not going anywhere until you succeed.
Keep reading here for more tips, tricks and actionable steps to help you find your Ikigai and lead you on a path to a life of passion and fulfillment.
I’m still giving away FREE to you, one of my two Freedom Pursuit Checklists – either the “Nomad Nirvana: Your Starter Checklist to Freelance Freedom” or the “Side Hustle Serenity: Your Checklist to a Profit Partners Passion”.
If you are interested in the details of the Freedom Pursuit Checklists, just go to my website and click on the button to fill out the form and receive the checklist you chose. Just remember, big change requires big support, and I’m here to help you through the transition from the rat race you’re running now to the passionate, fulfilled life you want for yourself.
Thank you for reading this BLOG post of the “Freedom Unleashed: Solopreneurship” Broadcast. Believe in yourself and trust the process. Always look for new opportunities and be open to change. Enjoy the journey and make the most of it. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Take the first step, embrace the journey, and rediscover the excitement and purpose that life has to offer. Until next time, stay passionate.
I will leave you with my final thoughts:
BDK – Be Brave, Be Different and Be Kind. Remember: Laughter is the answer to everything.
Je vous remercie et je vous souhaite une bonne journée.
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