“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it.” … “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Howard. W. Thurman

The ‘ikigai’ is a Japanese concept, translated to ‘what is worth living for’.

How often do you consider if what you do each day makes you ‘come alive’? To you wake up in the morning, filled with energy, enthusiasm and joy?
If the answer is occasionally, rarely, or never… then you are not living by your Ikigai.
And, although it’s a fairly simple concept, as a society, we seem to have lost this fundamental of living!

Are you truly living your life? Or merely existing?
For what? To pay the bills each month?
I know what it feels like to need to pay the bills – being in my first year of business, during a global pandemic… I am grateful that I had savings, that I have worked out my Ikigai, and that I am now living by it.

“Why do you stay in prison when the door is wide open?”
Rumi

I came across ‘Ikigai’ a few months ago. I made a few notes, in one of my many notebooks piled up on my desk… But where?
I did it again on a word document… Have I looked at it again since? Nope.

So, on one Saturday afternoon, I decided to properly create my own version. A little like a vision board, with less specific ‘vision’.

It helped me to physically ‘create it’ – the different pens, papers, and patterns…

To have something to look at, above my desk, when I am beginning to struggle or feel overwhelmed, helps me massively.
To be able to reflect upon why I am doing what I do each day, the bigger impact it will have on the world… makes the small steps daily become that little bit more significant.

“The Journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
Lao Tzu

This week I ran a presentation on ‘Creating your Ikigai’. It went so well I got asked if I could run another one, straight after, to another group! Here is the link, if you would like to watch it 🙂

https://youtu.be/Qsnr6uKTcW0

I’ve also got someone now booked in for a 1-1 Ikigai creation session! Exciting times ahead for him, as I am confident that once he has his clear vision, his life is going to unfold in the most magnificent way!

Perhaps my Ikigai is to help people work out and create their own ikigai? I do believe that this is a part of my Ikigai!

One of my inspirations, my mentor/hypnotherapy trainer, Freddy Jacquin said that I need to get it into schools across the country – especially with the combination of hypnotherapy and arts/crafts.
I love the idea of doing it outside too, connecting with nature… Roll on the summer; I’ll be getting Liz involved with this!

Have I worked out how yet? Nope… But I’m taking the steps, I’m learning and I’m enjoying the experience!