Researcher Dan Buettner, with the support of National Geographic, worked with doctors and biologists for five years to study special places on Earth called “blue zones”. Such regions have the highest concentration of long-lived people than others. Scientists tried to find out what exactly allows these people to live much longer than others, and identified certain patterns of their diet, culture and behavior. One of such specific places on the planet is the island of Okinawa in Japan. The country in general has a fairly high percentage of long-livers, but on this island their concentration exceeds all limits. Men here on average live 88 years, women – 92 years. People are less likely to suffer from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, dementia. They demonstrate amazing vigor and excellent health. The diet of Okinawans consists of fish and other seafood, vegetables, fruits. They get up from the table with a slight feeling of hunger, filling the stomach only 80%. Physical activity and oriental practices are common here. But there is something else that distinguishes this area from the rest of Japan and the rest of the world – something that Okinawans consider their main secret of longevity. It’s ikigai.

This concept is well illustrated by a Japanese parable. “Once in a small Japanese town, a woman was dying. At some point she felt her soul leave her body, ascend upward and appear before the spirits of her ancestors. A loud voice asked her: – Who are you? – I am the mayor’s wife,” she replied. – I’m not asking who your husband is. Answer me: Who are you? – I am a mother of four children. I’m a schoolteacher. – Did I ask how many children you have or where you work? And so it went on until she said: – I am someone who wakes up every day to help my family and teach my children in school. After that, she returned to her body and the illness receded. She had found her ikigai.” This short and rather elegant word translates into Russian as “that which gives life meaning, for which it is worth waking up every morning”. It is the most important interest of a person, the most important aspiration in life. It answers the questions “what am I doing here”, “why am I living”, “how can I be useful to this world”. Ikigai is an all-encompassing concept that runs through life and helps you find yourself, your path, meaning and purpose. Dan Buettner in his book “Blue Zones. Nine Rules of Longevity from the People Who Live the Longest” cites the universal formula of ikigai – ‘I wake up in the morning to…’. For example, a 102-year-old karate master wakes up in the morning every day to pass on his art to his students, a 100-year-old fisherman wakes up in the morning to catch fish for his family, and the reason for a 102-year-old woman to get up in the morning is her great-great-granddaughter. The concept of ikigai is widely popular in other parts of Japan, but it has begun to spread around the world. Its followers have managed to achieve a lot in their lives. Apple founder Steve Jobs has visited Kyoto and other Japanese places many times in search of inspiration, and his attitude is fully in line with ikigai: “Do only what you love most. It will definitely lead you to success! Every morning I would look at myself in the mirror and ask, “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m doing today?” And if the answer for many days in a row was no, then I need to make a change.” Finding an interesting activity that is enjoyable and satisfying, wanting to immediately get down to your business and do it in the best way possible is what gives life a sense of fulfillment and meaning. People who have found their ikigai are almost unknown to stress and depression, have an optimistic outlook on life and are not prone to bad habits. Recent studies have confirmed that motivated people live longer. That is why it is so important for every person who wants to live a long, conscious life to find a reason to get up in the morning.

Finding your life’s work can take a lot of energy and time. It should be an important meaningful decision. Ask yourself: what accomplishments are you proud of, what are your skills, are you doing what you love, who do you see yourself as in your dreams? Do not be afraid to experiment and do not stop, it is normal to search for your happiness and vocation. Make a chart – your main thing will be located between what you want to do and what you do best. It may not be useful for Okinawans, but for Westerners, it’s a good idea. It was developed by researchers and writers Francesc Mirales and Hector Garcia after visiting villages on the island of Okinawa. Finding one’s purpose is not an easy task. But because of one’s tendency to constantly think about success and set great goals, the path to get there becomes confusing and daunting. But with ikigai, one can start small – with something simple and accessible, feel the joy and satisfaction of it, and then move on to something more significant. And once the goal is set, it’s important to maintain your commitment and stay on track. For this purpose, there are several rules in ikigai.

• Always be active, don’t drift away from the things you love to do. To give up your business is to lose the meaning of life. It is possible to do what you like, to develop your skills even after official retirement.
• Take everything calmly. Stress, emotional worries shorten a person’s life. As the old proverb says, go quieter – farther you will go.
• Do not overeat. Thanks to the principle of “the less the better” you can stay healthy for a long time.
• Have friends around you. A nice friendly conversation is a good way to cope with anxious thoughts.
• Improve your physical fitness. Like water that is constantly fresh, moving and not stagnant, the human body also needs movement and regular exercise. Exercise releases endorphins, the happy hormones.
• Smile more. Be relaxed, make other people smile at you, enjoy the little things and the fact that you are here and now in a world full of possibilities.
• Get back to nature. Living in the city offers many opportunities, but don’t forget that you can draw a lot of vitality from nature to fulfill your cherished goals.
• Be grateful for all the things that make you happy every day. Just a few minutes of grateful thoughts can fill you with a sense of happiness and inspiration.
• Live in the present. Don’t regret the past and don’t fear the future. All you have is today.
• Follow your ikigai. A purpose that gives meaning to existence makes you live life to the fullest. If you lead your life consciously, every activity, even the smallest chore, can thrill and bring welcome pleasure.

Literature Buettner D. “Blue Zones. Nine rules of longevity from the people who live the longest” Garcia G., Mirales F. “Ikigai. Japanese secrets of a long and happy life”. Mogi K. “Ikigai. The meaning of life in Japanese”. Japanese parable “Find your Ikigai”. Man Without Borders magazine No. 3, 2016. Photo: wp.com