Turn the page
Wellbeing
w
a
proactive life,” Ken says, adding that
the momentum quickly builds.
“Realising you can begin with small
things makes it easier to get started
with a life based on ikigai. It could
be a five-minute walk or saying hello
to your neighbours. You don’t have to
focus on big achievements.”
Being more aware of little pleasures
is something that gets easier the more
you do it – a finding which is backed
by science, too.
“Small joys translate into big
improvements in the brain,” Ken says.
From enjoying the smell of jasmine
in your garden to flipping through
a beautiful cookbook or noticing the
cool sensation of clay on your hands
at a pottery class, each little joy makes
the next happy moment easier to
recognise, so feeling fulfilled starts
to come naturally.
“In your brain’s reward system,
when dopamine is released it creates
learning through reinforcement. So
focusing and building on your many
small joys means they accumulate
until eventually you notice a great
improvement in your enthusiasm,”
Ken explains.4 ALLOW YOURSELF
TO BE PRESENT
As with taking a generally more
mindful approach to life, uncovering
your inner ikigai requires a conscious
commitment to being in the moment,
noticing your surroundings, thoughts
and feelings – it simply won’t work ifyou’re tethered to a screen, endlessly
scrolling through social media.
“The crucial point is to have time
away from phones and digital devices,”
Ken says. “According to neuroscience,
being in the here and now leads to
more balanced and creative brain
function, so you can perform better
without stress or diversions.”
Finding your ikigai and deciding
to live in the moment is particularly
useful when you’re facing major
changes, su
down at w
the busine
your dream
Plus it can
help you
bounce
back when
worries
take hold- especiall
if you’re
prone to
fretting ab
the future
dwelling o
negative ev
“You can
to come and the best time to start is
right now,” Ken suggests.
4 REFLECT ON THE JOY
If morning’s the time to set your
intentions to lead a day with joyful
purpose, then evening offers a chance
to look back over happy moments.
“When you reflect on your day, if
there was even one thing that gives
you joy then you surely have ikigai,
no matter the circumstances you
might be in,” Ken says.
Once you’ve learned to find greater
satisfaction in little things and live
more in the moment you can spread
the message of ikigai by letting your
extra enthusiasm spill over into the
energy you have for friends and family.
“Seeing you living with ikigai helps
loved ones realise it’s worthwhile for
them to try, as well,” Ken says.business or perfecting your fruitcake
recipe for the annual show – as long
as you find happiness in what you’re
doing and use that joy to keep you
going every day.
“When you’re over 50 you can use
your ikigai to live a more active and
productive life,” Ken says. “Scientific
studies conclusively show that having
ikigai significantly improves your
health and longevity.”4 START SMALL AND
ACHIEVE BIG RESULTS
Tapping into your own ikigai can be
as easy as deciding today’s the day
to unwrap a fancy bar of soap or set
a jug of fragrant lemon water on your
desk before turning on the computer
to settle down and write an email to
an old friend.
“Starting small helps overcome the
psychological barrier towards a moreuch as whether to wind
work or launch
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or
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vents.
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