Ikigai:Happy New Year!
So the new year has come and gone. And a few days later we have broken most of our New Year’s resolutions.
As my cousin Sarah posted on Facebook recently, each day starts a new year for her. That would give us 365 opportunities to make more resolutions. Break them or maybe give us the chance to keep restarting the same ones.
My motto is once you stop trying, then you can say you have failed.
But why do we fail?
Most resolutions have some kind of benefit, improvement, or pleasure attached to it. We se in our mind a picture of us being slim and healthy or enjoying more time with friends and family.
Bing!! a new resolution… let’s do it!!
My guess is these are the main resolutions we make often are based around the following.
- Save more money.
- Eat healthier.
- Exercise more.
- Lose weight.
- Spend more time with family/friends.
- Quit smoking.
I have tried all of the above with varying success and failure; I think most of us have.
Let’s face it: while having more money wouldn’t go astray, there is a limit to how we can save extra cash.
Reduce expenses or work more.
Both are tough options.
Reducing our outgoings seems easy to start with. Buying cheaper brands, not going out Friday night after work, in fact not going out at all. Stop going to the ball game.
Works for a while, then the old ways or routines start to creep back in.
Or
Finding an extra job or side hustle to earn the extra cash to save.
This can become exhausting, and we run the risk of burnout to the detriment of our main income source.
Again, social pressures come into play: no drinkies after work or going to the ball game; this can be a real drag.
So what stops us from continuing with our resolutions?
We can see the benefits in our minds.
A lot of these new resolutions are in the start; it is hard going. It’s painful.
Our brain doesn’t want you to experience pain.
Our brain is wired to move toward pleasure and away from pain.
Take jogging as an example of an exercise to get fit.
We do all the right thing by starting with short runs and building up wisely.
No aching muscles and blisters here.
But after weeks of running one day and resting another, eventually, we find ourselves resting for two or three days in a row. And not running to our planned schedule.
And end up stopping altogether.
We are just not willing to pay the price in pain and effort to keep going.
Plain and simple, we didn’t want it enough.
Finding and Achieving Balance for Fulfillment
There have been lots of studies showing us how we can rewire our brain or mind.
To create new neurological pathways to create new actions.
First, we need to find our Why or Purpose for Living. What are our goals?
Finding our ikigai provides us with our why, or our purpose for living.
Living according to the principles of Ikigai requires equilibrium. We have created a framework for what is calleded the Ikigai Hexagon. The framework is made up of the following:
- Health and Well-Being: To sustain energy for pursuing our passion, we need to prioritize physical and mental health.
- Wealth and Financial Stability: Find a balance between financial aspirations and personal satisfaction. Sometimes more is not the answer.
- Family and Relationships: Having deep connections to our family and friends enriches our sense of belonging.
- Career and Professional Growth: Align your work with your values and talents for greater job satisfaction.
- Community Contribution: Actively finding ways of being able to to give back. Giving creates a ripple effect of positivity.
- Personal Growth: Embrace a lifelong journey discovering new paths that align with our beliefs and vision.
We can find our Ikigai in each one of these pieces, creating a sense of purpose in everything we do aligned with our aspirations, values, and beliefs.
Find your Ikigai Today
Founder of Modern Ikigai, inspiring modern living through Ikigai
Certified Ikigai Coach – Passionate about guiding people to their purpose
Author of Ikigai: Purpose Filled Life ikigaipurposefilledlife.com
