Ikigai (生き甲斐) (pronounced [ikiɡai]) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” The word refers to having a meaningful direction or purpose in life, constituting the sense of one’s life being made worthwhile, with actions (spontaneous and willing) taken toward achieving one’s ikigai resulting in satisfaction.
The questions you must ask yourself: –
- What is my element? Do I see myself more as an extrovert or an introvert? Do I find myself enjoying activities in groups or on my own?
Sometimes it’s a mix but be sure to write down the type of company you enjoy in various situations.
- With what activities do I experience flow? When does my time fly? What can I spend hours actively doing?
This is an activity in which you will feel fully engaged and won’t be thinking about anything else while doing.
- What do I find easy to do? Is there anything which I find easy to do, that others seem to struggle with?
Some people find organizing documents in a clear manner easy; others are great at understanding different viewpoints.
- What did I like doing when a child? This question helps establish the basis of your ikigai.
Are your strengths intrapersonal, interpersonal, (Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are highly related in that both are part of your emotional intelligence. Intrapersonal communication is like a conversation that takes place within one’s own self, while interpersonal communication is all about communication with other people). logical, physical (kinaesthetic), linguistic, aural, or maybe visual (spatial)?
We all have had a terrible year and there does not seem to be an end yet, but its time to gather the pieces and look at what can be done to return to positive thinking and start the carousel up once again.