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Everyone wants to be the best version of themselves; some would think that to achieve that, it is vital to go after bigger goals. In Japan, however, people focus on having better relationships and reflecting on their lives rather than going after something grand. Morita therapy and Naikan are some of the Japanese psychology that may help people contemplate their lives and understand what really matters.

Have you ever contemplated the good things that happened in your life? Sometimes, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of our lives, and we forget to acknowledge the good things that occur around us. In Japan, they have a self-reflective form of meditation called naikan; this method helps people realise what they have caused others (both good and bad). Can this practice of naikan help us feel more ikigai in our lives?

Is rolefulness essential to ikigai?

Although we might not be aware of it, our roles may impact our well-being. We may have many roles in our lives, each with its own significance and impact – on people around us and on us as individuals. These roles give us a sense of fulfilment that leads to a feeling of ikigai.

When we hear the term Bushido, we imagine the Japanese samurai and think of it as something related to martial arts. But the principle of Bushido can actually be applied to some aspects of our lives and help us gain continuous improvement.

Do you have a fascination with Japan and its culture? 

After years of living in Japan and having a meaningful connection with its people, Nick developed a fondness for Japan and its culture. Seeing Japanese concepts, particularly ikigai, being misinterpreted in the West as a Venn diagram makes him uncomfortable as he knows that the idea of ikigai is more than that. With that, he wants to give justice to this concept — make people understand and appreciate its authentic beauty that is true to the Japanese culture.

Japan is filled with crafts that play an important part in their culture. Hence, they have traditions that are passed down from generation to generation to keep them alive. However, with the responsibilities being instilled with the present generation, is it possible for them to find ikigai with the work that they do?

Japan is known for its rich culture. Amidst technological advancements, the Japanese people managed to maintain their customs and traditions. One example of this is the idea of kotodama (word spirit); the concept of kotodama encourages people to use the “pure” Japanese language instead of foreign words. How is kotodama used today?

Have you tried living outside your native country?

Living in an unfamiliar country may be exciting as this will lead you to new experiences and learnings. However, it also has some challenges, such as dealing with a new environment and adapting to a different lifestyle. With this, is it possible to find ikigai living as an expat?

Japan is filled with concepts that people can relate to; they have the themes of ikigai, kintsugi, ichigo ichie, and wabi-sabi, which people can apply to their daily lives, and that can
contribute to their well-being. Interestingly, they have this notion that can be considered the core of all these beautiful concepts, the idea of nagomi (harmony). What is nagomi?

One of the essential aspects of ikigai is having meaningful relationships; through these relationships, we can feel a sense of belonging, which leads us to feel ikigai. There are ways in which we can obtain significant relationships, and one can be through information sharing in serious leisure activities. How can we build meaningful relationships through leisure?