The Art Of Staying Young While Growing Old !!

"Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years."

                                                                                        -Japanese proverb

Everyone at some point in time definitely might have come across the question in their life that, what is the purpose or meaning of our life? Well, life is the short, medium, or long existence of an individual human being. Who knows how long one can actually live, right?

    However, there are some blue zones where people live longest! Not only do these centenarians live longer than other world populations, but also suffer from fewer chronic illnesses. Some of these include Okinawa(Japan), Sardinia(Italy), etc.

    According to research, having a sense of purpose and direction is considered to be very healthy for our well-being. It not only protects our health but also helps us to live longer and happier lives. It's all because we are connected to something much larger than ourselves, that we can remain far more hopeful and positive. It becomes easier to cope with all of life’s challenges and connect with others and it becomes easier to take care of others as well.

    This sense of purpose is referred to as ‘ikigai’ in Japanese culture. It simply means a reason for being. Ikigai is a word that is composed of two Japanese words ‘iki’ meaning ‘life’ and ‘gai’ which means ‘the realizations of what one expects and hopes for. It is the happiness of always being busy. There is a passion inside you, unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end. If you don't know -your mission is to discover it. Japanese people believe that our ikigai is hidden deep inside each of us, and finding it requires a patient search. Ikigai brings health, satisfaction, happiness, and meaning to our lives. 

    "We don't create the meaning of our life, we discover it " _ Sartre

    Whenever we live our lives with whatever we feel is meaningful to us then we live a happy life. When we lose connection to our meaning in life we feel unsatisfied.

                                10 rules for finding your Ikigai:

1] Stay active, don't retire 🏃:

Keep yourself always active in life, don't retire. Once you lose interest in life that will make your life boring and meaningless.

2] Follow 80 % rule 🍲:

Having limited meals especially in small dishes will keep you active throughout the day. Our body responds well to a limited version of intake so follow the discipline of having only 80 % of stomach capacity.

3]  Take it slow 🐢:

Too much rush in life will create chaos in life. Always live life in peace and calm 

4]Smile 😃:

This is the best tool to keep your surroundings happy. Your simple act of smile will make most people forget their sorrow or grief. Also, a smile is the best exercise for your face. During smiling your entire face muscles get activated and which will release stress and dullness on your face.  

5] Get in shape until your next birthday 🏃:

Physical fitness is prime to our longer life. Yoga and meditation is part of their daily life.

6] Surround yourself with good friends 👬👭:

Having a good social life and spending regular time with friends will make your life more meaningful.

7] Reconnect with the nature 🌳:

Our current lifestyle keeps us far away from nature. Being in touch with nature will make you refreshed and pure oxygen will make your body active.

8] Live in the moment 👀:

Worry is the major cause of reduction in life expectancy. Today is all we have, make the most of it.

9] Give thanks 👐:

Giving thanks to everyone signifies how much you appreciate your life. Thanking others will make you happy and grateful. A simple act of thanking will change your attitude towards life.

10] Follow your Ikigai 💫:

Everyone has ikigai in their life. We really need to find our ikigai . If you follow your purpose in life then you will live longer to serve your purpose.

                 " Happiness is always determined by your heart " 

:)

From:

Ashutosh Kodavade

Chief Code Expert, ELESA.