who'd knew that there are 4 main rules of life?!

Find out about the four main reasons to live, and how to make them epic!

Took me this many years to find out about this

 I'm here to share the knowledge!

 

How many of you were like how I was in my 20s and 30s: a little lost, trying to find my tribe, my life partner and figure out what direction I wanted to go career-wise. It was a lot.

If I had known about these rules earlier, it might've saved me some grief and confusion.

Now I'm not claiming that I made these up myself, but when you hear them too, you might start to think that these reson d'etre, as the French would say, is laid out in a Japanese philosophy called ikigai.

Now you might be askin': what the heck is ikigai, but while it might not be a household word in non-Japanese households, it still holds value for anyone tryin' to cultivate a super cool life.

Once you understand the four elements of ikigai, you are able to more clearly see your life's purpose, and having purpose is one of the best ways to bring adventure into your life.

A blend of two words, 'iki' means 'to live' and 'gai' means 'reason' or you could say ikigai translates to 'reason to live' from Japanese.

So what is your 'reason to live'? Let's find out, shall weeee?

1. PASSION

Let's start with what is your passion?? This is a big one. What do you like doing?

What would you get up early to do everyday? What makes working 12 hours seem like its only 4? What makes you excited to be able to do it again, and again, and again?!

That's what you could consider being your passion. When you find time flying by and you have been engrossed in your passion project so much so that you are in completely in the present moment, that is your passion.

Find out what you really love to do, and try to find a way to get paid to do it. 

So write that down. You always need to handwright everything you want down. Best way to connect action with brain's subconscious programming.

 

2. TALENT

Second, figure out what you're good at. It helps to monetize your talents, what are you good at?

What you are skilled at, those activities or pursuits that you naturally are good at, those should be included in your introspection about your reason to live.

What do you excel in? Are you musically gifted, good at math, amazing short story writer, great at any sport you do? The world is a big place now with more people than ever, but we are closer to one another than we ever have before. 

Everyone has something they are naturally good at. Find out what you are really good at, even if it's not your passion, but explore what you do really well, and write that down.

Think about your experiences, what you’ve learned, and how you feel about your current path.

Then share your talent, and your tribe will find you.

 

3. MISSION

How are you going to fix a problem you see in the world? What do you offer that the world needs? Write that down.

 Write out your unique skill sets, and the things that come easily to you. Recognizing your vocation means acknowledging your strengths and using them to contribute to your profession and mission.

Knowing your mission can go a long way towards making depression disappear, and a sense of motivation and direction.

Sometimes stress comes from feeling a bit rudderless in the waves of life - you're tossed from one experience to another, feelin' like the world is in charge of your life, rather you being in charge of it!

But when you align with what you love, what you're good at and contributing positively to what the world needs, you can feel a sense of balance and one with the world, lower anxiety with a sense of purpose in your life.

 

4. PROFESSION

Your profession is where you look at how to make a living from your passion and mission. For example, if you’re a talented pianist who believes the world would be a better place if more people played music, you could begin to teach piano lessons.

Turning your passion and mission into your profession can take time to develop. Trust the process. Reflect on how you can align your skills and interests with a profession that pays the bills and brings you satisfaction and purpose.

Start aligning your actions with your passions, strengths, and the needs you've identified. And then, like a Venn Diagram, the intersection of these four elements is the path you can take to discover your 'reson d'etre'!

By exploring and finding the intersection of these four elements, you’re on the path to discovering your ikigai, your activities fill you with joy and satisfaction, a life filled with purpose and in alignment with what makes your heart and soul sing.

Discovering and living your ikigai is a journey of self-improvement. It’s about exploring new facets of your interests, honing your skills, and expanding your horizons.