My Little Ikigai Journal: A Journey into the Japanese Secret to Living a Long, Happy, Purpose-Filled Life

I've used this book as a prompt for journaling. It delves into questions of what you love/what makes you happy, what you're good at/your gifts, what you value and where you can make a difference. The intersection of these areas provides you with greater focus--areas in which to strengthen and dedicate yourself for a richer and more meaningful life.You can read it quickly, but I recommend actually doing the exercises and giving them some thought. I didn't do them in order and I haven't completed all of them, even though I've had the book for a couple of years (and have recently purchased two more as gifts).In addition to questions and prompts, the book contains quotes and is beautifully designed with prints that look like they came from Japanese origami papers.

A search online will reveal that Ikigai is a Japanese word that means Reason for Being.A further search using the term IKIGAI plus clicking the Images option will bring up many infographics. These are Venn diagrams with overlapping circles. And there is a wide variety of terms in each circle.In my opinion, each one of these diagrams sheds some light on this simple and very valuable concept.Note that Ikigai began as a study of those in Japan that lived more than 100 years. They had found balance and harmony in their lives.Then that concept was merged with the American concept of purpose by this writer Marc Winn and the meme went viral quickly. Search the View Inside Me for the post Meme Seeding. That began in 2014 and keeps spreading.There is a collection of dozens of these interpretations on Pinterest search for Ikigai & purpose: A VennographyThe nature of this concept lends itself to journaling and Amazon has lots of options for Ikigai journals. Yet this one My Little Ikigai Journal by Amanda Kudo is a simple starting place.What I like about it is the dozens of provocative questions at the top of the page with blank lines for responses. Then there are inspirational quotes presented in a visually attractive way.Over the decades I have encountered many of these questions in the context of goal-setting, personality tests, and long-term strategic personal planning. But I have never found them all together in this way.The essence of the many Venn diagrams about Ikigai are useful tools to begin to become self-aware of the factors like personal passions, strengths, accomplishments, dreams, roles, responsibilities, and more. And that alone is useful. But then what makes this extra valuable is that it also examines what others want and are willing to pay for in the marketplace.Note that this is just an aid. It is not a critical exam. I found that some of the questions resonated with me and flushed up an abundance of insightful responses. Yet other questions had zero meaning for me due to my personality and season of life. So I left those pages blank.Notice that we live in a society that is always in a big rush. There is always an overabundance of advertisements, distractions, and interruptions.Our shared economy is tilted toward programming us to be eager consumers. The system wants our time, attention, and money right away.It is nobody’s financial self-interest for anyone to pause and make time to reflect.Those at the top of the major corporations receive quarterly and annual bonuses based on profits. They do not care about what their customers want in 3 to 10 years. There is no short-term gain for them if we carefully map out a vision and game plan that will optimize our talents in the long term.Ultimately the Ikigai Venn diagrams are a way to find work-life balance. This is a way to get out of the rut of a job or career that is soul-draining and have navigational tools to find work that is both profitable and enriching.This small and friendly journal can be used by those seeking vocational guidance like those in high school and college. It can help those in major transitions like recently divorced, empty nest, and retirement.It can be one of many guides for those starting and growing a business.It might be used by coaches, counselors, therapists, and pastors to gain useful insights that could inform further support.May I suggest that this book, My Little Ikigai Journal is a great starting place. Yet it is a poor ending place. There are lots of other resources online and in print to use along this personal journey.Our society and economy are in constant flux. The rapid advances in science and technology lead to all sorts of innovative products and services. Some of those innovations disrupt companies and industries. The increasing presence of Artificial Intelligence and robots will shake things up in the coming years. This will happen in ways that could never be imagined today. So it is wise to consistently use the tool of Ikigai to navigate the turbulent times ahead.

This is a very good used copy but it looks brand new. I've dealt with this seller before and have always had good service.The book is a very simplified but a good introduction to Ikigai and the journey.

This is a well written and very much inspiring book. Unfortunately it is a little short. It took me about half a day to read it. Still money well spent.

Great book to make you reflect on things from your childhood to last week. It is a powerful resource to not only find what you like and what you're good at, but also how to maintain a focus on what matters. Perfect resource for those wondering 'what's next?' and 'where do I go?'. Strongly recommend this!

Loved it

cute little journal and fun gift! not super duper aesthetic but it’s nice!

This was a gift so I briefly flipped through the book and found it to be in great condition. It is filled with such beautiful images and activities throughout the book to really engage the reader. I would definitely get a copy for myself in the near future!