¡Hola! Bienvenida y bienvenido.
"To serve in love." That phrase came to me in the simplest and most unexpected way and as the greatest gift… it remains my compass. As I write this post, I remembered a concept I discovered in a Netflix series that talked about blue zones. They are those places in the world where people live over a hundred years.
Larger than the sun
In the blue zones, they discovered that the keys to a long life are not in unattainable things. It is not magic nor advanced technology, but the way people who are a hundred years old live each day. Healthy eating, living in community, moving, and even though we have heard this so many times (and still decide to eat fries instead of celery), each of these elements has a reason. But what caught my attention the most from this whole study was a concept I had never heard before: the people in the blue zones have an “Ikigai”.
El Ikigai viene de Japón y es algo así como "la razón de ser". Es ese propósito que te mueve y te da sentido, algo que te llena de energía para levantarte cada mañana. Iki significa "vida", y gai se refiere a "valor", así que estas dos palabras crean este concepto que nos invita a vivir una vida que se sienta valiosa para nosotros mismos y para los demás.
Something else that I loved about “Ikigai” is that it intersects in four areas: what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at, and what can generate income for you ($$). And when you manage to connect these four things, an incredible force is generated that can last a lifetime.
Imagine waking up every day, knowing that what you do is your passion, that it contributes to the world, that you're also naturally good at it and you're paid for it. And multiply this by the 8.2 billion people we are in the world. Don't you think it would be a very nice one?
What I liked most about everything... is that Ikigai is not about doing great things. It's about those micro-actions you take every day. Those little decisions, like who you share your time with, deciding to take the stairs, doing a bit of yoga, going for a walk in the park, taking a break between meetings... Each micro-action adds up, and suddenly, without you realizing it, you are closer to living your Ikigai.
And something that seems fundamental to me about purpose is that it has no expiration date. It can evolve, transform, change shape, but it is always there. It doesn't matter what stage of life you are in, there is always something that moves you, something that has value for you. And if today you feel that you haven't found it yet, don't worry. Maybe you already know it, you just need to rediscover it… Or maybe not. Maybe you have never thought about it and you don't know what it is.
So today I invite you to ask yourself this question: What small things can you start doing today that bring you closer to your Ikigai? Maybe it's a new hobby, maybe it's reconnecting with someone you care about, or maybe it's just stopping for a moment and asking yourself what excites you. Whatever it is, may each micro-action be a solid step you are taking towards your Ikigai.
Thank you for being here, for giving me a few minutes of your time, and for joining me in this space we created together. As always, I would love to hear from you. Have you heard about Ikigai before? What micro-actions are you taking to live your purpose? I look forward to your reply. You can write to me here - susy.gzz@gmail.com
With love,
Hellowsus.
