May, 2024 - TheWakingLion

Finding your Ikigai – Reason for Being

Happiness Hacks, Mindfulness Moments, Self-Care, Spiritual Wellness /

Discovering Your Passion – Reason for Being Have you ever felt a profound sense of purpose and enthusiasm radiating from someone’s words or actions? As if they were operating from a deep wellspring of passion and fulfillment? That’s the essence of Finding your Ikigai – Reason for Being; – a Japanese concept that encapsulates the life-giving intersection of your talents, values, and the unique way you can serve the world. Imagine waking up each morning brimming with excitement, feeling truly alive and engaged with your daily tasks. This zest for living emerges when your reason for being seamlessly aligns with your life’s work. Yet for many, uncovering that sweet spot of ikigai feels elusive, a tantalizing yet tenuous ideal. “Your ikigai is at the intersection of what you are good at and what you love doing. When you feel that, your life will be filled with meaning and joy.” – Hector Garcia Puigcerver Author of “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life“ In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey to unlock the secrets of ikigai and discover your true passion – that driving force that adds vigor and meaning to your days. By exploring actionable strategies and real-life examples, you’ll gain insights to identify your innate gifts, navigate obstacles, and ultimately craft a life that resonates with your deepest callings. So let’s dive in! Whether you’re seeking greater fulfillment in your career, relationships, or personal growth, understanding and embracing your ikigai can be a powerful catalyst for profound transformation. 1: Understanding Ikigai At its core, ikigai is a beautiful synthesis of four guiding principles: passion, mission, profession, and vocation. Like the intersecting pieces of a vibrant puzzle, aligning these elements can unveil a life brimming with purpose and soul-deep contentment. Your passion represents the activities, hobbies or pursuits that spark an innate sense of joy and enthusiasm within you. It’s that creative spark or absorbed flow state you experience when you’re truly engaged in something you love. Complementing this is your mission – the overarching sense of values, beliefs and principles that imbue your life with meaning and provide a moral compass for your actions. Your mission expresses your unique way of positively contributing to the world. “Ikigai is the reason you get up in the morning, the motivation that keeps you going through the day, and the joy that makes life worth living.” – Anonymous The profession component refers to the skills, talents and areas of expertise that you’ve cultivated through education, training or experience. It’s the knowledge and technical know-how you bring to your chosen field. Finally, your vocation intertwines all of the above – it’s the perfect harmonizing of your passion, purpose and capabilities into compensated work that feels deeply fulfilling. Your vocation is that sweet spot where you can practice your craft while serving a greater good. When these four elements unite in beautiful synchronicity, that’s where the magic of ikigai emerges. People who have found their ikigai exude a magnetic vitality, operating from a place of clarity, contentment and joy. 2: Identifying Your Passions- passion project ideas for creative people At the heart of ikigai lies passion – those activities and interests that ignite a spark of pure enthusiasm and absorption within you. Uncovering your authentic passions is a powerful first step towards crafting a life of purpose and fulfillment. Think back to your childhood days. What activities completely captivated you, causing hours to feel like moments? Perhaps you lost yourself in art, building forts, or exploring nature’s wonders. Those innate interests provide clues to your intrinsic passions. Passion project ideas for creative people As you grew older, which hobbies or projects most energized you? When do you experience a sense of timelessness and flow? Pay attention to the areas that naturally draw your curiosity and engagement. Don’t limit yourself to conventional paths either. Your passion could lie in an unconventional pursuit like gaming, creating YouTube videos, or urban exploration. The key is tuning into those endeavors that make your soul come alive. One powerful exercise is to list out all the activities that truly excite you, even if they seem impractical or unrelated to your current work. Then reflect on the common threads – the underlying motivations, thought processes or environments that enabled you to become fully immersed. Remember, identifying your passions is an evolving journey of self-discovery. Be open to new experiences and interests that may reveal hidden dimensions of what electrifies your spirit. 3: Finding Your Mission and Vocation While passion fuels your enthusiasm, aligning that fervour with a purposeful mission and fitting vocation channels your energy towards profound fulfilment. This section will guide you in uncovering the unique way you’re meant to contribute to the world. Start by reflecting on your core values – those non-negotiable principles and beliefs that you diligently uphold. What issues or causes ignite a fire within you? Perhaps you feel drawn to protecting the environment, fighting for social justice, or uplifting marginalized communities. Next, take an honest inventory of your innate strengths, talents and abilities. What activities allow you to merge your curiosity and competence in a state of absorption? These gifts and proclivities offer clues to how you can best serve. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso With your values and talents defined, explore ways to weave them into a cohesive mission – Perhaps your calling is to innovate sustainable technologies, empower underrepresented voices through multimedia storytelling, or simplify complex subjects through teaching. From this wellspring of purpose emerges your vocation – the avenue through which you can practice your craft while actively participating in work that positively impacts the world. For some, this may be an entrepreneurial venture, while others may find their vocation within an existing company or organization. The path is rarely linear, so stay open-minded and imaginative. Your dream vocation may emerge from

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Keep Your Head down And Grind

Growth Mind-set, Uplifting Stories /

Head Down and Grind – A Lesson Learned from the Cross-Country Run You know, there’s an incident from my school days that has stuck with me all these years. I often reflect back on it, and the thought occurred to me that you may benefit from hearing about it. It was during a cross-country running session for our PE class, and it ended up teaching me a valuable lesson that I’ve carried with me ever since. I dreaded long-distance running back then, especially when it was cold or raining, I’m pretty certain that some of you can relate to how I felt. – I was always one of the last ones to finish, typically because I’d end up walking and chatting more than actually running. But on this particular day, something inside me just clicked. I don’t know what it was, but I decided that this time, I was going to push myself and run the entire course. So when the race started, I resisted the urge to bolt out ahead with the rest of the class. Instead, I started off at a steadier, more manageable pace. I kept my eyes focused on the ground in front of me and just kept putting one foot in front of the other. As I settled into my rhythm, I started to notice that I was gradually overtaking all the classmates who had taken off too fast at the start. One by one, I passed them by, never breaking my steady stride. When I finally crossed the finish line, I was shocked to find that I had placed 8th out of the large entire class! For someone who, when it came to long-distance running, was usually bringing up the rear, this was a huge accomplishment. I could see the surprise on the PE teachers’ faces too – they definitely hadn’t expected me to finish that high up. Honestly, I didn’t really keep up that new-found running motivation after that day. I was still not a big fan of running, so I slipped back into my old habits. But that initial sense of pride and achievement has stayed with me all these years. It’s a reminder that when you set your mind to something and refuse to quit, you can accomplish a lot more than you ever thought possible. Looking back, that cross-country run taught me a valuable lesson – if you just keep your head down, stay focused, and grind away at your goals, you can surprise yourself with what you’re capable of. No matter how daunting a challenge may seem, as long as you persist and don’t give up, you can come out on top. So whenever I’m faced with a tough obstacle, I think back to that day when I shocked myself and my classmates by finishing so high in the cross-country race. It gives me the motivation to keep pushing forward, to not give in to self-doubt or discouragement. If I could do it then, I can do it again. The moral of the story? 1. Never underestimate yourself. 2. Keep your head down, stay focused, and just keep grinding away at your goals. 3. You never know what you might be capable of until you truly put your mind to it. That’s a lesson I learned all the way back in school, and it’s one I’ve carried with me ever since. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

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How to Supercharge Your Brain’s Operating System – Optimization guide

Growth Mind-set, Keys to Success, Self-Care /

How to Supercharge Your Brain’s Operating system 1. The Software Running Your Life’s Operating System Imagine your body as an incredibly advanced computer system, with your brain acting as the software running the entire operation. Just like a computer needs its software to be optimized and running smoothly for peak performance, your brain needs to be fully charged and firing on all cylinders. After all, this remarkable organ controls everything from your thoughts and emotions to your movements and vital bodily functions. A supercharged fully optimized brain allows you to tackle mental tasks with laser-sharp focus, make sound decisions, and experience life to the fullest. It’s the command center that enables you to learn new skills, forge lasting memories, and navigate the complexities of the world around you. When your brain is humming along at its best, you’ll feel more productive, happier, and better equipped to tackle whatever challenges come your way. On the other hand, an uncharged or suboptimal brain can leave you feeling foggy, forgetful, and struggling to keep up. It’s like trying to run the latest software on an outdated computer – nothing works quite right. That’s why maintaining a healthy, well-fueled brain should be a top priority, just like keeping your car’s engine running smoothly. In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating world of brain optimization, diving into the organ’s electrical properties, dietary needs, and other crucial factors that keep it operating at peak capacity. Get ready to unlock the full potential of your brain’s supercomputer-like abilities! 2. The Brain’s Electrifying Inner Workings At the heart of your brain’s operations lies an intricate network of billions of neurons – tiny cells that communicate via electrical impulses. These impulses are more than just sparks of electricity; they form the language that allows your brain cells to rapidly share information and coordinate all of your thoughts, sensations, and behaviours. The key players in this electrochemical conversation are neurotransmitters – chemical messengers that transmit signals from one neuron to another across tiny gaps called synapses. When a neuron fires an electrical impulse, it releases a burst of neurotransmitters into the synapse. Those neurotransmitters are then detected by receptors on the receiving neuron, allowing the signal to be passed along the neural network. This delicate dance of electrical signals and neurotransmitters orchestrates everything your brain does, from regulating your heartbeat to forming new memories. Even your emotions are tied to this electrochemical symphony, with neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins influencing your mood and emotional state. Keeping this electrical system functioning optimally is essential for sharp cognition, emotional balance, and overall brain health. Factors like diet, sleep, exercise, and stress levels can all impact the efficiency of your neural communications. By addressing these areas, you can help ensure your brain’s electrical connections are firing correctly and your neurotransmitters are in proper supply. 3. Fuel for the Brain’s High-Octane Performance Your brain is an energy-hungry machine, consuming about 20% of the calories you take in despite making up only 2% of your body weight. And just like a high-performance vehicle, your brain requires the right premium fuel mixture to run at its best. Certain nutrients act as brain boosters, providing the raw materials necessary for healthy neural function and development. At the top of the list are omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds. These healthy fats help build and repair brain cell membranes while promoting neural plasticity. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E also play a vital role in brain health by neutralizing free radicals that can damage brain cells. A colorful diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides a wide array of these protective antioxidant compounds. The B vitamin family, including B12, B6, and folate, is crucial as well. They help regulate neurotransmitter production and myelin formation, the insulating layer around neurons that increases signal transmission speed. And let’s not forget minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium – all are involved in various brain biochemical processes and neural cell communications. Getting adequate amounts from whole food sources like meat, legumes, nuts, and seeds is important. By incorporating a variety of these brain-boosting nutrients through a balanced whole-food diet, you’re essentially charging your brain with premium fuel. Combine that with proper hydration, and you’ll provide your neural networks with the ingredients needed to fire on all cylinders. 4. Beyond Diet: More Keys to Unlocking Peak Brain Power While nutrition lays the nutritional groundwork, other lifestyle factors also play a pivotal role in optimizing your brain’s performance. From restorative sleep to invigorating exercise, these activities have a profound impact on your neural operations. Let’s start with sleep – that crucial period when your brain goes into regeneration mode. During quality sleep, your brain is hard at work forming new neural pathways to solidify memories while flushing out metabolic waste products. Chronic sleep deprivation leaves your synapses firing sluggishly, making it tough to concentrate, learn, and create lasting memories. Exercise does a brain good too by increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery while stimulating neurogenesis – the creation of new brain cells. Aerobic workouts in particular have been shown to build up gray matter volume in areas involved with memory and cognitive control. Managing stress is also key, as chronic stress floods your brain with cortisol – a hormone that impairs neural connectivity and shrinks the hippocampus, an area crucial for memory formation. Relaxing activities like meditation, yoga, and spending time outdoors can help keep your body’s stress response in check. Also, challenging your brain with novel activities promotes neuroplasticity – your brain’s ability to reorganize neural pathways throughout life. Learning new skills, playing brain games, and continually exposing your brain to fresh cognitive challenges helps build new synaptic connections and fortify existing ones. With strategies like these, you’re essentially upgrading your brain’s hardware and optimizing its operating system for maximum performance. After all, you only get one brain – take good care of it! 5. The High Cost of Neglecting Your Brain’s

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May 2024

Finding your Ikigai – Reason for Being

Keep Your Head down And Grind

How to Supercharge Your Brain’s Operating System – Optimization guide