Ikigai : the Japanese secret to a long and happy life pdfdrive com

1. Don’t worry

“The secret to a long life is not to worry. And to keep your heart young—don’t let it grow old. Open your heart to people with a nice smile on your face. If you smile and open your heart, your grandchildren and everyone else will want to see you.”
“The best way to avoid anxiety is to go out in the street and say hello to people. I do it every day. I go out there and say, ‘Hello!’ and ‘See you later!’ Then I go home and care for my vegetable garden. In the afternoon, I spend time with friends.”
“Here, everyone gets along. We try not to cause problems. Spending time together and having fun is the only thing that matters.”
2. Cultivate good habits

2. Cultivate good habits

“I feel joy every morning waking up at six and opening the curtains to look out at my garden, where I grow my own vegetables. I go right outside to check on my tomatoes, my mandarin oranges . . . I love the sight of them—it relaxes me. After an hour in the garden I go back inside and make breakfast.”
“I plant my own vegetables and cook them myself. That’s my ikigai.”
“The key to staying sharp in old age is in your fingers. From your fingers to your brain, and back again. If you keep your fingers busy, you’ll live to see one hundred.”
“I get up at four every day. I set my alarm for that time, have a cup of coffee, and do a little exercise, lifting my arms. That gives me energy for the rest of the day.”
“I eat a bit of everything; I think that’s the secret. I like variety in what I eat; I think it tastes better.”
“Working. If you don’t work, your body breaks down.”
“When I wake up, I go to the butsudan and light incense. Y ou have to keep your ancestors in mind. It’s the first thing I do every morning.”
“I wake up every day at the same time, early, and spend the morning in my vegetable garden. I go dancing with my friends once a week.”
“I do exercise every day, and every morning I go for a little walk.”
“I never forget to do my taiso exercises when I get up.”
“Eating vegetables—it helps you live longer.”
“To live a long time you need to do three things: exercise to stay healthy, eat well, and spend time with people.”