5 MINUTES READ
Aren’t we all glad to finally see the light at the end of the circuit breaker? Some of us came out as newly-minted masterchefs, or at least with a fresh new outlook on life. But for some of us who could not adjust to the disrupted life rhythm on top of being socially marooned from friends, we struggle to feel motivated.
Well, we can relate. During the course of the circuit breaker, the teapasar team learned to take stock about life through “ikigai” (pronounced Ick-ee-guy). In Japan, millions of people practice this time-honoured concept – it is the philosophical battery powering them through their daily grind to find fulfilment between the cross-section of their values, things they like to do, what they can get paid for, and things they are good at. Those are the questions worth ruminating while sipping a good cup of sencha.
Shop: Organic Sencha Green Tea (80g loose leaf), Chill Tea Tokyo, $57.80
Sounds simple? There’s more to it. In their book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles shared ten lifestyle rules one needs to abide by to navigate the ikigai map with the right mindset.
1. Stay active and don’t retire
Keep your curious spirit alive. It will lead you to something new in this ever-evolving world.
2. Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
Because life is about the journey, not the destination.
3. Only eat until you are 80 percent full
And save another 10 percent for a body cleansing cup of tea.
4. Surround yourself with good friends
A good social milieu will nurture you and help you grow to be the best version of yourself.
5. Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
A little moving goes a long way. For the human-houseplant, start with something light like yoga.
6. Smile and acknowledge people around you
Pass along good vibes and they will come back to you eventually.
7. Reconnect with nature
Suffering from zoom fatigue already? Take your eyes off your screen and reconfigure yourself spiritually in the peaceful outdoors.
8. Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
And find joy in the minute moments.
9. Live in the moment.
Because you will never know what’s next. Carpe diem!
10. Follow your ikigai
Rediscover yourself and appreciate what’s truly important in life.
teapasar journal 