🌸 Sunday Reads: Ikigai – A Life Code We All Forgot By Richa – The Developer Who Reads

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Hey everyone,
It’s Sunday again—finally. The one day where I intentionally pause life’s fast-forward button.

This morning, like every Sunday, I grabbed my tea, opened my window to Bangalore’s rare quiet breeze, and decided not to check work emails, not to debug any code, not even open VS Code (I know, shocking 😄).

Instead, I did something for me.

I sat down to read.

Now, coding and reading are my two constants. They both demand focus, clarity, and passion. Coding teaches me logic. Reading reminds me of life beyond logic. And this Sunday, I found myself reflecting deeply on a book that’s more of a life philosophy than just a read—
📖 Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García.

If you’ve been feeling lost, constantly rushing, or just… existing—this blog is for you.
Even if you don’t have time to read the book, trust me—this post will give you the essence of it.

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🌱 The Word That Changed My Sunday: Ikigai

Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese word that roughly translates to “a reason to live” or “your purpose.”
But it’s deeper than that. It’s not just about what you do—it’s about what makes life feel worth living.

Think about it. We wake up, rush through the day, meet deadlines, scroll social media, crash into bed. And repeat.
But somewhere deep inside, we crave something more. Something that feels real, fulfilling.

That "something"? That’s your Ikigai.

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🔄 The 4 Pillars of Ikigai

The authors describe Ikigai as the intersection of four things:

1. What you love ❤️

2. What you’re good at 💪

3. What the world needs 🌍

4. What you can be paid for 💸

Now pause for a second and ask yourself:

Am I living at that intersection?

If not, that’s okay. This book isn’t a guilt trip. It’s a gentle invitation—to realign, reflect, and slowly move closer to a more meaningful life.

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🏝 The Wisdom of Okinawa

Francesc and Héctor travel to Okinawa, Japan—specifically a village named Ogimi, which has the highest concentration of people over 100 years old in the world.

They didn’t get there by doing 12-hour gym sessions or drinking green smoothies.
They got there by following simple, beautiful principles, such as:

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💬 1. Stay Connected, Always

The Okinawan people are not isolated. They live in tight-knit communities called moai—small social circles that support each other emotionally, socially, and financially.

Even at 90, they chat, laugh, dance, and show up for one another.

In a world of likes and DMs, true connection still matters.

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🍵 2. Practice Hara Hachi Bu

It’s a cultural practice where they eat until they’re 80% full. No binge-eating. No guilt. Just mindful eating.

Imagine if we applied the same principle to our digital lives too—stop consuming when it’s “enough,” not when it’s too much.

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🧘‍♀️ 3. Flow > Force

Whether it’s gardening, painting, writing, or programming—they stay engaged in activities that bring them into a state of flow.

You know that moment when you code and lose track of time? That’s flow. That’s Ikigai in action.

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🏃‍♂️ 4. Move Your Body, Gently

The Okinawan centenarians don’t lift weights or do HIIT. They walk, they garden, they do light stretches daily.

You don’t need a gym membership. Just move your body. With joy.

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🧠 5. Keep Your Mind Sharp

They read, write, play games, talk philosophy—even in their 90s.
There’s no such thing as “too old” to learn. And that’s something I personally admire deeply.

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✨ My Reflections as a Developer (and Human)

Reading Ikigai made me pause and ask:

• Do I live with intention?

• Do I make time for joy?

• Am I just productive, or am I also fulfilled?

As a developer, it’s easy to get caught up in the sprint backlog, the next deployment, the next tool to learn. But what’s the point if we’re only living to work, and not working to live?

This book reminded me:

You don’t need a grand purpose. You just need a reason to wake up happy.

Maybe your ikigai is building apps that solve problems.
Maybe it’s teaching others.
Maybe it’s something entirely different—painting, writing, raising a child, dancing in your room with headphones on.

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🔑 Key Takeaways You Can Start Living Today:

✅ Find Joy in Small Things – A good cup of tea, a walk, a quiet evening
✅ Slow Down – You’re not late. You’re right on time for your own life
✅ Move More – Not for looks, for health
✅ Stay Curious – Read, reflect, explore
✅ Build Real Connections – Find your moai
✅ Don’t Retire from Passion – Keep creating, no matter your age
✅ Live with Purpose, Not Pressure

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📢 Final Words

I know today is Sunday. And I know you probably want to chill, scroll reels, or watch something easy. But here’s a tiny request:

Give your mind something that nourishes it.
If you don’t have time to read a book—read a blog like this. Read anything that makes you feel alive.

Because maybe, just maybe, that’s the start of finding your Ikigai.

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📚 Book Link (Highly Recommended!)

👉 Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

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💬 Tell Me This:

What’s one simple thing that brings you joy lately?
It could be as small as morning sunlight or as big as solving a tough bug 😄

Comment below—I’d love to know what your ikigai moments look like.

Until next Sunday,
Richa ✨
Developer | Reader | Human first

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