Ikigai: The Art of Living with Purpose

In Japanese culture, there is a beautiful word—Ikigai (pronounced ee-kee-guy). It means “a reason for being” or “a reason to wake up in the morning.” It is often described as the intersection of four key elements:

What do you love

What are you good at

What the world needs

What you can be paid for

When these four come together, they form a sense of fulfilment and balance. Ikigai is not only about career or success; it is about finding meaning in the everyday and aligning life with purpose.

Reflecting on my own journey, I realize that my search for Ikigai has been shaped by both struggles and growth. There were seasons of life where I felt lost—defined by external roles, responsibilities, or relationships that left me questioning my worth. Those were the cracks where doubt entered moments when I wondered if I truly had a purpose.

Yet, each hardship became a teacher. Through experiences of betrayal, heartbreak, and rebuilding my life, I discovered resilience, strength, and clarity. My passion for learning, for connecting deeply with people, and for supporting others in their healing became clearer with time. I began to see that my Ikigai was not something “out there” waiting to be found—it was something within me, revealed through both the joy and the pain of my journey.

Ikigai does not have to be grand. It can be found in small things—a meaningful conversation, writing words that touch another heart, or guiding someone through a difficult moment. For me, it has also been about embracing the role of a mother, a learner, and a counselor-in-the-making, knowing that each of these roles weaves into my reason for being.

The beauty of Ikigai is that it evolves as we do. What gives meaning today may shift tomorrow. But the essence remains the same: to live in alignment with who we are, what we value, and how we contribute to the world around us.

Ikigai reminds us that purpose is not something we chase—it is something we nurture within ourselves each day. It is the quiet joy of living a life that feels true.