7 Japanese concepts that will transform your life - Ikigai, Shikita Ga Nai, Wabi Sabi & more

Japanese are known for having the second-highest life expectancy in the world and I am sure that didn’t happen out of the blue:

1) Ikigai
2) Shikita Ga Nai
3) Wabi Sabi
4) Gaman
5) Oubaitori
6) Kaizen
7) Shu Ha Ri

‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ describes value or worth, and the concept of Ikigai is pretty much self-explanatory that way.

The Japanese believe in finding a reason, a purpose for being and use Ikigai as a way of finding what you’re meant to do.

They credit Ikigai for their longevity and having a happy life and try to choose to do something every day that adds value to their life and aligns with their passions as well as the needs of the world.

2) Shikita Ga Nai

The meaning of this concept is - It cannot be helped. Something that we’ve all grown up hearing as advice and suggestion from people around us, but people of Japan truly try to absorb it in their life.

3) Wabi Sabi

This ancient Japanese philosophy basically means accepting the imperfections in life and making the most of them.
The idea of this concept is to relieve one of the pressures of being perfect. It hints at embracing yourself and life as it is, rather than yearning for perfection or more.

4) Gaman
This concept is widely similar to that of having a high threshold for tolerance and patience because Gaman translates into enduring toughness and the unbearable with patience and dignity.
It supports the attitude of maintaining calm during stressful times and holding your own even in the worst of times.

5) Oubaitori
This is a Japanese idiom that talks about never feeling the need to compare yourself to someone else.
Taking its inspiration from the trees, it comes from the kanji for the four trees that bloom in spring: cherry, plum, apricot and peach. It implies that each flower blooms in its own time and similarly, every individual has his own journey to embark on.
6) Kaizen

It is a Japanese term that means continuous change, or improvement for the better.
It is often used as a business philosophy and is made up of two words - ‘kai’ meaning ‘change’ and ‘zen’ meaning ‘good’.
Since it urges ongoing and never-ending improvement, it believes that even small changes accumulate to impact your life in a big way.

7) Shu Ha Ri

Shu Ha Ri is a Japanese term that describes the stages of learning for a student.
The first stage, or the Shu, is when we repeat actions and forms and discipline ourselves. This is when the student follows the teachings of one master and does that diligently.
Ha, is when the student branches out and takes into account teachings from other masters to integrate into one.
Ri is when the student no longer needs to learn from a mentor but is doing so through his own practice and experience.
In conclusion, Shu Ha Rai means, ‘when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is really ready, the teacher will disappear, in the words of Tao Te Ching.