The pursuit of a longer, happier life is one of the things that we all have in common. As a result, lifestyle crazes will emerge every now and then that seem to promise just that – a longer, happier life.

There is hygge and there is lagom – the former being the pursuit of luxury, while the latter is the pursuit of moral perfection.

Then there’s my personal favourite, kalsarikänni, which is basically getting drunk in your underwear and binge-watching series.

Now, there’s ikigai. 

Ikigai (pronounced icky-guy), which sounds like a new Millennial term for one of those Tinder creeps, is actually a way of life in Japan.

According to CNN, the idea behind ikigai is to live longer by doing more of what you love to do most.

It’s an attractive theory that finds its evidence in a community on the island of Okinawa that’s nicknamed the Village of Longevity because its residents have the highest life expectancy in the world. They also largely share a devotion to a Japanese philosophy known as ikigai, over-simply translated as the happiness derived from being busy at some activity that holds meaning and purpose for them.

The island is known for its slow pace, beautiful sea views, and 3 000 of the world’s longest living people. This phenomenon is probably brought on by a combination of things including diet, environment and so on. It is also, apparently, due to ikigai.

Intrigued? Here’s how to adopt the philosophy:

Find Your Ikigai

Answer the question: What do you like doing the most?

There’s no single way to learn your ikigai, and the individual answers are even more varied. Your ikigai may be devotion to friends, cooking, being a good parent, writing, scientific inquiry, fighting climate change, drawing, helping your neighbors and on and on.

Ikigai doesn’t have to be complicated or overly lofty. It’s largely just the activity that will keep you busy until the day you die.

You’ve Found Your Ikigai – Now What?

The Japanese don’t believe in retirement. Even if you aren’t formally employed, you should be keeping yourself busy.

It’s not as easy as that sounds, of course. “Modern life estranges us more and more from our true nature, making it very easy for us to lead lives lacking in meaning,” García and Miralles write. “Powerful forces and incentives (money, power, attention, success) distract us on a daily basis; don’t let them take over your life.”

Instead, they advise, follow your curiosity and intuition, which are the paths back to ikigai, as is self-awareness. Find the activity you love, surround yourself with people you love, and stay true to that internal compass.

There you have it – find what you love and stick to it no matter what. Seems rather obvious when you get down to it.

And don’t overthink it – this is the perfect time to start that cat costume business you’ve been putting off.