Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to "a reason for being." It is a way of finding happiness and fulfillment in life by aligning your passions, talents, and values with your work. The book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles explores the concept of ikigai in detail. The authors interviewed the residents of Okinawa, Japan, the world's longest-living population, to learn their secrets to longevity and happiness. One of the key findings of the book is that ikigai is not something that is given to you, It is something that you have to create for yourself. The authors offer a four-step process for finding your ikigai: What are you good at? What are your natural talents and abilities? What do you love? What are your passions and interests? What can you be paid for? What are your skills and talents that you can use to make a living? What gives your life meaning? What are your values and beliefs that give your life purpose? Once you have answered these questions, you can begin to identify your ikigai. Your ikigai may be a single activity, or it may be a combination of several activities. It may be your work, your hobbies, or your relationships. The important thing is that your ikigai brings you joy and satisfaction. It is something that you are passionate about, that you are good at, and that you can make a living from. Having a strong sense of ikigai - the place where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect - means that each day is infused with meaning. It's the reason we get up in the morning. It's also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there's no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they've found a real purpose in life - the happiness of always being busy. We discuss this today. Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

From the outside, Branden had it all: a beautiful wife, millions of dollars, prestige, cars, you name it. But in reality, he was bloated, out of shape, self-medicating with alcohol, and lacking a solid foundation in life. His definition of success was all wrong. Then, the universe intervened and at the snap of a finger destroyed life as he knew it. The fall from grace was swift and agonizing. He went from private equity boy wonder to outcast. He shares his story with us today. His website:  https://whitecollarsavage.teachable.com/p/home Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Lipton challenges the traditional belief that our genes determine our destiny. He explains that it is not solely our genes that control our health and behavior but rather the environment in which our cells exist. He introduces the concept of epigenetics, which explores how external factors such as our thoughts, emotions, and the environment can influence the expression of our genes. Walt, Joel, Sam, and Luq dive into this fascinating theory from a number of different angles. Find the book at Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Biology-Belief-10th-Anniversary-Consciousness/dp/140195247X/ Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Aaron shows sports men and women how to take the lessons they've learned in sports and use those lessons as leverage to help them in any challenge they may face in life. Atlas Men's Wear:  https://www.atlasmenswear.com/ Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Today is our last Friday show for the foreseeable future.  Debbie G. made a wonderful, surprise appearance for our last Friday show, and it was just like getting the band back together again. Going forward, I'm reducing the schedule from 5 episodes per week to 3 episodes per week, in order to free up my schedule a bit. Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Unless you truly value yourself, you won't have the motivation to exercise, get enough sleep, eat healthfully, and care for yourself. Michael helps people uncover and own their inherent self-worth while holding them accountable to take action, and co-creates the safety to reach inside and see what is holding them back from their dreams. We have a really fun interview today, going down some really deep self-improvement rabbit holes. Also, check out his upcoming Reinvention Retreat in Costa Rica via his website. Or just connect with him for a free discovery session:  https://michaelmammina.com/ Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Natalie educates women about their skin and teaches them how they themselves can understand their skin and the issues they are having with it. She gets them back to that healthy, beautiful glow! Her website:  https://www.fortembeauty.com/ Follow LOA Today: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Joel listened to the book Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang over the weekend and thought it would make a good starter topic for today's show. At Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/REJECTION-PROOF-Jia-Jiang/dp/1847941451 Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

As a South Asian American woman, Ruhina grew up with the pressure of a community that expected and valued only high achievement. This pressure negatively impacted her mental health during her teenage and early adult years. She shares her story of self-discovery and reinvention with us today. Her website:  https://ruhinamehra.com/ Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow

Christopher Glatis is an award winning filmmaker and lifelong seeker who was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder soon after entering college. Motivated to overcome what he initially saw as a weakness, Glatis devoted himself to learning how humans heal. He’s tried it all, from silent meditations on mountaintops to Native American sweat lodges, psychotherapy, men’s groups, yogis, trauma work, and creative projects that explore characters who, despite deep, psycho-spiritual struggles, are ultimately redeemed. By sharing his own journey in When Your Mind Screams, Glatis demonstrates how what was once his greatest weakness is now his greatest teacher. His website:  https://www.christopherglatis.com/ His book on Amazon, When Your Mind Screams:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Your-Mind-Screams-Confidence/dp/1544535384/ Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow