Ikigai for Teens is an insightful and engaging guide that introduces teenagers to the Japanese concept of ikigai, which translates to “reason for being”.

The authors, Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, emphasize the importance of finding one’s passion, purpose, and joy in everyday life. It encourages teens to explore their interests, talents, and values to discover what makes their lives truly meaningful. The authors combine practical advice, personal anecdotes, and wisdom from Japanese culture, creating a comprehensive guide that is both informative and inspirational.

One of the standout features of Ikigai for Teens is its actionable exercises and reflections at the end of each chapter. These activities help readers apply the concepts to their own lives, fostering self-awareness and growth. The book also touches on various aspects of teen life, including relationships, education, and future career choices, making it a holistic approach to personal development.

Overall, Ikigai for Teens is a valuable resource for young readers looking to find direction and fulfilment.

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A few years ago I was asked if I’d teach the art of public speaking to some people from an economically poor background. That day, I looked at a motley set of people and as I began to speak my heart sank; they looked anything but people who would one day get up and wax eloquent.

There was a shy schoolgirl who couldn’t even look directly at me, a housewife who nodded to everything I said but who I found out later didn’t know English well, a man who had a nervous twitch that began twitching as if to distract me, and others who looked equally incapable of such huge task.

“There is a word which starts with the letter ‘P’ which is the most important word in learning to speak in public,” I said, “What is it?”

“Persistence,” whispered the shy girl.

“You’re partially right,” I said kindly, “but that’s not the word I’m looking for just now!”

“Preparation,” said the twitching lip man.

“Again, very close, but not close enough!”

“Passion!” said the woman who could hardly speak English and I nearly hugged her.

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Having seen 30 summers so far in my life, I can still relate to Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman. It is a beautiful story of a baby bird and his quest to find his mother.

In the story, expecting a baby bird to hatch soon, the mother bird flies out of the nest to bring some food for her baby. While the mother is out in the sky, the baby bird decides to find his mother. Since he cannot fly yet, he decides to walk. He walks and walks on his tiny little feet, trying to find his mother. Since the baby bird doesn’t know what his mother looks like, he asks everyone he comes across if they were his mother. Along the way, he comes across a hen and asks her if she was his mother. She doesn’t reply. He moves ahead and asks the kitten. The kitten said that she was not his mother. Then he asked the dog and she too wasn’t his mother. The cow also told him that she was not his mother. Finally giving up, the baby bird returns to his nest. And that is where he found his mother.

This baby bird is each one of us. All of us are trying to find ourselves, trying to find the right career option, trying to find what we are passionate about, trying to find out what defines us, and trying to recognize our mothers.

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Once the festive season arrives, all of us begin preparations with great enthusiasm. All the attention gets focused upon the sweets, the lights, the presents, etc. But there are some amongst us who will remind us what the true spiritual meaning of these festivals is and without this faith the festival just becomes a holiday. Our careers to some extent are like this; we could focus upon the salary, the promotion, the perks and forget that the true meaning of a good career is also fulfilment, happiness and self-actualization. Traditional advice from society has always been that you do this practical/sometimes mind-numbing activity for now and follow your passions later. But in today’s workplace it is possible to integrate the logical bill-paying career with passion such that that we find joy in what we do and feel a sense of contentment. Thus modern career counselling approaches people holistically such that they can work with their strengths and passions.

Questions to ask before making career decisions:

1. Will this career involve things that I “want to do” or will the major part of the career be things I “have to do”?

2. Will this career play up to my strengths and help me grow or will it mainly focus upon my weaknesses?

My suggestion would be to choose a career that will have a larger proportion of things that you want to do and that will primarily play to your assets. Once we focus upon this mindset in our lives and make working with our strengths, our compass, we will find that automatically we will move in a more positive direction and will increase our chances of success.

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In every vein of mine there’s love for you
My breath is screaming for you
My arms yearning for your touch.
My eyes dying to see you,
My ears want your sweet words.
Love me one more time,
Prolong me in your love,
Burning in your love,
Save me.
I can feel that pricking sensation inside me,
Those warm tears rolling down my cheeks.
Maybe it’s too late.
You are so close to her.
In every thought of yours, she resides
In every kiss, there’s passion
You are drowned in her love.
Once mine…
Now hers.

This poem has been published in the September 2015 issue of The Teenager Today.

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I see you in the nights
Right before closing my eyes,
Taking imagination to its height
Something deep in my heart lies.

My dreams are no longer calm
Your face fills my dreams
I see myself in your arms
I’m in love it seems.

The way you look at me
Starts a fire in my heart.
It feels as if you’ve set me free
All the barriers have fallen apart.

You hold me with that passion
For which I live and may die.
You’re even more than an obsession
No one but you can take me that high.

And when you fiercely hold me tight
Under the roof of a million stars,
Even the wrong feels right
You heal all my scars.

When my lips feel your kiss
I wish that time may stop,
In that unending moment of bliss
Under that first raindrop.

Awake under the night sky
Wishing to be there forever
In your arms I wish to die
For eternity being together.

Feeling your body’s warmth
Next to mine all day long
Is all that my heart wants;
I spend my noons singing your song.

I don’t cry any more
For no longer do I feel worthless.
You’ll forever love me, I’m so sure
And all this to you I confess.

This poem has been published in the August 2015 issue of The Teenager Today.

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