FEATURE: Plan de Vida

Written by Kathryn Savage

In Okinawan and Nicoyan cultures a purpose-driven life is an essential part of well being, happiness and longevity. The Okinawan word "Ikigai" and Nicoyan "plan de vida" essentially translate to the same thing: find a reason to get up in the morning.

The scientific research that backs up this statement is staggering. It appears, people who express clear goals and aim at achieving those goals live longer than people who do not.

Why do you wake up in the morning?

For some, career is a huge source of joy. For others family, the fight for equality, the environment, social or health-care reform bring pride and satisfaction.

It doesn't matter what you love to do, the important thing to take away is it doesn’t have to be major, you just have to do it. A sense of purpose can come from learning to play the guitar, learning to speak Italian, etc. What matters is having a personal plan and setting that goal in motion. It appears that taking active steps to achieve you goal is as good as the goal itself. Around the turn of the century, a study found that a marked increase in death occurred among elderly participants after the eve of the new millennium. Could elderly participants have consciously willed life to continue into the new century?

Purpose can come from any activity that you have control over and can throw yourself at. For example, children and family should be a huge source of pride, love and personal satisfaction. You should absolutely relish the fulfillment of watching your children and grandchildren grow, but don’t expect children to give your life a sense of purpose. It is your responsibility to live a life of direction, kindness, to nurture relationships with friends and family and to find a separate purpose. Children are individuals with their own sets of goals and likes and dislikes. Children can be a source of pride, but it is not your child's responsibility to give your life a sense of daily purpose.

Finding purpose means finding a goal that is unique to you and aiming to achieve that goal. Building castles in the sky that don’t quit, that’s a sense of purpose. Find activities that you enjoy doing, where you lose sense of time, where you are combining excitement, curiosity and skill. Doing activities that are challenging for your brain, taking on a new hobby like knitting or learning Arabic, challenging yourself mentally is like doing neurological sit ups and it may prevent against diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Make a Personal Mission Statement

Make a list of as many things you can think of that you love to do. A great resource for me is continuing education. Take an adult education class at a community or junior college. In some cities and states, the public education system funds an adult education enrichment program at schools and libraries. The classes vary from HTML programing to Spanish to Creole cuisine. These classes, when offered, are usually either free or inexpensive. Call a local high school or library and ask if there are any affordable adult education opportunities in your area.

What are Your Values?

Identify what makes you feel purposeful and aim to achieve those goals. If you think you might want to try your hand at philanthropy, but don’t know where to start, a great resource is the website Volunteer Match. Volunteer Match is a great tool because you can search for opportunities by zip code, area of interest and both. Visit volunteer match at http://www.volunteermatch.org.

The Band Motto

Bands perform, record and practice together. Athletes have a team. Some of my favorite directors hire the same film crew, again and again. Take a hint from the fame and fortune set - find something you love to do and are good at and get a posse.

Let’s face it, left to our own devices, it’s a whole lot easier to order take out watch Law and Order reruns than lead a purpose driven life. So call a friend up, take a class together or volunteer with someone. Combining social and purposeful activities is a great way to get more done and have more fun!

Learn How To Ski.....

Or sail, or surf, or play the harp, or speak Japanese or cook Indian food or knit a sweater. Learning something new is a great way to keep your brain sharp and live with a sense of purpose, or plan de vida.

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