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the first stop on my new path was the okinawa islands off the southern coast of japan. i didn’t manage to get there in person (pandemic and all), but i did discover the people of okinawa through the happiness equation , a book and podcast by neil pasricha.
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they also don’t have a word to describe the concept of “retirement.” instead, they have another word: ikigai . in japanese, “ iki ” means “life,” and “ gai ” describes value or worth. ikigai is essentially the concept of a “reason for being,” or purpose in life. it was my discovery of this concept that brought me to the next step in my journey. i needed to find my ikigai .
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in thinking about what my own ikigai could be, i knew that i wanted to make a difference in some way. i had been in the obesity space for a while, and i saw how stigmatized the community was and how many people needed a platform and group of like-minded individuals who understood the struggle and the pain obesity can cause.
this was something i was passionate about, something the world needs and something i already had some skills and experience with. it had the makings of my own ikigai .
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a growing community. the growth and adaptability of the community of people with obesity to support each other and change the treatment and policy paradigm to focus on evidence-based solutions instead of stigma.
influence. we are challenging the status quo and moving decision-makers to consider changes. more must be done to increase equity of access to treatments and supports.
international recognition. our recognition internationally has been a boon to our growth as an organization.
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alliances. we have established partnerships in diverse sectors.
solid community. our community engagement has been equally rewarding and educational.
on world obesity day, and every other day, obesity matters is committed to helping create a world where obesity is no longer an issue, and everyone can live in health and happiness. this is our collective ikigai .
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