A reason to get up in the morning

Ikigai is a Japanese idea that roughly means a reason for being, the thing that gives your days purpose. The authors visited Ogimi, a village in Okinawa known for having many people who live past one hundred, to learn how they live.

They found that most of the older residents still had something they cared about: a garden, a craft, a role in the community, their grandchildren. Having a purpose seemed tied to living longer and more happily.