I was watching a reel by Robin Sharma recently when he outlined eight forms of wealth beyond just money: growth, wellness, family, craft, community, adventure, service, and money itself. You can find the long version here: https://lnkd.in/gAiBAJkp.
The 8 types of wealth make me realise that we spend so much of our lives chasing only 1-2 types of wealth, the next title, the next milestone, the next “validation” from society… until we wake up one day and realise:
We’ve lived everyone else’s life … except our own.
🌀 In Japanese wisdom, ikigai is your reason for being.
🍃 Ichigo ichie teaches us that every moment is once-in-a-lifetime.
🌿 Wabi sabi reveals the beauty in imperfection.
🍂 Mono no aware reminds us of life’s transient nature.
🥋 And Shu Ha Ri encourages us to grow beyond rigid forms to find our own way.
All of these philosophies point to one truth: there are many beautiful paths in life, and none of them deserves to trap us. Just like Robin’s 8 types of wealth.
🔸 In “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying”, Bronnie Ware shared what people wished they had done differently:
1️⃣ I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2️⃣ I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
3️⃣ I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4️⃣ I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5️⃣ I wish I had let myself be happier.
These are not regrets of failure, they’re regrets of abandoning the self.
I watched a breakup story recently. The guy asked, “Why treat me that way if you knew it would end?” The girl replied:
“No one can change the past. You can remember it sweet, or taint it bitter.”
That line stayed with me.
💭 The past was real. It was beautiful then. Don’t let present pain poison old joy.
Regret, after all, is often just resentment against moments we failed to honour fully when they were alive.
So here’s my heartfelt reminder:
✨ Not every path is meant to be permanent.
✨ Not every relationship must last forever to be meaningful.
✨ And not every success society praises is worth your life.
Ask yourself:
Are you living your own ikigai?
Or someone else’s expectations?
💬 What’s one regret you hope never to have?
Or: What Japanese life philosophy resonates with you most?
👇 Share in the comments. I’d love to hear your reflections.
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DKw77kwo48e/https://lnkd.in/gBDxKprC