Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend an
online session hosted by My Good School, and it turned out to be such an
enriching experience. The session focused on understanding Ikigai —
the beautiful Japanese concept of finding one’s true purpose in life. Although
I joined a little late because I was caught up with some household chores, the
moment Shahar Ma’am messaged us, I rushed to log in without a second thought.
I’m so grateful I did!
The host introduced a unique method of finding
our Ikigai by drawing a tree and analyzing our strengths,
opportunities, and ways to contribute to society. It really made me reflect
deeply. We also learned about Emotional Quotient (EQ) and how it is different
from Intelligence Quotient (IQ). I even got a chance to answer a question about
EQ, which made me feel really connected and engaged.
What truly inspired me the most was Mr. Sandeep Dutt
Sir’s personality — his passion, wisdom, and simplicity left a lasting
impression on me. It wasn’t just a session; it felt like a journey into
self-discovery. I came out of it feeling motivated, thoughtful, and genuinely
excited to explore my own Ikigai.
It was a fabulous experience—one of the best sessions
I’ve ever attended. It wasn’t just a session, but an impactful imprint on me.
The valuable insights, skills, and knowledge shared truly enhanced our
understanding and opened new avenues for personal development.
Today, I found a new best friend—Ikigai. It
brings together our interests, skills, strengths, and joy. It also helped me
gain clarity about my values, and better understand both intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation. The best part was planting our very own Ikigai tree,
which will guide us in building confidence in our interests, skills, and
overall growth.
We explored what we love, what we are good at, what
the world needs, and what we can be paid for. It was such a meaningful
and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious session—something that
doesn’t just belong in books, but in our lives.
The session, led by Ms. Komal Khetal, focused on the concept of Ikigai—a Japanese philosophy that helps individuals find purpose and meaning in life. She explained how aligning our daily choices and chores with our core values can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life. By identifying our Ikigai, we can make better decisions, stay grounded, and approach challenges with clarity. Ms. Khetal emphasised that when we face difficulties, acting in line with our values allows us to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
We had a fantastic session led by Komal Khetal from Dreamtime Learning School, where we dove deep into the beautiful Japanese concept of Ikigai—your reason for jumping out of bed in the morning!
Ikigai is about blending what you love, what you're great at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for
Your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) plays a bigger role in success than IQ ever could
Doing things because you enjoy them (intrinsic Motivation) beats doing them just for rewards or praise
Self-reflection is the first step to building a life and career that truly fits you
Ikigai = "reason for being"
It's about waking up excited and motivated
Passion + Skill + Purpose + Livelihood = Ikigai!
90% of success? Yup, that's EQ talking!
Understand yourself + connect with others = win-win
Empathy, resilience, and adaptability are key in the real world
Intrinsic Motivation = Doing it because you love it
Extrinsic Motivation = Doing it for the reward
The first one lasts longer and feels way better!
You all created your personal Ikigai trees! ๐ฑ
Roots = What you love
Trunk = What you're good at
Branches = What the world needs
Fruits = What you can be paid for
We talked about turning dreams into real-life plans
Tips on having open conversations with parents about careers
You can follow your passion and be practical—yes, both!
AI is changing the world—so how do we stay relevant?
Build skills AI can't copy: creativity, empathy, and curiosity
Stay flexible and open to new paths!
Complete your Ikigai trees ๐️
Reflect on your passions, values, and strengths.
Join us for more My Good School sessions like MAP (Music, Art & Poetry) ๐จ๐ถ
Keep exploring who you are and what lights you up
๐ฌ Ready to reflect? Reflection means taking a pause to look inward, thinking about what you felt, learned, and how it connects to your own journey. It's a powerful way to grow and discover more about yourself ๐ฑ
We'd love to hear what sparked your curiosity in this session! Share your thoughts, insights, or even your Ikigai tree with Manisha via email- mk@learningforward.org.in. Your story might just inspire someone else too ๐✨
IKIGAI, for me, is Sunday School. "Ikigai" is a Japanese word that signifies "life purpose" or "raison d'รชtre." I don't engage in a lot of activities on Sunday. I work six days a week and take Sundays off, but when I learned about SUNDAY SCHOOL, I saw that this was precisely what I had wanted to do all these years as an avid reader. I resonated with the idea of Sunday School right away. We all have a ton to do on Sunday, but after two weeks, I learned that this time is my IKIGAI. This is how my relationship with the Sunday School began.
"Reading without reflection is like eating without digestion." —Edward Burke.
I'm looking forward to receiving everyone's reflections for this week.
Manisha Khanna
Your Sunday School host
Many people have gone through this journey, and you know you don't really have to put in any effort. Life unfolds itself with its wonders. Let it.
Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School
Making games to play with yourself is the art of playing. When I am bored, I make some slime and squish it with some chemicals and do experiments or while studying, I act as if I am a teacher and teach all concepts to imaginary children and sometimes to my parents too!
Totto-chan had a pet. A pet comes with a lot of responsibility, but you always have a partner to share your feelings with. I sometimes wish I had a quiet puppy, but I am not ready to take the responsibility, and I think that if we keep a pet, we shouldn't keep it in a cage and bring it with its sibling or mother, so we don't separate the pet from their family.
The innocence of a child is all about their selfless compassion - In Japan, they call it - Omoiyari, a section of Ikigai. In the chapter, even though Totto-chan was bitten by Rocky, she cared even more and ensured he wouldn't be scolded.
Selfless compassion was mastered by Totto-chan at such a young age. But as we grow, we often start to think more about ourselves and not about others, but I bet when Totto-chan grows up, she will have mastered Omoiyari!
Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School
