On December 31st, THE BOOK OF ICHIGO ICHIE, by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García (Kirai) was published in the United States. This title has already been translated into 27 languages and the authors’ previous work, IKIGAI, is still a bestseller with more than one and a half million copies sold worldwide. I don’t think that two Spanish authors have ever achieved so much success with a single book, and even less so in a country like the United States.

The last day of the year is special for everyone, many of us have desires and illusions for the coming year. It’s irremediable to want things to go a little better for us. For that reason, we always make some resolutions to improve some small things in our lives. The literal translation of the Japanese proverb of ICHIGO ICHIE would be “once, an encounter”, however, the authors propose another even more complete meaning: “every moment is unique in our lives”. The saying reminds us how important it’s not to let ourselves be carried away by the past or the future, because sometimes, in the rush of everyday life, we really forget to live. ICHIGO ICHIE is a reminder that every moment is precious and unique, and that we should enjoy it.

I am sure that many of you have already read THE BOOK OF ICHIGO ICHIE, but for those who have not yet been able to do so, I can tell you that it’s a great book to start the year, as it will help you to be able to appreciate the little things of everyday life. ICHIGO ICHIE is an inspirational work that will show us how to:
 
– Free ourselves from the past and the future to make each moment something unique. 

– Bring into our lives the Zen that Steve Jobs learned from a Japanese master, and which proved to be the key to his success. 

– Turn coincidences into a tool for conscious magic. 

– Create unforgettable moments in professional and personal circles.

– Improve our relationships with a new type of Mindfulness. 

–  Open the floodgates to the flow of creativity whenever we need it.

Without a doubt, the Miralles / Kirai tandem is one of the most authentic in “self-help” literature. Reading them helps you to believe in yourself and to be convinced that if you want to, you can. We just need to be more attentive to what we do and not think so much about what we will do. Sometimes we forget that each moment is unique and unrepeatable, and THE BOOK OF ICHIGO ICHIE teaches us to give importance to all those moments. Happy New Year, happy start of the decade and happy “encounters”, I hope this book will be an inspiration for this month of January to be the beginning of many things.