QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Scientific studies suggest that only about 25 percent of how long we live is dictated by genes, according to famous studies of Danish twins. The other 75 percent is determined by our lifestyles and the everyday choices we make.”
― Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest

IDEA OF THE DAY 

Welcome to our exploration of the Blue Zones! These are areas in the world where you find the most centenarians, living their happiest and healthiest lives.  Dan Buettner, the author above, decided to explore these blue zones to figure out what the secret sauce may be.

From the steep hills of Sardinia, Italy to the seaside town of Okinawa, Japan, Dan explored five blue zone regions of the world and compiled an amazing amount of research over 20 years to help us understand how we could create blue zone opportunities within our everyday lives.  Last year, Netflix came out with a mini-series sharing the secrets of living a long and healthy life- it’s an enjoyable and short series!

Dan’s work resulted in 9 core principles, which we’ll take our time exploring these next few weeks!

But what if I don’t WANT to live to 100, Joyna??

That’s ok! The goal here is to share a few ideas to see what areas you may have an interest in learning more about so that regardless of how old you want to live, you can do so in a healthy way. 

This week, we’re starting with action- move naturally.

Nope- I’m not asking you to sign up for a marathon or go to the gym five times a week (unless you want to, of course!), but the goal is to find ways to automatically incorporate natural forms of movement into your daily routine. Dan’s research showed that centenarians live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it.  This could be walking, gardening, dancing in the kitchen, or climbing stairs rather than taking an escalator…the opportunities are endless!  Finding ways to “move on autopilot” is the key- so that ultimately, you are moving without having to put much thought into it.

Shall we give it a try? Let’s do this!


QUESTION OF THE DAY

What is one easy way to incorporate natural movement into your daily routine?

(I like taking an evening walk on the creek path behind my house- even if it’s just for a short time to unwind and decompress from my day!)

Lessons from 13.2 Miles

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Comparison is the thief of joy."– Theodore Roosevelt IDEA OF THE DAY  This past weekend, I ran a half-marathon with my brother and a friend. Well—jogged might be the more accurate term, as I’m by no means a fast runner. But with this being my third...

On Less Control and More Peace

QUOTE OF THE DAY "To build a mindset that allows happiness in, you need to develop the quality of non-reactiveness. Life is generally uncontrollable, and it is not possible to live without challenges, so eventually unwanted things and tough situations will appear."–...

On Being Grounded Despite Uncertainty

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."– Theodore Roosevelt IDEA OF THE DAY  There’s no denying that the world feels heavy right now. With constant changes, unexpected challenges, and an overwhelming stream of information, it’s easy to...

On Today in History

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."– Søren Kierkegaard IDEA OF THE DAY  One of the most incredible things about living in the present is that whenever curiosity strikes, we have a world of information at our...

On a Little Silliness

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment."– Horace IDEA OF THE DAY  Last week, we explored how our critical mind can be labeled as a "Saboteur"—those voices in your head that generate negative...

Let’s go to the (Mind) Gym

QUOTE OF THE DAY "If you’re mentally fit, you can handle life’s great challenges without mental stress or other negative emotions."– Dr. Shirzad Chamine, Author of Positive Intelligence IDEA OF THE DAY  As a coach, I'm always searching for mental tools and...

On Getting Distracted

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time."– Mozart IDEA OF THE DAY  As I sit down with a hot cup of tea to draft this newsletter, a few text messages ping on my phone. I answer them and return to writing. Then, my inbox...

On the Middle Path

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The middle path is the way to wisdom."– Rumi IDEA OF THE DAY  Let's talk about change.  Change is a constant in life, often filled with beauty and possibility. Milestone moments like earning a degree, landing a new job, getting engaged, or welcoming...

~On A Little Kindness~

QUOTE OF THE DAY “It is a beautiful experience being with ourselves at a level of complete acceptance. When that begins to happen, when you give up resistance and needing to be perfect, a peace will come over you as you have never known.”– Ruth Fishel IDEA OF THE DAY ...

On the Final Questions of 2024

QUOTE OF THE DAY "A year's end is not just a closing chapter; it's a mirror reflecting your growth and resilience, a reflection of the strength you've found within."  -Unknown IDEA OF THE DAY  As the year comes to a close, some of us may find ourselves holding on to...