For the past six years I have explored parts of the world where people live the longest healthiest lives—regions called Blue Zones—and tried to decipher their secrets. During one Quest, I visited Okinawa, that’s where my team met Ushi Okushima.
Ushi is a 99 year-old woman who starts every day with a bowl of miso-vegetable soup followed with three hours of work in her garden, a nap, time with friends, then puts herself to bed with a glass of sake. Assuming that her longevity was connected to her diet, I was surprised to hear that my team leader, Sayoko, had a different conclusion.
Sayoko, a former manager of a Tokyo company who worked 17-hour days, saw that Ushi was not living for the next big thing; rather she was truly living for the moment. Sayoko did not see Ushi’s diet - she felt Ushi’s spirit and her love for life. After Sayoko’s first meeting with Ushi, she returned home, quit her job, moved with her husband, had a child and found a life that she truly enjoyed. Sayoko did not seek to find answers to Ushi’s longevity; rather she sought to thank her for changing her life.
Longevity does not always depend on what we put in our body, but how we enjoy the time we have been given. The lesson I learned is a secret to the cross-cultural formula for living longer, better is living for the moment.
It's Never Too Early to Start Good Life Habits
It's usually not the young among us who are focused on improving their lifestyle and achieving longevity. Why? Simple: longevity's just not on your mind at a young age.
Less is More for the Okinawans
For the past six years I have explored parts of the world where people live the longest healthiest lives—regions called Blue Zones—and tried to decipher their secrets. When visiting the Okinawa region, it was obvious that the community’s secret was diet.
5 Things You Can Do TODAY To Get Happier!
Studies show that money can buy happiness, but only until the point where you have enough to cover expenses for food, shelter, health care, and transportation. After that, more money brings diminishing returns. So, where to put your energy and resources if you want to maximize your happiness?
