“Genuinely happy people do not just sit around being content. They make things happen. They pursue new understandings, seek new achievements, and control their thoughts and feelings.”
― Dan Buettner, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way
Came across a book on the secrets of longevity which made a lot of sense. The book is called, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” written by Dan Buettner.
Where is Okinawa? Why is Okinawa important?
Okinawa is an island south of the Kyushu island in Japan where the East China Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Okinawa has one of the highest concentration of centenarians where on the average, men live until 84 and women until 90. Interestingly, even the oldest Okinawans lead healthy lives and have strong emotional, physical and intellectual capacity to live safely and independently.
Researchers have discovered Okinawan secrets to include “ikigai”, “moai” and “hara hachi bu”.
What is “Ikigai”?
Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being” or “a reason for living”. It is all about having a sense of purpose and meaning to our lives.
What is “Moai”?
In Japanese, “moai” refers to a group of lifelong friends and it also means a social support group for the community. The support group provides social, financial, health or spiritual interests to the community. In communities across Okinawa, friends meet for a common purpose regularly and these groups are called “moai”.
What is “Hara Hachi Bu”?
In contrast, “Hara Hachi Bu” refers to a dietary rule that says that you should eat until you are 80% full. By limiting our food intake to near saturation, we consume less calories but we are not far off from how much we really need.