Your Own Blue Zone

I decided to start this blog with the intention of continuously learning how to create the ideal lifestyle and mindset in order to live to 100. But more than that, to live 100 years well. Being able to move, and think and act with intention. Being able to focus on what’s important and maintain a sense of control over the critical aspects of life. 

My partner saw a documentary about ‘Blue Zones’, areas of the world with a disproportionately high number of centenarians. That sparked a series of conversations between us about how to get there. After a little back and forth and a little more research we decided to live to 100! Surely there is a way for the average person to create their own Blue Zone and that’s where this journey was born.

It didn’t take a huge amount of searching to discover multiple sources that can dictate very specific Blue Zone behaviors. “20 habits for a happier, healthier life”, “the blue zone menu”, “The Power 9: Healthy Habits from Blue Zone Inhabitants”. These are incredible resources if you want to start a series of behaviors, but I wonder if that’s all they are. I believe there's more to the story. It's not about following someone else's script; it's about making these actions your own, understanding why they matter, and making them a part of your life.

So, let's make it your journey. You choose your path to 100, and I'll show you why it's worth the effort. It's about empowerment and personal choice. While I can't guarantee a loved one won't nudge you in a certain direction if they see the benefits, ultimately, this journey is on your terms.

Now, why should you pay attention to what I have to say? Well, the truth is, you shouldn't blindly follow anyone, and I firmly believe in the power of constructive dialogue. Challenge me, express your disagreements, and let's learn and grow together.

The Big Idea

Let me lay out the roadmap – we're going to make changes to trends and pursuits over the course of 100 weeks. I'll explain the difference between trends and pursuits in a moment, but the essence is making gradual habitual improvements over time to enhance your quality of life. 

And now the long version.

Initially, I aimed to select 10 key areas that, if perfected, would set the stage for a fulfilling, long life. I decided to start with the area I was least comfortable with in the first 10 weeks, gradually introducing other areas of improvement until week 100. By then, I'd have 10 aspects of my life that I felt in control of and that improved my daily experiences, while setting me up for a great future.

But life, as we all know, is multifaceted, with components like fitness, work-life balance, mental resilience, knowledge, skill, and finances, just to name a few. My initial list grew increasingly daunting. However, after reading "The One Thing" by Gary Keller, I realized I needed a single focus to apply to all the intricate aspects of my life. If you're reading this, it's safe to assume your focus, like mine, is reaching the ripe age of 100.

This new focus gave me clarity. Rather than blindly feeling around, I had a meaningful way to approach the challenge. With that I began to see patterns emerging; mobility and movement could be bucketed together to encompass fitness; work and leisure could roll up into time; philosophy and mindset could combine into resilience. As I kept pairing items I noticed two distinct themes coming into view.

The Tree

The first theme had all the things related to my physical and mental well being. I felt silly on reflection because it seemed obvious that these would form the basis of my Health, all the things I am. It certainly doesn’t take a genius to realise that Health will play a significant role in my ability to live longer. Once I spent a little more time with the items under the Health group I noticed that they were all things I can control on a day to day basis. More on that in a moment.

I then took a look at the list on the other side of the page. They were just as easy to put into groups, but seemed to be different in the nature of their outcomes. They tend to be more related to things I can acquire, like knowledge, skill or time. After a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that this side of the list forms the basis of my Wealth, all the things I have. The subtle difference is that, although I can control initiating certain behaviors, I’m not entirely in control of the outcome. It seems that after repeated effort the outcome will eventually appear after some trial and error.

Hopefully you can see where I’m going with this. On the one hand I found a series of areas relating to Health that have predictable outcomes based on consistent habitual inputs. On the other hand I came to a range of areas relating to Wealth that lead to ideal outcomes after a pursuit of trial and error. (I have to admit I’m very satisfied that they rhyme). If I can maintain and continue making improvements I could set up the conditions to be physically and mentally capable of living a long life with the freedom and wisdom to live it well.

Coming to terms with this has created a unique sense of control that I never thought I really had. It’s allowed me to consider which habits I want to reinforce and also given me a sense of contentment over the times when my trends don’t immediately pan out the way I had intended. I hope you’ll join me as I try to work out which trends pursuits have a positive impact and how to incorporate them into day to day and week to week life.

Your Way

Now, I haven't dished out specific instructions for improving your life, and that's deliberate. Remember, I promised you the power of choice. So, if you join me on this journey, I'll introduce the framework in more detail. I'll delve into each component that you can select as your Health trend or Wealth pursuit. The aim is to inspire you to make choices that genuinely benefit you. There is no point in telling you to start exercising if you're already a marathon runner, or to focus on increasing your income if you're a millionaire. This framework empowers you to determine what's important and attainable for yourself.

Live well, Master Everything.