People from the Blue Zones (Ikaria, Greece, Loma Linda, California, Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and Nicoya, Costa Rica), where people regularly live to see their 100th birthdays, have a lot to teach us about how to live longer. At the very least, we should learn from their morning routines.
Author and explorer Dan Buettner investigated what these people do all day to be so healthy and help people live longer by sharing knowledge on low-protein diets and connections. Some of these habits can be practiced first thing in the morning to start the day.
4. Find your ‘ikigai’
What gets you out of bed in the morning? What drives you? Finding it and embracing it is one of the Blue Zones’ residents’ behaviors.
The Japanese notion of ikigai is about finding your soul’s purpose and living it. According to the Blue Zones, having a purpose is linked to longevity; it gives you a reason to wake up in the morning.
If you’re unsure where to start, neuroscientist Ken Mogi, author of Awakening Your Ikigai, previously told Well+Good. It begins with five pillars: starting small, accepting yourself, connecting with people and the world, and being present.