The Gray Divorce Podcast: Episode 59 Blue Zones, Ikigai and a Long, Happy Life
What can a small town called Ogimi on the north end of Okinawa in Japan teach us about living a happy life after gray divorce? What can a mountain village in Sardinia teach us about staying fit? What can the residents of Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula teach us about finding purpose in our lives?
Each of these specific areas of the world are identified as blue zones, a term coined by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer and author.
Butner and his team of scientists and demographers identified 5 places on earth that stood out for the extraordinary longevity and vitality of its residents.
If you are going through divorce in your 60s or 70s and you're looking to reset your life and make the most of the time you have left on this earth would be nice to be able to live for another 30 or years or so with a healthy body, a sense of purpose and an overall feeling of contentment? I certainly think so. Maybe we can learn something from these blue zones.
The Blue Zones are:
- Okinawa, Japan: Known for its large population of centenarians and strong sense of purpose, or ikigai. Remember episode 29 of the gray divorce podcast in which I went into some depth about this concept of Ikigai. We'll return to it in a minute.
- Sardinia, Italy (Barbagia region): Particularly the mountainous area, where shepherds often live past 100 due to active lifestyles and strong familial bonds.
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: Residents have a “plan de vida” (reason to live) and consume a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.
- Ikaria, Greece: Known as the “island where people forget to die,” it has a low rate of chronic diseases and dementia.
- Loma Linda, California, USA: Home to a community of Seventh-day Adventists who emphasize health, community, and spiritual practice.
This episode discusses nine common principles found in Blue Zone communities.
The episode takes a deeper dive into one community, Ogimi, on the northern Japanese island of Okinawa. Here, residents combine Blue Zone principles with Japanese cultural traditions to develop a sense of Ikigai or purpose.
Resources
https://www.amazon.com/Ikigai-Japanese-Secret-Long-Happy/dp/0143130722