3. Rest: Sleep is equal to night housekeeping! 

People in Blue Zones rise with the sun and sleep soon after it is dark with some naps during the day.

Rest is supremely important to heal the body from daily wear and tear

• Fix a time, train your brain: Nature of your work might not allow you to follow the circadian rhythm, but you can fix your sleeping time. One of the easiest ways to quickly fall asleep + improves the quality of sleep drastically

• Pre-bed 3:2:1 rule: Works like a charm! 3 hours prior no food, 2 hours prior no work, 1 hour prior no tech/ screen. You deserve a soothing wind down into the night!

• Pre-bed easy breathing meditation: It’s a lullaby for you to fall into sleep. As you lie on your bed to sleep, place one or both hands lightly on your abdomen and count to 4 as you breath in and count to 4 as you breath out, you’ll soon slide into sleep! Your breath is the lullaby here 🙂

My pre-bed routine include a spot of reading, chanting, and meditation. It helps me have a high quality sleep even after a tough day or in a new time zone.

4. Community: Feeling of belongingness is underestimated!

The Blue Zone folks thrive with family, faith and community. They would often get together for a dance class, art activity, community cooking, milestones celebrations, or a meal. 

It is definitely harder forming a community around in a city but not impossible!

• Find your sangha: Create and be a part of a community around a hobby, sport, food, art, cultural activity, or even faith.   

• Friends and Loved ones: Find a positive activity to be in with friends and family 

• Community Service with friends: This is the most powerful, as a it is two in one - building social connection while doing something meaningful    

During the pandemic lockdowns this is what we all missed most. Remember? And this is what we got to soon as things reopened - hanging out or being in an activity with friends!  

Only thing to be careful here is to be engaged in a productive activity vs. gossip! Yes, while gossip is also a social activity it doesn’t help grow the mind -:) 

Purpose: Intentional living adds life to your years!

In the Blue Zones the centenarians still lived meaningful lives - contributing through their life to their own community

Offering their garden vegetables for sale being a simple example of activity (gardening) ; eating fresh; community (when they barter their produce); Purpose (their garden being a meaningful work)   

• Find meaning in your work: Meaning is the driver of happiness

• Find YOUR routine: Routine offers a structure and predictability to life, making us feel safe 

• Impact another life everyday: This helps us find purpose in the work we do 

So, there you are with the fabulous five! Pick one from each and make that part of your day! As you count them daily on one hand notice the impact it makes to you body, mind and soul! 

Keep yourself Blue with health and happiness! 

After three years of the pandemic, Ajay and his wife were visiting their sons in Berlin. They had planned this trip for six months and were really looking forward to the trip. But, within a week of their trip they were infected by the virus. And they had to return home to rest and recover. 

Diana and her husband had to put their 2020 trip to Morocco once the pandemic shut everything down. A year after the world re-opened, they decided to go on this long planned trip. Within five days of arriving though,  they were both hit by the virus.   They stayed on but could hardly enjoy this long planned trip. 

Aastha's baby sister was getting married in the US. 2 days before she was to board her flight in Dubai, she contracted the virus. She had no choice but to stay back and watch her baby sister's wedding digitally.

How can we be better prepared so that the next virus doesn’t stall our lives;  fill us with fear and anxiety; take away our livelihoods; or worse, take away some of our loved ones? 

The answer: Immunity! Our armour!