I just got back from a Blue Zone… and for about 24 hours I was convinced I needed to change everything about my life.

For those who aren’t familiar, Blue Zones are regions of the world where people tend to live longer, healthier lives—places like Okinawa, Sardinia, and Nicoya Peninsula—where lifestyle, community, and environment naturally support well-being and longevity.  In each of these areas, there is a statistically significant proportion of people living past 100 years old.

So I was ready to live to 100.

Wake up with the sun.
Walk everywhere.
Eat simply.
Know my neighbors.
Stress less.
Live more.

And then… reality.

Emails. Deadlines. Notifications. The pace of “normal life” rushing back in.

Here’s what I’m realizing this Monday morning:

The people in Blue Zones don’t live differently because they’re trying to optimize their lives.
They live differently because their environment makes the healthy choice the easy choice.

It’s not willpower. It’s design.

So instead of changing everything, I’m asking a better question:

What’s one thing I can redesign this week so that a better life becomes the default?

Maybe it’s:
– A 10-minute walk after dinner
– One screen-free evening
– Cooking one simple meal instead of ordering out
– Reaching out to someone just to connect

Not everything. Just something.

Because meaning isn’t built in dramatic overhauls.
It’s built in small, repeated shifts that actually stick.

What’s one small change you’re bringing into this week?

For me, it’s a lot more salads, fruits, and vegetables.  We even started making our own vinaigrette dressing!

Don’t get me wrong, I still destroyed a double smash-burger on Saturday.  But I did pretty well for six out of seven days!

What will it be for you?

To find out more about Blue Zones, I would definitely recommend the 2023 Netflix documentary, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones