Longevity and happiness of the people living in the blue zones

Welcome to La Muse Blue!

In my first Monthly Musing, I would like to explain why I founded this “blue” online magazine, but most importantly why La Muse Blue will be a wonderful resource for your happiness and life after work.
Lifestyle is the irreplaceable parent of satisfaction or unhappiness in our current lives. Physically, there were identified the so called “blue zones*”, places where people live longer than in any other areas on the Earth or as my husband says “the places that have everything“. Virtually, La Muse Blue is one of them.

These lucky, long living and happy areas are the proof that, however wealthy or culturally, technologically, and politically advanced a society can be, the quality of life and ultimately good health depend also on another facets of the day-to-day activities and the overall lifestyle. Our disharmony like a crescendo accumulates and chimes particularly loud with our advancing age. The scientists flip and scan all the possible variables, trying to puzzle out the secrets of these “blue” people’s longevity, yet it is hardly possible to consider every aspect of a human life, therefore their scientific hypotheses may change like the Maui wind, suddenly and with the opposite direction. But one agreement prevails in the culturally, scientific as as well as by acquired wisdom driven conclusions: BALANCE.
Too much of this, too little of that, as Hippocrates told to his chronicles – the only thing that makes poison from a cure is the dose. As the millennia passed, this old truth is still recognised. So how Hippocrates’ knowledge applies to our modern lifestyles?
Now, I will also get little philosophical. No poetry, at least this time, but my pure reflection on our state of being and the longevity in the blue zones.

We exist in a revolutionary age. Standing on the ravenous cliff of the new millennium in which we are radically redefining the way we relate to others and to our world. Technology, like electricity, the invention of paper and fuel from natural fossils, is a miracle. What was a utopian dreaming some 50 years ago, is now real. We experience more of our days, weeks, years and lifespans in the virtual reality facilitated by our technological gadgets. This is highly evolutionary challenging. Such indirect, intangible relationships with others and the world must be in their nature emotionally confusing, but we must adapt.

Therefore, in this muzzle of changes, we need to scale up our focus on the quality our lifestyle. If only for the sake of our sanity and wellbeing. Not just by being connected to ourselves in this increasingly virtual existence, but our happiness is contagious so we inject our family, friends and colleagues with this powerful potion of greatness, that can possibly increase our lifespan. The amount of energy we reserve for our computerised jobs and other productive work is a tax on our modern existence. We pay an irrational price for material satisfaction which in its nature vanishes, but we should focus more on our experience, mind, feelings and fulfilling activities. In a more liberal and well educated society these personal taxes should be voluntary. This is not about our roads, research and education systems, but about us working smoothly and living healthily. Leaving the politics now, as they will hardly ever be balanced, but my point is that we have or should have a choice in the realm of  paying with our health for our generally unhappy lifestyles.

Although the sparkles of happiness are highly individual, plenty of research supports my call for seeking indulgent or rejuvenating experiences in the right measure unique to every person, the mind-opening effect of traveling and learning adding to one’s satisfaction in life.

We can shovel our needs away from our consciousness, but like a bunch of rotting onions, not taking care of them will ultimately lead to a disturbing stink disrupting our other habitual tasks. As Freud proved, hiding our needs, the screams of our minds and bodies, into subconsciousness does not eliminate them. At certain moments, they will hunt you or pop out like vicious gunmen barricading our road of life, injuring our health and crashing during the journey towards a fulfilling life.

We need to take the initiative in the clean up of our lives on our own. Drink large gulps of your inner strength! There are tools to help us with almost anything. La Muse Blue is one of them. The content is not a therapy, but a holistic inspiration for the balanced path.

By nourishing your lifestyle like a top scoring athlete, you increase your chances to qualify for any race. With a hindsight, as most of the genuinely satisfied athletes would say – it is not about the winning itself, a short moment in a tough day, it [the joy from it] is about the training and the personal experience leading to the trophy. Far from being a competition, focus, motivation and dedication are the rewarding virtues in the contest, and these are also needed to achieve the sense of the individual wellbeing.

La Muse Blue was set as a holistic platform for the life connoisseurs, meaning all of you craving to live joyfully, listening and reflection on your body’s and mind’s real desires. We are about taming the mind, taking a breath, thinking and mindfully enjoying time off work.

For the balanced life, we need to clean our heads from distractions, rush and stress. All that, by doing what our mind and body call for. We can still go for a fast run and slow down our thoughts, but it does not work for everyone, so listen, you know.