Latest Good Read

I bought the book, BLUE ZONES, by Dan Buettner when it first came out. I am always looking for ways to improve our quality of life - through diet, our environment, our activities, and our exercise.


BLUE ZONES was a very quick read for me - I enjoyed it so much! After my husband read it, we changed several things about our lives to create the potential for living longer and healthier. If you haven't read the book (or seen/heard interviews with Dan Buettner and the National Geographic documentary based on the book), maybe it's time to check it out of the library.


In the same way that BLUE ZONES talked about the people and places in the world that have the longest-living people, THRIVE explores the places in the world which has the people who rate themselves, as a nation, as the happiest people in the world, and what creates the conditions for that happiness to continue to grow. These people are said to THRIVE in their lives, live without the tension most of North America experiences, and have very productive yet balanced lives.


Again, this book, THRIVE, is a quick read, a fascinating examination of lifestyles, and a book that makes one look reflectively at the life one is living. Many of the factors which make for a happy life were already in place for me and my family, but there are several which we are in the process of implementing as well. 


One is such a simple thing - but if we don't do this now, the children ASK for it. Each evening, since it is winter and the days are short, we eat our dinner by candlelight (lots of candles, but still a soft light). You may scoff at the idea, but it brings a warmth and glow to the meal, the children can't see what they are eating as easily so they tend to try things before complaining that they don't like it (based on the visual alone), and we are spending longer lingering around the table, talking and enjoying each other's company at the end of a busy day. BIG returns for such a small change!


And the ways to living a happy and fulfilling life make sense - something I find is getting more rare these days. 


So, I recommend this book to you. What have you got to lose in reading it except unhappiness? You might find some ways to make your life fuller, richer, and more satisfying! Small changes for big returns. :-)