“I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.” Pablo Picasso”

In these five “Blue Zones” – Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and Ikaria, Greece – the people live longer than anywhere else in the world…

All of these people who live into their 90’s and 100’s eat a mostly vegan diet of beans, grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables… They do not over exercise, they walk and do their own chores, they are passionate about something whether it is painting, writing or playing an instrument, they have faith whether it is of God, mankind or the Sun, they have something to look forward to every day, they surround themselves with family and friends and they don’t worry about stuff..

A vegan diet is most certainly an important part of the longevity and healthy equation but equally important is in a vegan lifestyle. You have to embrace diversity, community harmony, and purpose in life.

Achieving purpose in life is welcoming to your life people and cities and neighbors and family and friends that share your same purpose in life. Say goodbye to adversity, people that aggravate you, cities that are too polluted and violent, neighbors that cause friction, family, and friends that keep you up at night (in a bad way).

Follow your heart. Turn your hobbies into professions. look forward to Mondays instead of Friday’s. I tell young people that are trying to figure out their life’s path to pretend that they just won the lottery. Now, put aside the expected answer from a 20’ish young person’s wishes like a Ferrari, a penthouse on top of the Four Seasons in Manhatten and an AMEX black card…I ask them what do they look forward to every day – painting, writing, critiquing restaurants, creating fun fashion, skiing, cycling? Turn your passion into cash flow. Become an artist, write a blog, design clothes, be a ski instructor, whatever… The bottom line is to be happy and build your own little or big empire.

My advice is to embrace your passion. Sever relationships that drag you down and only surround yourself with people that share your same goals and ideologies in life. If you hate your job, get a new job. If you hate the 8-5 grind, turn your passions into cash flow. Write a book, paint, teach, become a gardener, travel or start a blog… Some of the most unhappy people I know are the richest people I know. Some of the happiest people I know are the poorest people I know.

“I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.” Pablo Picasso

They say, “life is a struggle” and “life is unfair.” I say that life does not have to be a struggle or does it have to be unfair. You make your own decisions in life and your own choices. Choose wisely, you only get one shot at it.

Step outside. Take a long and deep breath of fresh Spring air. A new beginning is within your grasp. If you are unhappy with your job then get a new job. If you are unhappy with where you live then move. If you are unhappy in your relationships then get new relationships… The prospect of change is a powerful moment of happiness and fulfillment… The alternative is counterproductive to peace and well being… Life is short – You only get one shot at it. Make your life a monumental phenomenon…

Enjoy your week and thank you so much for being a part of my page and supporting my passions that I hope are the same as your passions…

thank you Doug for this piece Eric