The basics for a long and happy life: What are they and how does the awareness of them help us? Once we are aware of them it becomes our responsibility to look after ourselves, to listen to ourselves and not others.

We have to learn to listen to what our body and brain are saying, learn to act according to what we feel. Learn to say “yes” to ourselves and our ideas more and stop trying to please others.

Any human is the summary of a body, brain and the interaction with what surrounds it. So what we have to look out for are foremost our body, brain, surrounding and interactions. Simple, isn’t it? But then again, it is complicated because each subtopic is quite involved.

Even if we lose the ability to think, our body might still function and we might survive with the help of a respirator. So, first of all, let’s look at the body and biology to define the subjects to get into depth later.

Our body

We need to breathe air that contains a certain mixture of oxygen and other gasses. As our body and brain mainly consist of water, we have to keep well hydrated and drink water. Energy for our body to function we get from eating food and digesting it. We need to sweat to maintain our body temperature and get rid of toxins and salt. We need to excrete what is left after digestion to get rid of more toxins.

If any of these options are taken from us we are going die. This is needed for our pure survival. So breathing, drinking water, eating, digesting, sweating we need to be good at it. But many already struggle with drinking enough water … We have to make it important to be healthy. It is absolutely crucial for our survival.

We don’t need the whole of the brain to be functioning for this. Only our nervous system and the brainstem are enough. And we survive. Living, however, requires more. To be able to live on our own we have to move and carry our brains around which means our body has to be exercised and fit to fulfill this task. Health is important. Health greatly depends on our lifestyle and what surrounds and affects us. And we choose. It is up to us.

Our brain

We need to remember information that concern navigation and food sources and where we can find shelter, how to react and act in an emergency.

We also need to have quick reactions called reflexes to prevent injuries and possibly death. They “happen” as a reaction to our surrounding and are not conscious. Besides our brains allow us to learn and remember skills. And more important than our ability to learn skills is that we know who we are and what our strengths are.

Subconscious, are our senses. Our body and brain process information by themselves and we act accordingly without even knowing. Senses are extremely important. At times we have to put moral thinking and rules aside in order to be true to ourselves.Sleep is very important as during this time the brain is cleaned.

Sleep is very important as during this time the brain is cleaned.

Our surrounding

We have to maintain a certain body temperature to not die. A shelter is therefore very relevant. We need protection from the rays of the sun and other rays. And we are surrounded by other humans, animals, and plants which affect us – not even mentioning anything civilization has to offer because we are trying to cover the basic matters only, right now.

Between us and our surrounding are our skin and our senses. They are part of both worlds. What connects us is communication in any form and goals. And our connections with other humans are what is most important. There is this saying that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with and it is drastic like that.

In former times we were born at a place and surrounded by certain people, our families, and village. Nowadays we travel by plane and are surrounded by whom we choose.

I once read that nowadays our address books replace the family and village. Who is in our address book matters to us. And I think, this nails it. It is certainly true for me as my friends are scattered across the globe. And we get to choose whom to spend time with. Still, I spend most of my time with those people right around me, where I am at the time.

Take care of the basics and live a long and happy life

I claim, that if we live taking care of the basics, we are going to be much happier and healthier and live longer than those that got away from them …

Comment and tell me what I am missing?
I am sure there are some crucial points that I am missing?
Spirituality, for instance, I cannot relate from my own experience although it seems to be highly relevant according to Dan Buettner for example.

Please start the discussion publicly or contact me privately and we get stuck in the subject more detailed.