Fort Worth’s newest and brightest art installation is making the city more colorful than ever—all while promoting residents’ well-being.

The Okinawans call it “Ikigai” and the Nicoyans call it “plan de vida;” for both it translates to “why I wake up in the morning.” However you define it, knowing your sense of purpose can add up to seven years of extra life expectancy. Purpose is one of the Power 9^® – nine healthy lifestyle habits that can lead to a longer, happier life. 

What’s your reason for getting out of bed every morning? Studies show that people with a sense of purpose – a clear goal in life, or something to wake up for every morning -- live longer and stay mentally sharper than those who don’t. Here are a few tips for starting off the New Year right by finding and fulfilling your life’s purpose:

Having a sense of belonging is an important part of enjoying a long and healthy life. For many, this comes from a spiritual or religious practice.

Did you know your friends (and even your friends' friends) can affect your emotions and behaviors? Research shows that your friends have a huge impact on your well-being long-term.

We want to reward you for making healthy choices. Each month, you could win a Power 9 themed prize pack by submitting photos with the hashtag, #MyPower9. Winners will also be featured on the Blue Zones Project Fort Worth blog and Facebook page.

How to enter: Use the hashtag, #MyPower9 to tag photos of your Power 9 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Random winners will be selected each month to receive one of the prizes noted below. Not sure what your Power 9 is? Learn more at LiveLongFortWorth.com.

Life is short, and Blue Zones Project wants to help you make it longer. 

Often times, our days are filled with computer work or waiting in carpool lines, so it's easy to get caught up in our busy American lifestyle. But, what if your environment set you up so that it was easy to make healthier choices? 

Everywhere you look, the healthy choice is becoming the easy choice—as Blue Zones Project^®, gains momentum in its efforts to support longer, better lives. Now the community-led well-being improvement initiative is celebrating those who are helping to make their city one of the nation’s healthiest.

Most people in the original Blue Zones^® areas eat a rich array of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are packed with disease-fighting nutrients.

At Blue Zones Project^® and our parent company, Healthways, we'd like to think of our office as a “living lab,” meaning we try our best to practice what we preach by making healthy choices whenever possible through implementing the Blue Zones^® Power 9 principles into our lives. Each week, we'll introduce you to a different colleague of our Right Tribe, and share his or her favorite Power 9.