He lives in my neighborhood and I have recently rediscovered his Blue Zones, based on interviews his team has done in places near and far to find out the secrets of healthiest, long-living communities.

I wanted to find out what tips Buettner's Blue Zones website is offering.

We often talk here about extending our social, support networks. The fact that single parenting can be very isolating, especially if we let it. How easy it is to put most of our efforts into our kids, forgetting about ourselves.

In the Blue Zones tips about Belonging these were a few of the suggestions that I found helpful:

• How to feel confident making small talk. The first tip -- forcing yourself to turn around and make conversation with whomever is standing there before you exit quickly out of a cocktail party -- is exactly how I ended up meeting the known donor for my kids.
• Create healthy rituals with existing friends. I've long wanted to create a local Elders-to-Kids ritual, featuring simple potluck, games and stories with a particular group of friends and family. Maybe that will become my next resolution.
• Find healthy causes to share with like-minded people. The Blue Zones blog lists VolunteerMatch as a resource. Set up a babysitting co-op with Choice Moms in your area so you can take a cooking class one night a week. Join a group doing a fundraising-and-awareness walk.

What secrets to living a healthier life have worked for you?

Mikki