Issue No.115: A lesson in living well: Remembering Jane Goodall
- BeWellLongevity
- By Be Well
As many of you will have heard, Dame Jane Goodall DBE, PHD died last week aged 91.
I only met her once, many years ago, but she left a lasting impression, as I know she did for everyone who interacted with her.
Dr Goodall was the epitome of the quiet achiever, with an unwavering commitment “to create a world where we live in harmony with nature.”
Her life reminds us that in a world of ‘influencers’ creating a cacophony of noise, filled with every selfie-fuelled experiences or dopamine-inducing doom scrolling session, that it’s in nature where we can best calm our minds, hearts and souls.
Dr Goodall advocated for Planet Earth because it cannot advocate for itself, but only cry out when wounded. As she said, “She was most concerned, and hopeful, for the generations of children to come. Our children, their children and on.
I have reflected on this a great deal over the past few days and the inescapable connection to our health, wellbeing and longevity.
Our Planet will regenerate if it burns to the ground or ices over. This has happened over millenia. The real challenge is to keep it inhabitable, for all sentient beings. That requires us seeing that we human animals are utterly dependent on the global ecosystem, on the connections between all things. Mother Earth, or Gaia, can only mother us if we mother her.
At Be Well we are on a health, wellbeing and longevity mission. Our mantra is our lifestyle is our medicine. As we focus on our exercise, sleep, diet and community, how might we each extend this idea to our care and repair of the Planet? As Dr Goodall observed, “ Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
At the same time, our lifestyles are the Planet’s medicine. Eat more plants and less processed food; favour local producers and seasonal menus. Move by foot, bike or shared transport more often. Reduce waste, repair first, buy less, and support businesses that give back to ecosystems. Teach children to tend a garden, to listen to birds, and to respect every creature — those habits compound into planetary health.
Here’s to living longer, happier and healthier in communion with nature.
Look forward to seeing you at Be Well again soon.
Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia. Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.