1) Community

So here we are. An animal that is entrapped in the story itself has created in order to behave in a society that is supposed to be for the betterment of the entire species. The thing is though, the balance is off more most people.They feel stuck working the same dull work every day, they do not feel challenged, they don’t feel passionate in their relationships, they feel their whole life is already planned (work till I’m 55, retire, then retire/travel etc).How do we optimize our lives to ensure we are being true to our animal, but at the same time, keeping a part and keeping the pillars of our societal structures in place? A starting point is to understand what your biological DNA needs and then try to implement your day and life to mimic these needs.From a hunter-gather human being, which by DNA, we still technically are. Here are a few things they practised in their lives for internal satisfaction and how we can tie it into our modern day lives.

Human Sapiens are a social animal. No matter how you look at it. We prefer to be around others. Maybe not too many others, but at the very least, most people do not like being alone all the time.

They need some sort of interaction with another human being(s). This makes sense, the hunter-gatherers lived in packs/bands from a couple dozen to even over 100 people. They lived together, hunted together, raised kids together, and moved together.

They danced together, played together, and told stories together. Imagine having all your friends and family (that you get along with) in the same city or even the same neighbourhood. This is likely why university years from when you are settled to when you graduate are exciting for many people. You are close to friends and enjoy doing activities together.

How do you tie this to modern life?

Find a community of friends/family near you. If you are in a new city with no friends, work to connect with people. Go to networking events, go to meetups, join a sports league, get involved in the city, volunteer. Find ways to create connections with people close by to you.

Visit your friends, be present with them and sacrifice some time to see them. A lot of the reasons social networks are so popular is it brings this element in. The only problem though is it’s not entirely real.

Messaging a friend through Snapchat is better than no contact at all, but, don’t replace your real life social time for snapping and Facebooking your friends.

2) Varied Diet

Our hunter-gatherer grandparents notoriously had a ton of variety in terms of their food consumption. They would bring home different fruits, vegetables, and meats all the time, depending on what they hunted or what was available. This allowed them to ensure their bodies were getting the right nutrients from their food consistently and weren’t significantly lacking in one thing.

How do you tie this to modern life?

Make an effort to put the right foods into your body. Do not eat the same types of fruits, vegetables and meat every day. Try and switch it up. Also, limit processed foods and things like sugar and bread. If you want to take it to the next level, you can follow a plan like the Paleo diet or something similar.

Many people actually realize this naturally when they begin craving things like salads and vegetables. When your body is deprived of something it will make you want to crave it.

3) Exercise

Hunter-gatherers had to go out and “exercise” daily. Not because they wanted to be muscular and/or have a 6 pack. That is just the a societal trend that you think you need. Hunter-gatherers would run, chase, and lift heavy animals most days.

Not every day because living in a pack of 60-120 people allowed them to share the duty and take days off. They could take rest days when needed to balance their life.