It’s no secret that happiness and health can be found in what we consider to be “alternative” lifestyles, some of which can be difficult to traverse.

But just like anything that’s worth pursuing, wellness takes some effort to achieve.

And if you’re willing to do the work, here are some of the lifestyles that might help you improve your life.

5 Healthy Lifestyle Choices From Different Cultures:

1. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is like playing a game of chess with your entire body.

When trained for and practiced properly, BJJ gives you a regular chance to exercise both your mind and body to the limits.

From day one, you will be taught to use technique and leverage over sheer strength, a lesson that can be applied to almost any aspect of life. The editors at Vice News can attest to how BJJ allows even small women to spar with large men on a level playing field.

To say that BJJ is empowering would be an understatement. The deeper you get into training BJJ, the more patient, calm, and calculated you’ll be.

Thanks to its popularity, you can probably find a gym that can teach you BJJ in your city.

2. Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana is said to be the meditation style, which led Gautama Buddha to enlightenment. Needless to say, it requires a lot of physical and mental effort.

However, do it right and you can look forward to feeling invigorated, relaxed, refreshed, and calm, especially after finishing your first course.

The catch is that a genuine Vipassana meditation course entails 10 straight days of hard work and meditation. The goal of Vipassana can arguably be summed up into the concept of equanimity, the acceptance of things just as they are.

In practical terms, this means being able to simply observe both the pleasant and unpleasant sensations brought on by deep meditation without either craving or aversion.

In essence, it aims in achieving a state of true neutrality. Practitioners of Vipassana see equanimity as the key to living a genuinely happy and content life.

3. The Five Tibetan Rites

This relatively simple set of exercises has been credited as the foundation of the well documented and long lifespan of Tibetan Lamas.

These exercises are called The Five Tibetan Rites and it’s reported that they are over 2500 years old.

And while they may seem daunting and ancient, it is to perform the Five Tibetan Rites on a daily basis.

The Rites are basically a singular yoga routine that takes around 20 minutes of your day, and is easy enough for people of all ages to attempt.

By performing these rites in succession on a regular basis, you can achieve the famed youthfulness and health of Tibet’s iconic monks.

4. Ikigai

Also known as the Japanese secret to a long and happy life, the philosophy of Ikigai is described by Lottoland as the pursuit of what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and what you’re good at.

It’s the lifelong goal of finding that sweet spot between mission, passion, vocation, and occupation.

Apart from that, Ikigai also postulates 10 simple rules for living a happy and fulfilled life.

They staying active and never retiring, not eating too much, living in the moment, surrounding yourself with good friends, and reconnecting with nature.

Its rules may sound rudimentary, but you’d be surprised at how much your life can change when you reacquaint yourself with such simple and fundamental rules for happiness.

5. Digital Nomads

The path of the digital nomad can be difficult as well as extremely rewarding.

This practice refers to taking on jobs that can be done completely or almost entirely online, while living and working at your ideal destination.

It can be a small beach town in the Philippines or a mountain escape in Bhutan, as long as you have a stable connection to the Internet, you can walk the path of the digital nomad.

The challenge lies in securing and maintaining connections that will allow you to have a steady income while you’re traveling the world.

This can be very difficult to establish, but once you do, you’ll be able to work from anywhere on the planet, the ultimate telecommuting lifehack, which some also call the secret to modern health and happiness.

The pursuit of health and happiness can be a long and confusing road. Don’t get discouraged if you find some of these methods difficult. But pursuing happiness itself is an endeavor that’s worth being happy about. So just by starting to walk on the road leading to happiness you will be happy.