Mrs. Blue Zone: Natasja Hoekstra
My fascination with a vital and happy lifestyle began at a young age, when I first visited the Greek island of Ikaria. What struck me most was the way people live there. The pace is slower than ours, people take time for each other, eat mostly unprocessed food, and exercise naturally throughout the day. But perhaps what struck me most was their attitude to life: a positive mindset, resilience, and confidence that life will unfold as it should.
These valuable insights form the foundation of my work as a coach. I guide people who want more energy, want to take better care of themselves, and experience more balance in their lives. Together, we explore what you need to sustainably integrate healthier choices into your daily life—in the areas of nutrition, exercise, rest, and mindset.
My background in psychology and my training as a Mental Coach give me the tools to guide people not only practically but also mentally. Change often begins with awareness and breaking through patterns that prevent us from taking good care of ourselves. By making small, conscious choices, everyone can take steps towards more energy, resilience and happiness.
Mr. Blue Zone: Jeroen Duijvestijn
For over twenty-five years, I have worked at the intersection of organizational development, vitality, and leadership within large (governmental) organizations such as the Child Protection Council, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), and the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. During this period, I saw the focus shift from absenteeism management to prevention and sustainable employability. Against the backdrop of rising absenteeism and burnout, vitality is no longer an “HR issue” but a strategic issue for a growing number of organizations.
At Mr. & Mrs. Blue Zone, we apply Blue Zones-inspired and scientifically substantiated insights into vitality. We translate these insights into concrete interventions at the individual, team, and organizational levels, aimed at structurally strengthening employee vitality. My role within this focuses on developing interventions and programs for companies and organizations to structurally embed vitality within their organizations.
Our approach combines awareness with sustainable behavioral change, always with a positive approach: not preachy, but inspiring. Because vitality starts with intrinsic motivation and small, achievable steps that make a difference in the long run. It’s precisely in this area that we can learn a great deal from the Blue Zones. They are real-life laboratories that complement the theoretical literature on vitality, motivation, and personal development, make it tangible, and translate it into concrete action plans.