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Wisdom is accumulated from experiences, and who better to dispense advice then those who have lived the longest? Centenarians have a unique and no-nonsense approach to life, and regardless of your age, there is always an opportunity to learn something new.
1. ON LIFE
“Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.”
- Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old
2. ON BEING POSITIVE
“If you’re positive you can get through it OK. When you think negatively, you’re putting poison on your body. Just smile. They say laughter is the best medicine there is.”
– Elsa Bailey, athlete, 100 years old
3. ON EDUCATION
“Get a great education. That is something that no one can take away from you." - Margie Hammargren, former CIA agent, 101 years old
4. ON VULNERABILITY
“Make time to cry.”
- Anonymous, 100 years old
5. ON STRESS AND WORRY
“I try not to worry, I just try to live. And I try to have enough trust and confidence in myself to deal with things as they come.”
- Katharine Weber, adventurer, 103 years old
6. ON LOVE
“Be lovable. I’ve lived a long life because there are so many people who love me.” – Justina Sotomayor, family woman, 101 years old
7. ON HUMOR
“Humor is a life force, a way of surviving the difficulties of living.”
- Bel Kaufman, author and teacher, 103 years old
8. ON TRAVEL
"Travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be.”
– Anonymous, 100 years old
9. ON STYLE
"Invest in quality pieces, they never go out of style."
– Ruth Coleman, fashionista at age 101
10. ON RETIREMENT
“There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65.”
- Dr Shigeaki Hinohara, one of the world’s longest-serving physicians at age 101
11. ON BEING HEALTHY
"Be active. I do things my way, like skiing when I’m 100. Nobody else does that even if they have energy. And I try to eat pretty correctly and get exercise and fresh air and sunshine.”
- Elsa Bailey, first time skier at age 100
12. ON BEING IN THE MOMENT
"Don't look at the calendar, just keep celebrating everyday."
- Ruth Coleman, carpe diem at age 101
13. ON PETS
“Have a pet. Life gets lonely sometimes. Pets are reminders of how we’re all living things.”
- Anonymous, 100 years old
14. ON LOSS
“Take time to mourn what you’ve lost.”
- Anonymous, 100 years old
15. ON CHILDREARING
“Let your kids do what they want to do!”
– Connie Isaacs, loving mother, 100 years old
