How to Live Happily Ever After: 100 Tips from Centennials

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Everyone wants to know what is the secret of a long and happy life. And there are many secrets. All centenarians have their own rules and habits, and sometimes the opposite.

In 2011, 100-year-old Ruth told the Huffington Post that she has been practicing Pilates every week since she was 92, giving this advice:

1. "Stop looking at the calendar, appreciate every day."

2. "Choose quality items that don't go out of style."

3. “The key to staying young is movement. I force myself to go outside every day, if only to walk around the house."

The 100-year-old doctor, who is still seeing patients, shared some rather unusual advice in an interview with NBC:

4. “In my opinion, there is absolutely no need for physical exercises. They are greatly overestimated."

5. “Vitamins? Forget it. And in general, do not go to the doctors too often."

6. “Fall in love. Get married. Have sex."

Here are some tips for love, forgiveness, and life, given by another woman celebrating her 100th birthday:

7. “Even if you feel hatred, don't give it out. Never hurt others."

8. "Never lose faith in love."

9. "You yourself are responsible for your life."

10. "Do not be afraid of tears, take time to cry."

11. “Travel while you are young and have the strength. Don't worry about money, experience is much more important."

12. “Don't compare yourself to others. No wonder they say: "It's good where we are not."

13. "If you are ashamed to date someone, sever the relationship."

14. "Do one thing for yourself every day."

15. "Don't be greedy."

16. "Goodbye."

17. "Find what you are passionate about and do it."

18. "Remember: more often than not, everything works out by itself."

19. "Choose the right mentors."

20. “Get a pet. Sometimes we get lonely, and pets remind us that we are all living beings."

21. “It doesn't matter which religion you choose. The main thing is to decide for yourself what you believe in, and stick to it all your life."

22. "Learn to adapt to any situation."

23. "Give yourself time to feel sad about what you have lost."

For 100-year-old Adrine Lee, the key to longevity is in the following four rules:

24. "Keep going towards your goal and never give up."

25. "Make yourself move."

26. “Drink water. I myself drink tap water."

27. "Don't die just because you want to."

Here are some more tips on how to find happiness:

28. “Life is a great thing, but everything depends on the person himself, on his approach. You don't have to be happy all the time, you need to be content."

29. “Love the people around you. Find the good in every person."

For some, the main thing is education:

30. “Get a great education,” says Margie Hammargren. "This is something that will always stay with you."

Another long-liver in an interview shared the following tips:

31. "Be optimistic."

32. Train every morning. I have a special device, something like a hybrid of a bicycle and a rowing machine. In the morning I don't leave the bedroom until I have done 150-200 movements."

And some century-olds are even more active than 20-year-olds. For example, Elsa Bailey is a passionate ski lover. She gave the youth the following advice:

33. “Be active. The main thing is to eat right, move and be in the fresh air."

34. “If you maintain a positive attitude, then you will succeed. And if you think negatively, you yourself are poisoning your life. Smile more, because laughter is the best medicine."

The island of Sardinia is famous for its large number of centenarians. Here's what they say about health:

35. “I haven't taken any medication for years,” says one of the respondents. "I don't believe they are helping, and besides, doctors often use us instead of guinea pigs."

36."Don't die too early."

Many centuries-olds agree on the following:

37. "Do not stop and just go to your goal."

38. "Take part in the life of your city."

39. “Communicate with different people. It energizes."

40. "Always move forward."

Also, many people believe in the benefits of training:

41. “I attribute my longevity to the fact that I have always walked a lot,” says one of the centenarians.

42. “I did everything I could: ballet, tai chi, yoga, walking, stretching,” recalls another.

And some prefer the lifestyle of rock stars:

43. “I thank the whiskey and the cigarettes for my health,” says Dorothy Howe. "My doctor said that without them I would not have lived to this age."

105-year-old physician Shigeaki Hinohara shared many valuable tips:

44. “We all remember how in childhood during the games we forgot about sleep and food. I believe that you can do the same in adulthood. Do not overwork the body with excessive rules."

45. “For breakfast, I drink coffee, a glass of milk and orange juice with a spoonful of olive oil. Olive oil is very beneficial for the arteries as well as the skin. For lunch, I eat cookies and milk, unless I'm too busy. Usually, I just don't feel like eating when I'm immersed in work. For dinner, I prefer vegetables, some fish and rice, and twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat.”

46. "It is not at all necessary to retire, but if you have to, then it is better to do it much later 65".

47. “If a doctor advises you to have an operation or undergo some painful procedure, ask if he would suggest it to his relatives. Doctors still cannot cure all diseases, so why expose yourself to unnecessary trials? I believe that music therapy and zootherapy help much more than doctors usually admit."

48. “To stay healthy, walk up the stairs. I step over two steps at once to warm up my muscles."

49. “I am inspired by the poem by Robert Browning“Abbot Vogler”. My father always read it to me. This poem speaks of great art and that everyone in life should try to "draw" a circle of such size that it is impossible to complete it. We will only see the high vault, and the rest will be outside our field of vision."

50. "The best way to forget about pain is to have fun and have fun."

51. “Do not go crazy because of material values. Remember that you will not take them to the next world with you anyway."

52. "Science alone cannot heal people."

53. "Find yourself a role model and strive to achieve even more."

54. “It's wonderful to live long. Until the age of 60, it is good to devote ourselves to the family and achieve our goals, and after that we must try to serve society. I've been a volunteer since 65. And to this day I continue to work seven days a week and am satisfied with every minute."

One long-liver gave this advice to women:

55. “Do not marry older men. On the contrary, choose a husband younger than you."

What else? Just live

56. “I try not to worry. I just try to live,”says Katharine Weber, born in 1909.

57. “I believe that I can gradually cope with everything,” she continues. "It helps me feel stress free."

For many, longevity is associated with a modest lifestyle:

58. "I don't eat much, but every day I eat fruit, vegetables and some meat and try to eat fish once or twice a week."

59. “I paid off my home loan in less than seven years. I have always preferred to pay immediately and I stick to this rule to this day, - says one of the centenarians. "That's the whole secret of longevity."

60. "Always be busy with what you love."

Or maybe longevity is just luck? Paul Marcus, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, shared his opinion and advice:

61. "You must have good genes."

62. "And you also have to be lucky."

63. “Don't try to eat healthy food. Yes, yes, I eat whatever I want. In my opinion, the secret of longevity is ice cream."

64. "It is important to be able to stop in time."

65. “Take care not only of the body, but also of the mind. I go to classes and try to keep abreast of all the latest events."

The real source of youth is humor. So thought the writer Bel Kaufman, who lived to be 103 years old. Here are her tips:

66. "Humor is the driving force of life, a way to survive all life's difficulties."

67. "When you laugh at yourself, others can no longer laugh at you."

68. “You have to be curious. You need to be interested not only in your own problems, but also in what is happening in life. You need to enjoy meeting new people, everything new - in general, just enjoy life."

69. “It doesn't matter what you are fond of, even collecting corks. As long as you have hobbies, you want to live."

70. "Old age is not a vice."

Georgia Poole, who recently turned 100, is still a fan of American football. She gave the following advice to the player of her favorite team:

71. "Be careful, try not to get injured."

In 2012, on Reddit, one user created a thread in which everyone could ask for advice from a 101-year-old grandmother. Here are some of her responses:

72. “Be honest. When you are honest with others, they respond in kind to you. It also takes a lot of effort to remember a lie. Why do you need extra stress?"

73. "Try to be open and unbiased, and the world around you will not seem so strange."

74. “Always listen to the interlocutor. You will learn so much more if you listen to others and not talk about what you know yourself."

75. “You need to love your job. No wonder they say: "If you find a job to your liking, you will not have to work a single day."

76. "Be sure to sleep during the day."

77. “You have only one family, hold on to it. Of course, there are different problems, financial and personal, but all of them can be solved, just don't back down."

78. “I try to notice and appreciate the little things that make life beautiful. This is how time slows down."

Here are some more tips from various centenarians:

79. "We need to do something interesting every day, otherwise we start to decompose."

80. “Always learn something new. It brings happiness and keeps the mind in good shape."

81. "Sleep well and try not to worry."

82. “I do a lot of things,” says one of the centenarians. - I love meditation and handicrafts, I do fitness, for example Zumba Gold for seniors, yoga on a chair, and, of course, I always communicate with people!

83. “Be worthy of love and respect,” advises another. "I have lived for so long because a lot of people love me."

84. “I drink scotch every day and feel great after that,” says another interviewee.

85. “I only eat kosher foods,” says another.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Mary Cooper, born in 1911, told the following:

86. “I have never drank alcohol, smoked or tried drugs. And I also tried not to get upset about anything, especially because of traffic jams."

87. “I don’t like stress and I hate to argue with someone. I like being in the company of positive-minded people who inspire me."

And yes, most centenarians agree on one thing: you need to live life to the fullest. Here are some more tips:

88. "Do not interfere in other people's affairs and do not eat fast food."

89. “Laughter helps us stay healthy. Try to find something funny in everything."

90. “Look inside yourself and think about how you can help others,” says one of the respondents. - Whenever I see an opportunity to help someone who is in danger, I always try to help. All my life I have fought injustice with a typewriter and a camera."

91. "Eat well, make lots of friends and don't mess around."

92. "A good wife, two glasses of whiskey in the evenings and good nature - these are the secrets of longevity."

93. “Never be idle. Find something important for yourself and devote all your time to it. It will keep your brain in good shape and increase your zest for life."

94. "It is very important to always be curious about life."

95. “Be cheerful, active, get an education. And don't dance to someone else's tune."

96. "Don't smoke, drink or retire."

97."Solve problems as they come."

98. “I was always lucky, but even when something went wrong, I tried not to lose heart. I also ate prunes every day.”

99. “Do what you think is necessary. Do not try to think through everything to the smallest detail, just act."

100. “Treat everything easier, enjoy life and remember: what will be, will not be bypassed. And if you catch a cold, drink Baileys Irish Cream before bed and wake up healthy the next morning.