18 profound pieces of wisdom from people who have turned 100
You don’t make it to 100 without learning something about life!
We’ve put together 18 pieces of wisdom from people who have made it to 100. From advice on life, love, the importance of seeing the world and the future, the advice these centurions share is invaluable.
Author Bel Kaufman was 100 years old when she spoke to students at Iona College:
- “[Humour is] a life force, a way of surviving the difficulties of living.”
- “I think [people] have to be curious. They have to be interested in life outside their little aches and pains. They have to be excited about seeing new things, meeting new people, watching a new play — just passionate about life.”
- “I don’t care what you’re passionate about: maybe saving Dixie cup covers. But if you do it passionately, you’re alive.”
104 year old Dr Shigeaki Hinohara is the author of the book Living Long, Living Good:
- “Don’t be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You don’t know when your number is up, and you can’t take it with you to the next place.”
- “Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it.”
- “My inspiration is Robert Browning’s poem ‘Abt Vogler.’ My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance.”
Elsa Bailey was interviewed celebrating her 100th birthday with a Colorado ski trip:
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “The only thing constant is change, so you have to learn to embrace it.”
- “You will one day realize you spent too much time worrying about nothing.”
- “I’m not saying you have to practice one religion or another, or not practice one religion or another... I’m just saying that you should figure out what you believe in and live it completely.”
- “Don’t take life so seriously.”
A thread on an online forum was created by a young man who wanted people to ask his 101-year-old grandmother questions about life. These are some of her best responses:
- “Don’t ever give up. You are young and there will be hard times ahead. Don’t give up. Don’t ever.”
- “Be honest. I’ve rarely lied. And when you are honest with people it comes back to you and they are honest with you. Its to much work keeping up with a lie, you don’t need the extra stress.”
- “Always listen to the other person. You’ll learn something. Try to sit back, because you will learn a lot more listening to others than telling them what you know.”
- “See as much of the world as you can!”
- “Take naps every day.”
Related links:
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