Living to 100
Lessons on longevity
Welcome to The LIFT
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WHAT’S IN A NAME?
I call this newsletter The LIFT as a nod to the reality of aging. The fact that everyone in my age group is talking about things ‘falling down’. Sagging skin. Drooping jowls. All the things.
Gravity is real + we could all use a little LIFT - especially these days.
My hope in gathering here every week is to provide a little LIFT in your life. A LIFT in your spirits. A LIFT from the minutia. A LIFT from the gravity of life.
How’s it working? Hit REPLY and let me know. I’d love to hear from you so I can make any adjustments + deliver more of what LIFTS you most.
Here’s what I’m thinking about this week…
LIVING TO 100
I listened to an interview between Rich Roll + Mike Fremont about what it’s like to be 100. Mike is a centenarian who holds a bunch of world records in running - including the fastest marathon by a 91-year-old.
At 100, Mike is still out there doing 5 miles three times a week.
I was so inspired hearing this conversation, I grabbed my running shoes + headed out for a 5-mile run this morning. Something I know my 100-year-old self will thank me for.
Do you want to live to be 100? It’s a valid question. Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t.
Let’s be honest. We have done a really good job of extending lifespan, but we’ve done a terrible job of creating a life worth expanding.
For most of us, lifespan is getting longer, but healthspan is not keeping up.
Stories of 100-year-olds like Mike Fremont are inspiring, but for most of us, there aren’t many examples of thriving elderly people in our daily lives.
For this reason, we tend to see aging as deterioration, illness, slowing down + becoming less relevant.
That’s also how we talk about aging. “I’m getting too old for this.” or “It sucks to get old.”
No wonder we want to avoid getting old!
“We’ve created technology to extend our lives, but we haven’t created lives we want to extend.”
– SERGEY YOUNG
So, I’ll ask you again…
Do you WANT to live to 100?
If you do, is there anything you need to change in your daily life to ensure that 100 is vibrant + healthy?
Are you living your life in a way that is contributing positively to your physical + mental health? Are you doing the things that support longevity?
Are you nurturing a growth mindset? Learning something new? Staying curious + grateful? If not, I hope this post inspires you to make some adjustments.
There is so much in our lifestyle that contributes to our longevity. We tend to focus on diet, exercise + stress management. But, even with the best food + fitness, we can still succumb to aging just in our attitude. When you live in a crazy world like this one, it’s easy to get defeated. To see things as they are or were versus how they could be or will be.
While I was out for my run this morning listening to Mike Fremont, I got to thinking about my 100-year-old self. Am I making her life easier or harder? Am I honoring her in my life choices? Will she be grateful for my commitment to her? What amazing things will she be doing with her life? What world records will she hold? Will she be excited about life? Will she be grateful? Inspiring?
What do I need to do now to ensure that 100-year-old woman is still having a great time in her life? That she is mobile. Mentally sharp. Sassy. Smiley. Fun. Playful. Generous. Purposeful.
WHAT IF YOU LIVE TO 100?
Maybe you’re not sure you WANT to live to 100. It’s okay. Be honest. The idea of living that long can be a scary one to think about. If it means being alone. Being dependent on others. Being a burden. Being in pain.
Even if you are not sure you WANT to live to 100, what if you DO live to 100?
If you knew with confidence that you were going to live to 100, what would you do differently today? What would you stop doing? What would you start?
It’s interesting to think about, right?
If you knew you had those years ahead of you, I bet you’d do things a little differently.
I know I would. And, I’m thinking it’s time to start.
I am very grateful to my 40-year-old self who made the commitment to health + fitness. I made some significant lifestyle changes during that time because I wanted to experience menopause in peak health. I’m reaping those benefits today. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not grateful for the investment I made in myself during those years.
What’s next?
I want my 60-year-old self to be grateful for what I did in my 50s. And my 70-year-old self for my 60s. Etc.
I want my 100-year-old self to be amazed at how good I feel + grateful for the time I took back in my 50s to ask myself these questions + to adjust accordingly.
YOUR MISSION:
I encourage you this week to ponder some of these questions yourself. What does your 100-year-old self need from you today? What could you start learning/practicing now? How can you make it fun + rewarding now?
If you have some time, I encourage you to listen or watch the Longevity Masterclass in the resources below. It includes some great conversations with experts on the cutting-edge of longevity research. The interview with centenarian Mike Fremont is at the end (1:25) if you want to skip ahead to that.
RESOURCES:
WATCH: Longevity Master Class | Rich Roll Podcast (YouTube Version)
LISTEN: Longevity Master Class | Rich Roll Podcast (Podcast Version)
READ: Growing Young | Sergey Young
IN SUMMARY:
I’m inspired to start my week. How about you? For those of you joining me for Plastic Free July, I’d love to hear how it’s going. Hit reply + let me know or leave a comment here on the post.
I have a feeling my 100-year-old self will wish I had done more for our planet. That I would have started sooner to reduce waste, to speak more loudly about forever chemicals + to help people take all of it a bit more seriously.
So, I’m going to keep up the good fight this week. How about you?
See you next week?
Meanwhile - you can read thru the archives here. And, please reach out to me anytime!
Email: karen@becounter.com
Instagram: @redefiningkaren
Karen, That is the question - what do I need to be doing now to be healthy and independent when I am 100? I am 83 years old - or young - and my choices are based on it.
Thanks for your post that is inspiring as always. Having cared for my parents in their poor health through their death, I know the importance of good health for old age. I recommend a book by Sanjay Gupta (the CNN medical correspondent) called "Keep Sharp - Build a Better Brain at Any Age" about how to reduce risk factors of dementia and enhance overall health. I'm totally committed to my health & wellness for longevity, in large part in reaction to my parents' poor health and mom's dementia. But, I will say that's only part of the pictures of what's needed for a good old life. The other two key things in my view are relationships, and financial security. Having strong relationships (be they family and/or friends) is crucial. And, having financial resources to afford caregiving later in life also is crucial. I worry about my friends who don't have life partners or siblings they can count on for help when they're very old, and/or who don't have resources for late-stage life care.