There may be no better words of wisdom than those from a woman who has already lived a long and full life.
In a new video by Allure, a group of women aged 100 and older were asked to share their advice for getting the most out of life, and their responses ranged from sweet to no-nonsense.
All of the centenarians in the video, called 100-Year-Olds’ Guide to Living Your Best Life, had tips to share for younger ladies — including ‘pay attention to politics,’ ‘take risks,’ and ‘drink a little wine.’
Good life: A group of centenarian women shared their best advice for living a long and happy life. Frances Friedman (pictured) simply said, ‘You are what you are, that’s all’
Get smart! When asked if she had advice for 20-year-olds, this 107-year-old woman shared, ‘Finish your schooling, your education is necessary to live in this world today’
One woman, Frances Friedman, will be 103 years old on September 26. She said the best advice she could give women in their 20s is, ‘You are what you are. That’s all.’
But she also had another key tip: That people should be able to rely on themselves to stay entertained and amused.
She shared, ‘When I was a little girl we didn’t have the radio yet, so I was the entertainment in the evening when Papa came home from work.’
Another woman who is 107 years old shared, ‘It’s not easy to be happy all the time, but you try.’
Relax: One centenarian (left) said ‘take a deep breath and drink a little wine,’ while another (right) said that looking back on all the troubles she’s had, she ‘came out of all of them’
Stay informed: ‘Pay attention to politics and enjoy life,’ advised this woman
‘Pay attention to politics and enjoy life,’ advised a woman who is just two months shy of turning 101. ‘If you’re lucky enough, you will enjoy life.’
As for what she would tell 20-year-olds today, she added: ‘I would tell them to try different things and see what they really want to do. Take risks, and then, when you get older, don’t take risks.’
She wasn’t the only one who mentioned politics. Her friend offered the wisdom that one should ‘get yourself involved in what you’d like to do’.
‘I guess we all have to be interested in what our government is doing. Young people have to be very careful for whom they vote. Everybody has to look for peace and peace is very hard to find anywhere,’ she said.
Sing: Telling the younger generation to get involved, this woman said, ‘When you’re going through a tough time, know that that will pass, keep singing’
Be yourself: This woman spoke candidly about getting older saying, ‘Stand on your own feet and think for yourself’
One centenarian didn’t hold anything back when she dished her advice, saying, ‘Don’t let nobody beat you down. Stand on your own feet and think for yourself.
‘Everything you do to help yourself makes you stronger, and if you give up on yourself, shame on you. I never gave up on me or my family.
‘Don’t think old. Think back when you were young, what you did. If you could do some of what you did when you were young, you’re fine.
‘If you’re going to sit there saying “I’m too old for this and that” and go sit in the park and watch the birds, well, you’re a loser and that’s not my thing.
‘I don’t want to be losing anything. So keep moving, that’s what you have to do.’