My Mission: Living to 100

When I was a kid, my parents would sometimes let me stay up late to watch The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (now hosted by Jimmy Fallon). Occasionally he would have people on the show who were 100 years old. I thought it was super cool but even cooler that they were on TV.  I wanted to be on TV! The idea of living to 100 has always stuck with me but for different reasons now. While I have no desire to be on TV, I do want to make it to 100 years old as a happy, healthy, strong, loving and wise woman. 

While there is no exact science or even a guarantee of living to 100, there are a few principles that have always been constant in my life. These are the principles that I try to live by every day and strongly believe will help me make it to 100.

My 7 Principles to Living to 100

Nutrition: You are what you eat, so fuel your body with real, whole food (organic when possible), and drink tons of water. Eat healthy and clean 85% of the time and consciously indulge during the other 15%. 

Keep Moving: Move your body and be physically active doing something you love every single day. “If you don’t move it, you lose it.”

Attitude: Keep your perspective on life positive. Always find the good in people and situations. 

Laugh a Ton: The physical act of laughing releases “feel good” endorphins from the brain while shutting down the release of cortisol ~ the stress hormone.  Laughing to reduce stress, sounds great to me! Laughter is also a form of communication. Sharing a laugh with someone can help you feel connected with them. 

Live in Gratitude: Gratitude is a happy emotion and it makes us feel good. When we are grateful for what we have and the people around us we are kinder, more optimistic, less envious, we have more energy and we are overall happier people. 

Relationships: Connect with people. Relationships don’t always have to be romantic. Take time to build friendships, meet your neighbors, keep family close. Even having a pet to love is rewarding. 

Sleep More: Getting enough sleep each night, 7-8 hours, helps curb appetite, gives you energy and keeps the mind sharp. Cells also recover during sleep which makes beauty sleep a real thing!