Rock-Stars-of-Aging-by-Marc-Middleton

Rock Stars of Aging
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Chapter SEVEN
The 50 Ways to Live to 100
“One should never count the years--one should instead count one's
interests. I have kept young trying never to lose my childhood sense
of wonderment.” -- Helen Keller, author and activist (June 27, 1880 –
June 1, 1968)
Our conversations with centenarians are in the context of an interview
for our radio show or TV program. We do not speak to someone
simply because he or she is 100. That is no longer unusual enough to
be of interest to a large audience. We speak to centenarians who are
still working, competing in sports, volunteering, traveling the world,
taking classes, pursuing their art, etc. Strictly from a media
perspective, non-active centenarians hold little interest to us. They
lack the passion and often the ability to carry on an interesting
conversation. They provide little in the way of inspiration or
motivation. They are very old. So what?
Now, if they are very old and thoroughly enjoying their lives -- that
gets our attention. If they still have a passion for life and the ability to
enjoy activities that we enjoy they become great guests for our
programs, great inspiration for our viewers and listeners and great
subjects for our “study.”
We are not doing academic research and don’t ask all centenarians
the same questions. Our questions are designed to tap into their
passion so that they’ll speak about their individual and personal
stories -- we’re looking for that which makes them unique. However,
as we speak to centenarians about their individual lifestyles, we
continue to hear many of the same things, often told in different ways.
To better understand these themes to longevity, I’ve grouped the 50
ways into the eight categories: state of mind; health; fitness and
nutrition; mental stimulation; family matters; social connection;
spirituality, work and play; and finance.
Rock Stars of Aging
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