24/07/2024
This Florida woman, Mildred Kirschenbaum, is going viral on social media with this piece of life advice.
โI want to share a thought about attitude. In August, I will be 100 years old. Itโs only a couple months away. And yet, I have friends who are 15-20 years younger, and their attitudes are going to cause them not to survive to my age. They're not grateful for anything. Their attitude is, โI donโt see my kids more than once a weekโ or โthe food I was served was cold and bad.โ Their attitude is not acceptable. If the food isnโt quite right, so have an extra dessert! If you hear from your children once a week, thatโs fine. They call you once a week, you call them once a week. And be grateful that they are enjoying life. Change your attitude. Look at the positive side of life. I think THAT is what got me this far. I try my best not to sweat the small stuff and to have a positive attitude."
Mildred, almost 100 years old, lives alone, drives, pays her bills online, texts loved ones on her iPhone and never misses happy hour. She has become an internet sensation with her advice on living a long and active life.
Forgiveness is another concept Midred discusses.
โAt this point in my life, Iโm going on 100. When I go to bed, I may not wake up again. Why carry an unnecessary burden? Why wake up in the morning and, even though you donโt think about it, youโre angry at somebody? They donโt deserve your anger. If theyโre not important to you, just shelve it. If theyโre important to you, reach out.โ
Some of Mildredโs videos appear on the lighter side, including one she shared about getting tech-savvy, no matter your age.
โWe live in a computer world. Either you go with the flow or you fall off the train. This is a tech world. If you have a computer and donโt know how to use it, thereโs a book called โComputers for Dummies.โ Donโt say, 'I donโt know how to retrieve emails.โ Thereโs no such thing as, โI donโt know.โโ
Mildred has an iPad, an iPhone, and a Microsoft computer to help her stay in touch with people, get information she needs, play an occasional game of Words With Friends, film her videos, and do her banking.
"The only checks I mail are birthday gifts," Mildred said. "Everything else is online. Learn how to do the basic, simple things. I'm not asking you to do anything sophisticated. Simple."
Other topics Mildred discusses are navigating the road at 99, why she chooses to live alone, the safest way to get up if you fall at home, and directions for her chicken soup recipe which was requested over and over.
"Taste it. If you don't have enough salt, add it. Don't be afraid to improvise."
One key to longevity, Mildred said, is getting out and about โ being social.
She enjoys playing bridge or canasta to keep her mind sharp and stay connected with others.
But one of her favorite ways to be social is attending happy hour at her community clubhouse or a favorite local establishment. "I do enjoy happy hour. Thereโs usually no one there even close to my age but thatโs no problem whatsoever.โ
To celebrate her 100th birthday, Mildred is traveling to Orlando for a special family dinner โ at which she said she will be focusing on relationships.
"I'm going to send out a note that I want no material gifts. The biggest gift they could give me is when they come to my birthday party, they all talk to each other. That's just the way I feel, honestly."
