10 Life-Changing Advice From Our Elders

Imagine having the opportunity to access the wisdom of those who have lived a full life and have the perspective to see what actually made a real difference, and what didn’t. That’s the kind of insight we hope to introduce you to through this blog post (full course can be found in the app).

Although we have rapidly developed technology, allowing new generations to be better than ever at staying informed, time seems to stand still when it comes to life choices. We are more or less the same people we’ve always been. We have the same basic needs we’ve always had: love, security, and happiness. Back in the day, people faced many of the same life choices as we do today.

So, how do our elders look back on the choices they made, and what are the most important lessons they want to pass on to younger people?

Karl Pillemer, Professor of Gerontology at Cornell University, interviewed nearly 1,500 individuals aged 70 years and older for the book “30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans”. From his extensive interviews, Pillemer found ten pieces of advice that the elders wanted to pass on to younger generations:
(The following ten pieces of advice are designed as a crash course with exercises in the Remente app).

1. Invest in a career that gives you a sense of purpose – not just money.

2. Take care of your body today like you will live to 100 years old – a healthy body will give you a greater chance to enjoy old age without illness or chronic disease.

3. Say yes to new opportunities. You’re more likely to regret a ‘no’ than a ‘yes’.

4. Choose your life-partner carefully. Don’t make any hasty decisions when it comes to deciding with whom to spend your life.

5. Prioritize traveling! Experiences create the best memories. Stuff is perishable.

6. Say it while you still can. Don’t regret that you held something back when it’s too late to say it.

7. Don’t waste any time. Live life like it’s short – because it is.

8. Happiness isn’t something that occurs when conditions are more or less perfect in your life, you have to make a conscious choice to be happy.

9. Time spent worrying is wasted, so stop doing it!

10. If you want to get as much as possible out of life, focus on the little things. Find joy in the small moments and events that occur every day.

Now, lets have an awesome day!
/The Owl Squad

Sources:

Pillemer, K. (2011). 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans. Penguin.

Sood, A. (2015). The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness: A Four-Step Plan for Resilient Living (1st ed.). Boston: Da Capo Lifelong Books.