What would your 100-year-old-self tell you today?

To think that one day, if we're lucky enough to live to be a 100 years old, that we could look back and see snapshot of our lives and offer some thoughts - what would they be? We've likely all heard the phrase, "the only two people on this planet worth impressing are your 10-year-old self and your 100-year-old self." Well, today, we share what we think our 100-year-old selves would offer for guidance.

While it differs for each of us, much of it boils down to presence. How do we want to be present for ourselves, our families and for the greater good? Read on to see - and we encourage you to reflect on this question as well. Just what would she say? And, perhaps does that influence any guideposts for you this year?

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Life will be the most exhilarating, devastating, and joyful ride you could ever imagine—and often all at once. There will be seasons when everything feels light and effortless, and others when simply getting through the day feels like an accomplishment. Both matter. Both shape you.

Don’t rush through the good moments or wish away the hard ones. Let joy linger. Let grief teach you. Say yes to the dance floors, the living room music, the spontaneous celebrations, and even the quiet moments that don’t look like much from the outside but mean everything in the end.

Laugh loudly. Love deeply. Take the picture. Hold hands longer. Be present more often than you think you need to be. You won’t remember the to-do lists or the timelines nearly as much as you’ll remember how it felt to be surrounded by love, movement, and connection.

And when life feels heavy—because it will—remember to dance anyway. Not because everything is perfect, but because you are still here, still living, still allowed joy.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

Interestingly enough, I think my 100-year-old-self would look back on this past year and say, "We did it! We lived to be 100!" See, this year, I found out that I have the BRCA2 genetic mutation, putting me at a higher risk for 4 cancers (breast, ovarian, pancreatic and melanoma). And, this fall, I had my first "risk reducing" surgery. My grandmother passed away of ovarian cancer when she was 60, before I was born. Who knows if I'll live to be 100, but it won't be ovarian cancer that stops me!

My 100-year-old-self would likely also give anything to run fast in my 44-year-old body. Yes, the one that today I wish could run as fast as my 42-year-old body. Accepting and being grateful for what my body can do today is always a struggle - it is just fun to get faster, even though I know someday I'll long for where I am today. Lastly, she'd tell me to stop over thinking things and just go for it. It is more fun to celebrate when you tried something new than when you thought about it and decided to play it safe.

Jen, Bespoke Travel Designer from @GlobalonDemandTravel

If my 100-year-old self could tell me one thing, it would be to put the computer away and go enjoy my family. The emails can wait, the to-do list will still be there, and the work will never truly be finished—but this moment, exactly as it is, won’t come again.

She’d also tell me that putting the computer away means learning to say no sometimes. No to one more task, one more email, one more thing that can wait. Because the best stuff happens when I close the laptop, choose my people, and let the rest of the world be a little quieter for a while.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

I think my 100-year-old self would be looking at me with encouraging words and kind eyes. I think she would be proud of who I am and who I am yet to become. I have no plans on slowing down my passion for making the world a better place - but I have moments where I wonder if I’m making a difference or if I’ve misplaced my gifts. It’s a moment to remind myself that all work in the service of others is valuable, and that, whether in small increments or grand gestures, it makes a positive impact on someone.

She would probably also encourage me to move my body more and keep getting those regular health checkups. As I age, I picture my older self and remember that the decisions I make today for my health and wellness serve this version of me and the much older version.

Lastly, she will tell me that while there are many uncomfortable moments that come with aging, it is ultimately a privilege. Living to 100 would be an honor.

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

She’d tell me to put the laptop and phone down more often and step into the conversations I avoid because I’m worried about how I’ll be perceived. She’d remind me that most of the things I’m afraid of never happen and the cost of staying quiet is missing connection.

She’d say yes to more social plans, even when it feels easier to stay home. She’d play with her kids now, while they still want to be played with, because one day they won’t ask. And she’d also remind me not to feel guilty for resting because rest is part of living, not a reward for earning it!

She’d gently say: You’re already doing so much. You don’t need to do more to be worthy.

And she’d absolutely remind me to nurture closeness with my partner now. Not because of appearances, but because intimacy is about feeling wanted, connected, and alive together. The body doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be present.

Mostly, she’d tell me this:
 Life isn’t waiting for you to fix yourself. 
It’s happening right now.

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

I think I would tell myself to stop worrying so much and just live in the moment.

My grandmother passed away this summer, and it definitely had my husband and I reflecting on our own lives and choices and, ultimately, what do we want for our future.

Worrying comes so easy to me. I worry about my kids, everyone’s health, everyone’s safety, my parents, our future, …I mean the list goes on and on. Additionally, I take on the most random worries throughout the day.

Spoiler alert; most don’t ever happen. And thank goodness for that! But the amount of time and space these worries can consume steals so much from just living in the present. Leaning on my faith has helped me so much with this.

I think if we all had a chance to look back on our lives decades from now, we would be packed full of advice. I think the biggest is to live in the presence and enjoy your health and family today. Do not worry about tomorrow. Enjoy the blessings of today and be grateful for every minute.

But some days it is easier said than done!

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What would your 100-year-old-self tell you today?