My Popo passed away peacefully in her sleep at 103 years young. She was such a significant role model in my life. She symbolized strength, positivity, independence, and stoicism.
Today was her funeral so it was fitting I scheduled her life lessons to be published today!
My Popo’s tips for a happy + long + healthy life:
🌱 MOVEMENT:
When she couldn’t do her daily walks anymore after a fall, she was on her stationary bike 2hrs every day. She literally put me to shame when I wasn’t putting my miles in. 😆
She was gardening + cooking for herself even when she was losing her sight and we made her stop when she went completely blind. Still caught her “feeling her way around the kitchen.” She refused to be dependent on anyone and hung on until the very end.
My childhood memories consisted of being outside most of the time and walking after EVERY meal. Innate wisdom passed down from our ancestors but our current generation has forgotten.
🌱 MINDSET:
“Always see the positive in everything.” My Popo was always happy + super stoic even though she had a hard life. I will never forget her laugh.
✨ ”You are the creator of your life. Never be dependent on anybody.”
She never believed in religion but always thought she was her “own god.” Coincidentally this is exactly how I lived my entire life, despite not hearing this until a couple of years ago. Epigenetics!?! My great-grandmother was the same.
*She had to rebuild many times during the Chinese Revolution and the fall of the dynastic era because her family were landowners so everything was taken away over and over.
We have it so good right now and live in an age of ABUNDANCE but we complain about the smallest things. Imagine having to venture off on your own as a teenager with no technology, during wars, and not freaking out over someone saying something to you on Instagram, etc.
Let’s start learning from our grandparents.
