My name is Sheila White. I’m 97.
Here are the top five things I do to build resilience.
Yeah!!
I stay physically active and use my Fitbit to keep track of my steps.
Some days I do…
8,000 or 9,000. I don’t often do 12,000.
There it is.
You feel good when you exercise.
If I'm out picking up things
I find about an hour and a half or so
is enough for a time
and then I sit down for a few minutes and
then can start again.
Some people can't walk all that much
but if they do as much as they can
that's good.
I like to find ways to challenge myself mentally.
I read the paper, I get…
about six different magazines.
I’ve got, I don't know, two or three hundred books. [laughs]
So I always have something I could choose.
When I graduated from high school
I worked on a farm all summer for 10 cents an hour.
And hard work too. We really worked hard.
I was a wireless operator.
And we were listening in —
a squadron we had was a convoy of patrol
and anti-submarine work.
And then when I was — I went to normal school
and got my teaching certificate.
And I taught phys ed. and English and socials.
I nominated myself. [laughs]
And ran for council.
I didn't make it the first year, but I made it the next 18 years.
I really like to be with family and friends
and keep in touch with them all, too.
It makes me feel good. I like people.
And...
I like to chat with them.
We can't do too much together now
but there are a number of people I would like to
see and to do more with
when we can again.
And I hope that day comes soon, but I'm afraid it's gonna take awhile.
I stay — I make sure that I'm engaged in my community
as much as possible.
Well, there's always something to be done.
There are people to meet.
There's lots to do if you look around and
there's always volunteer work too.
And I have done some — quite a lot, I guess
over the years of volunteer work.
Which is —
You could feel proud that you're doing something.
You don't want to boast about it
but you join many others who are helping
in the community and helping other people.
And that's a good feeling.
My motto is: Do what you can and get on with it.
I just take things as they come.
I...
try to fit in and try to
make the best of it.
I think that's all you can do
because sometimes life throws funny things at you.
And you have to adjust and fit yourself and
pick yourself up and carry on. [laughs]