I am 99 years old and my secret to longevity is a positive attitude

A 99-year-old woman who lives alone and still drives has gone viral after sharing the secret to her longevity, saying it’s important to have a positive attitude.

Mildred Kirschenbaum, of Boca Raton, Florida, has shared her pearls of wisdom on her daughter Gayle Kirschenbaum’s Instagram and TikTok pages.

In a recent videoshe shared how she believes that always choosing to be grateful contributed to her long life.

“I want to say something about attitude,” she began. I will be 100 years old in August. It’s only a few months away, and yet I have friends who are 20 years younger, 15 years younger – and their attitude won’t make them outlive my age.’

Mildred, who turns 100 in August, went viral after revealing that a positive attitude is her secret to longevity

Mildred explained that her friends “are not thankful for anything” and said they will complain about everything from the food they are served to their kids not calling them enough.

“If the food isn’t quite right, have an extra dessert,” she advised. ‘If you hear from your kids once a week, that’s fine. They call you once a week, you call them once a week and be thankful that they are enjoying life.

‘Change your attitude. Look at the positive side of life. I think that’s what got me this far,” she added. “I try my best not to worry about the little things and to have a positive attitude.”

Mildred’s video has been viewed more than two million times since it was posted on May 30, and it struck a chord with many viewers.

Ramona Singer, star of Real Housewives of New York, immediately agreed with Mildred in the comments, writing, “A positive attitude is everything in life.”

‘So true, my grandma turned 99 and she used to say… think young and be thankful! Words to live by,’ someone else commented.

“I’m going to take everything she said and I’m 72,” said another. ‘Never [too] old to adjust our thinking.’

Speak with Fox News digital, Mildred shared how she lives alone of her own free will and remains independent. She still drives, pays her bills online, and texts her friends and family on her iPhone.

“I have friends who are 20 years younger, 15 years younger — and their attitude won’t make them outlive my age,” she said.

Mildred first got a taste of social media stardom last August when Gayle posted a video of her celebrating her 99th birthday while on a cruise

“The only checks I send are birthday gifts,” she told the outlet. ‘Everything is online. Learn how to do the simple, easy things. I’m not asking you to do [anything] refined. Simple.’

Her daughter, Gayle, 60, is a writer and Emmy award-winning filmmaker based in New York. She also has a son who lives in Orlando, Florida.

Mildred first got a taste of social media stardom last August when Gayle posted a video of her celebrating her 99th birthday while on a cruise.

“This is an important week for me. I’m turning 99, and I can’t believe it – that I’m 99 and still have my balls,” she explained.

“I’m the luckiest woman in the world to have a family that I think adores me,” she added with a laugh. ‘I’m not sure.

“But even if they don’t, they call, they check on me, and there are so many people who don’t hear from their kids or their families, so I’m very lucky.”

Gayle told Fox News Digital that the video received “a lot of attention” and inspired her to shift the focus from her social media accounts to her mother and their relationship.

Mildred’s video received so much attention that Gayle shifted the focus of her social media accounts to her mother and their relationship

Mildred shared her morning routine in another clip and said she likes to play games on her iPad in bed before starting her day

If she can handle it, she goes to the athletic center and does 20 minutes on the recumbent bike. She still lives alone, drives and pays her bills online

Mildred shared her morning routine in another clip, saying she “doesn’t jump out of bed right away.” Instead, she picks up her iPad and plays a game, whether it’s bridge or Words With Friends.

‘That relaxes me. Then I get out [of bed]. I’ll have some breakfast,’ she said. “When I feel like it, I go to the athletics center and get on the recumbent bike. That’s the bike you use your hands and your feet on.

“If I can’t handle it, I really let my body dictate me [what it wants to do]’ she continued. ‘When I go back to bed, I’m tired and I need a little more time to relax, because you don’t always go straight to bed and sleep through the night. So I’m doing my best.’

Many of Mildred and Gayle’s videos are about positivity and forgiveness, which they’ve had to work on over the years.

The non-year-old Gayle admittedly teased Gayle about her appearance and encouraged her daughter to get a nose job, but she never did.

Their fraught relationship and journey to healing were the subjects of Gayle’s films My Nose (2007) and Look at Us Now, Mother (2015).

Gayle later shared in her 2017 Ted Talk learning to empathize with her mother after realizing her harsh treatment of her was rooted in her own trauma.

“I’m sorry,” Mildred told her daughter in a video. ‘I hope you forgive me. But I feel like you did because we talked. So now I’m trying to forgive myself.’