Simple Tips for a Long Life from a 100-Year-Old Woman Who Still Works at Home Depot

At 100 years old, JoCleta Wilson still works and drives herself to her job — just the latest career path for the former dancer and business owner.

She’s Home Depot’s oldest employee in the U.S., working as a cashier in a store in Louisville, Kentucky. Wilson, who works two mornings a week, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., sought out the job to be around other people and talk with customers.

Keep moving your body

Wilson is a former professional dancer, so she’s had movement built into her daily routine much of her life. She began studying dance as a child and worked through high school, ultimately joining the June Taylor dancers and performing rhythm tap.

She later owned the Louisville Dance Academy for 37 years, teaching others to dance. Good posture is a priority, so she stands with her back against the wall once a week to see how she’s doing and fix any slouching.

Wilson calls movement “very important” to longevity and she’s still dancing at 100.

“I have the radio everywhere. Thank goodness for Alexa. I tell her to play something that’s really good to jump to, and I have at it,” she says. “I let go and move and do what I want to do and it feels good. That’s my exercise.”

Be willing to change your diet to stay healthy

Two different health issues prompted Wilson to change her diet.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, an oncologist nurse told her “cancer feeds on sugar” and recommended avoiding it. “I said, I can handle that,” Wilson recalls.

(There’s no evidence sugar will make cancer worse or that a tumor will shrink or disappear if a patient stops eating it, according to current guidance from the National Cancer Institute. But eating lots of sugar can lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for cancer.)

Wilson stopped eating bacon and cheese years ago when she was diagnosed with very high cholesterol. After working with a nutritionist, she focuses on eating lean protein like chicken, fish and steak, and avoiding white flour.

“I eat well. I don’t eat out a lot. I do my own cooking and enjoy it,” she says.

Have pleasures to look forward to

Wilson doesn’t shun sweets altogether.

“I always have a chocolate cake in my freezer,” she says. “I take a slice but maybe once a week.”

She also keeps ice cream in the freezer and has a tablespoon once in a while. When she gets a gift of candy, it lasts her for months because she cuts the pieces in half and eats half a piece a week.

The key is to indulge occasionally, but not overdo it, which takes a lot of discipline, Wilson advises.

Stay creative

Besides dancing, Wilson likes to sing, and has performed on stage in recent years. She’s written a cookbook, paints, and has an Instagram page devoted to her artwork.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

The centenarian credits “stubbornness and determination” as well as common sense for getting through tough times and living a long life.

She also tries to release negative feelings and stay optimistic — a trait linked with longevity.

“I always say, don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t worry. Don’t let everything make you angry. Anger takes a lot of muscle and a lot of good out of your life,” she says.

“It’s so much easier to think positive than to think negative. It takes a lot less effort. And that’s what I try to do.”

Conclusion

JoCleta Wilson, at 100 years old, is an inspiration to anyone looking to live a long and healthy life. Her simple tips, including keeping active, eating well, finding pleasures, staying creative, and not sweating the small stuff, can be applied by people of all ages.

FAQs

Q: How does Wilson stay active at 100 years old?

A: Wilson stays active by dancing, singing, and doing various forms of exercise, including standing with her back against the wall to maintain good posture.

Q: What kind of diet does Wilson follow?

A: Wilson follows a diet that focuses on lean protein, avoiding white flour, and limiting her intake of sugar.

Q: How does Wilson handle stress and negativity?

A: Wilson credits her ability to handle stress and negativity to her optimistic outlook, common sense, and determination.

Q: What advice does Wilson have for living a long and healthy life?

A: Wilson advises people to keep moving, eat well, find pleasures, stay creative, and not sweat the small stuff.