Mimi Kirk: My secrets for looking and feeling so young
By Mirela Sula
You probably don’t hear people say this often but here is a woman who actually loves being in her seventies. Mimi has happily told us that she is having such a great time in life and she doesn’t feel much different than when she was much younger. “Honestly I feel ageless. I don’t even think about age. When I awake I just feel healthy and energetic. It’s only when I pass a mirror do I realise I’m older”. Hearing about stories like this not only inspires us but also impacts on our way of thinking. Mimi’s success reveals to us that it is never too late to invest in ourselves, to start reversing and slow down the aging process. She celebrated her 77th birthday in September and here is what she shared with me.
Have you become the person that you always wanted to be?
I have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. I’ve always wanted to have close-knit family, be happy, travel and be in love, and I have all those things. However I still think I am learning new things daily so I am anxious who I will in ten years.
How would you describe your life experience?
I think like most people. Up’s and downs, high’s and lows. The low’s started to be less in my late forties and the high’s more. I lost my husband in a plane crash when I was 29. I was married at 17 and have four children. He died in a private plane and there was no insurance. I immediately went to work so I was on my own raising my children. I was very much in love with him, and was a stay at home mom for a few years so it was not an easy adjustment.
As I look back now it was probably the best thing that I didn’t have any financial help or insurance, because even though there were hard financial times and I only had myself to depend on, it made me independent, confident and strong and the person I am today
As I look back now it was probably the best thing that I didn’t have any financial help or insurance, because even though there were hard financial times and I only had myself to depend on, it made me independent, confident and strong and the person I am today. My children were happy kids and we had great times and lots of fun together.
Do you think that you are who you are today because of your genes and your destiny or because you worked hard to make it happen?
Certainly not my genes. My family’s health history is not great. One sister died of heart failure in her fifties. Two sisters died with cancer, only one sister is still living. My brother died at 29 of leukemia, my father had diabetes, Parkinson’s and other ailments and he died in his early sixties. My mother lived to be 95 but had high blood pressure, strokes and heart problems, but lots of medications, whereas I do not take any prescription drugs.
As far as destiny, I’ve meditated for years so I do believe in connecting to our soul and destiny. I was married young and never went to college. I learned what I know because I’ve always been curious about life. I also live life fully and take chances. I also believe we are meant to have a happy, prosperous life and can create whatever we want if we have a positive attitude and acceptance of what comes for us. Always look for the best in every situation and you will find it. If you look for the worst, that will be there also.
So you have faced many challenges in your life and still triumphed with a lot of success – what is the secret?
Trusting life’s process. We can’t always control what happens to us but we have the power over how we react to what happens. If someone wants to dwell on a divorce, loss of a mate, a cheating spouse, losing a job, a car accident, aging, etc, then they will continue to be unhappy. Of course we have to grieve, but then we must start to look at things as an opportunity. If we do, then opportunity will come. If we hold on to pain and suffering life just slips away and so do the years that could have been happy ones.
If we hold on to pain and suffering life just slips away and so do the years that could have been happy ones.
The mind and body are connected. If you carry around anger and resentment, your body will suffer also and you will make life not such a pleasant experience. Don’t be a victim. Don’t dwell on the negative. So many people have overcome disabilities and became world athletes. Business failures one after the other turned people into billionaires, there are so many stories of courage showing us we can each be courageous in our own worlds, it’s our choice. I say choose life. Don’t wait for someone else to make you happy, make yourself happy.
What is the secret for why you look so young – how have you delayed the visible signs of age?
I probably have slowed down some cell aging. I do have lines on my face and my body is not like in my early years, but I am not interested in Botox or surgery. I’m interested in health. I always consider my diet as number one. I learned that food was medicine at the age 69. It was at that time I started to reverse and slow down the aging process. I wish I would have realised the importance of exercise earlier, but I always feel it’s never too late.
I feel ageless and I don’t worry about getting older. I don’t let my age stop me from anything… and I mean anything. My boyfriend of fourteen years is nineteen years my junior and I feel equal to him age wise. I don’t let the media or my doctor tell me how someone in their seventies should act, feel or dress. I do what feels right for me. I feel I have value and I use what I’ve learned to help others. My spirit and outlook on life has also helped to slow down my aging.
What is your usual daily life activity?
Sleep until I wake up. Go to yoga or walk on the treadmill or outside, have a lemon and water then a green juice. We have two residences. One is in San Diego and the other in Mallorca Spain. In both places there is so much to do daily. I work with private clients coaching them in health and life issues, I give many talks at home and internationally, I teach plant based raw food classes, I write (I have authored three books) and give numerous interviews. I read inessentially about health and life, I work in my garden, go to the beach, watch movies, hang out with family, (I have seven grandchildren), I relax with my boyfriend and I answer hundreds of questions I receive daily from social media pages.
Can you share some tips with us on how we can live a healthy life?
Give up all the processed foods. Eat a plant based diet. Stop eating animals; they suffer without mercy just for humans to taste food that they will soon forget they even ate. Exercise daily, even a 30-minute walk will help. Stretch your body daily, take deep breathes, go out in nature as much as possible, and drink lots of water. Think good thoughts, forgive everyone, especially yourself. Love yourself exactly the way you are. Find beauty and cleaning products that are not laden with chemicals, don’t overeat. Get eight hours sleep. Give and receive love, be kind to everyone.
You are a mother of four and grandmother of seven – what does the family mean for you?
It means everything in the world. It’s the most important thing to me. Possessions mean nothing at all. I’m not planning on a u haul to follow my coffin to the grave site. Family and love is true happiness. We all love spending time together. We all don’t live in the same state but we try to spend as much time as possible with each other. We always spent thanksgiving and Christmas together and of course many more times during the year. I talk with my children every day, especially my daughters, more than once a day. They call to ask my opinion and that makes me happy that they respect what I think. I am close with my grandchildren and we text each other and send photos back and forth. I feel luckily we are all really like each other. My boyfriend and I are together almost 24/7 and we get along great and have great love and respect for each other.
Apart from your family, what is most important to you in your life?
That I can make a difference in the lives of others by sharing what I’ve learned and experienced. People contact me all the time and tell me how my books have changed their lives and the lives of their families. I feel I’m just the messenger and they do all the work.
You are also a bestselling author, globally renowned lecturer, and raw food coach; how do you find the right the balance between your career and personal life?
I’m not sure I do anything to make that happen. My life just fell into place as soon I gave up control. I trust when things come my way and trust when they don’t. I visualise the best happening for me and then I trust it will. I once heard someone say, if you place your order with Amazon, you don’t go back every day and place it again. You are sure you order will arrive. Same in life, I place my order and trust it will arrive. Doubting what you ordered will break the “spell”. So you have to believe and trust what shows up.
My life just fell into place as soon I gave up control.
What are your plans for the next ten years?
More of the same or who knows what will come. My way, I’m always open to change. I just know I plan to be healthy so my life doesn’t come to a halt until I’m really old. That is why I take such good care of myself and make sure I eat a healthy plant based diet. It’s not easy if you get sick and have to spend half your day at doctor appointments and take handfuls of pills. My life if open to anything that comes my way and I always think it will be the best life has to offer.
Find more about Mimi at: http://youngonrawfood.com/
