From a Surprise Knock to a Life-Altering Friendship

by Vicki Mizel

I was slumped over unpaid bills and half-finished lesson plans when the intercom buzzed through my cramped Upper West Side apartment.

“Hi, my name is Dahlia. My real-estate agent is running late—could I pop in to see the layout I have limited time. I flew in from Houston?” I said, “Okay.” We got to talking and she invited me to a party at her friend Lynne’s house for later that afternoon.

Messy apartment, relaxed Saturday vibes, zero expectations. Yet that tiny favor catapulted me into Lynne C.—then a vibrant 65-year-old actress (now 100) who would redefine what aging can look like.

Within twenty-four hours I was sipping seltzer at a party crowded with Law & Order regulars, Broadway veterans, and one urgent request: “Vicki, you teach memory, right? Lynne’s going through a brutal divorce—please invite her to your memory course,  train her, but charge her nothing. She has to nail a role as Greta Garbo.”

I agreed. Lynne mastered the techniques, stole the show, and—without meaning to—became my living laboratory on vitality, community, and relentless creativity.

Over three decades she kept calling: • “Come to Tony’s birthday!”
• “Fly in for my next cabaret!”
• “Darling, I’ll be 99—I want you in the audience to cheer me on…promise you’ll witness 100?”

Each visit revealed a woman who kept improving: sharper lines, stronger legs (thank you, Pilates and boxing!), and a heart swollen with gratitude.

The night she turned 100, Don’t Tell Mama sold out—twice.. Afterward she devoured oysters, toasted friends, and confessed, “It felt terrific, and it was a good show. It would’ve been horrible to reach 100 and give a bad show.”

At her 100 plus performance a performer dropped out due to a family situation. No rehearsal, no problem Frank Basille stepped in and Lynne and bass singer Frank wove a duet so tight you’d swear they’d practiced for months,

I got home at midnight and stayed up until 1 a.m., telling my brother how Lynne is actually sharper at 100 than she was at 95—and busier than either of us! If she can bloom at 100, why am I shrinking at 60? That’s when the epiphany hit.

The Centenarian Spark Framework

These five habits—pulled straight from Lynne’s real life—have become my roadmap. Adopt them, and you won’t just add years; you’ll add purposeful, joy-packed years.

1. Gratitude Pulse

Start every morning listing three specific blessings. Lynne calls it her “attitude of gratitude,” and it fuels the optimism that keeps her reaching for new roles.

2. Move with Purpose

Twice-weekly sessions with an exercise physiologist evolved into Pilates, yoga, ballet, and even boxing. Keep movement interesting so your body never stops adapting.

3. Feed Vitality

Real, protein-rich meals—no frozen trays—plus daily vitamins. Think colorful produce, lean meats, and hydration that makes your cells sing.

4. Perform & Participate

Whether it’s cabaret, public speaking, or volunteering, put yourself on a stage that scares you just enough to stay sharp.

5. Serve & Share

Lynne mentors younger actors; I teach memory skills to boost leadership. Teaching cements knowledge and showers you with community support.

My 30-Year Reboot—and Your Invitation

Because of Lynne, I’ve: • Pivoted my memory curriculum into Leadership-Grade Recall for executives.
• Re-enrolled to log the 2,000 supervised therapy hours I need before sitting for the licensing exam—a manageable milestone when I may live thirty more.
• Added barbells, spinach omelets, and daily “gratitude walks” to honor my future hundred-year-old self.

Ready to ignite your own Centenarian Spark? Book a free 20-minute Clarity Call with me. We’ll map out one small change that could ripple through the next four decades of your life.

Imagine performing your best work at 100! Join Vicki for her Power Up Your Memory class at Colorado Free University