Lessons from a 109-year-old on health, peace, and simplicity

When Jessie Gallan turned 109, she was asked the question we’ve all quietly wondered about: What’s your secret to living a long life?

Her answer?

“My secret to a long life has been staying away from men. They’re just more trouble than they’re worth.”

Now, depending on your own experience with love, that might make you laugh—or nod in total agreement.

But underneath the humor is something worth pausing for. Because Jessie’s life was far from ordinary. She was born in 1906, grew up in a two-room farmhouse with six siblings, left school at 13, and worked most of her life as a milkmaid and housekeeper. She never married. She lived simply. And yet, she outlived almost everyone she knew.

You can read about her story in this Business Insider article, but I want to talk about what it really means. Because Jessie’s “stay away from men” comment might sound like a punchline — but it also points to something deeper.

Her life wasn’t defined by chasing approval, following a conventional path, or living according to other people’s timelines. It was defined by clarity, consistency, independence, and a kind of grounded joy we don’t talk about enough.

And I think we can learn a lot from that.

Why simplicity often beats strategy

We love complexity. Just look at the wellness industry. Biohacking. Nootropics. Cold plunges. Red light therapy. And sure, some of that stuff has merit. But the problem is when we think longevity requires some elite combination of hacks and habits we don’t have time or money for.

Jessie? She kept it simple.

A bowl of porridge every morning. Regular physical movement (like, say, milking cows). A sense of humor. And perhaps most importantly — emotional peace. No one to argue with. No one to betray her trust. No one to center her life around but herself.

I’m not saying we should all swear off relationships. But I do think there’s something powerful about creating a life that doesn’t depend on chaos to feel meaningful.

What staying true to yourself actually looks like

Jessie never married, and she didn’t apologize for it.

In her own words: “Men just bring more trouble.”

Now, I’m not interested in turning this into a battle of the sexes. But her words stuck with me. Not because she was anti-connection — but because she was pro-boundaries. She knew what brought her peace. And she protected it.

So many people live their lives based on what’s expected of them. Get married by 30. Have kids. Chase stability. Buy the house. Retire at 65. But Jessie reminds us that you don’t owe anyone your life story.

And the people who live the longest? They’re often the ones who didn’t bend themselves out of shape to fit someone else’s mold.

The underestimated power of movement and natural rhythms

Jessie worked as a milkmaid. That job doesn’t come with a gym membership—but it does involve early mornings, fresh air, physical effort, and structure.

And that matters. A lot.

Numerous studies back this up. Daily movement, even if it’s just walking or gardening, can significantly increase your life expectancy.

According to Blue Zones research, communities with the highest concentrations of centenarians all have one thing in common: natural movement woven into their day.

They’re not doing deadlifts and protein smoothies. They’re walking up hills, tending to gardens, cleaning, carrying things, cooking from scratch.

And if you think about it, this is what many ancient philosophies—including Buddhism—have always taught: keep the body engaged, keep the mind humble, keep your days rhythmic.

Nature is the original healer

Jessie grew up in the Scottish countryside. Her early life was likely spent surrounded by trees, fields, wind, and weather. She didn’t “forest bathe” or do mindfulness retreats—because she was living it.

And the science on this is growing. Studies like this one from Harvard show that spending time in nature boosts mood, improves immune function, and even increases lifespan. Another study from Science Advances found that people who live near green spaces have lower risks of disease and premature death.

At Hack Spirit, we often talk about disconnection — from our bodies, our values, our environments. Getting outside resets something in us. It slows the racing mind. It calms the nervous system. It reminds us we’re part of something much older and more forgiving than social media and to-do lists.

Jessie didn’t “know” all this. But she lived it. That counts for more.

The impact of routine and food that doesn’t need a label

Jessie ate porridge every morning.

No keto. No intermittent fasting windows. Just oats, hot water or milk, maybe a little salt.

And that’s the thing about longevity: it often comes down to things so boring that we overlook them.

Stable blood sugar. Slow-release energy. Digestive ease. Warm food at consistent times.

You don’t need a PhD to eat like a 109-year-old. You need consistency. And foods that come with fiber, not a marketing campaign.

The hidden cost of emotional drama

Jessie’s tongue-in-cheek advice about men actually hides a goldmine of insight.

Most of us underestimate the toll emotional stress takes on the body. Constant conflict. High-stakes relationships. Insecure attachments. The feeling of never quite being enough for someone.

Chronic stress shortens telomeres, the little caps on your DNA that protect against aging. It weakens your immune system. It messes with your sleep. It can literally accelerate cellular breakdown.

Now, this isn’t a warning against intimacy. Relationships are one of the greatest sources of joy. But not all of them. And not when they come at the cost of your peace.

Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do isn’t to meditate more. It’s to leave a relationship that keeps you stuck in survival mode.

The spiritual takeaway

Jessie didn’t use spiritual language. But her life was, in many ways, a meditation.

She chose simplicity over chaos. Presence over performance. Ritual over noise.

This aligns with so many Buddhist principles I talk about in my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: that suffering often comes from wanting too much. That wisdom comes from presence. That a life lived with intention—however simple—can be a life well-lived.

To finish

Jessie Gallan lived to 109, not because she hacked the system, but because she opted out of it.

She ate whole food. She moved her body. She stayed connected to the earth. She avoided unnecessary drama. She laughed at expectations. She stayed curious and independent.

And maybe most importantly—she didn’t wait for life to give her permission.

Longevity isn’t just about living longer. It’s about living well. And living well often looks like this:

Doing less. Wanting less. Needing less drama.
And trusting that joy doesn’t always come from more—but from enough.

So maybe the secret isn’t in the supplements or the tech or the hustle.

Maybe the secret is in porridge, fresh air, boundaries, and the courage to be your damn self.