Betty White Shares the Secret to Her Vibrant Life
Betty White may have just turned 99 years old, but she seems to hold the secret to forever being young at heart. The pioneering comedian, animal rights activist, eight-time Emmy Award winning actress, and bestselling author's career spans more than 75 years in film and television. White has not only kept us entertained through her performances (thank you, Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland, to name a few), but she's also shared wise, and often hilarious, advice on living a vibrant existence. Here, we gathered 20 of Betty White's wittiest quotes about life and love that'll make you adore her even more—and have you reaching for a shot of vodka and a hot dog—she jokes that those are the keys to longevity.
Betty White caught up with acclaimed TV journalist Katie Couric just ahead of her 95th birthday and dropped this gem, “Keep busy and don’t focus everything on you, that wears off pretty fast. It’s not hard to find things you’re interested in, but enjoy them and indulge them.”
Betty White shared some advice on finding the humor in your life (even if you think you're not funny) in a 2011 interview with the Chicago Tribune. She said, “It's your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver."
When asked if there was anything people would be surprised to learn about her during an interview with Guinness World Records, Betty White said there were none, but she did share some of her favorite things. "Having been around for as long as I have, there are no secrets left. I am an avid crossword puzzle addict, and although I am known for my animal health and welfare work, people might be surprised to hear I am a nature nut as well!"
"Friendship takes time and energy if it's going to work. You can luck into something great, but it doesn't last if you don't give it proper appreciation. Friendship can be so comfortable, but nurture it. Don't take it for granted," Betty White wrote about friendship in her New York Times bestselling book If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won't).
She also writes about gratitude in her book: "So you may not be as fast on your feet, and the image in your mirror may be a little disappointing, but if you are still functioning and not in pain, gratitude should be the name of the game."
And she goes on to write, "You don't luck into integrity. You work at it."
“Retirement is not in my vocabulary. They aren't going to get rid of me that way," the Emmy-winning actress said at 88 years old during a USA Today interview in 2010.
White talked about her positive outlook in 2018: “I know it sounds corny, but I try to see the funny side and the upside, not the downside. I get bored with people who complain about this or that. It’s such a waste of time.”
In a hilarious music video, Betty White proves that she's still got it. “I’m smokin’ hot in the world. I’m still a golden girl. I may be a senior, so what...I’m still hot,” she sings alongside electro artist Luciana.
In a resurfaced 1991 video from TODAY, White discussed aging. "You don't fall off the planet once you pass a given age...You don't lose any of your sense of humor. You don't lose any of your zest for life, or your lust for life, if you will."
In a 2013 interview, Betty White talked about her comedic timing. She said, “Humor is like music. It’s a rhythm, and you just kind of get the rhythm of it, and you have to know not to let the beat go too long, but to leave a beat in there for it to gel, you know.”
Betty White spoke humbly about all of her good fortunes in a 2012 Huffington Post interview. “I think I’ve been spoiled enough, don’t you think? Might as well quit while I’m ahead! But I’m not going to quit, that’s for sure.”
This 2012 article suggests that Betty White may have inherited some of her wisdom from her parents. “I was blessed with a mother and father who said taste the good stuff now and realize how fortunate and how wonderful things are this minute because enough minutes are not wonderful that you have to save up all the good ones to make it balance out.”
Here, she shares yet another lesson from her mother on some of life's hard truths.“My mother also taught me that if you lie to anybody on the planet, don't lie to that person reflected in the mirror. Always be able to meet your own eyes and know that you're telling the truth.”
Betty White loves Golden Girls as much as we do. She discussed the show in a Hollywood Reporter interview: “I've learned that actors are just a part of the process; it's all about the writing. Golden Girls was pure gold: Once I read that script and saw the casting, I knew I had to be involved.”
“I just like animals more than I like people. It’s that simple,” she said during an interview with Entertainment Online.
"I’m a health nut. My favorite food is hot dogs with French fries. And my exercise: I have a two-story house and a very bad memory, so I’m up and down those stairs," Betty White joked in a TimesTalks event in 2012.
In another interview with Couric, the beloved actress said, "When I pontificate, it sounds so, you know, Oh, well, she's preaching. I'm not preaching, but I think maybe I learned it from my animal friends. Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself. I think that keeps you feeling young. I really do."
"You don't say the hurtful thing even if you're irritated or upset, because that sticks around, or that just chips off a little of the other guy's self-esteem," White told Al Roker in 2016.
Ahead of her 99th birthday, she said, "Don't take yourself too seriously. You can lie to others—not that I would—but you cannot lie to yourself," in a People interview.
Betty White Shares the Secret to Her Vibrant Life
Betty White may have just turned 99 years old, but she seems to hold the secret to forever being young at heart. The pioneering comedian, animal rights activist, eight-time Emmy Award winning actress, and bestselling author's career spans more than 75 years in film and television. White has not only kept us entertained through her performances (thank you, Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland, to name a few), but she's also shared wise, and often hilarious, advice on living a vibrant existence. Here, we gathered 20 of Betty White's wittiest quotes about life and love that'll make you adore her even more—and have you reaching for a shot of vodka and a hot dog—she jokes that those are the keys to longevity.
The comedian and actress just celebrated her 99th birthday.
Solve the daily Crossword

