Shatner shares his secrets to staying active and full of life at 95
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William Shatner has no intention of slowing down as he gets older.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 95-year-old actor talked about how he was able to keep going at a time when many people his age were already slowing down decades ago.
“That’s why they’re old,” he said. “Shatner’s law is: Go faster, do more and forget about the pain. If it hurts, take a pill. The older you get, the more pain you get. Two things. One is a weightlifter who told me: ‘When I lift three, four hundred pounds, it hurts. I’ve learned to ease the pain, man. Welcome, man. Pain is here, welcome.'”
Shatner, who is preparing for his upcoming live stage show “The Universe of the Absurd,” said his “advice to older people” would be to “be friends” and embrace the pain.
Shatner’s advice to older people is to “make friends with the pain.” (Mat Hayward/Getty Images)
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The “Star Trek” actor then added that his second tip for those who are aging is to never stop moving, saying, “If you stop moving, all you have is pain.” She explained that one of her passions is horseback riding and competing in an equestrian event called sultanate, which she described as “very physical”.
“As you get older, it gets really difficult to ride. You have a mounting block and you’re trying to lift your leg over it,” he said. “If I stopped this, half my life would be gone. So I don’t stop. I just go slower.”
Shatner, who injured his shoulder after falling off his horse, continues to ride and will host the annual William Shatner Hollywood Charity Horse Show later this month.
His busy schedule also includes his live show “The Universe is Absurd,” a live, unscripted stage show with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson that will explore cosmic themes through banter and storytelling. The show is scheduled for May 10 and 20 at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills.
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER CALLS NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON A ‘CLOSE FRIEND’ AFTER WORKING WITH HIM ON NEW LIVE SHOW
Tyson and Shatner first connected while recording an audiobook, which eventually led to a 20-hour conversation between the two.
“I had to talk for 10 hours a day for two days with a wonderful man who is now a good friend of mine,” she said. “Those 20 hours gave us a basis for conversation, and that’s what we’ll do on stage. But for it to have energy, I have to disagree with them on many, if not all, points.”
According to Shatner, the worst thing that can happen at the show is this: “The audience walks out. We walk away, and they walk away.”“
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER ENCOURAGES OLDER PEOPLE TO ‘FIGHT THE PAIN’ TO STAY YOUNG
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Shatner is busy and says the “least” he wants is to die. (Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
The “Boston Legal” star explained that she doesn’t have a bucket list for what’s next for her, but she wants to continue doing the things she values, like spending time with her dogs, horseback riding with her husband and visiting her favorite cafes.
“I’m busy, I’m vital, I ride horses and take care of business. And I just sold a horse,” he said. “I did a job on Friday and Saturday… I’m busy doing things of tangible value, I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to at least die.”
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER HAS NO PLANS TO SLOW DOWN ANY SOON.
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Shatner and Tyson first connected while recording an audiobook and eventually became good friends. (Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCUPhotoBank)
Reflecting on his life, Shatner shared that every morning when he wakes up he is “excited to see the world” but that this is “something that has developed in me over the years.”
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He explained that a person’s mindset changes at different stages of life. He shared that around age 20-25, people are busy building their future and are “energized by your own needs,” but as they get older, they slow down.
“When you are 70 and 80 years old, you look around you at the magic of the Earth,” he explained. “You’re looking at the incredible beauty of life. Even though it hurts, the pain is welcome. You’re alive, for God’s sake. Before long you’ll be buried in the dirt and enjoy your life as much as you can because it’s over.”
Shatner said that as he got older, he began to appreciate the “magic of the Earth.” (Weiss Eubanks/NBCUNIVERSAL via Getty Images)
He continued: “I’m here to testify. There’s one thing I know. It goes by so quickly. When I hear someone say my age, I feel like looking around to see who they’re talking about because it doesn’t seem real. It seems like a bad dream. How old am I? No, I’ll wake up in a flash. That’s how I feel, too.”
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER SHARES HOW HIS LIFE PHILOSOPHY CHANGED AS HE GOT OLD
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Shatner previously gave viewers the secret of his longevity with a tweet on his 95th birthday.
“I’m 95 years old, I still smoke! I’ve learned two things: Never waste a good cigar. Never trust anyone who says you should ‘act your age’.”
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