What Made Smirnoff Choose 87-Year-Old Baddie Winkle as Its New Star?

Instagram sensation 87-year-old Baddie Winkle is now starring in a national Smirnoff Ice Electric Flavors commercial. Why choose Winkle instead of someone younger? Baddie Winkle, regardless of her age, shows the sparkle and zest for life that made her an easy choice.

Smirnoff’s "Keep it Moving" campaign is a perfect platform to show off Baddie’s vibrant, high energy personality. Keep it moving is exactly what all of us should do—regardless of age.

Winkle was recently named Instagrammer of the Year, having over 1.9 million followers. Most people who are 87 may feel they shouldn’t do things—like dance or party or just act goofy—because society, especially in the United States, has dictated that older people should fade into the sunset. That’s totally wrong.

Winkle’s words on your Instagram page says it all, "You have to love yourself no matter what others think of you. It’s all in the way you carry and believe in yourself.”

Baddie’s attitude is what we should all embrace. She exemplifies how millions of older adults are living--and enjoying—life. They view life as a wondrous journey that must be experienced to the fullest until we take our last breath.

Not everyone has such a positive outlook, but it’s something we can all acquire—no matter our age. Baddie is amazing, but we can all be amazing in our own way.

Start by setting our inner-optimist free. As we grow older, some of us lament about the activities we used to do but now can’t. Shift your focus from what you can’t have and can’t do in life to appreciate what you do have and can do. Everyone has within them an inner-pessimist and an inner-optimist. Deliberately find ways to see the glass half-full.

Having an appreciative, grateful and optimistic mindset has more impact on your overall health and longevity than what you eat and your physical activity, although these are important too. Being appreciative costs nothing but offers a wealth of happiness and contentment. Just ask Baddie.

The "Good Dog!" Approach to Self-Improvement

Ever watch a skilled dog trainer work with a puppy? The trainer never ever EVER punishes the sweet beastie for not sitting on the “sit” command, but rather rewards the dog with praise and treats the instant his furry butt hits the ground. The dog—smart pooch—gets the idea real fast, and proceeds to sit on cue with remarkable consistency.

It’s no different with employees. Any good manager knows that catching employees in the act of doing something right is far more effective in improving their performance and productivity, than constantly dinging them for doing something wrong.

So why is it that whenever you lose/gain an unwanted pound, or don’t quite manage all those push-ups, or get to work late (again), or have another fight with your S.O., that you bawl yourself out mightily! That you ride yourself hard for being such an idiot? Spineless wonder? Obvious loser?

You would never do that to your dog/cat/goldfish! Why in the world do you do it to yourself?

Because somewhere in your dim and distant (or near and close) past, someone somewhere convinced you that “bad” behavior must be punished, and that you’ll never learn unless you feel the pain. Yet, you’re a reasonable adult. You know that there are consequences to any behavior. Why not let the consequences guide your future behavior? Instead of insisting on demeaning, devaluing and generally mentally/emotionally abusing yourself into “good” behavior.

Be like the puppy: “Oh, I get it. Sitting gets me pets and treats. Not sitting gets me—uh—nothing.” And in the puppy world, “nothing” is no fun. Your turn: “Oh, having seconds on pie and ice cream gets me extra poundage on the old scale. Not having seconds gets me—uh—less poundage.” There. That’s really all you need; to see and understand the consequences.

But if you really want to up the ante, be your own inner trainer: reward yourself with praise and appropriate treats for the “sit.” When you drop that extra pound, do a full set of push-ups, get yourself into work on time, compromise with your significant other rather than fight, pat yourself on the back! Praise yourself, “Good job, self!” and reward yourself with a round of Candy Crush, or fun texting with a friend, or whatever says “Treat!” to you.

It may feel strange and uncomfortable to you at first, to say nice things to yourself, but encouraging your desired behaviors, whatever they may be, with praise and “treats,” with compliments instead of dissing, works.

It works with animals, it works with employees, so, yes, it will work with you too.

And it feels a whole lot better than “Bad me!”