Everybody wishes to look younger and stay healthier for longer. The wish is father to the thought. Unfortunately, for many, that thought would remain just an idea or a notion, but never a reality. For that thought to become a reality is not easy, but it can be done. Yes, you can make yourself younger and healthier for longer: you can turn that wish into a reality if you would take the following steps.

To become younger and healthier for longer, you need to change - change lifestyle, and, above all, change attitudes. Quite often, you are your own worst enemy when it comes to making yourself younger and healthier for longer.

Change is difficult, especially to change lifestyle and to change attitudes. Man is a creature of habits. There is a Chinese proverb: It is easier to change the landscape than to change a man's character. Simply put, people don't want to change, even for the better.

One of the reasons why people are reluctant to change is that they are afraid of the consequences brought on by the change; they don't want to go to an uncharted territory. As a result, they stubbornly hang on to the comfort zone out of fear, lack of confidence, or concern about the uncertainly of the change.

To overcome the above, or to initiate any meaningful change, we need knowledge. According to Aristotle, all men by nature desire knowledge. Knowledge is empowering. We have to know "why" we need to change, and the positive "result" of the change. According to a research article published in Journal of Medical Internet Research, "individuals who searched for health information on the Internet were indeed more likely to be health-oriented than those who did not. Consumers who sought out medical information on the Internet reported higher levels of health-information orientation and healthy activities, as well as stronger health beliefs than those who did not search for medical news on the Internet."

Knowledge gives you facts, and therefore more options to your problems in life. More importantly, knowledge may change attitudes and change lifestyle. The more you know, the more you know that you don't know. This humble attitude often changes your perspectives.

So the first hurdle you need to overcome is your admission or acknowledgment of your own inadequacy.

But knowing is one thing, while doing is another. You can talk the walk without walking the talk.

The second step is to set goals. Setting goals is critical to the success of any endeavor in life. Setting goals enables you to "visualize" the results of your efforts. Seeing is believing. To believe in yourself, you must be able to see the fruits of your efforts. Writing down your goals does just that - making your goals more tangible and hence closer within reach.

However, goals must be realistic and achievable. Implementation of your goals requires you to take appropriate actions. Procrastination is often the robber of your success. People often set a timetable, such as the New Year or after Thanksgiving. If you can give yourself an excuse, you can give yourself many other excuses. Sir Walter Scott, the English writer, once said, "The greatest alphabets in the English language are N-O-W." Yes, if you are serious about making yourself younger and healthier for longer, do it right NOW!

Implementation requires commitment, which is concerted effort in reviewing your progress and revising your goals, both short-term and long-term ones.

The road to success is paved with good intentions, as well as disappointments. Therefore, perseverance is critical. Don't give up!

To sum up, you need to be knowledgeable about staying younger and healthier for longer, particularly "why" and "how" to achieve that. Then you need to set goals, which are manageable to you. Take appropriate actions and continue without abatement. In the end, you will be younger and healthier for longer. It will be a reality for you, not just a thought.

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau