Think you cant change? Many of us already know that we need to improve our state of well-being in order to extend our lives as we age. Making changes are traditionally difficult, but the good news is that its never too late to make changes for the better. The first step is to understand whats important to you, and then determine the choices and decisions that represent where you want to be. Maybe you want to start a new career, lose weight, stop smoking or start exercising. Whatever the change is, be sure you understand why you want to make the change.

Take a moment to think about a time in your life when you made a successful change or developed a new habit. What was your motivation for the change? What was your attitude at the time? What obstacles or barriers did you have to overcome? Your level of readiness to change will determine how successful you are, and how much time it will take. Once you make the decision to change, you must practice that new behavior one day at a time until it becomes a habit - a lasting change.

What allows some people to change, while others dont? According to Dr. James Prochaska, developer of the Stages of Change Model, people cycle through a very distinct set of stages when making changes in their lives - from not being interested in making any changes, all the way through to maintaining a change after its already been made. This is the real challenge for everyone, because resistance is always the initial response to making a change. Sometimes people dont see the positive side of change until its shown to them (or until they are forced to realize it on their own). Change is a choice. Its something we decide to do. The same goes for wellness - its a choice, and once you have decided to change, youll feel better.