These days, people seem obsessed with finding quick fix solutions to their problems. This extends from business, finance and personal aspects of their life. We all know in our hearts, that this cannot [always] be the best approach for lasting transformations, yet we keep throwing ourselves at these miracle cures, miracle make-overs, and get rich schemes. Remember, with any objective, your goals should be to achieve lasting positive results. Whether these results come overnight, or over a longer period of time is often not the most important thing.

Consider the case of someone who wants to get into better physical shape. Well of course the best time to start a program like this was 10 years ago, with consistent activity and planned exercise. A program like this could seem almost effortless - even pleasurable - it just becomes a part of your life, a part of the day you look forwards to. ...so OK, I get it, you did not start 10 years ago... so what do you do now?

Your choices are:

1. Boot camp. Go for it! Work out 3-4 hours a day, intensive jogging, weight training and yoga.
2. Begin what you should have begun 10 years ago.

So yes, it's true, it is not simply black and white - but remember, if you did not start exercising 10 years ago, the best time to start is now - but do it in a way that 10 years from now, this will be second nature and you'll see the results of your work. Something you can succeed at on a daily basis, give you a much greater chance of succeeding over a longer time period.

These same concepts also apply to skin care. Women often 'wake-up' one day and see the lines and crows feet around their eyes. We know they did not just arrive in one night, but damn-it, we need to fix them in one night...... or do we? Remember the illustration of getting in shape we used above. This same concept can be applied to skin care and graceful aging.

First, let's decide what you want to do. Is the goal to reduce the appearance of wrinkles under your eyes? If it is, then stop reading this article, go shopping, or turn to Google. If however you have a broader objective (which I would argue we all do), your objective likely has more to do with overall appearance, which depends upon many factors. These factors are like hygiene, personal grooming, clothing choice, physical fitness, skin tone and firmness, appearance of stress, happiness (get rid of that frown!), and many more elements. If this is what you have in mind, this article is for you.

First, let's understand why people zero-in on the quick fix miracle cures and diets, or magic products. We know why, we all just don't have time, or think we don't, and the marketing hype hits home. Often these one-trick approaches, while well intentioned, result in short term improvements, and then .... nothing. This is because they are not realistic approaches, and we stop using them, cheat a bit, or slip back to our old, more manageable ways. We are left feeling worse than when we started, and ready for the next marketing blurb to "fix everything".

If the wrinkles around your eyes are your primary objective, as well as looking at a very good eye cream (often not available in retail stores), consider addressing some other manageable additions to your approach. There are many great extras to consider. Make a list of other things you can do that will be good additions to your daily life. Here is my list:

1. Regular exercise will improve your body and skin appearance. This can be as simple as getting off the bus one stop early a few times a week and walking, or taking the stairs in the morning.
2. Cleanse your skin with a good product, use a great eye and face cream and make sure not to forget SPF. The right restorative product can prevent further damage and repair existing damage.
3. Remember the clothes. I am cheap, and tend to keep things long after their best-before-date. Get rid of those old sweats, toss those T-shirts with holes, and get some new stuff. This does not need to be expensive.
4. Improve your diet. We all know that lots of fries and chocolate can play havoc on our look. Choose a salad a few times a week instead of fries; replace a few snacks with fruit. This will improve the look of your body and your skin!
5. Stop scowling. Have you ever found yourself on the bus frowning for no particular reason? Be aware of your look and relax-into your surroundings.
6. Enjoy what you are doing. Take up a hobby or sport and replace an unnecessary dreaded task.
7. Consider looking inwards. By examining your self through meditation you can begin to feel (and look) a whole lot better.
8. Revisit your make-up. Do you have products that have been kicking around too long? What worked 5 years ago may be a disaster now. Take a few pictures of yourself and examine them objectively. See what needs to be updated.
9. Get some good sunglasses. Eliminate squinting.
10. This one is important .... don't consider the job done - keep checking back to see how your can tune things up.

In summary, remember that regardless of a specific result you want to achieve, take a step back and look at your true objectives. Rather than a single approach, consider the complementary elements that can be realistically incorporated into your daily life. You may be very pleased with the outcome and sustainability of your results.