How long will I live? All of us think of this question from time to time. And as we think of an answer, we limit our own lifespan.

Scientists now believe that we can all live up to 120, unless we develop some incurable disease. In that case middle age should start from 60/65. But we expect to die much sooner. By the time we are 60, we lose all interest in life. We act as if there is nothing left for us to do but pray for the afterlife. Those who retire from work, in particular, become old overnight. Women often have their menopause in their 40s. Men start expecting heart attacks at 40.

Our social and cultural beliefs control our expectations about lifespan. And our mind-body system are programed to turn our expectations turn into reality. By changing your expectation based on what science is saying, you can make your body almost ageless.

To live a long life we first need to change some misconceptions about age and lifespan. The first misconception is that people die of old age. Actually, people die of the diseases that come with old age. The pain and suffering that often accompany old age comes from these diseases. Another misconception is that our lifespan is determined by our genes. But the truth is, even if you have parents who lived till 80, the gene you inherited from them can add a maximum of 3 years to your lifespan. On the other hand your attitude, lifestyle, diet and work process can prolong your lifespan by up to 50 to 60 years ! You can easily make up for any 'lack' in your genes by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Yet another misconception is that the aging process cannot be reversed. But if you look closely at nature you’ll see that this isn’t true. There are processes in nature that can prevent certain organisms from becoming old. Consider the life of bacteria or protozoa, for example. Another good example is the bee, which can reverse aging. These days medical science is saying that human-beings can also reverse the aging process. Scientists have concluded from various experiments that symptoms of aging such as bone density, body temperature, metabolic rate, blood pressure, muscle strength, and amount of body fat can be changed. Regular exercise, healthy diet, fresh air, being close to nature and meditation can change these symptoms.

Meditation is not just relaxation. Relaxation is undoubtedly playing an important role in giving us relief from our stressful lives. But relaxation is only the first step towards a higher level of consciousness. Insight, creativity, finer sensibilities and wisdom are intimately related to this level.

For a healthy happy long life, regular exercise, healthy eating habits and change of lifestyle is a must. But this is just a part of the picture. To understand the rest, we need to understand how physicists see the universe.

Quantum mechanics tells us that every visible matter is made up of invisible sub atomic particles. In their fundamental state these subatomic particles are a mixture of energy and information. Thus our visible world is made up of invisible energy and information. The same is true for the mind. If you want to scratch your feet then you need to use the information and energy in your mind. We cannot see or touch our ideas, wishes, instincts, likes or dislikes. But there is no doubt of their existence. These things that have created the visible world around us. By connecting to this invisible world then you can actually create tangible changes in the visible world. If thoughts can bring war and destruction, it can also bring love, peace and a healthy fulfilling long life.

Dr. Dipak Chopra has mentioned several ways to create an ageless body in his book ‘Ageless Body, Timeless Mind’. Here are some of them:

1. Have control over your life: This doesn't mean having power over others. It means having freedom in your own life. A good way to do this is to stop looking for other people’s approval. A lot of valuable energy is lost in seeking other people's approval.

2. Trust your inner self: Do not depend on others for making decisions. Nature has given us innate wisdom. But if we constantly look outward for knowledge and information we lose this ability. Your body and mind is telling you all the time what they want. Try to hear it; you’ll then always take the right decision.

3. Don't try to be perfectionist about everything: The less fussy you are, the more you’ll be relieved and relaxed. For a long life you need to learn to stay peaceful.

4. Have inner goals: Most people get imprisoned by money, fame, power, hatred and negative emotions. Try to make your life peaceful and gracious. Do work. Learn to laugh and love. Be in tune with nature. You will stay youthful at every age.