A fresh, new year is upon us, and this is the perfect time to resolve to make good decisions, no matter how small they seem. Making the right choices, especially while we’re still young, ensures a good future ahead of us when we retire. Depending on the foundations we lay down and choices we make today, here are milestones that make life beautiful before we meet with the sweet embrace of retirement.

20: Develop honest beliefs and views. You become a feminist not because it’s the latest buzzword in Hollywood, but because you’re finally aware enough of the social injustices that take place around you. Stay woke!

21: Go on that first holiday with friends. It’s every broke college student’s dream to travel the world once done with the term papers and our thesis. Now that you’re somehow adulting for money, you can definitely afford that out of the country trip with the squad that you have been planning since you got ahold of your first world map!
24: Rent your first apartment. No friends, no relatives, just you and your apartment. It can literally be a hole in the wall, but it’s enough to warrant a celebration with friends as soon as you sign that lease with a flourish. As a young Ron Weasley so adorably put it, “It’s not much, but it’s home.”

25: Be financially smart. There comes a time when impulse buying gets old and you finally master the art of saving money. Bonus points if you’re also looking at investment vehicles for the long term!
27: Go on your last rave. Raves are such a nice break from reality; an avenue for us to just let loose and have fun. However, when we’re 27, and our life is actually starting to make sense, raves start to become pure noise and sweat. Yes, we’re talking about tito vibes here and that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Maybe it just means you’re finally at that sweet spot in your life that you don’t need a break from it.

29: Realize the importance of regular exercise. While sweating and running may not sound appealing to you now, there will come a time when you will realize and appreciate the benefits of regularly getting on your feet. It doesn’t even need to be as intense as a Victoria’s Secret Angel’s workout; your daily dose of exercise can come in the form of a simple jog around your neighborhood or a few push-ups in your bedroom!
30: Quit smoking. As soon as we turn the big three-oh, we all recognize that we are still relatively young to have a bit of reckless spark yet hopefully, we are mature enough to start thinking of the future. For many, quitting smoking is one of the turning points to a healthier lifestyle.

31: Be proud of your groceries. As opposed to containing nothing but prepackaged meat and cans of beer, your grocery cart now contains components for “real” food that will make even your mom proud.
34: Go on 2 major holidays per year. 34 is a pretty safe age to say that one has climbed up at least a rung in the corporate or financial ladder to be able to enjoy at least 2 big trips in a year.

41: Have your own house. Relish it. You worked hard for every brick of it.
44: Take a break. It can be a long sabbatical from work, or just a weekend away to meditate about the current state of your magical life.

60: Retire comfortably. You’ve been working your ass off for the most part of your life, and this is the time to reap the benefits of your previous choices and hard work.

What are your life milestones?

Being that we have a lot of goals we’d like to achieve in the time we’re given, it only makes sense that we treat our body as our most important investment. Aside from a healthy lifestyle, one of the best ways we can take care of the most important tool that we own is by having a high-end medical insurance. After all, nothing ruins life plans quite like expensive medical bills.

With Blue Cross’s wide range of medical plans, you can choose a medical plan that’s perfect for you and your family. Because of today’s fast-paced lifestyle, it’s no longer a question of “if” you will get sick but a matter of when. It doesn’t matter what age you are – accident and illness can strike you anytime.

The best time to prepare for the future is today. Don’t spend on medical bills when you could be spending your time hitting those milestones instead. Make sure you’re protected by Blue Cross!

Blue Cross is a specialist provider of medical and travel insurance. For more company and product information, e-mail [email protected], call +63 2 899-8001, click here or visit www.bluecross.com.ph.