10 unexpected choices you will not regret in 5 years

• Posted on June 16, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Everyone has experienced regret at some time or another. Hindsight is always 20/20 but one of the best things you can do is to make good choices today for a better tomorrow. If you set yourself up for success now with these ten unexpected yet great choices, you will be in a better place in five years.

1. Commit to a certain lifestyle

Creating a lifestyle that lets you grow physically and mentally is a process that will take time. It can be highly difficult to develop healthy eating habits and exercise routines that fit your individual needs. A healthy lifestyle can lessen your risk for needing medical care, which can be extremely expensive.

2. Figure out your desires

If you have been putting off choices about yourself, you will never get around to becoming the person that you are capable of becoming. If you have been setting your dreams on the sidelines for others, you will always stay where you are. You are meant to become someone and do something. So get out there and go do whatever it is you want to do regardless of what anyone else may think.

3. Stay in respectful relationships

If you have a significant other or are pursuing a relationship, remember that you deserve to be respected just like they do. If you find yourself in a disrespectful relationship or if you are consistently being taken advantage of in any way, cut your ties with them. You deserve to be loved and respected for who you are, always.

4. Ditch toxic ties

If you have friends that constantly drag you down with their overly dramatic lives, or if they use you for this and that, or if they make you feel worthless than you genuinely are, let go of them. These people are not true friends and do not deserve a place in your life.

5. Strengthen your inner circle

Strengthen your inner circle of friends by maintaining relationships with people that are in the same direction as you. A good circle of friends will motivate you to stay on your life path that will lead to who you are supposed to be.

6. Know when to walk away

When you are in situations that make you uncomfortable or that do not accurately represent who you are, walk away. You are not obligated to remain in a situation that gives you negative feelings.

7. Keep finances separate

If you are in a relationship, keep finances separate. It is better to divide finances between theirs, mine, and a joint account than use a joint account. Keeping finances separate leads to fewer fights about money, especially if there is a spending problem. If the relationship goes south, things will be less messy in the end, too.

8. Buy now, pay now

Loans and debt come with interest rates that can hurt you in the long run. If you can, pay for the item when you purchase it. This will keep your debt amounts down. Also, try to pay off any current debt first before accruing more debt.

9. Set long-term savings goals

The sooner you start saving now, the better off you will be in the not so distant future. There are various options for savings plans for college and retirement so you will be able to find one that suits you and your needs.

10. Start using monthly budgets

Monthly budgets can help you determine how much you make in income, how much you need to live each month, and budgets can also help you identify spending problem areas. Remember to make realistic monthly budgets and stick to them.

These choices are not the only decisions you can make to set yourself up for a better future but, they are great choices to start with in the beginning. These choices will help you in your relationships with others, relationships with yourself, and your financial means which will ultimately develop a better you.

-COSMOPOLITAN