Malaysians Over 30 Share Important Life Lessons They Wished They Had Learned Sooner
"Make healthier choices. Future you will be grateful for the choices you make now."
Published for Prudential, 17 Feb 2022, 06:19 PM
If you had the chance to tell your younger self something, what would it be?
As we grow older, we continue to learn from everything life throws at us. Be it managing our finances and maintaining relationships, or discovering ourselves, we find that experience is often the best teacher.
While it's great for us to reflect on these life lessons, it's also helpful to share what we've learned with those around us, so that they too can learn from it.
Together with Prudential, we asked Malaysians over the age of 30 to share crucial life lessons they wished they had learned sooner
Additionally, Prudential also shared practical tips to help you further safeguard your future.
Here are some of those important life lessons:
Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
1. "Make healthier choices. Your future body, mind, and family will be grateful for the healthier choices you make now."
"It's not just what you consume that is important, you should be mindful of the things and people you are exposed to. Your surroundings have a great influence on your life, so you must surround yourself with positivity and acceptance. Also, be sure to gain as much beneficial knowledge as possible.
"Scrolling through social media endlessly can have an effect on your mental health too, so stop comparing yourself with others and start doing things that are more meaningful to you and the world!"
- Lisa, 31
Tip from Prudential: Health is the greatest wealth. An easy way to keep your health in check is through AI-powered apps like Pulse by Prudential. This digital health assistant lets you track fitness goals, have an online consultation with a doctor, and check symptoms if you're sick, all within a simple app.
2. "I wish I had paid more attention to my mental health"
"Growing up, I was always praised for always being positive and happy, so I ended up feeling like I couldn't show any negative emotions. Whenever I was upset or going through things, I tended to keep it to myself and just pretended like everything was okay. It wasn't until I hit my breaking point that I learned it's okay to reach out for help when you need it.
"If I could, I'd tell my younger self to start caring for herself earlier on, and that mental health is just as important as physical health."
- Sheila, 41
Tip from Prudential: With the rise of mental health awareness, people are better understanding how to cope with mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder. Besides having a healthy support system, insurance providers like Prudential are also covering major mental health conditions*, so you have access to treatment to get better.
*Coverage does not apply for existing or pre-diagnosed mental health conditions.
3. "Get medical insurance — that's the first thing my parents made me do when I started my first job"
"I had just started working, so I could only afford a deductible medical plan. This meant that if I got hospitalised, I would have to fork out a certain sum before the insurance kicked in.
"Never did I expect that six months into my job, I actually had to get treated for gastroenteritis, requiring procedures that cost up to RM5,000 — no fresh grad can afford that! Thankfully, I only had to pay the deductible amount of RM300, and my insurance covered the rest."
- Ron, 33
Tip from Prudential: For fresh graduates and those in their 20s, it's important to review the current medical plan your parents may have bought for you as a kid, or apply for one if you're not yet insured. What's important is having enough coverage and not being underinsured. If you prefer a lower premium to start off, one way is to opt for a deductible option.
4. "Sometimes, you don't have to say much, you just have to be there"
"I feel like when we're younger, many of us have this mentality that 'Aiya, I'm still young so nothing bad can possibly happen to me'. It's like we think our youth means that we're invincible, and we think that only old people can fall sick. I used to be like that too, until I watched my sister struggle with health problems when she was only in her 30s.
"You'd think that would have brought us closer, but it actually strained our relationship because I didn't knowing what to say or do when I was around her. One day, we had a heart-to-heart talk, and that's when I realised that I didn't have to say or do anything specific, just being there was enough to comfort her."
- Lilian, 32
Tip from Prudential: Critical illness can happen to anyone, regardless of age. And it's not just cancer, heart attack, and stroke — there are many serious illnesses that can throw your life off course. That is why Prudential's critical illness plans cover 190 conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and kidney failure, providing a lump sum payout that can be used as income replacement.
5. "My advice? Start clearing your debts, don't let it build up over time."
"Take, for example, student loans. If you default on your loan and get blacklisted, your children will not be able to apply for student loans for themselves.
"Next advice, invest in a medical card. The last thing you want is to go into debt over costly medical bills."
- K.F, 48
Tip from Prudential: With the rising costs of medical treatment, one of the smartest investments you can make is protecting yourself with medical insurance. Having a plan with high coverage and no lifetime limit ensures you won't have to worry about medical debt. On top of that, Prudential's medical plans give you access to innovative treatments like precision medicine for cancer, which is usually very expensive.
As we go through life, regrets are sure to come along the way, but it's what we learn from those situations that's important
Be it a small lesson or a big one, everything we experience will play a part in shaping our lives and who we are. Everyone's journey is a unique one, and we'll all learn different things. At the end of the day, while we can't turn back time and give our younger selves a head's up, we can keep moving forward and striving to do the best we can.
Ultimately, Prudential wants to help you live with confidence.
The good news is that their medical and critical illness plans are designed to help you make the most of life — protecting you financially so you can focus on reaching your fullest potential! :D
1. Enjoy great value with PRUValue Med. Under this medical plan, you will be reimbursed for medical and surgical expenses if you are hospitalised. With no annual or lifetime limit, you won't have to worry about running out of coverage. Plus, this medical card offers a deductible option to help you lower the cost of your insurance premium.
2. PRU Million Med, on the other hand, promises high coverage. This medical plan comes with a high annual limit, and has no lifetime limit to the amount of claims during your coverage period. Get treated when you need it, and claim for expenses when you are hospitalised or receive out-patient treatment.
3. Supplement your medical plans with PRUAll Care's critical illness coverage. This critical illness insurance plan covers 190 conditions from early to late stage, while offering mental health benefits as well.
Besides that, you can enjoy holistic coverage with any of Prudential's medical plans, which now come with total pandemic protection benefit.
What COVID-19 has taught us is that we need to be prepared and protected at all times. That's why Prudential is extending this benefit into any future pandemic beyond COVID-19, so you can continue to live with confidence.
On top of that, you can gain access to health and fitness solutions via Pulse by Prudential, an AI-powered app designed to be your own personal health assistant. The health and wellness app provides lots of useful features, from online consultations to easy-to-use tools to monitor your health.
It is free to download for all Malaysians. Download now to embark on your health journey with Pulse today.
Are you ready to protect yourself and your loved ones, both now and in the future? Head over to Prudential's website to find out more about their affordable and comprehensive insurance plans.
