Future proofing means looking at what’s likely to happen in the future and making plans to ensure that you can keep up with the changes that are ahead. While it’s a term that’s normally used in business, you can use it in your own life as well. It’s important that you don’t spend all your time in the present anticipating future problems that may never come to pass, but there are also a few things you can do that will have positive effects both now and later.

Save Money

Putting away money now means financial independence later in life. This can give you the opportunity to retire when you are ready and spend your time doing what you really want to do, whether that’s running your own business, traveling, seeing more of your family, or furthering your education. It also provides you with stability; if you have unexpected expenses throughout your life, you’ll be able to meet them if you have money put away.

Make Your Home Accessible

If the home you’re currently in is the one that you hope to retire in, think now about making it a place where it’s easy to grow older. While not every aging individual experiences reduced mobility, it’s not a bad idea to think about making your home easier not just for you but for older family and friends to navigate as well. Grab bars in the bathroom can help with balance while wider doorways can accommodate wheelchairs. If you have more than one floor in your home, you may even want to consider installing a residential elevator lift. This may be more affordable than you expect, and even if you never develop any long-term mobility problems, if you have knee or hip surgery at some point when you are older, a lift can mean that recovery at home is much easier and more convenient.

Build Strong Relationships

Building strong relationships now will have reverberations throughout your life. As people get older, it is not uncommon for them to become more isolated, but if you have built strong relationships with people across different age groups, you’ll be less likely to suffer from isolation. However, these relationships won’t just be good for you as you age. Knowing how to create and sustain relationships with others is an important skill that will serve you well throughout your life.

Be Adaptable

In general, cultivating the ability to be more adaptable will mean that you can adjust to changes more readily, both those that you invite into your life and those that are imposed on you. There are several different things you can do to increase your adaptability, such as regularly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Work on your problem-solving skills. Work on embracing change and seeing it as an opportunity rather than fearing and rejecting it. Practicing mindfulness can also help you become more adaptable. With mindfulness, you try to focus on living in the present instead of the past or future, practicing acceptance of your current situation.