To live “the dream life” is one of the top goals among millennials today. From becoming financially independent, creating a positive impact on the community, to pursuing one’s passions, today’s dream life is all about striking a balance between work and life.

Avida Land recently held the Homepossible: Lifespiration conference at the Fairmont Hotel, with speakers inspiring the audience to look at life with a fresh and realistic perspective. It was not just about inspiring the audience with the glossy aspect of their journeys, but also preparing their expectation of the real challenges that may arise.

STARTING CHANGE. In trying to effect change in society, one must understand that it is a two-lane street, both learning from the other. Reese Fernandez-Ruiz shared that the journey of Rags II Riches was not only about the women of Payatas learning that they can be more, but also a learning experience for her about life itself.

Social entrepreneur Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of Rags 2 Riches inspired the crowd with the fairy tale-like story of her brand that was developed with the women of Payatas, a dumpsite in Metro Manila.

“It is good to hear about the good stuff, but no success happens overnight. With Rags 2 Riches, we did not do it overnight, it took us seven years to be where the brand is today,” said Fernandez-Ruiz, adding that hard-work, dedication, and faith are the three things that really helped them succeed.

Aside from a success story in business, Fernandez-Ruiz sees the story of Rags 2 Riches as an inspiration for people who want to create a positive impact on their communities. The business model of Rags 2 Riches was not only praised for its keen business sense, but more for its social inclusiveness that created highly dignified jobs for the lower segments of society.

“Living your dream life is not just about you, it can also be in a way that by living your dream life, you also let others live the lives they only once dreamed about,” said Fernandez-Ruiz.

LEARNING YOUNG. Teaching her children about the value of hard work and financial literacy are the best things that Rose Fres-Fausto can give her children. For her, learning the ropes of handling finances is an integral part of success later on in life.

The dream life that most people pursue can only be possible when the household is able to balance its finances, according to PhilStar.com columnist and financial literacy expert Rose Fres-Fausto said during her talk.

“The dream life is not just about working hard all your life or just spending endlessly. While that may seem exciting, it will just be a short-lived dream life. It is important that we live within our means, but it is also important that we enjoy the fruits of our labor,” Fres-Fausto said.

One of the points stressed upon by Fres-Fausto is making the children part of the financial planning of the family. “Teach them early and they will be actively part of the process even as they grow up,” Fres-Fausto added.

While a lot of people are focused on pursuing their passions, very few realize that it entails a lot of discipline.

Skyrocketing debts was the turning point in Fitz Villafuerte’s life. And learning how to pay off his debts and living within his means were the two hardest lessons he understood during the experience. His experience also led to him writing a book about managing finances and making the right investments.

“Young people do not usually see the value of a budget system and will fall into a debt trap,” financial analyst Fritz Villafuerte said.

Analyzing and understanding of one’s cash flow is integral in budgeting. And for those who are swamped in debt, Villafuerte also offered a method he dubbed as debt snowballing – a process wherein an exact amount of money is allocated in the budget.

“Balancing the budget is the first step to be able to living the dream life,” Villafuerte said.

PURSUING PASSIONS. Turning her back on a bright engineering career and opting to pursue her passion of investing in real estate was the best decision for Eden April Dayrit. While she has become a millionaire in this endeavor, Dayrit says that it’s the happiness she feels that makes everything worth it.

If most people would stick with the jobs that their degrees in the university would dictate, it was the exact opposite for Eden April David, who ventured into the buy-and-sell of real estate property despite her engineering degree.

“It is something that I have always wanted to do, and the circumstances around me when I made the jump did not exactly allow for me to commit mistakes,” David said. “There were a lot of challenges when I started even my family was disappointed with my decision. I persevered and I have shown everyone that I am now happier where I am.”

Homepossible: Lifespiration is a reflection of the lifestyle that Avida Land offers in its various projects – a lifestyle that strikes the balance between work and living life, including pursuing passions.

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About Avida Land
Celebrating its 25th year as a consistently top-ranked developer for the mid-market segment of the industry, Avida provides sure, secure and sensible developments as it continues its mission to provide an enriched living experience to more Filipinos. Avida has built 60,000 homes within 73 projects in 29 strategic locations nationwide, making it the Ayala Land subsidiary with the most number of projects and broadest geographic presence in the country. For inquiries and appointments, visit their website at www.avidaland.com, email corporate.sales@avidaland.com or call (+632) 848 5200 (within Metro Manila) and 1-800-10 848 5200 (outside Metro Manila).