Have you ever seen those memes where it pokes fun at someone for putting hundreds of dollars into their online shopping cart, then getting squeamish over the $5.99 shipping cost? The meme is meant to be silly, but is also pretty relatable because let’s face it, we have all done this at one point or another, right? If we are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a product(s), then why does the small shipping cost all of a sudden make us uncomfortable or seem like a deal breaker? This is such a parallel to how we typically view investing in ourselves. We have no problem investing money, time, or energy into other things or other people but when it comes to ourselves, we suddenly have a really hard time moving forward. I think it is safe to say if you clicked this blog post, you have found yourself in this exact same position before and guess what? You are not alone and is something most people struggle with.
One of my favorite quotes is by Warren Buffet, which states:
“The best investment you can make is in yourself.”
Let’s take a moment to let that sink in. WARREN BUFFET. You know, the billionaire who is considered one of the most successful investors in the world and monetarily speaking, is one of the wealthiest people in the world. That same Warren Buffet doesn’t say the best investment you can make is in stocks, bonds, real-estate, business, or anything else but YOURSELF. This statement alone is powerful. So, how do you do it? How do you start investing in yourself more confidently?
1. DECIDE TO PUT YOURSELF FIRST
Sounds easy, right? HA! If it were that easy, I would have no reason to be writing this blog post. We really do struggle with putting ourselves first. We often view this act as “selfish” or “wrong” in some way, but the truth of the matter is you can’t possibly invest in yourself if you aren’t prioritizing yourself. So, this is step #1. You NEED to put yourself first and decide you are worth the investment. Without this, nothing else I say is going to stick. Why? Because we need to believe in ourselves, believe in our worth, and believe our value first and foremost for the rest to fall into place. If this is something which is difficult for you, think about why it is difficult. This may be something you need to do a bit of soul-searching around to really examine what barriers are holding you back from truly allowing yourself to prioritize YOU.
2. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF: MIND, BODY, AND SOUL
Taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is arguably one of the best ways you can invest in yourself. Think about it. If you are taking care of yourself; mind, body, and soul, then that is going to reflect in every facet of your life.
Taking care of your body physically by working out and eating a well-balanced diet means you are working to ensure your body stays as healthy as possible. If your body is healthy, you are less likely to get sick or you will be able to fight off illness much quicker should you find yourself sick. You will have more energy and will likely be sleeping better. You will be able to spend time playing with your kids or your pets without feeling exhausted. You will reduce the likelihood of injury. You will also likely have improved self-confidence and self-esteem, which is going to reflect in how you present yourself to others.
Your mental health and wellness impacts just about everything, too. Career, relationships, friendships, family….everything. It’s common to feel burnt out, stressed, and anxious at times. It’s typical to go through periods of sadness or depression. But sometimes these feelings linger for longer than we’d like and sometimes we feels as though we can’t move past them, no matter how hard we try. This is when you have to make a decision around how you are going to treat your mental health. If you need mental health support, seek it. If you are going through something difficult, don’t feel as though you need to go through it alone. Invest in your mental health. Invest in YOU. If you broke your arm, I am willing to bet you would seek medical attention ASAP, am I right? So, why is mental health any different? (If you feel as though you could benefit from mental health services, psychologytoday.com is a great resource to find a local therapist!)
Spirituality is equally as important as your physical and mental health (see how they are all connected?!) It doesn’t matter what you define spirituality as, but having faith in a higher power is going to impact your life in a BIG way. Surrendering control, taking time to mediate and pray, taking part in worship, and engaging with other like-minded individuals will all prove to have positive benefits for you. Invest in your spirituality and see where it takes you.
3. BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR BODY
This ties into taking care of yourself physically as I mentioned above, but it goes a step further into really evaluating how you are treating your body. Eat your colors. Drink in moderation. Cut down on your caffeine intake. Start to wean off cigarettes. Try and curb your energy drink addiction. Wear sunscreen. Read labels and ingredients of the things you’re ingesting by mouth or the things you are putting onto your body topically. Making these small changes will yield BIG results because what we put into our bodies impacts how we feel, how we look, and how we act. When we eat well, we feel good. If your diet consists of greasy take-out food, washed down with a sugary drink, you are going to look and feel like a walking zombie. When we protect ourselves internally, it reflects externally. You get one body. Your health is precious and invaluable because without it, nothing else matters. You can have millions of dollars but if you don’t have your health, what good is all of that money? Invest in your body to carry you through life.
4. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
If you follow my posts then you know I am a huge advocate of taking time for yourself. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of taking breaks during your day as well as taking time for yourself when needed. This is so important in regards to investing in yourself. As a society, we are in constant go-go-go mode and very rarely do we stop to slow down. We live in a culture where multitasking, working non-stop, and feeling burnt-out is almost viewed as a positive. Makes no sense, right?! People seem to brag about how much they are doing, how busy they are, and how tired they feel as a way to gauge how successful they are when in reality, this is actually just showing how unhealthy their lifestyle actually is. How can you possibly be the best version of yourself when you are operating on empty? By not taking time for yourself, you’re actually depleting your energy, not replenishing it. And remember, investing means GIVING, so give yourself the much-needed break you deserve.
5. NEVER STOP LEARNING
Knowledge is power and the more knowledge we have, the more unstoppable we become. So, invest in your brain! Reading is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to expand upon your knowledge. When you are reading, you are not only learning and expanding upon your knowledge base by absorbing the content you take in, but also by taking time for yourself to actually do this. (Spoiler alert, if you don’t like to read, try an audio book instead!)
In addition to reading, you can also continue to learn by listening to podcasts, reading blogs or magazine articles, or taking a course or webinar to learn something new (I.e. It can be an academic course, yoga or meditation class, continued education training, learning a new trade, learning a new language, etc.) Internships, mentorship, and coaching are also great ways to expand upon your knowledge as well. Bottom line: Keep learning. Keep expanding your knowledge. Keep growing intellectually. Our brains are a muscle that need to be worked just like any other part of the body and when you grow intellectually, you are investing in yourself because no one can take that knowledge away from you.
6. INVEST FINANCIALLY
It seems that many tend to underestimate the power of financial investments. There is a lack of knowledge around money, money management, and the importance of savings, especially for the younger generations. It’s never too early or too late to start saving and in doing so, you’re ensuring that you’re investing in your future monetarily. No one wants to work forever and if you do, it should be because you choose to, not because you HAVE to. So, by investing in your future now, you are paving the path for financial stability moving forward. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to a financial planner about small changes you can make now to your money management which will have big impacts going forward.
7. INNER CIRCLE
Who you spend the most time with is going to impact you in more ways than you realize. By investing in your inner circle, you are investing in you. Think about it this way: If you spend time with people who make you feel badly about yourself, who minimize your accomplishments, who seem jealous of you, or don’t reciprocate in the friendship what is that going to do for you? It’s going to leave you feeling defeated, unmotivated, and depleted.
When you spend time with people who inspire you, motivate you, encourage you, celebrate your achievements, and provide a reciprocal friendship you are investing in your future by surrounding yourself with people who are going to push you to be the best version of yourself.
Examine your inner-circle and see which description they fit. Making the decision to spend time with positive, like-minded, high-vibing people is a decision you are making to ensure you are investing in a more positive future. Choose wisely.
I would LOVE to know what spoke to you today and encourage you to comment below and share with me! If you loved what you read, be sure to subscribe to my blog to be the first to get new posts!
If you are interested in learning more about my therapy services, check out my website HERE. Seeking mental health services can be daunting and if you are finding my posts resonate with you, it is likely you are feeling ready to take that next step to work on leading a happier, healthier life! I would LOVE to support you in starting this journey and welcome you to send me an email at counselingservices@smsteeves.com.
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