Investing in ourselves is often a practice we forget. We're busy taking care of others, with our work and social life which makes it easy to forget to invest in yourself. In this blog post, I'm going to explain why it is important and how you can successfully invest in yourself too.
If I would ask you what the best investment would be for your future, you may think about retirement savings or any other financial savings. You may think working more and harder is a good investment. And yes, these things are obviously very important but the most important and best investment is in yourself. Without investing in yourself you are really not helping the other two for the better.
Let that sink in. You're the most important when it comes to putting your health first. However, you might recognize that you place yourself last on the list when it comes to investing time, money, and resources. But when it comes to others, you might be the first to help.
"Investing in your self is not selfish. In fact, by helping make your life better, you will by default make the lives better of everyone else around you."
So why is investing in yourself so important? Think about it, besides you being the person you have to spend the most time with, you are also the best example of seeing an immediate return on investment. When you put your wellness first, over time you have more energy to increase your productivity and less chance to burn yourself out. You are able to add more value to others as you invested first in yourself.
10 Ways To Successfully Invest In Yourself
1. Find out what you really love
I'm talking about jobs but hobbies are just as important. Find something you really enjoy doing! Don't settle for a job you don't like, you deserve more than that. Find what you like and don't like about your current job, or maybe you know what you want deep down in your heart already, and make a change. You have to work such a huge part of your life, make sure you at least enjoy it 80% of the time.
2. Follow your dreams/passions
This one sounds cheesy but I really believe in it. The best investment you can make is by following your dreams because it's something that you know will make you happy. For example, my dream is to make this my full-time job and even though it's maybe going to be a tough journey, I at least want to try. I rather fail but know I tried than regret my whole life that I didn't try.
3. Take time for self-care
Taking care of yourself is so important. If you don't take the time to properly take care of yourself by not giving yourself a break, are always in a rush, have no time to be with yourself, and do whatever you like to do, you won't be able to fully recharge. A low battery isn't going to get you anywhere. This is one of the best investments you can make: taking the time for self-care!
4. Don't forget to love yourself
Something I struggle with this big time is loving myself. For some reason, I prefer negative self-talk and pushing myself over my boundaries. I'm working on this and I suggest, if you recognize this, to also do this! Being more kind to yourself, towards your own learning curve and health is going to bring you confidence and less negativity in your life. That's what we need!
5. Treat yourself
This could be anything: reading a book, drinking a coffee in your favorite coffee shop, a night with wine and series, or buying an eyeshadow palette. It doesn't matter, as long as you see and feel it as treating yourself.
6. Do the courses you've been wanting too
You might have been wanting to take a course on Pinterest if you're a fellow blogger or an administration course since you have no clue where to start. It doesn't matter what your motivation is if you've been wanting to do a course: just do it! This is such a good way to invest in yourself and see the benefits very quickly.
7. Learn new things
This is similar to doing a course since you'll learn new things there as well. But you might want to learn new things hobby-wise as well. Maybe you want to learn how to play the piano or how to use Photoshop to edit your photos. Learning new things is good for the brain (they love to learn new things!) and could potentially help you with finding a new hobby or job!
8. Your health is important
If you need a break, take it. If you haven't been feeling well lately, see a doctor. You have only one body and mind, you better take care of it properly. Also, invest in good & healthy food instead of junk food. Give yourself the proper amount of sleep you need and make sure to fit in a workout (going for a walk counts too!).
9. Learn to save money
I mean, we all know that this is important. However, it isn't always as easy. I personally am a champion of spending money on makeup & skincare. But, even if you're saving only $10 a month, it's so important to save money. If you're like me and like to spend way too much money, don't be afraid to ask for help. This could be your parents, friends, or professionals. Having someone to hold you accountable could be a life-changer already. If you're really bad with money, I would definitely say it's better to ask a professional.
10. Set goals and boundaries
Taking the time to write down what you really want to achieve in life is a great investment. This is going to motivate you and you'll have a clear vision of what you want to reach in a certain amount of time. You can set big goals and divide them into smaller goals that are achievable quickly if you would like this.
However, set boundaries as well. If you're someone who tends to do way too much work because you can't say no, it's better for your own health to start working on letting people know what your boundaries are. This also is important to do with friends and family. Don't let toxic people ruin your health.
