10 Ways to Invest in Yourself (I Wish Someone Had Told me Sooner)It’s incredible how many of us forget to include ourselves on our list of priorities. Or, on a list of any kind for that matter. And then, at some point, we realize we don’t even really know-how. Invest In Yourself TodayIt’s incredible how many of us forget to include ourselves on our list of priorities. Or, on a list of any kind for that matter. And then, at some point, we realize we don’t even really know how. Or we’re too afraid of facing the hard truth that the distance between who we are and who we want to be, has gotten pretty large. Or we don’t even really know who we want to be. Or, we don’t really understand who we CAN be. What does investing in yourself even mean?Excuses aside, choosing to devote time, energy, and resources to yourself can seem well…scary. It certainly did not come intuitively to me. As mentioned, I personally have only recently really started walking the talk. Or even reading about the walking and the talking. It wasn’t until I fully grasped the notion that “investing in yourself” is really only about you choosing yourself. On betting on your ability to create a badass future for you, and for all those who choose to be empowered by you. This has changed the game for me. Game. Changer. It is not about being selfish (ps. It’s ok to be selfish sometimes), it’s about showing up for yourself and the world. Becoming 2.0 version of yourself will only make the people around you better too. So basically, it’s selfish for you to not take the time and energy to focus on you right now. So, stop being so selfish, would you? If you need further pep-talking, you can find one here. I’m serious. It will be the most rewarding and valuable investment you ever make. It might involve waving bye-bye to some parts of you that aren’t serving you anymore but I pinkie promise that you will not regret it. It doesn’t need to cost a lot of (or any) money, and it doesn’t take as much time out of your day as you think. It sounds really dramatic but it really just starts in your everyday ordinary decisions. You can commit as little or as much as you want. The little victories matter big time, and anything will move you further forward than you are now. Will it be uncomfortable at times? Yes. Fact. Most worthwhile things are a little terrifying at first. That’s what growth feels like, apparently. Who knew? How it looks to you is going to be an extremely personal journey. No two people need exactly the same things to become their most badass selves. But, these are the concepts and tools that have helped me progress and are continuing to push me to be a version of myself I didn’t even believe could exist. Personal Development: Get Real With Yourself1. Set Goals: To Infinity and Beyond! One of the greatest gifts you’ll ever give yourself is deciding what the vision you have for your life looks like. This was very hard for me. I had never really sat down and truly thought about what I wanted for my life in the long run. “Go with the flow” was my favourite saying. I’ve discovered it was ultimately just my invisibility cloak for fear of failure and blah blah blah. It took some coaxing for me to really allow myself to visualize where I wanted to be 1, 5, 10 years from now. Where I want to live, what my house looks like, what type of people I surround myself with, what I do for a living, and so on and so forth. It shocked me that when I really got down to it, I actually had some pretty specific ideas about my vision. I bet you’ll be shocked too. Once you’ve figured out where you want to be, what you want to achieve, and what you want to be doing 1,5, or 10 years from now, work backwards from there and set actionable and measurable goals for yourself. They can be personal, professional, mythical, whatever. Goal set to your heart's content. Check-in with those goals regularly. Shift them and shape them as you evolve and as your vision for you, life evolves. Remind yourself what you’re working towards monthly, weekly, daily. Whatever it takes. Tools that helped me:
2. Find a Mentor: This one can be challenging for so many reasons, and it hung over my head for a long time as a very daunting task. Where do you even find a mentor? If you do, how do you ask them? Do you pay them? If you are fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to find and connect with someone who you feel is a good fit for you and your goals, that is amazing! If you feel as though you don’t even know where to start, that’s ok too! I had absolutely no idea where to even begin with finding or picking a mentor. There are so many things you can do in the interim, or in search of a mentor:
Technology makes it so freaking easy to have mentors in your life. So, if you want to ease into the concept or narrow down what kind of mentor will suit you.
Video not your thing? That’s cool.
3. Quiet Time: Just Shush This one is a no-brainer for me. I DARE you to interrupt my morning quiet time. Introverts Unite! That is why I know how valuable it is. Setting time aside in your routine EVERY DAY just for you and your thoughts will change your entire perspective. Take the time to check in with yourself and connect with how you are feeling. Your intuition is trying to talk to you. Hello out there! You listening? But, most often our lives are too loud to hear it or we’re just not ready to listen. It’s amazing the things you will create from this place. Throw in a social media detox and you won’t even know what to do with all the ideas that will be swimming around your brain. My favorite quiet time activities include:
Feed your brain: Brain Power, Baby! Now that you have your goals sketched out, I bet you’ve realized you have some things to learn. And by no means does that mean you have to go back to school. Although, there are amazing options for online continuing education these days if that’s your thing. Education comes in all shapes and sizes. 4. Read: Books Are Your Friends  The most successful people in the world read. A lot. And there’s a reason. Find the time to absorb a new perspective. Whether it be a point of view you’d never considered or a point of view that is completely relatable. I cannot tell you the number of times a book has changed my life and the way I view the world around me. Seriously. Authors write their books from their place of genius in the hopes that it will guide the reader in some way (and make money obviously). So, pick someone you admire and read their biography. I bet they’ve been through more than you think to get where they are today. What’s stopping you from doing the same? Read about the industry you want to be in, or the country you want to live in. Read about setting goals. Just read. Don’t forget to also read for fun. Getting your imagination muscles working is just as important for your life, creativity, and career as learning practical skills. Sometimes, even more so. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” — ALBERT EINSTEIN In today’s day and age you can buy, rent, or lease a book in an auditory, electronic or physical capacity. There is no excuse.
5. New Skills: Acquire Yourself Some Now that you’ve read your way through the lives of all your favorite people, time to gather the skills needed to build your dream life. Or just learn something new for fun.
 There are endless upon endless opportunities to learn new skills these days, and I have used an overwhelming amount of them. All of this new information, all your new ideas, and all your new skills are going to skyrocket your confidence. Which will, in turn, make you a more badass human being. The true force to be reckoned with you were born to be. Health: Your Body is a Magical Wonderland!6. Diet: Eat your greens, kids! I’m not going to harp on this too much because there is no way you don’t know the positive effects of a healthy diet at this point. You are just choosing to ignore it. I see you over there with your Cheez-Its! Share! In all seriousness, I know how daunting it can be to start cooking healthy for yourself at first but there are so many resources out there to help you. Just start slow and please do not be too hard on yourself. My personal favorites:
7. Exercise: Now Move Your Butt!  This one gets me all riled up! Get off your butt and go for a walk. I dare you to find me one human that has said: “I regret going for that walk”. Fresh air will refresh you, and knowing you are doing something good for yourself will lighten your mood. Want to ease into the leaving-the-house notion? When I’m not getting my butt moving minutes outdoors I’m using apps like:
There is something for every level of fitness, and every type of exercise. The only thing stopping you is yourself. So, take five minutes to do mobility exercises from your office chair (your back and neck will thank you) and deduct 30 minutes from somewhere else in your day a few times a week to devote to moving that wonderful body that carries you around this world. 8. Sleep: PLEASEEEEEE. For YEARS my sleep pattern was horrendous and I didn’t really have an idea of how much it was affecting me until I fixed it. Ok, I got a puppy who doesn’t let me sleep past 5 am. But whatever works for you! Sayings like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” should not be taken seriously and are ultimately just bullshit. Getting enough sleep is so incredibly beneficial for your mental and physical health. It is a brain, attitude, and body fixer upper. A well rested human will be healthier, more productive, and let’s get real just more pleasant to be around. If you struggle to sleep:
Boundary Expansion: Get Out of Your Bubble Time9. EXPERIENCES: Living your best life sometimes involves leaving your house “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” — PAULO COEHLO It’s an oldie but goodie: spend your money on memories, not things. It can’t really be quantified but doing new things is going to expand your mind and present you with perspectives you may not have considered before. You might even find yourself passionate about something unexpected. Oh ya, you’ll have a lot of fun too. Let’s get something straight though, curating “experiences” does not have to mean grand gestures and extravagant getaways (unless that’s what you want it to mean of course). It only refers to doing something that you may not do on a regular basis, something that pushes the boundaries of your comfort zone. Even if it’s just by a little bit. Here are a few of my favorite experience collecting activities:
Get out of the house would ya?! Talking to myself over here. You’ll find yourself becoming a happier and more fulfilled person with every experience gained. I promise. 10. Relationships: Living your best life sometimes involves other humans Apparently, we are the average of the five people closest to us. Ummmm, there was a time in my life where this fact would have been alarming. It takes time to decide what types of people you want to surround yourself with but once you do, you will truly appreciate what a gift it is to be surrounded by people who will regularly push you to be a higher-level version of yourself. They will also push you to do things you never thought you could do because they see the best in you when you don’t see it in yourself. And, they don’t take your shit. So, do yourself a favor and be selective. It’s ok if you aren’t friends with everyone. I promise you’ll feel way more connected if you choose quality over quantity in this department (talking from experience here, my dear). So find people who are whatever you want to be more of. “We pick up habits from the people around us...Surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to have yourself. You’ll rise together.” — JAMES CLEAR (ATOMIC HABITS) For me, it’s important that I surround myself with open-minded, positive, ambitious people, who are working towards being the best version of themselves. For you, it could be completely different. The word networking stimulates large quantities of anxiety for me. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. But be brave. Go to seminars, join a group coaching program, even just find a Facebook group in your field to join and put yourself out there. Over time you’ll be shocked at the roster of people that will be there to support you in whatever you do. They will help you grow, and you will sincerely enjoy your time with them. Invest your time and energy into these relationships and make time to maintain the wonderful relationships in your life now. Pep Talk timeFor me, the reluctance to invest in myself stemmed from not feeling confident in putting myself out there and feeling like I wouldn’t have anything to offer once I did. But it turns out fear isn’t a good enough excuse. “Failure can become our most powerful path to learning if we’re willing to choose courage over comfort.” — BRENÉ BROWN Don’t fear failure. Choose to look at is as an essential step in your growth to full-blown badassery. You have no idea what you’re capable of! Hint: It’s a lot. And remember,
Life is yours to create, so write the story of your damn dreams.
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