“There is no more profitable investment than investing in yourself.” – Roy T. Bennett
When we think of investment, it’s possible that our minds immediately travel to money. However, investing in yourself goes beyond acquiring stakes and bonds. It is defined as the act of putting in time, energy, and money to improve yourself and your future life. When you prioritize self-improvement, various aspects of your life will experience a positive domino effect. Through actions that shape you into a happy, peaceful, wise, and successful person, you are able to take an active role in shaping your future and building the life you desire.
What Does Investing In Yourself Entail?
The same principles that investors use to build wealth can be applied to enriching the various aspects of your life. Even though you may not see immediate returns, investing in yourself can greatly impact your life over time. You can do this in various ways, from honing your skills to building healthy habits.
How You Can Invest In Yourself
There is no right, or one-size-fits-all method to investing in yourself. However, below are a few methods you can begin by implementing:
1. Prioritizing your financial wellbeing
Financial stress can show up in many different ways. In general, it is any stress you feel due to a financial situation. It can be quite detrimental to your overall health. One way you can prioritize this is by creating a budget that can create a sense of security and lower financial stress.
A budget not only helps you understand your finances but also helps you take control of them. Also, budgeting helps you effectively manage debt, another source of stress that holds you back from reaching your life goals.
2. Get enough quality sleep every night
Sleep deficiency has been linked to numerous chronic health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. With about 35% of adults in the United States not getting enough sleep, this needs to be prioritized. While sleep needs may vary from person to person, the average adult needs about 7–9 hours per night.
To aid this, invest in a good mattress, as research suggests that sleeping on a comfortable mattress promotes quality sleep, spinal alignment, and comfort. Also, prioritize good bedding. You spend about one-third of your life in bed, so you want to ensure that your bedding isn’t just comfortable, but also safe for your overall health.
3. Invest in your healthcare
It is important that you take care of your body because this enables your body to take care of you. Not everyone can afford health insurance, but there are changes you can incorporate into your daily life to ensure your health is a priority. These include:
- Conducting health tests to boost your longevity
- Cutting back on alcohol consumption
- Enrich your diet with nutrient-rich foods
- Exercising
- Cutting back on sugar
Incorporating these changes can yield long-term health benefits, from lowering your risk of degenerative diseases such as chronic kidney disease, to aiding your mental well-being by releasing endorphins. Remember to make these adjustments according to your individual body requirements, as the goal is to gradually improve your overall well-being, not leave it at a deficit.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
4. Travel
While traveling is typically viewed as an expensive leisure activity, it’s way more than that. You’re spending money on a positive, fulfilling experience, as opposed to things. Not only does traveling broaden your perspective of the world and life in general, but it also opens you up to more experiences.
It allows you to disconnect and step out of your typical routine, which can be a source of inspiration. Not only this, but vacationing has been shown to carry health benefits, including a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, burnout, and lowering depression risk.
5. Prioritize self-care
Investing in yourself entails taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, as they are all interconnected. Self-care is an incredible way to achieve this. Defined as anything you do to take care of yourself to ensure well-being across all spheres, self-care can take on various forms.
You can begin by prioritizing one day a week to recharge, such as doing Reiki for a Sunday reset. Alternatively, you can implement small changes into your everyday life. These can include diffusing essential oils in your home, adding them to your baths, and even getting house plants (like the quicksand rose bush or snake plant) based on your individual needs.
6. Education
We never stop learning, no matter how old we get. A great way to ensure that you’re in tip-top shape intellectually is to invest in your education. If you’re not able to go to university due to financial or scheduling reasons, you can always opt for online courses.
Google and LinkedIn offer a wide range of online courses that can help boost your personal and professional well-being and opportunities. This also helps keep your mind busy and engaged, which can help prevent age-related cognitive diseases
Invest With What Matters To You
It is important to note that these aren’t the only ways you can invest in yourself. Ultimately, this is individualized and dependent on your individual beliefs, values, and goals. The premise is to do something that will benefit you, and your overall health and well-being in the long run.
