How to Invest In Yourself
When people think about investing, the first things that comes to mind are investments of the financial kind. Financial investments help you build wealth and put the power of compound interest to good use. But investing in yourself is just as important as the financial investments and savings are to your future. While you may not have a column on your net worth calculation of assets for “YOU,” here are some ways you should continuously invest in your most important asset:
Find Ways to De-Stress
Most people live high-stress lifestyles that are taking a toll on our overall health and wellbeing. If you don’t find ways to de-stress on a regular basis, you’re at higher risk for developing diseases or simply not functioning to the best of your potential. Not only do you feel bad when you are overly stressed, but your work suffers and your ability to earn income will eventually suffer. Everyone needs some down time.
Take time to enjoy a hobby. If you can’t think of hobbies you enjoy – it’s been far too long since you have made time for yourself! Hobbies should be activities that have nothing to do with earning money or the responsibilities of life – so make sure you find time for reading for pleasure, hiking through the woods, scrapbooking or crafting or whatever else you enjoy. There is no point to financially investing for your future if you are wound too tight to enjoy or experience the rewards of your investments.
Expand Your Knowledge and Skills
Even if you’ve earned a college degree or gone on to graduate school – it doesn’t mean your time for learning is over. If college isn’t the right fit for you, you should still be looking for ways to expand what you know through lifelong learning opportunities. Read everything you can get your hands on when a topic interests you. Listen to online webinars or go to conferences on subjects you want to learn more about.
Pay particular attention to anything that can be developed as a marketable skillset that will help you get promoted at work, or give you the experience necessary to start your own business. Knowledge is power, and one of the best investments you can make in yourself for both the present and future.
Don’t Put Limitations on Yourself
Probably the best investment you can make in yourself is to remove any limitations you have placed on your abilities. Many people have an opinion of what they are capable of achieving – and what they’re not capable of achieving. The limitations we place on ourselves are usually much lower than what we are physically capable of, but because we are convinced we can only do so much or achieve so much – those limitations and beliefs become our reality. Learn to re-wire your belief system and consciously remove any mental barriers you have for what you can accomplish and see if that doesn’t help you advance in your career or experience greater happiness.
Be Open to Change
People who go into every change in life kicking and screaming are often overlooking the potential for good changes. If you have been working in the same career for years but aren’t moving up the ladder as quickly as you expected, maybe it’s time to reconsider your career and switch to something else? A failed relationship can be heartbreaking, but maybe it was contributing to your inability to move ahead, experience a deeper level of happiness, or succeed in other areas of your life. Be open to change and embrace it for the positivity associated with it. This investment in yourself can give you a whole new outlook on life.
At first glance, it may seem these strategies for investing in yourself have little to do with your finances, but the truth is that investing in yourself will improve your earning potential over time. When people get wrapped up in their financial investments and savings, it is easy to overlook how slight changes to your belief system and in how you care for yourself can go a long way to improving your quality of life.
And once you've mastered investing in yourself, you'll be ready to master the rest of the investing world.
