What Does it Mean to Invest in Yourself?
Anyone else buys things that aren't super necessary but the justification for it is "I'm investing in myself"? Yeah me too. Sometimes we're guilty of getting caught up in materialistic lifestyles that we make this excuse that we're investing in ourselves but what does that really mean and does it pay off?
The most common stigma around "investing in yourself" is money. We think spending money on materialistic things or investing in stocks is investing in yourself. Instead, it's much more than that. It's about being rather than seeing. It's about getting out of your comfort zone and taking steps forward mentally and physically, not remotely.
Before, I believed that the concept of investing in yourself meant buying a nice pair of shoes (for example) to look good and to "fit in with the trend" but eventually I realized, those pair of shoes weren't going to take me as far as investing intangible concepts into my daily life.
Here are my tips to "investing in yourself".
1. Time.
Time is an extremely important factor when it comes to investing in yourself because the hardest thing I've learned in my life is how time slips through your fingertips and you cant get it back!
Take the time to take care of yourself, organize your priorities, and do what’s best for you. Whether that means going to yoga or sitting down at a cafe to strategize and plan your week, do it!
A lot of the time, we also say: "I don't have time for that!" and occasionally that is true. We all have our own agendas but that phrase can also be an excuse because we do have the time, we just choose not to prioritize it; so just make sure you're not letting anything slip through your fingers because of "procrastination" or something along those lines (hehe).
2. Re-evaluate your relationships.
Many people don't think of this when it comes to investing in themselves and because of that, it makes this so much more important! Evaluate your relationships, do they make you happy? Do the people around you encourage you and inspire you? Is someone tearing you down or holding back your productivity? When it comes to investing in yourself, it's important to think about these things. Don't burn bridges, but distance yourself in order to focus on what’s important in the long-term.
3. Prioritize.
This may be a compilation of 1 and 2 but I have not realized how important this word is until the past few weeks! Prioritize yourself, your work, your aspirations. I've caught myself holding back on opportunities because of reasons that honestly, have never been good enough for me not to prioritize certain decisions! For example, I may prioritize going out to lunch with friends rather than attend a networking event. In this scenario, I've missed out on the opportunity, and instead, I could have invited my friends to the networking event with me and have lunch after to maximize my options AND compromise my priorities!
Now, I'm no mastermind or genius who knows it all but these are the best pieces of advice that I can give based on what I've experienced! This is applicable in your daily work life and in your daily academic life!
Investing in yourself is not about buying physical things, or doing things to prove yourself to others. Investing in yourself means that you will make time for yourself, you just have to prioritize yourself and surround yourself with positive energy.
The reason why I chose to write about investing in yourself is that I started to invest in myself recently with time and it has made me significantly happier. Not only that, but I see that the people around me get so caught up in their lives, they forget to invest in themselves. So this is a friendly reminder, that it's okay to put yourself first.
Let me know your thoughts!
xx Fiona