We’re in a time where everyone is trying to understand how to love themselves better, how to make themselves better, and how to become the best version of themselves. A good amount of humans are now seeking out new and innovative ways for self-improvement, self-growth, and self-elevation. People are coming to the realization that it is their responsibility to create the life they want, but are missing the mark by not being intentional about how they invest in themselves. Investing in yourself yields limited risks with a great return and it’s one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves.
I haven’t always known the importance of investing in myself. I’ve been unknowingly investing in myself since I graduated undergrad, but it wasn’t until last year that I began to hone down on goals, objectives, and strategies that would allow me to intentionally invest in my future. It actually wasn’t until last year that I came to the realization that I am the most important thing I can put my time towards. Did you catch that? You are the MOST important thing you can put your TIME AND MONEY towards.
Last year my mother asked me why I wasn’t attending APHA’s annual conference. For those of you who do not know, I am a public health professional and student. The annual APHA (American Public Health Association) conference is the largest public health conference and she couldn’t understand why I, a public health professional/student, would not be there. I told her how my coworkers’ request for the team to be sent was not only denied, but that the conference itself was viewed as “a waste of time” by leadership. Her response to me was so powerful. She says, “What’s your point? Send yourself. Your first year you presented, made valuable connections, and was inspired by the work that others are doing in the field.” I complained about how expensive the conference was and she cut me off mid-sentence stating that I can either invest in myself or wait around for others to invest in me. Needless to say, this was my wake-up call. I quickly came to the realization that the saying “ You have to pay the price to be successful” can be just as literal as it sounds.
This is such a funky beat; I love it. Thank you, Mr. Brown.
I’M A BAD MUTHAAAA…
Whatever your life looks like a month from now, a year from now, five years from now, or even tomorrow is largely dependent on what you do to improve yourself each and everyday. It is largely dependent on the types of things you put your time towards, the types of things you spend your money on, the types of people you allow to influence your life, and the types of places and spaces you plant yourself. Without investing in myself, it would be unrealistic for me to think that where I am today would be any different than where I was, at this time, last year. “We cannot become who we are meant to be by being who we’ve always been.” A quote that I’ll stand by on any given day.
When I think of investing in myself I think of it at a micro and macro level. Micro level investments look like self-care days, facials, goal-setting, meditation, exercise, having a healthy relationship with my OB/GYN, routine visits to the doctor/dentist, traveling, writing, reading, etc. Macro level investments look like getting a degree in higher education, attending seminars and workshops, acquiring assets, long-term birth control, learning a new language, starting a blog, relevant certifications, etc. I also like to take a holistic approach when self-investing. Thinking about investing in yourself from a holistic approach means looking at your investment’s from a mental, physical, spiritual, financial, emotional, personal, professional, and/or relational way. What can I do to improve my relationship with God? How can I improve the way I handle my emotions? What can I do to save more money per month? How can I improve my friendships? Where can I secure the bae… I mean bag?
Setting goals for yourself is one of the most important things you can do throughout the year, weeks, months, and days. Not only setting them, but setting out to achieve them as well. Not having goals is like riding a bike with a blindfold on; where are you going and what are you doing? Goal setting is undoubtedly my first step to purposefully investing in myself. If you aren’t familiar with setting intentional goals just ask yourself questions such as, What do I want to achieve? How will I achieve them? And what will I gain from reaching this goal? Make sure they are specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. Ex: I will incorporate 5 minutes of meditation into my morning routine for 7 days or I will attend two professional development workshops before the beginning of summer.
The key to reaching goals is ensuring that you:
Write them down. Visit them often. Accomplish them. Make new ones.
HOW TO INVEST IN YOURSELF
The way we invest in ourselves looks different for everyone, so while I can sit here and say do x, y, and z to invest in yourself it wouldn’t be much help. We all have different techniques to growing ourselves and there is no one size fits all for investing in yourself. However, there are basics:
TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH AND BODY: Nurture your mind and care for your body. Form a healthy relationship with a physician that you trust, feel comfortable talking to, and don’t mind visiting regularly. Make meditation a daily norm. Stop having unprotected sex with any and everyone. Listen to your body when it’s speaking to you (I could be better at this). Find a morning routine that makes you excited about waking up. Exercise regularly. Check your blood pressure – no matter your age.
DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS: Attend seminars and workshops. Visit local conferences. Seek out certifications. Ask for new projects at work. Create new projects for yourself. Learn how to be organized. Work on building your rapport. Make decisions and solve problems. Practice public speaking. Explore your creative side.
EXPAND YOUR MIND: Explore new cultures. Read books. Engage in conversation with people who challenge your thought processes. Listen to different types of music. Travel to new places. Join multicultural organizations. Participate in webinars. Listen to podcasts. Watch educational YouTube videos. Never stop learning. Learn about different religions. Find a mentor.
SECURE THE BAG: Save your money. Buy land. Buy property. Increase your assets. Pay off your debt. Learn about stocks. Create multiple streams of income. Get a part-time job. Get a side hustle. Attend financial literacy workshops.
Bri’s Major Keys to Self-Investment
- Set goals. Achieve goals. Measure results of goal achieved. Make new goals.
- Plan your days and weeks
- Develop a morning routine
- Do not invest in or entertain toxic people
- Have a mentor
- Learn something new everyday
- Practice visiting the doctor’s office regularly
- Eat healthier
- Manage your time – stop procrastinating
- Save your money. Invest your money
- Travel. Spend money on experiences rather than things
- Cultivate meaningful friendships/relationships
- Stay in touch with family and friends
- Challenge yourself to do things that prove difficult
- Never quit anything
- Practice mindfulness
- Always practice gratitude
- Anchor yourself in your spirituality
Remember: Do something today that your future self will thank you for. Investing in yourself is not selfish, it is self love. Invest in yourself so intensely that it makes someone else want to invest in you. Self-investment pays the best interest and has the largest return on investment. Do the work to get the results.
