I’m a big fan of investing. Investing in individual stocks, investing in mutual funds, investing in index funds, investing in your retirement plan, etc. But one of the most important things you can do is invest in yourself. What does this mean exactly?
Investing in yourself doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with making more money. Instead, it means spending money on yourself to better yourself. Investing in yourself can look very different for different people, but here are some ideas for how to invest in yourself and the returns you can expect to see.
Take a Course
Whether you have a high school diploma, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or even a PhD, taking a course can be a great way to invest in yourself. Maybe you’re in a job where getting a master’s degree means more job opportunities and a higher salary. Maybe you want to make a career change because you’re unhappy with what you’re currently doing. Maybe you have always wanted to learn more about a specific subject unrelated to what you’re doing for work. Maybe you’re interested in learning how to cook. Whatever it is, taking a course (or two or three) to further your knowledge is a great way to invest in yourself.
What’s even better is that there are loads of free courses available online for you to take advantage of. For example, I enrolled in The Science of Well-Being for free this past Spring on Coursera, which was taught by Laurie Santos, a professor at Yale University. The course was to help you realize what drives your happiness and well-being, which was a great thing to learn about in the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was on lockdown.
Ask for a Raise
If you know you are making a huge difference at work, you’ve been busting your butt, you’re a hard worker, you’re irreplaceable or close to it, you deserve a raise. Unfortunately, oftentimes companies won’t just give you a raise or even start the conversation about how you feel about your compensation. Therefore, if you think you deserve a raise, you need to be assertive and ask for it yourself; just be sure to make a good case, making it hard for them to turn you down.
Start a Business
If you’ve been mulling over an idea for a business, but have been too afraid to pursue it, just do it! You will never regret trying, but you may regret the opposite.
It can be scary to take the plunge when beginning a new venture, so do it the best way for yourself. Depending on your situation, you may find it best to start a new business as a side hustle to your full-time job. Or maybe you’ve got enough money saved up that you can go all in on your new business and quit your full-time job. Or maybe you’re currently unemployed and ready to get back into the workforce by starting your own business. Whatever the case is, believing in yourself is the first step to starting a business!
Pursue a Job That’s Makes You Happy
If you hate what you are doing for a living, why are you still doing it? Another great way to invest in yourself is choosing what to do something for work that you actually enjoy. Money is great, but if you are miserable at your job every single day, I personally don’t think it’s worth the mental toll that it takes on you. I left a job at a Fortune 100 company back in 2015 to go work for a not-for-profit. That switch cost me a $5,000 pay cut. However, it was so worth it because I was much happier.
Now, I’m a stay-at-home mom, which in case you didn’t know, doesn’t pay a salary haha. But it was the best choice for me and my family and it brings me much more joy than a paying job ever could. Pursue what you love and you will be much happier than choosing a job based on how much it pays.
Go to The Doctor
Taking care of yourself is the number one way to invest in yourself. This means taking care of your health. Make sure you keep up with annual doctor’s appointments and visit the doctor if you’re having any ailments of any sort. I know I’m guilty of putting doctor’s appointments off, but I always feel so much better after I finally go, especially when I’m able to confirm that I am healthy. And if you’re worried about the financial aspect of doctor’s appointments, either because you have a co-pay or don’t want to dip into your HSA, just remember that health is always worth every penny spent.
Eat Healthy
This is not a matter of judgement of anyone’s diet, but eating healthy is so important. I’m a big fan of everything in moderation, so eating healthy does not have to mean never indulging. Eating healthy means making sure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to not only survive, but thrive. Your diet impacts so much more than your physical appearance. What you eat can make you have more energy and help you avoid illnesses, as well. As someone living with ulcerative colitis, diet is extremely important for me to avoid flare ups.
Healthier foods can be more expensive, but they are absolutely worth the cost. When buying all natural or fresh items, looks for sales, buying in bulk or shopping at discounted stores like Aldi.
Get Exercise
Exercise has so many positive impacts on both your body and your mind. Exercise can reduce your risk of developing certain diseases, help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your mental health, lead you to be more productive, make your body feel less achy and tight, increases energy level and so much more. The good news about exercise is it doesn’t have to cost you anything, either. There are plenty of free resources online and walking/jogging/running outside costs nothing. However, if you need the motivation of a gym or prefer specific workout plans or methods, don’t feel guilty paying for these things. Look at it as an investment in yourself.
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Mental health is so, so important. When your mind is not in the right place, it is much harder to live up to your full potential, be it at work or at home. Taking care of mental health looks different for everyone. For some people it looks like vegging out on the couch and binging Netflix every night to unwind, for others it looks like exercising every day and for others it may look like seeing a therapist once a week. Whatever the case is, mental health is just as important (if not even more important) than physical health, so whatever it costs you, it is so worth it to make sure you are taking care of your mental health.
