Invest in Yourself

Kekich Credo #93 - The best investment you will ever make is your steady increase of knowledge. Invest in yourself. Thirty minutes of study per day eventually makes you an expert in any subject – but only if you apply that knowledge. Study alone is no substitute for experience. Education is always painfully slow.

Invest in yourself. Investing in yourself is the practice of making yourself into a more experienced, well-rounded person. This may include reading more or taking a class. You will be spending your time doing things in order to learn, grow and create value. Investing in yourself means you believe that you are capable of more than what you are currently doing. Besides being equipped with new knowledge and skills, investing in yourself will boost your confidence in your own abilities and positively impact your self-esteem. By focusing on your personal development, it will help you get to know yourself better.  

Here are some ways you can invest in yourself. 

1. 1. Embrace lifelong learning. You can build your skill set and feed your passions with lifelong learning. There is still so much to learn in this world and there are many ways to access new information.

   2. Prioirize your mental health. Check in with yourself regularly to manage stress levels and prevent burnout. Give yourself permission to make mistakes, take a break and set boundaries.  

• Set goals. Divide your long-range goals into obtainable short-term goals and celebrate the little wins you achieve even if you don’t accomplish all of them.

• Find a mentor. Having a friend to talk to can help you get closer to reaching your goals and it makes you accountable to someone.

• Start a journal.  A journal is a safe space to reflect, plan, visualize and forgive.  Benefits of journaling include managing stress, identifying issues, and solving problems.

• Practice gratitude.  Use your journal to keep track of the things you are thankful for. Practicing gratitude helps you gain perspective.  Cultivate gratitude for at least one person or thing each week.  This will help keep you motivated.

1. 1. Break a bad habit.  What bad habit do you have that you keep telling yourself you should stop? Whether it is not getting enough exercise, smoking, spending too much time on a device, … you know you have one.  We all do!  Make a list in your journal of all the reasons why you want to break this habit and all the steps you are going to take to finally be rid of it (like replacing the negative habit with a positive one). It will take time and perseverance, but just think about how good you will feel once you have conquered it.

• Get organized.  Do you know where your important papers are?  Take some time to establish an effective organizational system for your finances, office, house, etc. Everything should have a place, so you are not running around your house looking for everything at the last minute.  

• Procrastinate Less. Make a list of all the things you have been procrastinating about starting or completing and then make a plan to get them done. Start with the easier tasks first and then tackle the harder ones.  It will feel good ticking tasks off your to-do list!

1. 1.  Declutter.  Cut out the clutter in your life.  What are all the things in your life that no longer serve you or that bring you down.  Go through all the social media accounts that you follow and pare them down to only the ones that inspire you, make you laugh, and educate you.  Fill your feeds with positivity and authenticity.  Do the same with the people, items, food and habits in your life to brighten and lighten your life.

• Create a Budget. If you don’t know where to begin, start tracking your finances for a month in a diary.  List your expenses and then develop a budget that is both attainable and will help you reach your financial goals. There are lots of free resources to help you start. 

•  Set Boundaries.  In your journal, write down all the things you wish you could have said no to last week and why you didn’t.  Next, practice saying no.  If something truly doesn’t interest you or align with your values and goals, make a commitment to decline.  Protect your time, energy, and money by only saying yes to the people and things that make you happy.

This is quite a long list and can feel overwhelming but pick one and get started.  Since there are twelve ideas here, maybe pick a new one each month. In one year you will be amazed at how much progress you have made.  Remember you learn best by doing so make sure you apply all the knowledge you have learned as you invest in yourself.

# living life abundantly    # published author    # travelling tuesdays