5 Ways To Invest In Yourself In 2019

For the last few years, I’ve been half-ass investing in myself. I hate that term but it’s really the only one that fits here. I’ve spent a lot of money trying to better myself, learn more, and just generally trying to live a more fulfilling life. The money was well spent on some things, but I also wasted a good amount of money on things I thought I needed but in reality, could have gone without.

I think a lot of us invest a lot of time in pleasing other people. Whether it’s a friend, significant other, a co-worker or family member, we always seem to find the time to help someone else or put effort into those relationships. In reality, we should be investing in ourselves first. Finding out what makes us happy and fulfills us in life is really what matters at the end of the day. Because, if we’re not happy with where we’re at, how can we truly give 100% to anything?

This has been something I’ve thought more about the last couple years but now I’m trying to make it a priority. You don’t need to spend a fortune or have an extravagant plan. Here are a few simple ways to invest in yourself:

1. Focus on your health. I’m a literal fraud in saying this because I haven’t been doing it. Full-disclosure, I currently don’t have a legitimate health insurance plan and I haven’t been to the dentist in a long time. I drink one, two, or three glasses of wine too many on more occasions than I care to admit and my gym membership sometimes goes un-used for weeks (months) at a time. That being said, I’ve been trying to make my health a priority: mental, physical and emotional.
2. Make yourself and your goals a priority. This sort of aligns with the previous but I think it’s important. I don’t know who originally said this, it was probably Oprah, Chingy or maybe Barbara Walters, but they say you “make time for what matters to you”. This statement has always irritated me because I’ve always played the victim and made excuses for simply not having the time. In reality, I do have the time. I’ve watched the entire Game of Thrones series three times. THREE. Two of those times could have been spent doing far more productive things. My point is, making time for achieving your goals should be non-negotiable.
3. Take a class. Fun fact: I got a break on my taxes this year for having a lifetime learning credit. It was only $10 but hey, that’s $10 I didn’t have before. I’m a firm believer that everyone should constantly be learning. Whether it’s cooking, gardening, physics, geography, you name it, just learn something.
4. Find therapy. This doesn’t have to mean sitting on a couch in a room once a week talking about your feelings. I mean, find something that you genuinely enjoy that clears your mind and lets you breathe. Maybe it’s running, maybe it’s yoga, maybe it’s indulging in hours of Netflix. Do you. But, you need to find that thing that makes you feel good.
5. Travel. I’ve never regretted traveling. Regardless of the reason, getting out and going somewhere else has always been rewarding. You learn something new about yourself and the world every time you travel. To be the most annoying person, “you may regret spending money on that pair of shoes, but you won’t regret spending money on a new experience.” But, as annoying and cliche as that statement is, it’s true.