We make investments every day by the choices we make. Investments are “an act of devoting time, effort, or energy to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.” (Thanks Google!) So when you think about where you spend your time, effort, or energy, that is evidence of what you invest in.
For a moment I want you to give yourself time to identify some of the things you find yourself investing in? Make a list if you need to. Write it down.
I’m curious to know what things you came up with. Do you invest in your career? Family? Faith? Working out? Sleep? Netflix? Or my personal favorite, food? (Hey, a girl has got to eat!)
Why do you invest in those things? What do you hope to get in return for your investment? To grow professionally? Income to pay the bills? Close, meaningful relationships? Physical health? Personal enjoyment?
As I type this, I am investing time in writing this blog, because I want to share with you what I found to be the best investment that has the greatest ROI (return on investment) and ROT (return on time). My expectation of a worthwhile result is that you go away with a newfound sense of urgency to invest in this one thing.
And friend, I’m not Yoda. This one took me a while to figure out. But because it is so awesome and important, I want you to know what it is!
Only in the past year did I become more intentional about making this investment. Prior to that, I had been neglecting this aspect of my life and not really investing in it. I was busy. I had other things to do. I was living life at a 100mph of reactivity. I was like a juggler on a tight rope, just trying to keep the balls in the air and catch any extra ones that magically fell from the sky above. I DIDN’T HAVE TIME. Sound familiar?
But when I shifted and prioritized investing in this, everything started to change.
The one thing you should invest in today is YOURSELF.
It’s true. Best darn investment ever!
Now if you’re scratching your head over there asking how do you invest in yourself or what makes that the best investment? Allow me to share a few things with you.
When you intentionally invest in yourself daily, you are committed to growth. I’m a professional counselor by day and the more I learn and grow as a clinician the more I can help others. When I spend time learning things about myself I need to change, the better mother, daughter, and friend I am. Time spent growing in my faith helps connect me to a greater purpose beyond myself, providing clarity and direction. As I invest in what drives my passion, I can create more change in the world around me. When I create time to explore the fears holding me back from my vision, then I can learn to push through them when I experience them.
Other people can invest in us, but ultimately unless we choose to invest in ourselves we can only go so far. We live in a day and age where we can learn just about anything to help us grow and develop. We just have to invest.
So today, I challenge you to think of a worthwhile result you want to have in your life. Get clear on what it is you want for yourself, your family or the world around you. And be intentional about finding time every day to devote to investing in yourself. In my next blog, I’ll discuss the art of being intentional, but until then I just want you to start today. Invest in one of the best things you can invest in, yourself.
BE INSPIRED
What is one thing you can do to invest in yourself today? Comment below.
