Investing in yourself is the best money you'll spend.

I used to think it was a lame marketing ploy every time I saw a flier for a wellness event with the cost labeled as an “investment”, now I totally agree.

I thought it was a lame marketing ploy every time I saw a flier for a wellness event with the cost labeled as an “investment”.

It doesn’t mean that I never spent the money, I just typically did so while thinking: 

Do people really fall for that? 

Does that actually make anyone feel better about spending the money? 

I don’t care what you call it, it’s still money leaving my pocket. 

Very rarely, if ever, did I think about what I was getting in return. 

As I’ve shared before, when I was growing up a scarcity mindset dominated.

I watched my parents, my mom in-particular, put everyone’s needs ahead of themselves–material or otherwise. I wish my mom had more time to see the value in shifting this behavior. I wish she knew that while on the surface it may seem a selfish act, it actually is far from it. 

Even as my mom grew sicker and could only communicate via writing on these boards, she was uncomfortable with having more than 1 because of the expense. I thought buying a 3 pack on Amazon for $8.99 was a good investment because she would always be able to have one within reach. Finding this picture put a smile on my face. Thanks for calling me “wise and good” mom! Also, sorry I couldn’t find the Cheez-It puffs for you that day.

The concept of “investing in yourself” isn’t new to me, but my commitment to practicing it is.

As easy as making this choice might seem, instituting it is a whole other beast. The first voice I hear when I am about to make an investment is that of my inner critic:

Do you really need to spend this money on that? What’s wrong with what you have? 

Are you going to actually use this? It won’t make your life better, you’re just telling yourself that to justify spending the money. 

You have real adult bills to pay now. Your safety net isn’t large enough to make this purchase. If something happens and you need this money, you’re really going to regret it. 

That voice is LOUD, powerful and convincing, but usually not very helpful.

It’s important to note, that while I am focusing solely on monetary investments in this newsletter, they aren’t the only type.

You can examine where you are spending your time and energy and decide to reallocate some of those funds. Personally, the financial investments are the ones I struggle with the most. 

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I want to share some of my recent investments.

They tend to be pretty mundane and boring. Although as I’ve realized the benefit of this practice, there’s been an increase in more unorthodox purchases. Some people might find some of them ridiculous or silly, but I am proud. They all required turning down the volume of my inner critic and prioritizing myself. I hope that by sharing this, those who find themselves with a similar mindset, may consider challenging it.

Lastly, despite my insecurities screaming, “NO. NO. NO. BAD IDEA. JUDGY HUMANS AHEAD”, I am also including the prices. 

Why? Because: 

1. I have no control over what people think. 

2. People, women in particular, need to have more conversations about money.

3. It shows that benefits aren’t necessarily connected to price. 

4. Regardless of the reaction of others, I am confident in every single purchase.

(please remind me of this list if you stumble upon me in the midst of a vulnerability hangover)

I did a terrible job of encapsulating this in my image, but here’s what I’ve learned so far about investing in myself:

1. It actually benefits other people. If I am happier, feel more secure, or am well-nourished, every single human I come into contact with will reap the benefits.

2. I actually save money. When I run purchases through the filter of, “what return am I going to get on this investment”, I tend to make better choices and honestly buy less crap, because instead I’m buying more meaningful things.

3. Thinking of how I spend my money, time and energy moves me closer to my values. I invested a lot of time and energy into writing this newsletter, but I value being authentic, self-aware and a contributor so it was much better than scrolling Instagram or watching Netflix.

4. Sometimes the benefits will be short-lived, and other times they will create a ripple effect for years to come.

Whew! That was a fun one to write. I have a lot of thoughts on this topic, and didn’t know until I started to type. I have a feeling you’ll be hearing more at some point.

Until then, I am SUPER curious to hear your thoughts on the polls, or even better-leave a comment!

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Are you enjoying what you are reading? Have ideas for what you’d like to see more or less of? Want to chat? Reach out.

My journal, Lessons from Nature is now out. You can find it here.