How to Invest in Yourself as a Woman
Currently, I'm reading the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. My favorite quote from the book is, "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up 37 times better by the time you're done." This hit me hard because 1% is such a small number, but overtime the growth is exponential.
Aiming for growth whether it's personally or professionally is crucial for success. You're essentially choosing a better version of yourself. You're showing up for yourself stronger and wiser. You're uncovering a layer of yourself you didn't know existed. By consistently investing in yourself, you're developing skills that will be beneficial in all aspects of your life.
How to Invest in Yourself as a Woman
For me, it started by hiring a career coach and signing up to two mindset classes taught by my mentor. The reason I chose these steps was because I wanted to advance in my career, that was my priority. After two hard years of dedicated work which included consistent career coaching sessions with my career coach and the two eight-week workshops, I became a published author and wrote my first book, Get Grounded Your Compass Through Transitions and Growth.
By investing in yourself, you are creating new opportunities for yourself, you are allowing positive energy enter your life and you start to see that as long as you stay focused, achieve your goals one small step at a time, you truly can do anything you set your mind to.
You can also invest in yourself by reading more books, networking online or in your community, attending events, joining a particular group - run club, book club, meet-ups, playing a sport, or signing up to a certification program. Take inventory of the different aspects of your life and level-up. If you want aspects of your life to change, which aspect would you change first?
Change can be difficult and hard, but the actionable steps don't have to be. The first step is the hardest. I encourage you to journal and focus on yourself. Ask yourself the difficult questions of: how do you want to shape your life? Who do you most admire and what are their healthy habits? What change(s) do you want to bring into your life? Get raw and vulnerable.
Perhaps, if you're not a fan of journaling, you can dedicate 10-20 mins of your time to visualization. If today was the first day of your life, what would your life look like? Who would be included in your life? Who would you exclude? What activities would you do regularly? Where would you live? What country, state, city? How will you dress? How will you speak?
What Does it Mean to Invest in Yourself
The answer is simple. It means you are choosing YOU! You are investing in yourself and making yourself a priority! With consistent healthy habits you can conquer your goals and achieve great results. At any given point in your life, you have the POWER to change your narrative. You have the POWER to choose a different life. The beauty of investing in yourself is that you can never be over-educated. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Put on your peaky blinders and go after your goals.
How Does Investing in Yourself Impact Your Future
I like to keep things simple. Every quarter I write down three goals I'd like to accomplish. Whether it's learning a new skill, saving money, going to more networking events, reading more books, taking a road trip, setting boundaries, pampering yourself, getting more fit or gaining more muscle, I choose three. From there, I then write my action plan. What actionable steps am I going to take everyday to get me one step closer to my goal?
One of my goals was saving more money. My actionable step was automating my savings plan. From my paycheck, a certain amount was auto-deposited to my savings account. One less transfer I had to complete, one less item on my to-do list. My second goal was reading more books. Everyday I read a minimum of ten pages. This year, I've finished eleven books. That's quite the accomplishment.
Your goals can be intimidating. However, when you begin to break down your goals to small attainable steps, you start to realize the hardest part was choosing your goals to accomplish! If you need help or guidance, take the quiz on my website and see how my book Get Grounded can guide you to a more vibrant YOU. Each chapter builds onto the next chapter and after eight weeks, the goal is for you to live with purpose, invest in yourself, and make yourself a priority. As women, we're constantly facing unique challenges and we often put everyone else in our life ahead of us. It's time you put yourself first and took control of your goals and investments!
Fun fact: Did you know that 86% of women say investing make them powerful? Imagine how powerful you'll feel by investing and investing in yourself! By making yourself a priority and improving your skills, you show up as your best self, put your best foot forward, and you'll notice subtle changes in your attitude.
Why is investing in yourself so important?
By having a growth mindset, you'll begin to have a more vibrant attitude, your energy will shift for the better and you'll live with purpose. This also allows you to learn something new about yourself. You shed a layer of yourself and dig deep. You get comfortable with uncomfortable. You're able to have the difficult conversations and you are equipped to handle challenging situations whether it's with personal relationships or professional relationships. Continue to invest in yourself, choose YOU and live with purpose.