4 Best Ways to Invest in Yourself: Learn, Grow, and Thrive

To thrive as a human being, you need to find and apply the best ways to invest in yourself.

You may think that the word investment only applies to the subject of finance. But you can invest in various areas of your life too, such as your relationships, education, physical and health, as well as personal growth. Improving the quality of your life goes way beyond growing your monetary wealth. Health, happiness, and fulfillment should be a priority if you want to succeed in the long term. Let’s explore the importance of investing in yourself to grow holistically.

4 Best Ways to Invest in Yourself

Investing in yourself is like putting money in a business or the stock market. You must have the intention to grow your capital, but this can be your relational capital, emotional capital, or health capital. This includes increasing your knowledge, mastering new skills, and improving your level of well-being. Continuing with the financial analogy, let’s explore the areas that will give you the most leverage.

1. Invest in Your Health

Health should be at the top of the list of things to invest in. After all, if you’re sick, you won’t be able to enjoy the great things life has to offer. When you treat your body like a temple, you feel better mentally and physically, leading you to perform better professionally and personally. So how can you invest in your health? Here are a few suggestions:

Purchase Healthy Foods

By eating nutritious meals, you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to function properly. Though organic foods are often more expensive than their processed counterparts, think of them as an investment in your health that may help avoid costly medical bills down the road. You can use healthy meal delivery services, order healthy stuff in bulk to make it more affordable, and venture into the farmer’s market to get locally grown goodies. Fresh produce can be expensive, but your health it’s priceless. Herbal teas also offer a lot of physical and mental health benefits, improving your focus and helping you fall asleep.

Invest in Your Exercise Routine

Staying active improves your overall fitness, gives you lots more energy to pursue your goals, and reduces levels of stress and anxiety. It also releases endorphins that make you feel happier. Just 180 minutes a week (around 30 minutes a day) of moderate to vigorous exercise can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular disease. It can also bolster cognitive health. Any workout you can integrate into your weekly routine will be beneficial. This may include walking, cycling, swimming, hiking, weightlifting, yoga, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Develop a daily exercise habit or routine to help you stay on track and enjoy your fitness journey. You can invest in an exercise bike, fitness tracker, back massager, or other types of equipment.

Get Enough Sleep

Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night to heal and replenish their bodily dopamine reserves. If you find yourself constantly exhausted, try going to bed earlier or taking a nap during the day. Taking care of yourself requires time and effort, but it’s worth it in the long run! Integrative physician Frank ­Lipman, MD, author of “How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life” says: “Lack of sleep can make you fatter, biologically older, and more at risk for heart disease and diabetes.” It can also leave you wired for stress, with a nervous system primed for fight-or-flight reactions to everyday challenges. Committing to adequate sleep is one of the best health investments you can make.

Hydrate

Drinking water is a basic healthcare routine that everyone should adhere to. Hydration helps the heart pump blood to the muscles, facilitates healthy bowel function, and nourishes cells. Aim to drink as much as half your body weight of water in ounces throughout the day. This means if you’re 160 pounds, try to consume at least 80 ounces of water each day. Ideally, drink from a filtered source to avoid any contaminants in your tap water. A great water filter is yet another investment that will pay dividends for years to come.

Seek a Health or Nutrition Coach

Most health coaches are adept in behavioral change science. Whether your goal is adjusting your diet, moving more, or improving your mental well-being, a coach can help you develop skills and achieve the successes you can build on. Nutrition coaches can also pinpoint specific dietary issues and help create a food plan designed to support your particular needs. You’ll set yourself up for a lifetime of good health and happiness by making significant changes.

2. Invest in Your Education

Investing in your education will lead to significant improvements in your life, career, and mental performance. Whether you’re taking courses online or attending classes in an academic institution, investing in your education will benefit you tremendously. Not only will you gain valuable knowledge and marketable skill sets, but you will also boost your value in the job market. Focusing on skill development can also help fine-tune your entrepreneurial aspirations, thus increasing your earning potential in the future. Here are some of the most important things you can gain from investing in education:

A Structured Way to Learn and Prepare You for Your Aspired Career

Most educational institutions worth your attention use curricula designed by experts with lots of practical knowledge. So, what you’ll learn has been time-tested and well-researched and has real-world application. Every college curriculum includes all the major subjects in your dream profession. Quality courses are also arranged progressively, so you will not miss out on the fundamentals. For example, if you take up architecture, you will get subjects that range from basic house design to advanced physics in progressive order.

Learn from Experts in Your Chosen Field

Another great thing educational institutions can offer is letting you work side-by-side with experts. One of the best ways to invest in yourself through education is by learning from those been there and done that. Let’s say you are dreaming of becoming a doctor and you already passed your MCAT. You got accepted into the university of your choice. Do you think a prestigious university would hire just anybody with a basic education to become your professor? No way! Of course, they would hire licensed physicians to teach all the major subjects.

An Academic Institution is One of the Best Places to Build Connections

If you are spending time in school just to study and graduate but not doing some networking, then you’re missing a lot. Even if you’re the most introverted person on campus, you can still attempt to make a few friends. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet your future spouse or even long-time friends or business partner in college, or even in high school! When and how did Bill Gates meet his Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen? When they were in Junior High at Lakeside School in Seattle. How about Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin? They met when they were both earning their Ph.D. in computer science at Stanford University. Google started as their joint research project. Earning a formal education is one of the best ways to invest in yourself. You’ll learn from experts in your chosen field and you can start building connections that can help in your future success.

3. Invest in Your Personal Growth

Reading self-help books, listening to audio programs, going to workshops and seminars, and working with a coach or mentor are all ways to grow personally. Self-improvement and personal growth are crucial investments that we make in ourselves. By definition, investing is committing time, energy, or resources with the expectation of receiving a future benefit. Some of the most important investments you can make will be the ones where your only payoff is internal, a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment, for example. These are called “intangible assets” because they don’t have a physical form but represent value all the same. Here are three reasons intangible assets should be high on your list of priorities for self-investment:

You Can Only Reap What You Sow

The old Biblical adage holds here. If you want something bad enough and will put in the work required to get there, you will eventually reach your goal. This could manifest as finally getting that promotion after years spent honing your skills. Or, it could land a new client after you improve your networking abilities. Or, by simply becoming more content and fulfilled by taking up meditation or another form of stress relief. No matter what area of life you wish to improve, know that change doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen if you invest in consistent effort. Just like planting seeds needs care and attention before flowers start blooming, so must our goals receive regular tending before any genuine progress occurs.

The More You Grow, the More You Have to Offer

When you improve yourself, you can contribute more to your family, friends, and the local community. A prime example is someone who completes a degree, or certification, to change careers. Not only will they enjoy increased job satisfaction and earning potential as a result, but their family members will benefit too. Perhaps growing as individuals allows us to be more present and supportive of others during tough times. After all, how can you truly be there for somebody else if you’re struggling with your stuff? By continuing to work on ourselves even after reaching what initially felt like “the finish line”, we set an excellent example for those close to us and position ourselves well to help someone further down the road.

Taking Care of Yourself First Isn’t Selfish, It’s Essential

One frequent barrier people face when investing time for themselves is feeling guilty for prioritizing themselves. We live in a world that tells us that putting ourselves first is wrong or selfish. But caring for yourself doesn’t mean ignoring everybody else. Rather, it means making sure your needs are being met so that you can function at optimal levels physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Once again, using meditation as an example:

• Dedicating some time each day (or even week) solely towards inner peace may sound frivolous at first glance, but doing so actually reduces stress hormones while improving focus
• It helps stir up your creativity
• It improves memory
• It enhances sleep quality
• It gives you a sense of calm, peace, and balance.

Not bad returns considering all it costs is 20-30 minutes out of your day! The three intangible assets listed above are reasons personal growth is worth investing in, regardless of the financial ROI. And remember, the best time to start was yesterday, but today works just fine too.

4. Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Nowadays, we’re juggling work, family, and social obligations, and trying to squeeze in some “me” time whenever we can. It’s exhausting! And often, we end up putting our own needs aside because there always seems to be something more important that demands our attention. But what if we stopped for a moment and gave ourselves the gift of time? Think about it. When was the last time you truly took some time for yourself with no distractions or obligations? If you can’t remember, then it’s been far too long. Carving out even just an hour or two each week for some quality “me” time can make a world of difference in your overall happiness and well-being. So how can you give yourself this valuable gift? Here are three ideas:

Unplug from Technology

One way to reduce stress is by disconnecting from technology. Whether it’s powering down your laptop after work hours or leaving your phone at home when you go out with friends, take breaks from screens as often as possible. Go on a digital detox, and set clear smartphone or technology social usage boundaries that will allow you to live in the moment. For example, rules such as no phones at the dinner table, putting on airplane mode when you’re out catching up with friends, or no texting between set times (like 10 pm-8 am) can help encourage you. Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy life offline!

Get Active Outdoors

Exercise releases endorphins that have mood-boosting effects, so get outside and move your body however you enjoy most. These could mean going for walks, runs, nature hikes, or playing sports with friends. Exercise can also refocus your mind on your body’s movements, which can improve your mood and melt away the day’s irritations. You’ll feel better physically AND mentally afterward.

Make Time for Hobbies and Interests

When was the last time you read a book just for fun or picked up that guitar or the ukulele you used to love playing? Dedicating some time each week to activities you enjoy can help re-ignite your passions and bring more joy into your life. Giving yourself the gift of time doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to breathe, relax, appreciate nature, and rejuvenate. By changing how you spend your free time, you’ll see big improvements in your overall well-being! It’s important to take time for yourself each week to relax and recharge. You can do this by disconnecting from technology, getting active outdoors, and making time for hobbies and interests.

FAQs on Ways to Invest in Yourself:

1. What does it mean to invest in yourself?

There are a lot of ways to invest in yourself. You can spend money on education, books, fitness, travel, and more. You can also dedicate time to learning new skills or improving existing ones. Investing in yourself pays off in the long run because you become a better version of yourself and reap the benefits both professionally and personally.

2. How do I invest in myself as a woman?

There are many ways to invest in oneself as a woman. A few key ways include:

• Continuing one’s education through formal schooling or online courses and webinars.
• Taking care of one’s physical health through exercise and healthy eating habits.
• Investing time into relationships with family and friends. Pursuing new hobbies and interests.
• Developing positive affirmations and mantras to keep oneself motivated.

By making regular investments in these areas of life, women can continue growing personally and professionally while also enjoying a more well-rounded lifestyle.

3. How do you emotionally invest in yourself?

There are many ways you can emotionally invest in yourself. One way is to make sure that you set aside time each day for yourself, even if it’s just 15-30 minutes. You can use this time however you like, such as reading, taking a walk, listening to music, or anything else that helps you relax and rejuvenate. It’s important to have this daily ritual so that you can de-stress from the day and recharge, so to speak. Another way to invest in yourself emotionally is by being honest with how you’re feeling. If something is bugging you or stressing you, don’t bottle it up. Find someone who will listen (a friend, therapist, business coach, etc.) and talk about what’s going on. Getting things off your chest will help relieve some of the pressure and allow you to move on more easily. Finally, schedule some fun! Plan outings with friends or activities that bring joy into your life; these moments of happiness will boost your mood overall and remind you why investing in yourself is worth the effort.

Conclusion

There are many ways to invest in yourself, but the major areas to focus on are your education, health, and personal growth. By investing in these areas, you will be setting yourself up for success both professionally and personally. So take the time to learn about the best ways to invest in yourself and start reaping the rewards today! By getting a degree or taking classes related to freelance writing, remote work, productivity, and side hustling, you can set yourself up for success. You can also take online courses or join networking groups dedicated to these topics. Also, investing in yourself financially by setting aside money in your savings account for emergencies and retirement can help you reach your goals more quickly. Next up, you may want to explore a guide on how to become a lifelong learner.