Invest in what matters... YOU!
When he's not crafting literary masterpieces, my handsome, talented husband works in a bike shop taking dilapidated pieces of aluminum and rubber and turning them into well-lubed, swift moving, human-powered machines. Often the state of disrepair the bikes show up displaying is a result of their well-meaning owner not taking time to properly care for and maintain them over time. And typically the well-meaning owner is taken completely by surprise when my Love very gently explains to them that a.) their bike needs a lot of costly work, or b.) it's just not worth fixing to begin with. People frequently seem bewildered by the idea that a bicycle could be seen as an INVESTMENT worth maintaining.
What else do we invest in?
Our home, children, transportation, work wardrobe, social life, etc... These things usually make the cut when we think about priorities that compete for our time, money and resources, right?
What about investing in ourselves? Where does that fit in?
- Is the last time you made an investment in your education when you walked off the stage at graduation?
- Does the idea of spending $150/month on a gym or yoga studio membership leave you feeling fearful and financially scarce?
- When was the last time you indulged in a massage, just BECAUSE?
Now sure, you may be thinking, "but Amy, I've got kids, a mortgage, a time-consuming job, family-members relying on me for support, (or any number of other honorable reasons for not investing time/money in ourselves.)" But consider for a moment what it requires, energetically, for you to provide all of that support at 100% of your functional ability?
Now, ask yourself, "am I REALLY giving everything I can afford to give to all of these people and responsibilities in my life that mean so much to me, or are they all getting shortchanged because I'm not running on a full tank myself?"
We forget just how important it is to prioritize our time and resources in such a way that it allows us to invest in ourselves too.
What if you invested in YOU?
Thinking back to last week's story about FEAR, I'm reminded how often that gets in the way of our ability to invest in ourselves too.
- We worry about taking time away from work to spend with our families because the job needs us (and we need the job!)
- When we look at our calendars to find time for a workout we think, "I'll never get the kids to soccer/dinner made/that newsletter written/insert-any-number-of-tasks-here if I stop for 45 minutes to do that for myself..."
- The idea of pulling money out of savings, or - perish the thought - using a credit card, to invest in a personal or professional growth opportunity leaves us feeling paralyzed at the idea that the money may never come back to us.
What if the idea of doing things that scared us a little bit was actually good for us? What if making an investment in ourselves, even if it seems scary at first to take the leap, provided a supreme opportunity for growth and enlightenment? What if it was OK to choose to do it just because YOU DECIDED IT WAS SO?
I recently made an exciting investment in myself and my business by hiring a super-talented small business coach. I'm working with her in a 9-month program, and this is the largest single investment I've ever made in my business. I will admit that the idea of making that kind of commitment scared the shit out of me at first. But I came to see, very quickly, the ways in which she added value for me and the vision I was crafting for my business. It became clear within moments of interacting with her that any investment I was making was going to come back to me ten-fold based on the work we do together. I removed my fear and replaced it with FAITH, and at the same time reminded myself that in order to be the best ME I can be to my people and responsibilities, I have to invest in myself FIRST.
What kind of investments have you been considering but haven't pulled the trigger on due to perceived responsibilities or FEAR getting in the way? In what ways are you limiting your ability to REALLY be there for your loved ones and commitments because your tank isn't full? What can you allow yourself to say YES to now, after reading this story?
"Give yourself permission to be GREAT!"
- Wilmer Valderrama (Yes! The guy who played Fez, from That 70's Show said that. Pretty insightful, huh?)
I can't wait to hear how you're going to give yourself permission to be great! In the comments section below, tell me and our community about ONE thing you're willing to invest in for yourself RIGHT NOW. Have faith that it's going to be SO worth it in the end... (I promise it will be.)
Did this story spark your interest in making a well-deserved investment in yourself?
I'd love to explore how I can help YOU bring your big intentions to life. Click here to schedule your complementary A to B Strategy Session with me. This is another thing I can promise will be worth it in the end.
With love and inspiration (and a steadfast belief that an investment in a little "scary" is always worthwhile),
-Amy