10 Completely Free Ways to Invest in Yourself

I’m a business owner and a mom. Every moment of every day, it seems there is somebody or something that needs my urgent attention. If you’re one of my readers, you might also be a doctor, with an entourage of patients putting their health in your hands. People rely on us. So how do we find the time to care for ourselves—to really invest in our own personal and professional growth?

and is it worth it?

When I sat down to write a post about investing in yourself, I struggled so much that I almost didn’t do it. Who am I to speak on this subject? What authority do I have? I’ve made some horrible investments in my life. Some have cost me time, and some have cost me dollars. The moment we realize we’ve made a bad an investment can be devastating.

On the flip side, there have been investments that have repaid me multiple times over. Investing in continuing education and advanced certifications has always pushed me forward in my career. Investing in lawyers, accountants, and webmasters to take care of the parts of my business that overwhelm me has given me priceless peace of mind.

Sometimes we need to make big investments that put thousands of dollars on the line. I’m not here to advise you on how to spend your money. Every investment poses some level of risk, and only time will tell if it’s worth it. There are other investments, however, that pose a significantly lower risk. I’m talking about ways to nourish and invest in yourself every day.

Why?

Because people need you. Honoring and investing in your own needs shows them that you matter. It gives you the strength and resilience to be fully present in serving them. It's like what we learned in the first weeks of naturopathic medical school: Physician Heal Thyself.

These ten ways to invest in yourself cost no money and just a little time. You can also invest small dollars in things like getting a massage, hiring a personal trainer, or having someone clean your house. Of course, larger investments pose greater risk. Hiring somebody to work at your front desk, redesign your website, or take over your social media campaigns puts more money on the line. Some investments flop, but others shift you or your business in incredible ways.

We make choices on how to invest our time and money every day—and we never really know how those investments will pay us back. Take pleasure in that unknown. There’s a magazine clipping I’ve saved on my refrigerator for decades. I cut it out of the letter from the editor in the Utne magazine in my college years. I'll leave you with this:

"One thing that I know now that I didn't know seven years ago is that the discomfort of not knowing is an essential part of the process of creativity and change. The truth is that we rarely know as much as we think we do—or as much as we wish we did—so we might as well find some humor and ease in the fact that we are always in the unknown. May your next seven years unfold in ways that surprise and amaze you. May you find ways to put your gifts to service. May you laugh and cry and dance with the vicissitudes of life."