How To Invest In Yourself As A Woman
Okay ladies, and especially all you mothers! When was last time you took some time just for you? I’d guess it’s been TOO LONG! As women, we tend to focus pouring into others with your time, energy, and money. And that’s okay! But, I’m here to tell you that investing in yourself is just as important! Taking care of ourselves gives us the energy we need to do all the amazing things we do for our friends, family work and kids.
I’ve seen so many people grow in confidence, peace, and joy simply by prioritizing themselves. As women, we tend to see this as selfish and we put ourselves on the bottom of the priority or to do list. Keep in mind, prioritizing you doesn’t always have to be the traditional thoughts of getting a massage or getting your nails done (although those are wonderful luxuries!). There are so many ways to give to yourself. If you’ve been on the grind of life for so long you can’t remember the last time you took a second for you, here are 14 ways to invest more in yourself:
How To Invest In Yourself As A Woman
Learn something new.
An easy way to invest in yourself is by learning a new skill! Not only can expanding your knowledge help you gain more confidence in a certain space of your life (be it work, a fun new craft, or how to manage your personal finances), but it can help you reduce stress, feel inspired, and more connected to yourself and to your community. Consider some online courses as you prepare to deliver your first baby, attending a local class to learn how to make a certain dish, or maybe what you choose to learn is just the thing you need to start a side hustle?
Adding new skill sets to your pocket can be a fun way to explore things out of your usual routines and to shake things up! And every niche tends to have its own social group you can join when you adopt that new hobby. You can meet lots of great people with the same interests as you! Learning something new is really good for the mind and soul.
Start journaling.
Journalling can look like a lot of different things. You don’t have to sit down and recollect the whole day with a fancy notebook and pen for an hour. Your journal could be typed or written, short or long, about your emotions or a few points of gratitude. It can be about anything you want. Maybe it’s a list of favorite books, your top memories from the day, destinations you want to visit with activities to do there, or a list of coffee shops in your city you want to hit up every time you meet with a new friend! Journalling can really help you feel good for many reasons, but especially getting all your thoughts out of your mind and landing somewhere else!
Studies find is that journaling helps you better deal with big emotions and express yourself in a creative and authentic way. Journalling can help you manage anxiety, reduce stress, and even deal with the effects of depression. Plus, journaling helps you validate your feelings and secure a better sense of reality. It can really help you feel fulfilled!
Practice Meditation or Prayer.
Research shows prayer and meditation can help reduce stress, manage anxiety, increase self-awareness, improve sleep, and even lengthen your attention span. Keep in mind, you don’t have to be attending church weekly or spiritual to try this! It can simply be an act of mindfulness and grounding instead of a process of connection to a spiritual world. If you're new to prayer or meditation, find guided or written meditations or prayers to work from to get you started. Once you get more familiar and comfortable, go off-script and just do what feels the most comfortable and helpful for you. This can be a great way to have a few minutes of some peace and quiet while you close out your day!
Practice Gratitude.
Now before I get going on this point, what I want to ensure is that there doesn’t need to be a forced positive and jolly attitude any time you’re just not feelin’ it. Doing this can make you feel like your feelings aren’t justified. And it’s okay if you’re not okay sometimes! BUT, thinking through just a few things you’re grateful for can completely shift your perspective for the day or in a moment when things feel like too much.
Even as you come out of a season of hardship or a big life change, it can be really hard to shake a negative or overwhelmed mentality. Practicing gratitude can help you gain a better outlook and find happiness again! This is how I do my journalling daily. Write down just 3 things a day and feel free to share them with your partner or a friend if you’d like. And, there is nothing wrong with repeat items here! Just the act of acknowledging these things can be a boost of energy and remind you that you are doing AMAZING things!.
Spend time working on establishing new habits!
Do you bite your nails? Drink too much soda? Look at your phone more than you want? Say your sorry after EVERYTHING when you have nothing to be sorry for? A boost in confidence and happiness can come from ditching even one of these bad habits!
Ditching unwanted habits and establishing new ones is definitely not easy, but can be just what you need to build a life you love and are happy with! A smart way to undo a bad habit is to replace it with a new one! Make the new habit something you actually look forward to doing. Maybe it’s drinking your favorite tea instead of that soda, reading a book vs. scrolling for an hour, or even doodling instead of nail biting! A habit tracker can be a great tool to boost your self-esteem and energy as you start establishing these new routines!
Revamp your wardrobe.
Although I’m personally not one to spend a lot of money on clothes, I do know that what you wear has a POWERFUL impact on how you feel in your skin. Remember the days of COVID, living in your sweats? It felt great to relax for a while, but after a while, it was kind of nice to put a pair of jeans on again! Getting yourself a more comfortable pair of jeans after you had a baby, or a new top you can wear to work can make a huge impact on your mood and energy as you take on the day. You don’t need to spend a fortune, but consider creating a space in your budget to get a new thing here and there every so often! If purchasing new clothes is still not right for your current budget, try digging in your closet and find something you haven’t worn in a long time and style it in a new way!
Additionally, for those of you that work from home, changing the type of clothes you wear can go a long way. Instead of sweats, wear leggings. Or, instead of leggings wear jeans. Dress up for your workday can really boost your confidence and mindset! Not only this, but your productivity too.
Start a new self-care practice.
Any parks and recreation fans out there? How do you “treat yourself?”Whether you like to get massages, get your hair done, read a book, or establish a quick and simple morning routine, make sure you include your favorite activities! With this, it’s important you carve out and dedicate some time to these things. These are easy to be put to the bottom of our priority list, so it’s important you fight for and stand by that time in your day! Doing this could be a great way to learn to love your own company as well since most of these things only require you! Whatever the activity, doing this can be such a great way to take care of your mental and emotional health!
Declutter your home.
Where are all my neat freaks out there? Clutter can have crazy effects on our bodies. Research shows that too much stuff makes us feel stressed, anxious, and depressed. Medical professionals can actually measure the rise in stress hormones when we enter a cluttered home. And before I go further, I get it! I’ve accumulated a million things being passed down from generations and have a baby with pack n’ play’s, bumbo chairs, play mats, and toys everywhere. If your house is a mess, I’m not shaming you at all! All of our homes get messy from time to time. but understand a tidy home could do a lot for your mental health and productivity. Start with one small space like under the sink cabinets and go from there.
BONUS: This is also a FANTASTIC way to make some extra money. Getting rid of things you don’t want or need, sell them, and put some extra cash in your pocket!
Set boundaries in your relationships.
Another great way to invest in yourself is boundary setting. Does anyone have a relationship in their life they may feel obligated to keep around? Or a family member overstepping on the way you take care of your kids or live your life? Chances are there are people in your life that don’t make you feel loved and supported. If these people, whether friends or family, are dragging you down— set boundaries. There’s no rule that says you have to let a negative family member or friend stay in your life until they deeply wrong you. It’s your choice who stays and who goes!
The thing about setting boundaries with people is that it puts you out of your comfort zone. It’s not easy to have these conversations! However, when these boundaries are set, it can give you peace of mind that you don’t need to live your life the way someone suggests you should.
Take a trip.
We all need a change of scenery every so often. Routines are important but diverting from those here and there can be incredibly refreshing! Vacations can improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health, especially when done the right way. And by that I mean don’t break the bank to go across the country! Coming back with a pile of debt is not refreshing and can spike your stress levels even higher. Going on a trip by taking on debt can prevent you from fully embracing the vacation. Remember, a vacation doesn’t have to be a 3 week trip to Europe! Maybe it’s an overnight stay at a local airbnb or hotel. But taking a trip can help you escape the scenes of everyday life and let your mind escape for a bit!
Get on a budget.
Almost a third of the population says they worry daily about money. Are you one of them? This stress is so hard on your body and can steal your happiness. If you don’t pay attention to how you manage your money, then we can wonder into undesired territory! Fortunately, create a budget and having a game plan can not only help you stay on track financially, but the level of preparation can give you peace of mind in and of itself! A money plan will help you see the amount of money that goes out of your pocket, where it goes, and help you redirect where you need it most. When you put together a plan and follow it, you are investing in your growth! Whether it be getting rid of your debt, solidifying your emergency fund, or creating more room in your pocket to invest for your retirement! Investing in learning how to budget can give you peace of mind and make sure you’re in control of your future!
Eat a well balanced diet.
The food we eat affects our whole body, not just our weight. So whether you want to drop a few pounds, get better quality sleep, see healthier skin, reduce stress, increase your energy, or fix chronic digestive problems, better nutrition can get you there! There’s no better way to take care of yourself than to eat a balanced and a diet full of variety. For more on the best nutrition habits to start with, check out this post!
Exercise regularly.
Daily movement is such an impactful way to invest in ourselves. And I’m not talking about all the running around we do with work, running errands, chasing our kids, and cleaning our house. I’m talking purposeful, intentional movement for your body’s strength, flexibility, and mobility! If you want to invest more in your physical health, find the right exercise modes for you and do a little each day. Even 5-10 minutes can make a difference! Doing so can help you improve focus, regulate your mood, manage your weight, improve your posture, and give you more energy! To find out more, check out our post on simple fitness rules to follow!
Have a coach in your corner.
If you haven’t gotten this from everything above, investing in yourself is so important! However, developing new habits, breaking bad ones, fighting toxic productivity or positivity, and just finding the motivation to go on can be SO hard. You want a better life, but getting there on your own is tough.
Don’t feel like you have to do this all alone! Hiring a coach is one of the best ways anyone can invest in themselves! It can be incredibly helpful to have an advocate and accountability partner on your side who is there for you while you are there for everyone else all day! Coaches like me help with finances, nutrition, and fitness—three pillars of a balanced and fulfilling life. We work with your specific struggles, set goals, and support you and guide you toward your objectives. Hiring a coach is one of the best ways to invest in yourself and make real progress!
Invest in yourself daily for a more fulfilling life and positive outlook.
If you’re ready to start taking steps to invest in yourself, choose one of the points on this list and get started! Don’t forget, it’s okay to start small. You don’t need to tackle every item on this list right away! And if you’re ready to dive all the way in, let’s work together! Going through my coaching program means you get a personalized and proven method to better your health and financial world. With a little support and encouragement, you’ll find the peace, joy, and drive you’ve been hoping for! You’ve got this!
