Invest in YOUrself
I’m intentionally putting this in the finance & real estate section. This article, just like the others, will focus on investing. The slight difference is instead of talking about what to invest in, we will talk about who to invest in. If you haven’t figured it out already, the answer is: you. We all could do a better job taking care of ourselves a little bit better than we are.
Invest in Clothing
We’re going to start off strong and tackle investing in your clothes. As a young person, I feel the urge of keeping up with the trend. Just like you, I also feel the urge to go buy the hottest thing in the stores and style myself up with flare jeans and graphic tees. These trends come and go and keeping up with them is a never ending process. This leads to excessive clothes and recycling your closet every few months. It can take up a lot of time, effort, space, and money! Here’s what I suggest: start your closet off with a capsule wardrobe. Never heard of the term?
A capsule wardrobe is a limited selection of interchangeable clothing pieces that complement each other. These are often classic pieces that do not go out of style and are primarily composed of neutral colors. A capsule wardrobe allows you to create a variety of different outfits with a small selection of clothes.
source: https://www.sustainably-chic.com/blog/what-is-a-capsule-wardrobe
These limited selection of clothes are what you should invest in. Buy high quality items from high quality stores for items that never go out of style. For example: a simple pair of black jeans. They work with almost every outfit and never, ever go out of style. Spend a few hundred bucks into this piece and take care of it!
I understand that creating a capsule wardrobe from scratch can take up a lot of time and money. Here’s what I did: I saved up a little bit of money every paycheck, set it aside and bought a classic timeless piece every few months. This way, I got to look forward to purchasing something new and didn’t feel guilty spending some money on it!
Trying to figure out what should go in your capsule wardrobe? Check out Tan France’s Masterclass. He goes over both male and female capsule wardrobes and even teaches you how to pair each item with the others. To keep up the latest trends, he suggests buying a cheaper piece from time to time from Wal-Mart, Target, American Eagle so a trendy piece doesn’t take up too much of your budget.
Invest in Relaxation Methods
Next up, we have investing in massages & other relaxation methods. This is to take better care of your mind. Your brain is a part of you and it needs taken care of. After all, it works so hard all day, all week with an exhaustive list of things! Firstly, you need to figure out for yourself, what exactly it is that relaxes you. For some this might be music, for some art, and for others: yoga and meditation. If you don’t know, try them all out and see what makes you feel good! A lot of these activities can become quite expensive, especially if you prefer going to a class. At the same time, it’s important to stay healthy and take care of that one thing that’s driving all your success. One suggestion is to spend a good amount of money once a month at a retreat, a class, or lessons. The other weeks, find an activity that’s more affordable and take part in those with no goals set it mind other than being in the present. A lot of people take up doing regular meditation/yoga/breathwork at home. If you’re not like them, that’s okay! Try painting at home, going on a hike, listening to music while taking a bath. Learn to let your brain relax. Go buy some candles and bath salts if that’s what it takes. You’ve got to learn to take care of your body because nobody else will do it for you.
Invest in Fitness/Massages
Similar thought process here but for the physical body. I hate to say something stereotypical but it needs to be said: YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE! I’m not a scientist by any means but what I can conclude is there is a direct correlation between physically working out with your mental state of being which therefore results in a higher productivity and a happier life.
Here’s a call-out to go sign up for a gym membership, join a local running club, or pay for martial arts classes. Whatever physical activity it is that you choose, make sure to follow-up on it and consistently take part it in! Don’t think of this as an expense but as an investment. You are taking this money to invest in your physical state. What’s the point of living if everyday we’re harming our body and when we do become something can’t enjoy what we’ve worked so hard for.
This goes for massages too. Massages might sound like a luxurious expense. I thought so too before I went to my first full body massage session. But they have a way to take out all the knots in your body. You need to take the time and money at minimum every 3 months to get a full body massage especially if you have a high stress job. Our bodies carry so much pain and tension in our muscles. We’re often at a discomfort and carry this heaviness without realizing it. This pain can increase over time and it’s our responsibility to treat ourselves to massages. Find a Groupon if that’s what it takes and go with a friend or significant other!
Invest in Learning
I hate studying but I love learning. The thing is, a huge part of growth in continuous learning. Originally I thought all the years of learning were past me. After all that’s why we went to school for 12 years then to college for another 4. We weren’t made to learn after it or so the system says. But without learning, there’s no growth and honestly there’s no enjoyment. Now I’m not saying you need to only learn business, finance, or something career related. Take your time to learn something that interests you. It could be world history or a new language or even architecture! But don’t hesitate paying for books or conferences when it comes to that. When I first started reading again, the cost of books felt so high and I felt bad for spending so much on a one time read. But I realized that information I gain from this books is far more valuable than what I’m spending on it. Through books, I’ve learned personal finance, real estate, and so many other things! Now, I don’t think twice before buying a book and neither should you.
If you hate reading non-fiction informational books but know you want to learn from them, I’d suggest picking out two books: a fiction, fun one that you know you’ll enjoy and a non-fiction one about a topic you’re curious about. Make it your goal to finish both around the same time so you’re holding yourself accountable with learning new things as well.
The same goes for any courses, conferences, and mentorship programs. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you’re done learning. There are THOUSANDS of courses out there on literally every topic imaginable. Utilize these resources and spend some money to gain knowledge. My favorite method of learning (apart from books) is people. Hence, I love conferences. I started off by going to a few through my work which were free of charge then I dove deeper into my interests and paid $995 for my first real estate conference. Pricy, I know but very worth it. I’m going to another one later this year that’s far more expensive than the first but I know this is an investment and what I’ll get out of this conference is far more valuable.
I have to mention that if you are just getting by with your finances, there are also a TON of free resources out there.
There’s libraries that you can rent books out from
There’s YouTube channels for any topic you can think of
Free LinkedIn Learning
Khan Academy, Udemy, Coursera, etc.!
Misc.
Invest in your mattress, pillow, and make your bedroom a comfortable, cozy place to sleep in.
Sleep is one of the most important biological functions ever. It’s necessary for good physical/mental health, brain performance, and fighting diseases. (+ a lot more)
Invest in a good water bottle, hydration is very important and if a good water bottle is what it takes to get you to drink 8 glasses a day, buy it.
Invest in good people.
I could write a big blurb about this but we are social creatures. Invest in those you believe in. Invest in those who support you. Surround yourself with people smarter than you and invest your time by taking them out to coffee/lunch.