‘Invest in yourself, it pays the best interest”
When we talk about investments, the first thing that comes to mind is financial, right? What if I said wrong! You’re probably thinking BITCOIN, share portfolios, unit trusts, savings, bonds etc. (all of which have risk, right?). I’m talking about an investment that has a tremendous yield, without risk. You’re probably thinking I’ve lost my marbles! Not yet…
Your best, risk-free investment is in yourself. Self-improvement is a life-long project, but we experience a degree of discomfort when we think about making ourselves a priority, which is what I’m asking you to do. We are conditioned to put others’ needs before our own. Isn’t this how we were brought up. “Don’t be so selfish! Think of others first!” No wonder we’ve never considered that our own happiness and success starts with us! Why give that responsibility to somebody else?
So let me give you a few reasons why you should make yourself a priority.
- Your health! Look at the accelerated pace of life today. We are all under severe stress and pressure. Our mental fatigue combined with making everyone else happy, will take its toll on your health.
- Relationships improve. As you invest in yourself and have ‘me’ time, it rejuvenates you. You are more enjoyable to be around and others will find you good company.
- Stop being a people pleaser! Be happy instead. Life takes on new meaning when you feel happy. And in today’s times, creating happiness in your life is up to you.
Look at these words…self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth. Yourself in peak condition gives you the best odds to succeed in life and help others along the way.
This is a new way of thinking and therefore people get stuck and confused in how to make use of ‘me’ time. My advice is to reflect and ask yourself, what makes you feel peaceful, relaxed, happy.
Case Study: Cindy* finds her balance
Cindy* began working with me after she suffered severe burnout. She had received a hard-earned promotion and was finally promoted to an executive director position. She was ecstatic.
6 months later, she had burnout and was on a ‘leave of absence’ from work. She was highly stressed, crying, feeling like a failure and just not ‘good enough’. She even called herself an imposter!
The first thing that we cleared up, were her credentials and experience. She was no imposter. So what went wrong? How did her exhilaration turn into this abject misery and extreme anxiety? It wasn’t difficult to isolate, once we began to unpack her responsibilities.
Cindy had 3 school-going children. A professional husband, with his own demands. A home to run, a promotion to live up to. She said, “I need 48 hours in my day to get through the day!”
Without going into the program we crafted for her, it became evident that she would have to re-set her priorities and ensure that she made time for herself. Her grooming, which had always been her ‘time out’, had been so neglected, and she felt lucky to enjoy this little luxury every two months (if possible).
The outcome: She became her biggest project. Her daily schedule factored in at least an hour for herself every day. She got into a carpool for her children. Stocked up with ready-made dinners for those times that she had to work late. Communicated with her husband and asked for his help. He willingly gave this to her and had not realised the strain she had been under, as her façade of being so capable, made him think she was coping.
She also made a firm decision to cut back on additional hours at work, which she admitted was to impress her commitment to her colleagues.
As she implemented these changes, life turned around for her and her family. Today, she is still considered a valuable asset to the company, her work-life balance ensured a happier and less stressed environment at home and her relationship with her husband improved to her great surprise.
So in a nutshell, find time for yourself. It is your greatest investment and yields dividends beyond measure. Identify those things that give you pleasure…for example making time to exercise, stimulate those endorphins. Find a quiet corner and pick up that long-awaited book you’ve been meaning to read. If music is your ‘oxygen’, set aside some time to inhale the rhythm, beat and enjoyment of feeling completely indulged.
Try one or all of them…and keep investing!
Everybody wants recognition, therefore reward yourself and don’t give that responsibility to others. You’ll be rewarded regardless, but it all starts with you.
*Name has been changed to protect the client’s identity.