When was the last time you really invested in yourself? Like literally and figuratively, put your money where your mouth is?
When I say 'invest,' I am referring to money, time, energy, thought, effort, fun, creative endeavors, or even rest.
We spend so much of our precious time investing in others like our families, friends, bosses, coworkers, communities… the list goes on and on - that we rarely take the time to sit still and invest in US! It’s all a noble pursuit, and it has a time and place, but if you are not careful, you will have forgotten about yourself. Then the feeling of putting yourself first will feel selfish, wrong, and you might even forget what it’s like to do something for yourself. There is a reason they tell you on the plane to put your oxygen mask on first, then assist those around you. You can’t serve from an empty cup, but the world would sometimes have you believe that you should - that narrative is false.
We often run around feeling the pull and desire to put our needs first, but it’s easier to put ourselves last because, well, we can always get to us “later,” but later rarely comes. We have all done this, decided not to workout because we needed to finish a project for work or errands done, or decided not to read a book because doom scrolling on Instagram was way more of an escape from the day, or watching another episode on TV in an attempt to get your revenge bedtime procrastination in when you should of gone to bed. The result of that treatment is often burnout, shame, disappointment, lack of direction, and a sense of failure that we are not where we want to be in life.
We can’t keep this up, we have to start investing in ourselves. When we do, we start to build a strong foundation that will allow us to serve others in a fuller capacity. Instead of serving from an empty cup, we are now serving from a full one.
- Invest in a better sleep routine.
- Invest in an exercise routine that works for you.
- Invest in a good book that brings you joy, education, or insight.
- Invest in a class or coach that grows your business.
- Invest in a therapist and heal your past.
- Invest in a group that creates more community for you.
- Invest in a creative outlet that brings you more joy and peace.
- Invest in yourself because you are worth it.
Coach Alexandra Murray
Transformational Career Coach
Unleash You Coaching