Why You Should be Investing in Yourself
It was only a few years ago that i really started taking care of my whole self. Meaning i was not only concerned about weight loss or keeping my clothes on trend, i started thinking about myself as a whole and how i could adapt a healthier version of myself. A huge part of that change was integrating mindfulness and intentional living to my everyday life. It was not an overnight process, and i still find myself doing things aimlessly without much thought to consequence (Did i really need to make that H&M order), but nonetheless it is a step in the right direction.
“Personal development is the belief that you are worth the effort, time and energy needed to develop yourself.” ―Denis Waitley
Self development should not be confused with being selfish, its quite the opposite. When we take the time to actually figure out our needs, and wants, and what is or is'nt working in our lives, it is preventive care for our whole being. Its like filling up the gas tank in your car, you do so with the hope that you can continue to drive without breaking down. The same goes for our body and mind, we have to eventually replenish what we use on a daily basis. The process of slowing down, navigating dilemma's and happy moments are all part of investing the time and energy into the most important entity, ourselves.
Here are my reasons why you should invest in yourself.
Your consistent happiness depends on it. Going through life feeling off balanced and unhappy is far from living your best life. Take time to inventory your life, what do you already have that makes you happy, and what is missing that you can acquire with a little perseverance.
The redirection of your energy. If you have ever gone through moments of feeling constantly drained of energy, you would know that it takes its toll on your body and mind. Anxiety creeps in along with its unwanted friend depression. We start to feel sluggish and struggle to sleep. The consistent lack of mental and physical energy is a red flag. Therapeutic practices like yoga, Pilates, or traditional counseling therapy are great ways to slow down and restore energy level.
Increase of self- awareness. Self awareness does not happen over night, unfortunately it takes a few tough moments to get there. Increased self awareness is the biggest benefits of self care. When you are aware of your needs you can give your body and soul exactly what it needs, its as simple as that.
Clear vision of your goals. There is nothing better than setting an attainable goal. In our culture we set goals for everything, its just a thing we do. But not many people set attainable goals. A big part of investing in yourself now, is that you can live like no one else in the future. The flexibility you want at work, those destinations you want to travel to, that house you want to purchase, its does not happen over night and especially not without clear goals to get there. By taking care of ourselves now we cultivate the life we want to live. The goals set are reached, because we have a sense of who we are and where we want to go.
Possibilities are endless , with a renewed sense of self, comes the acknowledgement of endless possibilities. We know the saying that there are two type of people in this world, the glass half fullers, and the glass is half emptyiers. One seeing possibilities everywhere, while the other sees a lack of completeness. Both have an equal chance of reaching their potential, but only one will persist towards the possibilities.
As we age ( yes i know no one want to think about that) the need for self care, self -awareness, and our happiness, becomes more and more important. What we don't realize is that embodying these things are quite easy, and very much attainable. Only when we recognize the importance of feeding our whole selves, do we begin to live our best life.
