Invest in YOU
For years, I was a voracious Twitter user. Some of my dearest friends and most memorable experiences came as a result of the relationships I made on that platform. It’s where I found my way back to books (Yes, Twilight was my gateway), how I ended up with my nose pierced on a trip to California with a friend I had only met once in real life, and how fell down the boyband rabbit hole that was One Direction. I seriously love a good pop song, and let’s be real. Boybands are life!
It’s where I got the inspiration and courage to write a novel about my experiences in Egypt (no, I never published it, but maybe someday), had real, powerful, life-changing discussions around race, sexuality, politics, and mental health, and it’s where I found a community when I really needed one. Like all online communities, it’s got its drama, but one thing it always facilitates is interesting discussions with a very wide range of perspectives.
A while back, I was scrolling through my feed and saw a tweet from Rachel Syme, a freelance writer and essayist, that asked: What’s your most glamorous hobby/trait/habit (please don’t be shy, I have a burning desire to know how people do or do not perpetuate glamour—by their own definition--in their life).”
I loved this question and the ensuing conversation because I’ve been on a journey of my own to really indulge in, or as I like to say, invest in, myself over the last few years. More about that in a bit. As I read through all the things people were saying, I was in awe. Answers varied from making tea every day in a Russian style samovar (yes, I had to look it up, too) and drinking it out of crystal glasses with metal holders to collecting vintage scarves to loving the Enneagram (a great way to learn more about who you are and why you function the way you do). Some people loved smelling hothouse flowers and lying on the lawn reading, while others spent their money getting regular housecleaning services. Others engaged in what might seem like total extravagance (manis/pedis, massages, facials, and shopping on the regular at high end spas and boutiques) while others did simple daily things like reading books and writing in gratitude journals. And what I took from this is how important it is to have your thing, the thing that makes you feel amazing, and that you want to invest in.
And that brings me to the point of this article. Over the last nine months, I’ve come to the crystal clear realization that it’s really important to invest in yourself. For years, I danced around this, using all sorts of excuses for why I didn’t want to spend money or time on myself, but in recent years, really starting in late 2017, I realized just how critical this is. It started with my health and fitness journey and has morphed into a focus on clean eating and morning and evening self-care routines. Over the years, I’ve hired an image consultant to help me buy clothes that make me look and feel good (even if I’m not where I want to be body-wise), spending the time to have my hair done well, getting new makeup, and fun glasses… and that’s all on the personal level.
On a professional level, it’s meant investing in a copywriter to help me revamp my website, hiring a marketing team to help me develop a strategy and execute on it, partnering with a bookkeeper to take a critically important task I don’t enjoy off my plate, and most importantly, investing in business coaching to tackle blind spots.
Last week, I wrote about the power of coaching in my life. In the last 9 months, I’ve hired a team to help me tackle every aspect of my business, from revenue generation, finances, and leadership. I invested in two coaches to help me address goal trauma, money mindset, and imposter syndrome. This may seem “glamorous” to some, but they have and continue to be life-changing to me, my business, and more importantly, to the women I serve.
Investing in yourself and your business can look however you want it to look. Rachel’s tweet and the ensuing comments absolutely prove that. So, how are you investing in yourself? When was the last time you took inventory – personally or professionally – and spent some money on yourself? I know it’s often taboo to talk money, but as business owners, you can only get away with not spending money on your business for so long. And the same goes for you on a personal level. Only you can decide where the investment needs to be made and when it needs to happen, but please don’t wait for years like I did.
Here’s my challenge for you this week:
1. Take the time to evaluate the weak points in your business.
Where are your gaps? Are you making money? Do you have a steady pipeline of clients? How are you with follow-through and accountability? Do you have a strategy ? Do you feel like you’re chasing shiny objects with no clear focus and no plan for how to proceed? What about your mindset about success or failure, money, or dealing with overwhelm? What do you think you need in order to be successful?
2. Take time to evaluate the weak points in the personal space.
Like with your business, what are the things you don’t love? Where do you want to make improvements? Is it your health? Fitness and weight? Your closet? Hair and makeup? Building a self-care routine? Finding time for yourself? Reading more books (always a personal fave of mine!)?
3. Make a plan to close those gaps.
Really think about what you wish you could do to close the gap. Maybe it’s hiring an image consultant and having her work through your closet and taking you shopping for a new look. Maybe it’s hiring a business coach to tackle your biggest business challenges with you. Maybe it’s joining a strong networking group to help you find connection and accountability. You get to decide. And there’s so much power in that!
4. Surround yourself with people who support you!
I have built a tight-knit inner circle, and it has been critically important to my success. Surround yourself with people who get what you’re trying to do, who want to be a part of your journey, who support the person and the business you’re trying to build. When you surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, running their businesses the way you want to run and grow your business, and living a life they’ve designed and are excited about, you can’t help but rise to the challenge.
I’d be remiss in not acknowledging that money can be a factor here. That’s why I encourage you to make a plan. It may not be feasible to drop loads of cash on your life and your business. It’s taken me a couple of years to feel good about making investment. In all honesty, I didn’t realize I had money hang-ups like this until I really started to dig in. This may be a tough subject for you, and I would love to chat and share my own journey. But please, for the love of sweet baby Jesus, don’t let money be the excuse for why you can’t and won’t invest in yourself. I promise you, it’s worth every penny.
Okay, you’ve got some work to do! Where do you need to focus your time and attention in order to grow? I’d love to know. Join me over in the Empowered Entrepreneur FB community. You’re not alone in this journey.
