What is Self-investment?

“Invest in as much of yourself as you can. You are your own biggest asset by far.”

-Warren Buffet

**Updated July 2024**

What is self-investment?

Self-investment is defined by the intentions and actions behind the purposeful steps you take to better yourself in the long term. Similar to financial investing, self-investing requires we pour our time, energy, and resources into an asset we recognize potential growth and value in, ourselves!

You may be more familiar with the terms, self-care, self-love, self-expression, self-awareness, self-confidence, self-talk, etc. An umbrella term that combines all those great concepts, self-investment plays on another level. It is the happy medium between selfish and selfless.

 How is self-investment different?  

The interwebs will define the term “Investment” as: “The dedication of an asset to attain an increase in value over a period of time.” People typically use this term in the realm of finance and business; investing their time, money, and energy into stocks and companies with the hopes their contributions will reap rewards down the line. While these are excellent practices that can yield profitable and generally tangible results, it is not, in my humble opinion, the pinnacle of the best investment a person can make for their future.

As stated earlier, self-investment is on a spectrum; the balance found midway between selfishness and selflessness. If you are the type of person that cannot say no, who feels like they have no energy or time leftover for yourself at the end of the day, or you feel a crushing weight of responsibility that no one can see, you are probably erring on the side of selflessness. Being selfless is an honorable trait that the world could probably use more of, but when there is no balance, it can lead to burnout and feeling like your kindness is being exploited. On the flip side, if you enjoy being the center of attention, struggle to feel empathy towards others, and like to be the one in control, you may be displaying more selfish characteristics. Being selfish has its place, it can shield you when you feel unprotected or abused, it helps build a strong sense of self-esteem, and can provide a space to prioritize accountability for your wellbeing.

The balance between these two vastly different concepts is the sweet spot where self-investment can take root and flourish. So while it could be considered self-care to take a bubble bath to relax your tired muscles or budget your finances to get out of debt; self-investment is the overarching intent behind those positive behaviors. Being decisive about carving out the time to clean your home, exerting energy to outline your goals, or spending resources on a course learning about financial literacy is where the principles of self-investment take root. This concentrated desire and purposeful execution validate your innate inner value.

Self-investment is taking the steps to become that idealized better version of yourself, a dynamic process that will modify over time as priorities shift.

Why is self-investment important?

Why bother with self-investment? Am I just another guru trying to sell you into some kind of holistic Ponzi scheme? (Valid question, I like your conscientiousness, but no.) I am no expert, but rather a self-investment enthusiast who has personally seen the benefits of self-investment in my own life and would just love to share the journey.    

Being a self-employed wellness entrepreneur who also happens to have an endocrine disorder with an array of unpleasant symptoms, has afforded me a unique and personal view of wellness, mindsets, and lifestyles and how all those play together (especially within the context of being a business owner and all the demands that entails). The overarching insight I have gained from my experiences is that chronic stress is the representative symptom of imbalance that self-neglect causes.

From both personal and professional experience, I have seen up close what self-neglect can do to a person’s body and spirit. It can manifest in the physical: tight muscles, headaches, poor health management, a decrease in hygiene, etc. In the mental and emotional it can look like: burnout, anxiety, depression, poor emotional control, overwhelm, feeling the need to isolate or engage in unhealthy behaviors, etc.

I’m sure at one point or another you’ve either witnessed or personally experienced the dead weight self-neglect can bring on. Self-neglect can steal your dreams and goals with an apathy and ignorance of self. Blinding you to your own needs and wants, self-neglect negatively affects not just you, but your immediate sphere of influence; a condition that only grows harder to reverse as time rolls on.

Looking to practice what I preach, I began my self-investment journey during a time of intense stress, chronic anxiety, caught in a negative spiral of low motivation, low self-esteem, and unstable boundaries, overthinking every move I made, not trusting myself as I was unable to live up to the impossible perfectionist standards I set for myself. It took time, 6 months for me to find perspective and build peace, and another 6 months after that to start healing and developing the principles I wanted to live my life by.

I did this by establishing healthier principles and boundaries, learned how to slow down and appreciate my body. I uncovered hidden triggers and traumas, cultivated my creativity, and found meaning in growth, and peace in my purpose of sharing the knowledge.

So why is self-investment important?

Because the care and proper management of self is the best investment you could ever make.

When you become better, the world becomes that much better, just think, if we all became our favorite version of ourselves how much more beautiful the world would be.

Is self-investment hard to do?

Yes and no. Is rewiring your self-talk, learning how to confidently set and keep boundaries, furthering your mind and body, cultivating inner peace, while continually growing difficult? Yes, that can be challenging. But think of the alternative.

If you continue on the negative self-talk, destructive behaviors, ignoring your poor habits and unresolved triggers, lacking the confidence or self-worth to change anything, that too can be difficult. It would be doing yourself and your ambitions a disservice, and your business if you are a fellow entrepreneur. There is always a choice and a new opportunity with each day.  

You can believe you are worthy of a beautiful life. You can learn to prioritize your mental and physical well-being, find balance, focus, and sustainable drive.

Small, gentle changes made consistently can add up to you living your fullest potential.  

You choose your difficulty.

Final Notes

Life is the longest thing we will ever do, and with each passing day comes new challenges that affect us in ways seen and unseen. Once you think you’ve reached “your best self”, new things are sure to spring up and the cycle starts over. That is both the joy and difficulty of self-investment. The key here (and what I have tried to learn myself), is to establish ways that support and facilitate progress while softening the struggle.  

When I started what became my self-investment journey I knew from past experiences that I needed this lifestyle change to be sustainable, gentle, holistic, and authentic to my personality. Tenants I built into the foundation of In-nested. I wanted simple systems and principles I could follow that allowed for an organic and non-linear learning curve that is full of grace. Principles built around the concepts I love and respect and that are harmonious with the conscious slower lifestyle I wanted to create: practicality, connection to myself and others, peace of mind, in-depth self-exploration, and growth with the establishment of healthy behaviors.

You will discover pride in self when you continue through those difficult but defining moments where you decide change is no longer an option but a necessity for the survival of the life you deserve to live.

So where do you start an epic lifelong journey of self-investment? Check out this blog post for the first 4 steps I took to better my situation.

If you are interested in following along join my newsletter “from The Nest” where I share some helpful notes, encouragement and inspiration to the modern woman seeking to elevate her wellness from the inside out.

Until nest time,