As moms, we spend a lot of our time and effort investing in our children. So much so that we often forget to invest in ourselves. Soon, we become the mom that’s all about her kids and has lost her own identity.
You’ve probably seen it before. Or, perhaps it is you.
That’s why investing in yourself as a mom and, frankly, as a woman, is important! Investing in yourself reminds you that you’re more than a mom. You were a woman with hopes, dreams, and aspirations before kids and that shouldn’t die.
Besides that, you are your greatest investment. If you aren’t your best, you can’t be the best mom, spouse, or any other title that you hold.
But what exactly does it mean to invest in yourself?
What does it mean to invest in yourself?
Investing in yourself simply means that you expend resources–time, money, energy–to improve yourself. Often, these investments will go toward improving your health, wealth, relationships, and overall well being.
If you look at the basic definition of investing, it simply means that you put resources into something with the expectation that it will produce a profit in the future. For example, if you invest in the stock market, you put money into companies with the expectation that they will increase in value later on and earn you a return.
The same is true for you. When you put resources into yourself, the idea is that your life will increase in “value” over time.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you will assign a monetary value to yourself. It means that you will ultimately become the best version of you–thriving, successful, fulfilled, and happy. These improvements and additional non-tangible things that you gain are the returns on your investment.
How do I start investing in myself?
The first step in investing in yourself is believing that you deserve to experience the best in life. You have to believe that you’re worth putting in the effort to experience the life that you want and to be your best self.
Once you realize that you’re worthy no matter what, you can start identifying areas in your life that you want to become better at, gain more knowledge in, or simply improve.
I like to make it easy and just say that you should be investing in these areas:
- Spiritual
- Physical
- Emotional/mental
- Financial
- Business/Career
- Relationships
If you invest in improving these six areas of your life, you can enjoy a well rounded and fulfilled life. So let’s talk about what you can actually do to invest in yourself in these areas.
20 Ways to invest in yourself as a woman and mom
Remember that investing in yourself doesn’t always require money. Instead, it can mean time and also your energy.
1. Pray daily
As humans, we are spiritual beings. This means that we have a divine connection to our original source- God. If you want to become the best version of yourself and experience the best in life, staying connected to our source is important.
Praying has the ability to produce results that working in our own strength alone can’t do. This is way spending time in daily prayer can be one of the best investments that you make in yourself. Not only that, it provides a sense of peace and relief that isn’t man made.
Need help with prayer? You can check out these powerful prayers to pray daily.
2. Get a full night’s sleep
Getting rest and a full night’s sleep is probably the most important, yet underrated, investment that you can make in yourself. Now, if you’re a new mom then you obviously won’t be getting a full night’s sleep. Nonetheless, you still need to make time to rest.
Our rest fuels our day. Lack of sleep means that you can’t operate at your full potential and you’ll eventually experience burn out. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to set aside time to just rest.
To make sure you get adequate sleep, you may have to give up some things like late night TV or scrolling through social media. What adjustments do you need to make to ensure that you can get to bed at a decent time?
3. Exercise regularly
There’s a saying that goes, “health is wealth.” Afterall, you can’t enjoy life if you’re not in good health. So that means that you have to invest the energy into exercising and being more contentious about your health.
It’s important that I mention that this does not give you license to be obsessive about your weight or appearance. I simply mean that you need to exercise for your health not for appearances.
Simply exercising for 30-mins a day can help prevent long term health issues that will take away from your quality of life. So if you want to have a fulfilled and enjoyable life, include exercising as a time and energy investment that you make in yourself.
You can check out these workout recommendations if you need somewhere to start.
4. Eat well
I couldn’t mention exercising without also bridging up food. There’s no point in exercising if you’re going to undo it all with poor eating habits. This means that you should also be investing in better foods to fuel your body.
Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive though. In fact, I have some pretty helpful tips on how you can reduce your grocery budget and still eat healthy. Again, investing in your health is critical if you want to have a long and fulfilled life!
5. Go to annual health appointments
Speaking of health, it’s also wise to invest in getting the proper healthcare. Being in optimal health is more than just exercising and eating right. It’s also seeking proper guidance and doing preventative care.
Make time to complete your annual exams. This includes, but is not limited to, a breast exam, eye exam, dental exams, and Pap smear.
6. Travel
There’s nothing more exciting than traveling the world and experiencing other cultures. This should be a top priority when it comes to investing in yourself. Travel opens up your mind to whole new ways of living and thinking.
The great thing is that traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether it’s local or international, you can always find ways to save money on traveling. You can even take this investment up a notch by traveling solo.
7. Read lots of books
If you want to improve yourself and learn something new, pick up a book. There is a wealth of knowledge written in the pages of books on every topic imaginable. From self help books to books on personal finance, you can never go wrong with reading.
Knowledge isn’t the only benefit of reading books, though. Reading can actually be a relaxing pastime that helps your escape from the craziness of life. Studies have shown that reading before bed can help with insomnia.
Need help with finding book recommendations? You can check out all of the books that I’ve read over the years and would recommend on my reading list.
8. Take online courses
Reading is definitely a first step in increasing your knowledge. The next level of investing in your own personal education is by taking online courses. Of course, you can always take the traditional route of enrolling in a local college; however, online courses are often way less expensive and more targeted to what you want to learn.
I’ve taken my fair share of online courses over the years and will continue to do so. I’ve learned so much about business and have gained so many skills as a result.
9. Learn a new, high-income skill
Learning a new skill should be a continuous goal of yours. It’s not that you necessarily want to be the Jill of all trades. Instead, it’s that having a niched skillset can afford you opportunities to increase your income. Having high-income skills means that you can earn more on your job or leverage that to create your own business opportunities. Take a moment to explore these high-income skills and how you can learn them.
10. Attend conferences and retreats
Another way to invest in your personal education is through conferences. Conferences are the pinnacle of both networking and learning. It’s where you can find out about the latest and greatest in a specific industry.
I’ve attended many conferences over the years. The most impactful one was a personal finance conference where I was able to network with other finance bloggers and meet with brands. This completely changed the trajectory of my business and helped birth what you see today.
The conferences that you attend don’t have to be business related, though. You can absolutely attend conferences or retreats that are solely meant for enjoyment. Either way, it’s an experience that I believe will add value to your growth and, ultimately, your life.
11. Join a network or social group
Even if you can’t make the time to attend a conference or if it’s out of your financial capacity, you can always join networking and/or social groups. This is as simple as joining a group on Facebook.
The idea with this investment is to find people with similar interests. Iron sharpens iron, so this is a great opportunity to learn more and build mutually beneficial relationships. I’ve met some of my best business friends via social media and networking.
12. Improve your finances
Money isn’t everything, but it matters. So, I couldn’t make this list without including finances. Your money touches every area of your life. And, frankly, if your money isn’t together, you may not have the means to make any of the other investments that I mention.
Improving your finances will be an investment that will impact your whole life. So it’s important that you don’t neglect it while working on everything else.
So what do I mean by improving your finances? I mean doing things like,
- Getting on a budget
- Getting out of debt
- Investing
- Saving for retirement
- Saving for emergencies
When you have your finances together you can afford to have a better quality of life. You’re less stressed and you have the ability to afford the things you need and want.
13. Go to therapy
Over the past few years, therapy has become normalized. What was once a stigma almost seems like the standard and if you’re not in therapy…well, you’re the outlier.
We’ve all experienced some childhood trauma that may not be resolved. Investing in therapy can help your work through those experiences so that you can overcome the lingering effects.
Even if you don’t have a traumatic experience that you’re overcoming, simply having a listening ear can be beneficial to your mental health and emotional wellbeing.
14. Spend time with family and friends
As moms, we’re usually looking for a break from our family; however, there’s something to be said about spending time with family and friends. Ideally, this time will allow you to recharge and enjoy yourself–which is a part of resting.
Do things like going out to eat, going to the movies, or some other fun activity. This can be a refresher that keeps you going.
15. Find a hobby that you enjoy
One of the best things that you can do is find a hobby that you enjoy. By hobby, I mean something that’s not tied to work or building a business. Instead, something that you can do to just relax and enjoy yourself.
One of the biggest mistakes that I made was turning my sewing hobby into a business. It became more of a task than something that I actually enjoyed. As a result, I haven’t sewn in over 2 years. Don’t do the same. Let your hobby be your form of relaxation and not stress.
16. Start a business
Contrary to starting a hobby is starting a business. This is essentially another way of creating an additional source of income that can support you. But it’s also more than just about making money. Creating a business is also about creating a legacy. A business is something that can be passed down to future generations.
Remember that investing is all about having a future return. Giving your children a financial headstart is definitely a return on investment.
There are so many business options that you can explore, particularly online. I have a ton of resources around this, but I suggest starting with these home based businesses ideas.
17. Get coaching or mentoring
Sometimes we need a little help to reach our goals. That’s where coaching and mentoring comes into play. Having someone who’s been there and can tell you the pitfalls to avoid can’t be underestimated.
You want to find someone who can help you with your deficiencies. It’s important to find a coach or mentor who aligns with your values and is at a level that you aspire to be.
As much as I seek out coaching, I also coach other moms in business through my group coaching program. If you’re a mompreneur, you can find out more information about joining.
18. Buy quality garments
The old adage is true, “If you look good, you feel good.” A part of investing in yourself is also investing in your appearance. Doing so can work wonders for your confidence and self esteem. I don’t know about you, but I always feel more confident when I’m dressed nicely.
In this case, I want you to treat yourself well when it comes to garments. Invest in quality. These are things that will last, while also looking good. The confidence that you gain from simply feeling good about the way you look can lead to confidence in other areas of your life.
19. Make time for personal grooming
If your outfit is looking nice, then so should your hair, nails, and even your skin. That’s where investing time and money into personal grooming comes into play. Not only is this a matter of overall good hygiene, but being thoughtful for the way you look is self care.
Each woman has their own personal grooming practices, so I won’t tell you want to do. However, I’ll say that it should definitely be one way that you invest in yourself on a consistent basis.
20. Pamper yourself
Pampering yourself is another form of self-care that is a noteworthy investment. There are health benefits associated with getting a massage and other self-care treatments. The beauty is that this doesn’t even have to be expensive. In fact, you can try these 10 ways to pamper yourself on a budget.
What happens when you invest in yourself?
When you invest in yourself, you’ll start to see yourself grow and evolve into a more fulfilled and productive person. There’s no greater feeling.
Ready to start investing in yourself as a mom?
Are you ready to start investing in yourself? If so, I have a ton more resources for you to explore. Check out other blog posts for:
- Making Money
- Managing Money
- Getting out of debt
- Saving
As Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI), she has been teaching personal finances to women & youth for over a decade.
Fo is an established writer and expert contributor on the topics of personal finance, budgeting, debt payoff, money mindset, saving, entrepreneurship, investing, motherhood, personal development, and more.