There are many different ways to spend your money or time. Consider all the activities and purchases you have made in the last year. How many were focused on personal growth? Investing in yourself will often come last if we don’t intentionally make it happen. Our minds are focused on other things.

I was focused on financial, nutritional, health and fitness, and career stressors. I focused on my spiritual growth and building up a group of supportive friends. Yet an area that was lacking was personal growth.

I sent all my resources to survival.

Yet here’s the thing. I couldn’t really survive when I didn’t invest in myself. When I didn’t see Mary Blacklock as worth buying a $20 self-help book for (I had bills to pay!) I was unintentionally holding myself back. Buying those kinds of items, financial or career focused books, weren’t even considered. I was too lost in my stress and struggle.

When a big opportunity for personal growth came by, I was almost too scared to take it. I had already convinced myself that I was too far behind in life…that even if I had the money to invest in myself, it wouldn’t be worth it.

But I was wrong! That investment in myself was huge-it led me to my current path.

It sparked a desire in me to invest in myself more and more.

Investing in oneself is vastly important. As I reflect on the journey I’ve made, I’d love to share with you some of my thoughts on why personal growth is important.

• We pay for our academic education and personal growth is education of self. We spend a large amount of money on college or go into debt for our academic self, but we make excuses for why we can’t spend money when it comes to a large personal investment. Even when it will perhaps change our way of thinking and increase our happiness.

• You never know where investing in yourself will lead. When we invite ourselves to take in the wisdom of others through their books, podcasts, art, lectures, etc., we are inviting ourselves to begin a journey.

• Investing in yourself can help you balance your life. There are so many areas that we can learn and grow in. The areas that you are struggling with the most right now are the areas where you have the opportunity to grow.

Please comment below with any thoughts or questions related to this post.

Questions: Do you make an intentional effort to invest in yourself regularly and in different areas of life? Do you see an area that you might need to focus your investment on more intentionally?