Invest in Yourself

As a follow up to my recent blog, “Be Your Most Amazing Self”, I thought I would talk about how to really “invest in yourself” to support being your most amazing self.  This is less about our kids and more about us!

Think about yourself as your own company.  Think “Me Corporation Inc.”.   Investing in yourself may be the most profitable investment you ever make.  We need to place a priority on investing in both our personal and professional growth. Since every corporation has departments, let’s take a look at our personal corporation’s departments – our skills, our creativity, our health, our confidence and our happiness.

Skills.  Are we continuing to enhance our skills?  How are we doing in expanding our universe as it relates to our education, our training, our reading?  It is amazing what we can learn by using Google search, reading quick blogs, staying current on tech or industry news.  I often get an idea for a blog then do a Google search and read 8-10 articles before I ever write anything.  Also, on a weekly basis, I will Google something cool I hear about in the Human Resource arena!  If I find something cool, I then share it with my entire team.  Books, industry magazines, articles etc., also give you the power to learn new things and bust through career slumps. In other words, reading more can take you to places you’ve never been and give you additional ideas you never thought of. 

Creativity.  We need to feed our own creativity – keep our mind fresh.  Maybe we decide to learn a new language, or take up a new cooking angle, or take on photography.  Other ways to keep your mind fresh may involve travel, hiking, music, painting, or designing.

Health.  How is your health – not just your body, but your mind as well?   If you have not picked up on this already I like to read – not books but articles, white papers or research.  I am a fact guy.  You may like something else.  The point is to always read, read and read more.   Also, investigate new cultures.  Open up your mind to understand the “other side”.  Seek to understand.  Challenge your mind – word games, puzzles, Words with Friends, do the math in your head.  Keep challenging your own mind.

And our bodies, yes our bodies.  All two-hundred and ugh ugh pounds of my body.  This is not about our weight, but it is about our activity and our maintenance.  Eat better (I say this because many of us stress about eating healthy – we may never all only eat leaves and nuts, but we can strive to eat better).  BE better at exercise.  Work into it.  It does not have to be all or nothing.  Walk 10 minutes each day then the following month go to 20, then at some point you may even run – just be active.  Find something you love.  I LOVE basketball – always have.  I play 3-5 times per week full court ball with friends.  Some of these games have been with the same bunch of players for the last two decades.  Good fun, exercise and good friends. 

Lastly on health, please do not be afraid of the doctor – think of it as a tune-up.  You need to run at your best.  And I would also add, think about how you present yourself.  It is amazing sometimes how a new haircut, a few new shirts and some cool shoes help our confidence.  And relax – a bubble bath, a nap in a hammock, or maybe even an athletic massage.

Confidence.  One of the most important issues I see with investing in “us” is our confidence.  People who know their value, have something to say and others usually will listen. You can invest in yourself by developing an understanding of the value that you possess and offer others.  Everyone has something to offer.  Everyone.   Learn to have the courage to speak your truth. The more you love yourself and own the value that you offer, the more confident you will become in sharing it with others.  Part of confidence is also being humble - practicing gratitude reduces aggressive tendencies, promotes better sleep, greatly improves physical and psychological health, helps cultivate better relationships, and makes us happier. Keep a daily gratitude journal or spend a few minutes each day listing 5 things that you are truly grateful for.  (Today, I am grateful for three loving boys, a beautiful wife (inside and out), the health of my Dad, a great job and some truly wonderful friendships from college and high school.)

Happiness.  Choose to be happy.  Your happiness is a choice. Happy people choose to focus on the positive aspects of life, rather than the negative.   Happiness is not what happens but how you choose to respond.  Happy people are not held hostage by their circumstances. They look at all the reasons to be grateful. “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”- said that famous guy Abraham Lincoln.  

Your family and friends are valuable and it pays to stay in touch with them and give them your time. It will deepen your relationships with them and show them you care. Invest time and effort in staying in touch with them regularly, whether in person, via telephone, email, Skype, etc. You will be happy that you did in the long run. Make an effort to reach out to at least one person per day.  Guess what, you should always choose your friends wisely - the types of friends you choose to be around has a dramatic effect on our own actions and behaviors. The old adage, “birds of a feather flock together” is especially true when it comes to our friends. If you want to be successful, happy, positive, healthy, more productive, etc., make sure you associate with people who possess those attributes. Conversely, if you currently have friends who do not conform to your goals, politely get rid of them, or, at the very least, greatly reduce the amount of time you spend with them. 

I remind my wife and my boys to get rid of toxic friends.
Having good friends is an important aspect of life. But having friends who are a positive influence is even more important. Be selective when choosing your friends and get rid of the ones who are negative, problem-laden, unmotivated, and who do not care about bettering themselves. To a large extent, you are a product of your environment and this includes the company you keep. Find friends that share your values. Friends matter.

And, as I have stated before, set your goals.  Not the  “I need to paint the house” goals, but the big audacious life goals.  It may be as simple as I  want to go to the Kentucky Derby, I want to see a bullfight in Spain, I want to go to the NYC ballet,  or maybe it entails learning a new language, taking up the drums or learning how to scuba dive.  Challenge yourself and challenge your mind.   What is your bucket list?

Just as it essential for collaboration between departments and divisions within any corporation, so are the above traits for personal growth. By enhancing skills and creativity, a healthy confidence is bound to rise as you will have insight to offer your workplace, your friends and your family. Through healthy choices, happiness can improve. They all tie together.

Remember, an investment in yourself is the greatest one you can make.

Together.  We.  Win.

Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

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