How To Invest In Yourself As A Woman Every Day & Why You Need To
Have you ever wondered how to invest in yourself as a woman, so you can grow, evolve and reach your infinite potential?
There was a time when I rarely invested in myself. I bought as many books as I liked, but aside from that, there seemed to be this invisible force holding me back from spending money on things that I knew would help me grow.
I would see countless online courses, workshops, and retreats that spoke to my soul, but I would always let them come and go again; telling myself, maybe next year, or maybe when I have a bit more money, or maybe when things aren’t so busy at work.
The funny thing was, I would drop hundreds of dollars each month on garbage—clothes, junk food, and alcohol—without batting an eyelid.
Then, I quit my job in fashion to try and make a living as a freelance writer, and run my own business. And something changed within me; as if a light switched on, and I finally had clarity.
If I wanted to become the woman I dreamed of being, and live a fulfilling, abundant life, then I needed to start investing in the most important thing of all: me.
I started booking tickets to workshops and seminars that interested me; and I knew would help me grow, both professionally and personally. I invested $1000 in an online program that showed me how to write and self-publish a book; something which I had been wanting to do for a long time. And I hired a business coach, who charged $500 a month.
I did all of this even though money wasn’t flooding in. Sometimes, I used my savings, and trusted that I would make the money back by giving myself this gift of knowledge or skill or mentorship. And I always did.
Not only that, but I also started re-evaluating other things in my life. I stopped spending time with people who didn’t align with where I was growing. I started devoting more time to my morning ritual, and rising earlier. And I became really conscious about the things I was allowing in; like TV shows, movies, and social media.
A year later, when I started coaching and launching my own online courses and soul retreats, I spoke to countless women who wanted to invest in themselves. But most of them never did. They told themselves the same excuses I used to tell myself.
I’m broke.
I don’t have the time.
Maybe next year.
And I’ve noticed that men don’t tend to do this. They see something they want, they make a decision, and they take action right away. They don’t stall, or ask for permission, or hold back.
We need to stop limiting and stunting our own growth and potential, and start backing ourselves as women.
What does it mean to invest in yourself?
Investing in yourself means devoting your resources (time, energy and money) to things that will give you a return. I’ve focused this article on all three of these resources, because I think they’re all equally important and valuable.
That can be as simple as investing money in the stock market, and receiving twenty percent growth on your investment five years later.
It might be investing $50 in an online course that shows you how to start a blog; and being able to then go off and start your own blog and start writing and publishing every day.
Or it might be investing one hour each day on self-care; like working out, cooking yourself a meal, or taking a relaxing bath.
An investment should somehow make you richer, whether it’s through money, knowledge, new skills, relationships, experience, support, or even self-worth and inner peace. That might happen right away, or it may take months or even years to pay dividends.
What matters is that you are being conscious with your valuable resources each day, and choosing to use them in a way that supports you, and aligns with where you want to grow.
Here’s how to invest in yourself as a woman, in 15 beautiful ways
1. Work on your relationship with the Divine
Maybe you’re a religious or spiritual person, and maybe you’re not. That’s okay.
When I say the Divine, I mean a force that’s greater than us, but also exists within each and every one of us every day. You might call that force Goddess, God, Source, or Spirit. The name doesn’t matter, as long as it feels right to you.
When you connect to your soul—your purpose, your calling—you are connecting to Source energy. And connecting to your soul is perhaps the most important thing you can do in a lifetime.
This is how you find your way to your true path and purpose; and your mission here on earth. This is how you discover what your unique gifts and offerings are, and the story you came to write. And this is how you go from living a half-life, to an extraordinary one.
Everything you do in life is in co-creation with the Universe. We are all working with her. And she will always support us when we’re on our soul path, providing everything we need. Don’t close yourself off to this beautiful connection, or the opportunity for endless returns on your investment.
2. Look after your health
Invest your time, money, and energy on your health, because this body is the only one you’re going to get. Take care of it. Treat it with love and respect. Remember all the beautiful things it allows you to do every day.
Try and move your body every day, even if you just go for a walk in nature. Choose activities that you enjoy doing, that don’t feel like a chore.
Think about the food you’re putting into your body, and the effect it has on you. How does it make you feel? How does it effect your energy and mood? Where has it come from? How has it been grown?
I try and buy organic food, and eat as much of a plant-based diet as possible. I have been vegetarian for 11 years, and have dabbled with veganism during this time. But I’m not perfect, and I haven’t cut junk food out my life completely. But I do notice the effect it has on my body when I eat it.
3. Read as many books as you can
This one has never been challenging for me because, as most writers do, I love reading.
Isn’t it amazing how we can spend $10, and read a collection of someone’s best thoughts, research, and work, that has been collated over five years or more?
Aren’t we so lucky to have been born in a country where we were all taught how to read, and we have access to almost any book we want?
Even if we can’t afford new books, we all have a library near us, which is a beautiful, untapped resource.
Make a list of all the books you want to read, or things you’re interested in learning more about, and commit to reading more. You might want to join a local book club if that helps motivate you, and make it more fun.
4. Attend workshops & seminars that interest you
There are so many amazing workshops, conferences, and seminars going on every day.
Some of them are probably happening not too far from you, while others are a couple hours away, or maybe in another country.
If your budget is small, start local. See what’s going on near you. Make a list of things you want to do and experience and know more about. Trust your intuition, and allow it to guide you.
If the workshop is vaguely relevant to your job, and could benefit you professionally in some way, you may be able to get your employer to sponsor you.
Always bring a notebook, and jot down anything that speaks to you when you’re there. And when you return, try and implement what you learned into your life. This is how you make the most of attending events like these, and making your investment worthwhile.
5. How to invest in yourself as a woman: Learn something new
What interests you?
What have you always wanted to try or learn or experience, but just haven’t gotten around to?
And what skills or hobbies would help you grow, in your career or in your personal life?
Spend some time making a list, and commit to learning something new this month. Make sure it’s fun and you’re excited about it.
I’ve always got a bunch of things I want to learn more about, and I’m always allowing my instincts to guide me towards those things.
Just because school is over (thank fuck), your education should never stop. And the best part is, you’re completely in charge of what you learn.
Maybe you want to go back to university, become a qualified yoga teacher, or learn how to code. Whatever interests you, there is probably a way for you to learn about it. the internet is full of free resources, books are great as we mentioned, and there are plenty of online and in-person courses you can attend.
Remember, if you’re not growing every day, you’re only dying.
6. Go from good to great at something
You don’t just have invest in learning new skills. Think about the skills and gifts you already have.
How can you invest in them further, and take your skill to the next level?
The more time you spend doing something, the better you’ll become at it. They say it takes 10,000 hours (around 10 years) to truly master something; so if you want to be great then show up for yourself and commit to putting the work in.
I’m a writer, so I invest my time in waking up early and writing almost every day. Even when I feel un-inspired or tired or I really don’t feel like it. And I can see my growth when I look back at some of my articles from just a couple years ago. This is the power of investing in yourself.
7. Get really clear on your finances
If you’re wondering how to invest in yourself as a woman, one of the best things you can do today is get crystal clear on your finances.
Men seem to learn from a young age that they are providers, and therefore need to earn money. But so many women don’t get given this same lesson. And I’ve witnessed too many women find themselves trapped in relationships or marriages because they’re unable to financially support themselves.
Making money is a skill, and like all other skills, we have to practice to get better at it. So it’s time to get serious about investing in learning how to grow your income.
Do you have any debt? If so, start making a plan on how you can pay it off and become debt-free.
What is your income, and what are your expenses?
How can you find other revenue streams, and increase your income?
Are you putting some money aside into a savings account each month?
One of the best books I’ve ever read on money is Secrets of The Millionaire Mind by Harv Eker. In one of the chapters, he suggests opening lots of different savings accounts, dedicated to different things; including play, self-investment, charity etc.
The idea is, you put ten percent of what you earn each month into each account, regardless of how little or large that amount is. Because it’s the habit of doing this that is important.
8. Start a side hustle
Do you genuinely love your job? If the answer is no, then what would you rather be doing?
Your answer is your million dollar side hustle idea.
Maybe you want to become a fashion and beauty vlogger, or sell clothes on ebay, or make your own natural beauty products and sell them on etsy. You could create digital planners and worksheets, or even write and publish a book.
Make sure you’re passionate about whatever it is you’re doing, otherwise it won’t be fun, and it won’t be sustainable.
Remember, you don’t need to know how to do this before you get started. Invest time and money in learning how to do it. Give yourself permission to fuck things up, and keep going until you figure it out.
A side hustle can be a brilliant outlet for your creativity, and also a lucrative second income stream.
I started picking up freelance writing gigs and set up my website while I was still working my 9-5. This gave me a great foundation to build on when I finally quit my job.
9. If you run your own business, invest in it
Learning how to invest in yourself as a woman is vital if you already run your own business.
There is no successful business owner out there who doesn’t regularly invest their time, energy, and money in themselves and the growth of their business.
When you’re in startup stage, your budget will probably be small, and you’ll have to be savvy—I still am. But as you grow and want to take things to the next level, you have to start thinking and acting on that level.
That means hiring experts to do the tasks you don’t want to do, or aren’t particularly good at. Outsourcing mundane tasks that are sapping your time. Investing in a business coach who can help you go from A to B. And not being afraid to take a calculated risk every now and then.
10. Invest in a coach or mentor
Like I mentioned earlier, I invested $500 a month in a business coach when I began working for myself, and running my own business. I didn’t do this right away, but once I had a steady stream of money flowing in, I took the plunge, even though it was probably a little more than I could afford.
My coach was able to bring new perspective to me and my business; something which I couldn’t get from my partner. And it was so helpful having someone there to ask questions, bounce ideas off, and to support me through making decisions.
Even if you don’t run your own business, could you use some extra support in a particular area of your life?
I now offer business and writing coaching to women, but I also work on other areas life self-love, confidence, empowerment, and feminine wisdom; which are usually the things that hold women back from having the life they dream of. Maybe you could benefit from working with a nutritionist, a healer, or even a therapist.
Having a coach doesn’t make you weak or dependable. It makes you strong, because you’re actively taking control of your life and helping yourself.
11. Elevate your daily habits
We can read a tonne of books, take online courses, and learn new skills; but none of this matters if you haven’t spent time creating positive daily habits.
What do I mean by that?
I mean the things you think and say to yourself every day. Your self-discipline and motivation. How you manage your time.
What you do day to day matters more than you think it does. And every day, you have a brand new opportunity to let go of habits and behaviours that aren’t serving you, and create space for empowering ones that do.
12. Create a morning ritual
How you begin your day sets the tone for the rest of it. This is your time to connect to yourself, get centred and grounded, and prepare for what’s to come.
No matter how busy you are today, your morning is yours to spend how you choose; before the phone calls and emails and noisy kids start flooding in.
I like to meditate, do some yoga, journal, and maybe do an oracle reading for myself. I’ll also make myself an organic green tea, and enjoy sipping it in stillness.
Think about what practices help you feel loved and grounded and nourished, and try and incorporate these into your morning ritual. It can be as short as ten minutes, or as long as you like.
If you need some help on creating your own morning ritual, click here.
13. Set intentions
I usually set some big new intentions at the start of each year for the next 12 months; but every new moon, I reflect and create smaller intentions that I want to work with within that moon cycle.
One of the best ways to invest in yourself is to make sure you’re regularly setting yourself new goals/intentions, that challenge you and encourage you to grow.
Keep checking in with these intentions to make sure they’re still aligned with you. And if they’re not, don’t be afraid to let them go and choose again. This is all part of your journey.
14. How to invest in yourself as a woman: Travel
I’ve been lucky enough to live in different places including Bali, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and travel on holiday to so many more. And I cannot stress the value of experiencing those different cultures, cuisines, and landscapes.
It’s fun and exciting, and you get to have new adventures and make unforgettable memories; with people you love, along with strangers you’ve only just met.
Something happens when you take yourself out of your everyday environment. You’re able to see things from a new perspective, you find clarity, and inspiration often strikes.
Travel is something you invest money in that makes you infinitely richer. If you’re looking to travel solo, booking yourself on a women’s retreat is a beautiful way to weave travel with connection and soul work.
15. Be intentional about who you spend time with
You have probably already heard someone else say that you are the product of the five people you spend the most time with; and that saying is true.
So, who are you spending the most time with?
Who are you giving your valuable time and energy to?
And how are they making you feel?
Are your friends aligned with the woman you want to be, and where you want to grow? Do they inspire you, challenge you to be better, and cheer for you when they see you succeed? Or do they fill you with negative energy, moan and complain, and fail to support you when you need them to?
You need people around you who are positive, supportive, inspiring and healthy. Because this will help you become more of those things.
If you don’t know anyone in your life like that, make time to go to networking events and meetups where you can connect with more like-minded women. Social media is also a great place to find your tribe.
And that is how to invest in yourself as a woman, every day
You know what to do. Give yourself permission to invest your time, money and energy in your growth, starting today.
Don’t look back, and don’t hesitate.
You are worth it, all of it.