We've still got a good two months left in the year to make things happen! Plenty of time for some year-end accomplishments. That means you still have time to invest in yourself, your dreams, and your financial future. Though this season is filled with exciting activities and traditions, it can also be a time of tremendous growth and opportunity when used wisely.
Investing time, money, and resources in yourself can provide you with generous returns. Taking the time to figure out where you should invest in yourself can help you succeed in your goals and achieve your dreams.
Read below to discover five exciting ways to pursue personal growth and invest in yourself this fall season!
5 Ways to Invest in Yourself This Fall
In a world filled with endless comparisons and competition, it can be easy to forget that the only person we should try to be better than is the person we were yesterday. We can chase our tails trying to keep up with our peers, coworkers, and social media influencers, but when we focus on being 1% better each day, we’ll discover a whole new world of personal growth and development.
You can prioritize your well-being and secure a more disciplined lifestyle when you take the time to invest in yourself. You can do this by:
Learning something new
Contributing to an investment account
Breaking a bad habit
Creating better boundaries and routines
Volunteering
Pick one (or all of these) and put a plan in motion to invest in yourself this autumn.
1. Learn Something New
Most of us are far removed from our high school and college days when learning was integrated into our everyday routine. Starting a career and family and taking care of all the adult responsibilities we’re faced with can make it difficult to find time to learn new things.
But committing to being a lifelong learner can bring tremendous benefits such as improved health—learning can help improve your memory, reduce your stress, and prevent cognitive decline. It can also help you thrive socially—dedication to learning helps you be a better conversationalist, ask better questions, and engage better with others. Learning new things can also help you thrive in your career—keeping you relevant in a fast-paced work environment.
You can become a lifelong learner by:
Reading daily (even if it’s just a few pages!).
Moving your body (being physically active helps our minds stay active).
Engaging in topics that interest you.
Having a growth mindset.
Investing in relevant workshops and conferences.
2. Contribute to an Investment Account
As a financial coach, I am extra passionate about this one! Investing in your financial future is one of the best ways to practice self-care. It demonstrates that you care enough about yourself and your future, that you’re willing to sacrifice some short-term pleasures for long-term gain.
Carefully consider your budget and see if you can start contributing to or increasing your contributions to these common accounts.
High-yield savings account (HYSA). These accounts are paying generous interest rates right now, with most offering around 5% APY. These accounts are perfect for building your emergency fund and storing short-term savings.
Employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan. Aiming for at least 10% in this account is critical for building a strong retirement plan. At the very least, ensure you’re contributing enough to receive any company-matching contributions your employer might offer.
Individual retirement plan (IRA). On top of your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you may also choose to contribute to an IRA.
Brokerage account. These are great for short and medium-term investments.
Of course, there are many more opportunities to experience exciting compound growth beyond this list. Utilizing 529 plans, HSAs, and even real estate crowdfunding platforms can help you reach your financial goals faster and more effectively.
3. Break a Bad Habit
When you’re pursuing personal growth goals, you should first step back and examine the poor habits that might be dragging you down. When it comes to our financial progress, we sometimes have poor financial habits that continue to hinder our progress such as:
Making impulsive purchases
Overextending credit cards
Not contributing to retirement accounts
Ignoring financial statements
Giving into self-limiting beliefs
These are daunting habits to overcome and it can feel extremely overwhelming to tackle them, especially if you’re struggling with breaking multiple poor habits. Start by picking one or two that you feel are particularly holding you back and focus on them.
4. Create Better Boundaries and Routines
Creating daily routines that serve you rather than drain you is an excellent way to invest in yourself. Implementing small changes and setting boundaries at home, work, your social network, and even with your phone, can help increase your productivity, focus, and mindfulness.
Some examples of this could be:
Setting up “no phone” times such as the first half hour upon waking and the last half hour before bedtime.
Saying “no” to an unpaid overtime project at work.
Spending 10 minutes daily tidying your home so you can relax and unwind more effectively.
Committing to a budgeting app and restricting purchases after you’ve filled a category.
Waking up earlier than your children to read, workout, or even just enjoy a cup of coffee in silence.
Communicating your needs to others, especially your partner, friends, and coworkers.
Prioritizing your self-care daily, especially over other tasks that don’t align with your priorities.
Define your goals and values and seek to create boundaries and routines that will help honor them.
5. Volunteer
This one might sound counterintuitive, but volunteering has proven to be beneficial for everyone involved, including the ones giving their time. Volunteering can make us happier, provide connection, and boost our mental health. Stepping outside of our world and into the lives of others can help us gain perspective, increase our gratitude, expand our networks, and provide us with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
There are numerous ways to get involved in your community such as:
Donating your skills and abilities to help others.
Leading workshops on a variety of topics that you’re well versed in.
Tutoring and mentoring teenagers and young adults.
Giving your time to a shelter.
Supporting non-profit groups you care about.
Engaging in political movements you support.
Building relationships through volunteering expands your worldview, increases your self-esteem and personal satisfaction, and opens your eyes to the world around you.
Pursue Personal Growth with Wealthly
Part of living a life of freedom starts with pursuing personal growth today. By committing to lifelong learning, investing, breaking up with habits that aren’t serving you, creating healthy boundaries and routines, and giving back to your community, you can start growing.
We love helping clients pursue growth through goal setting, budgeting, discipline, financial literacy, and empowering them to make informed decisions. Start experiencing financial freedom by downloading my free guide: 7 Simple Steps to Break Free Financially. To see if we can help you pursue your personal growth, email me at latoya@wealthlyliving.com or click here to fill out a contact form today. We’ll be in touch soon!
Content in this material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.