INVEST in YOU

The other day I was enjoying a casual conversation with a friend about her recent successes in taking a Zumba class. She relayed to me, in her mind, she was great at the dance moves that is until she saw herself in front of the wall sized mirror and realized she didn’t know who the person was she was looking at but it wasn’t the same one in her head. Then we joked about how when the music stopped her body didn’t. She has a balanced perspective on who she is and is taking the time to invest in herself for a healthier life. A true lesson for every one of us to learn is, we need to take time to invest in ourselves. Put our money where our mouths are so to speak.

Physical investment is only one part to investing in ourselves, there is also the mental aspect to our lives. What do you do to keep yourself not only sharp but also from going a bit crazy? As I write this, I look around my office and see bookshelves lined with several hundred books most all I’ve read. On my desk alone are six in my “books to read” stack. They range from a book on recovering my creative self to one on ghost stories from New Orleans to a biography on Frank Sinatra. Needless to say I like to read. I also like puzzles from crosswords to brainteasers to seek and finds. This is, in a nutshell, how I like to keep my brain active and sharp (well as sharp as I can get it).

Have you ever felt like “Atlas” carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders or “Sisyphus” pushing a boulder up a mountain only for it to roll back down and having to start over? With the pressures of life and work we need ways to keep from going insane and letting life control us. For me, I keep it simple but varied. I’ll grab my fishing pole and head down to the pond or I work in my yard (shhh…everyone thinks I hate yard work). I tend to my roses (yes I know…shut up) or go for a bike ride. These are just a few ways I use to escape and rejuvenate myself. You need to find your own insanity stoppers and when you do trust me when I say you really will become more productive and focused.

Do you remember the old movie, “All Dogs go to Heaven?” It’s a funny movie that gives a spiritual aspect to the K9 world (notice it said nothing about cats…and for good reason). Without arguing theology, this movie lets us know we are more than just physical and mental but we also have a spiritual part to us. Now I come from a Christian perspective and approach this area in my life from that world view. So to invest in this part of who I am, I’ll read the Bible, devotionals and variety of materials that help me keep a “love my neighbor” attitude. I also attend church to worship my Creator. When I read those self-help books, they get strained through this filter.

I know investing takes time, effort and sacrifice and many say they can’t afford to invest….but I say, YOU can’t afford not to!