Invest in your yourself. Let me say that a little louder for the people in the back. INVEST IN YOURSELF. Whether it’s time, money, or relationships, investing in yourself and what you want for your future is necessary. I spent years wondering why I wasn’t progressing and getting where I wanted in life, and then I realized I never really invested in myself – in any capacity. I didn’t look for mentors to help guide me on my journey. I didn’t cut toxic people out of my life soon enough. I didn’t spend money on classes or programs that would give me the knowledge I needed to progress (I barely went to college, but that’s a story for another day). I finally realized that I wouldn’t wake up one day with a perfect life and I needed to take actionable steps to get there. I’m hoping my missteps can act as a helpful guide to anyone reading this so you achieve the life you’ve been dreaming of quicker and easier(ish). 

First and foremost, you must invest time in yourself. Maybe you want to build a business or a brand. You won’t get there if you don’t invest your time learning the skills that are necessary to build that dream. Please don’t say, “I’m already SO busy and I have no free time to take an extra class or focus on anything else.” I’m going to be blunt with you. This is nothing but an excuse. If it is important enough to you, make time. I work nightshift and I spend my lunch breaks taking classes online. I wake up tired after getting off work at 5 am, I open up my laptop and keep going. I have lectures playing in the background while I get ready for my next nightshift instead of watching Friends or Gilmore Girls. I’m not better than anyone else and I’m not bragging. I just realized at one point that what I wanted was so damn important to me that I would find any minute or second in the day that I could to devote to making my dreams a reality. And that’s what you should be doing too. It’s not easy. I get it. If you want to give up because you’re tired, I get it. If you’re burnt out and you suddenly burst out into tears in the middle of the grocery store –  well I’ve been there too. You just have to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. And by all means give yourself a break when you need it. You’re still human and recovery and rest is important as well. Just don’t let your rest period turn into a week that turns into 5 years. 

“To truly be satisfied in life, you must invest your time into doing what you were born to do instead of wasting your time trying to impress a boss or a company doing a job that you were not born for.” – Sunday Adelaja 

Ok let’s talk money. The beautiful thing is you can get away with spending little to no money learning and educating yourself if that’s the route you need to go. There are endless free resources and courses on the Internet for you to devour  –  you just have to spend a little time finding which one is right for you. There’s also establishments such as Udemy or personal online coaches who offer classes, usually self-paced, at extremely affordable prices. In today’s world there are so many more routes to go besides the traditional college route. You don’t need to drown yourself in student loans to get an education anymore. I’m not bashing college or anyone who chooses to go that way by any means; I’m just saying that for people like me who don’t fit into the traditional societal mold there are other options for education and learning. And this is great news! It makes it so much easier for you to find the resources you need to put you on the fast track to success. 

Lastly, we must invest in our relationships. If a relationship, whether it be platonic or romantic, isn’t serving you in a positive way, cut it off. It’s harsh but it’s necessary. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that so many people I’ve kept in my life weren’t supportive of me in anyway and I continued to entertain their toxicity. Why? I’m not really sure to be honest. I was really shy growing up and I think I didn’t want to hurt anyones feelings, but I’ve come to realize that if someone isn’t supporting me I don’t need them. If you are investing your time and/or feelings into a person that person should be fully supportive of you. Life isn’t easy as it is, and we don’t need to overcomplicate it further by continuing to keep in contact with people who are no longer good for us. During your journey to achieve your goals, you will be exhausted, tired, and burnt out. Invest your emotions in good people. The ones who have your back no matter what.  

The overall message here is that your goals will take time and effort. You won’t get anything out of your dreams and goals if you don’t put anything in, whether that’s time, money, or both. If any of this sounds unreasonable to you or you can’t see yourself spending every waking hour trying to learn or make the necessary moves to progress to where you want to be, then maybe you need to re-evaluate the goal itself. Is this something you really actually want? A lot of the times we get wrapped up in what society says a good job is or what our family wants for us so we think that’s what we must want for ourselves as well. A few years down the line we end up surprised that we’re lacking motivation to achieve said goals. If your dreams & goals don’t light your soul on fire, you need to reevaluate them. They should be a need, not just a want. Once you’ve envisioned your ideal life, it is time to start investing in yourself and go get them! I promise it’s possible. 

Love, Saskia