5 Ways You Can Invest In Yourself For Free
Once you hit 18 you're left with a lot of adult decisions to make.
Do you go to college? Do you choose to work?
What about dating and picking the proper career so that you have financial stability?
College was chosen for me and although this decision has changed my life in a plethora of ways, it has also allowed me to realize that living goes beyond getting a good grade in a course.
It includes finding ways to support myself and make time for my needs in order to get as much out of life as possible.
You can not revolutionize the world around you without taking control of your future by investing in yourself.
Keep reading to find out 5 simple and easy ways that you can learn to invest in yourself without spending any money.
It cost zero dollars to find ways to take care of yourself.
But what does it mean to invest in yourself?
It means allowing yourself to use and accept tools needed to grow and get to the next level of life.
Pushing yourself to advance even when you don't have a clear indication of what will happen next.
How this looks is different for everyone but for many who have been exposed to the financial ways of the world, it looks like literal investing in the stock market.
And yes, investing in a company is a great way to do it. To take risk and not play it safe.
But that's not the only way. It also looks like incorporating daily habits that promote spirituality, faith, education, new habits, the elimination of old habits, setting boundaries and cultivating joy even when your circumstances make your unhappy.
Why would you invest in yourself?
We live in a hustle hard, rest when we're dead culture that frowns upon not doing something every second of the day.
Yet what many people miss is the opportunity to replenish our mind and body while keeping our eye on our goals.
In fact we are maximizing productivity while living busy lives.
Exposure
Allow yourself to see a new view of living through experiences and people.
When terms like high yield savings accounts are thrown your way or a coworker mentions how they have 10k invested in whatever stock thats booming on the market, you can chip in with your own accomplishments or keep them to yourself.
Not everyone has the privilege of belonging to a circle that speaks a language of wealth and financial security, while living it. Which brings me to my first point...
Educate yourself
Books
There are free books you can download online. On Instagram, there are people in every area from budgeting, to lifestyle, to adulting that want to give you their free product all in exchange for your email address
Related Post: How to save money on a weekly budget
The library is also a great resource and my friends and I would swap books all the time when we saw each other.
The Gifts of Imperfections written by Brene' Brown, is an example of learning without feeling novice. She pulls on experiences that we all have been through and shines a new light on how to think about them.
Whether you're starting in your twenties or in your 40s you can also benefit from truly investing in your mind. Check out our resource library for more book inspiration.
Online video, podcast and articles
Youtube is the mastermind behind many great talents. There is a video or article on everything you could possibly want to learn.
Not interested in video? You can easily listen to a podcast. People who have mastered their own fields of study, and a mixture of other podcast content creators, are willing to be your teachers.
And with headphones on you are in a judgement free zone that is free of interruptions.
If you're learning about boundaries or how to save money while broke, you will get to hear what that person has to say.
Ask questions
Conversations can be a fantastic way to get to know others. Your partner or friend, professors and even your boss can shed light on issues that you didn't realize you cared about.
Talking is free and learning to listen more and speak less can be the difference between missing out on an experience and enjoying the full entirety of it.
You can learn the lessons of someone who had a different childhood, who took a different career path or traveled the world.
My nephew reminds me of not only youth but the ability to not accept life as black and white.
Life shouldn't be hustle excessively and rest when you're old, our interactions can remind us to have fun and ask questions we might consider silly.
Today I googled why water has a taste.
Create a community
Through an online community I learned it was possible to buy a house with cash.
To begin saving for retirement at the age of 25, and open a high yield savings account at the age of 20.
Mentorship
Learning from someone and being guided doesn't have to be expensive.
If you can't afford to do pricey classes or if that's not how you choose to invest in yourself, then find what you need through classmates, coworkers, even family at times.
There isn't a need to suffer alone or feel like we are the only people in the world that have something that troubles us.
Use online communities
Connect with others.
Allow them to be the shoulder you lean on or learn from them so that you find bigger goals much more possible.
Whether through social media or finding ways to network, it can be a great way to build in life.
A lot of the time when you meet a stranger in the same field as you they offer encouragement and a new insight.
Aiming bigger than your current self is so powerful because it's filled with uncertainty and promise.
Raise money for a cause
Also known as crowd funding you can use the money raised through a channel like Go Fund Me.
You can fundraise money for a volunteer trip like I did when I planned to travel to Puerto Rico.
Sell a product and donate the proceeds.
There are a ton of ways to sell something and donate the money to an organization like NewYorkCares that will give ONE free coat for every $20 donated.
You can do it the way this brand has and promote it using a product you already have.
Or you can go around and ask people if they would like to buy a candy or cake pop for $2.
Create a mindful routine
Reading doesn't only have to be for learning, it can be for pure unfiltered enjoyment.
Take a longer bath, talk to a friend when you begin to feel overwhelmed and no matter what begin to practice taking a few minutes each day for yourself.
I value my time in the morning where I sip my coffee and allow the silence of the room to be what I focus on.
For me, a peaceful morning is important, for you it could be enjoying lunch and catching up on Netflix simultaneously.
Everyones routine is different and that is perfectly okay. If you need inspiration check out these 38 free self care ideas.
Turn your passion into income
How do I find my passion?
Many people are lucky to find their passion early in their twenties and often it's linked to being in touch with themselves. They know what they like and don't like.
They spend time thinking of what they'd rather be doing instead of homework, working in retail, or being at home on a weekend.
How do you turn your passion into a fulfilling career? How can I figure out what my passion in life is? What's the best way to become passionate?
Think of what you would do if you did not have to worry about money. Consider where you would go and who you would spend time with.
What is your purpose in life?
Your purpose in life is strongly linked to the traits that make you who you are.
When I began to struggle in college I considered other career paths that weren't physical therapy almost non-stop.
And as I wrote down or googled these different jobs and majors I realized they were all linked around the idea of helping others.
What are you good at?
If you have graphic design skills, can style hair, cook, draw, write, enjoy building or creating, begin to think of ways that you can market that talent.
Believe in yourself
There are people who get their hair done every two weeks faithfully, and if you know how to do hair why shouldn't someone pay you to do theirs?
Instagram and Facebook can become your best friends, with proper promoting saying "DM to book" doesn't look too shabby until you're able to purchase a website domain. A great social media presence can take you far.
Continue figuring out your why
I went to college because I had no choice. But I stayed because I wanted easier access to a better life.
It's an unfortunate fact that in the corporate world, the medical field, administration etc. there is a favoritism, showed to applicants who have certifications and degrees over those who don't.
By figuring out your why you can have something to keep you going when life seems impossible.
Reflect and seek more in life
When you journal, go to therapy, strengthen your connections with others etc. you begin to find other ways to see the world and open up your mind.
We see our friends doing great things and sometimes wonder when it's going to be our turn.
Our turn comes when we've opened up our minds and do the work needed to level up financially or personally.
When it is your time, you won't be able to ignore your calling.
My second semester learning remotely tested my productivity, my sanity, and forced me to look deep within myself to balance my work, school and personal life.
It also strengthened my belief in that it is necessary to have a space in which you feel heard and validated.
That is what Blissful Wallet has blossomed into and I dearly hope you agree.
In conclusion
When it comes to investing in yourself you don't have to have money. The best way to build and work toward living a life free of regrets is to find ways to care for yourself even when your schedule is busy.
Learning new behaviors, eliminating ones that do you harm, and gaining control of your finances makes the world seem like an endless void of potential.
SCROLL to grab your FREE guide for becoming the best version of yourself!
And lastly, let me know in the comments how you plan on investing in yourself.
