Let's make it clear. You must invest in yourself. It's your best bet. You are your most valuable asset. Think of spending money as investing in a company, except that you are the company.

In this article you will discover how to invest in yourself and why it is important, along with an infographic and a practical way to get started.

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How to Spend Money For Yourself

Invest your money in these areas:

Books: Reading is the most underrated investment, yet potentially the best you could make. Bestsellers are in the $8 - $38 price range and what they teach you is huge. Knowledge is power and one never has enough. You can learn anything by trading your cigarette pack for a masterpiece. Moreover, books are at your fingertips thanks to the ebook format so you can take them anywhere.

Languages: It requires almost no money thanks to mobile applications like Duolingo and it highly stimulates your brain. The benefits of learning a new language are strong and last for the rest of your life. Beyond your mental faculties, speaking various languages lets you meet different cultures and people abroad. It also gives you an edge over your competitors when searching for a job. The benefits are countless while the financial investment is minimal.

Sports and Music: Get a ukulele, a skateboard, a guitar, a bike, or anything else. Start practicing a new skill. It grows your brain power and your self-confidence. Learning is good to train your eagerness as well. Not only does it have a big impact on your personality but also a positive effect on your thinking process. Sports equipment and musical instruments tend to last long while decent ones cost less than $100. Also, note that practicing sports and music has a tremendous positive impact on your memory and your life expectancy. You will live longer and in better shape while being protected against Alzheimer's.

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Food: Buy large quantities of fruits and vegetables, along with proteins (like meat and fish). Healthy food keeps you from following yet another fashion diet and, it is the first step toward improving your physical condition. Shaping your body starts at the supermarket and your eating is 75% of your diet. Food is cheap and affordable, and it makes you fit and happy.

Travels:: There's no better way to learn a new language but to go abroad and that's not all. Traveling means discovering a whole new world with its own culture, food, tv shows, etc. Depending on where you go, your currency power could let you live like a king for nothing. The possibilities are endless. You could move into a new place, make friends, meet your soulmate, find a new job, change your lifestyle, and start back from zero. A full-week package (including flight and hostel) is worthy no matter what. Longer plans are worthy as well. Discovering a new world and going on a new life have no price.

Comfort: You must take care of your body as it plays a big role in your self-confidence and your health. Purchase clothes, makeup, and accessories (like watches) that make you feel beautiful. Try earplugs and headphones as well. They help you focus and stay productive longer. As to your sleeping comfort, pay attention to your mattress and don't hesitate to invest in a good one. Mattresses are a good example of good long-term purchases. A high-quality one will last for decades and ensure relaxing nights. The goal is to improve your quality of life by taking care of your mind, your body, and your appearance. The bottom line is: Buy what adds to your comfort.

Take each point and ask yourself: How significant is the improvement compared to the investment?

Beyond money: Allow time for yourself and for plain relaxing. Go out, enjoy the bright sky, the warm sunset, and have a deep breath. Not everything comes with money.

Why You Should Spend Money For Yourself

Thanks to all these means (books, languages, food, etc), you become a better version of yourself

You enjoy a better quality of life and you build a stronger profile at the same time.

You get big results without having to ruin yourself.

Your improvements are trackable and measurable easily.

You get instant feedback from yourself and your family and friends.

You're free to invest in any area that suits you best.

You get better at making money by the simple fact that you grow your skills and get more knowledgeable.

What you acquire will last for the rest of your life.

Remember this: Self-improvement is invisible (think intangible) but it adds value to every single aspect of your personal growth.

Furthermore, enjoying an activity and improving yourself are not incompatible. You'll be pleased to get better and you'll build a positive feedback loop to keep things going.

Don't be afraid of spending money on yourself. It's your best opportunity and it can only have a good outcome.

Practice

1. Figure out what suits you best: Pick something that motivates you. Is there any sport or any musical instrument you always wanted to try? A book you wanted to read? A recipe you wanted to cook? A body shape you wanted to reach? It's your time.

If you have no specific idea, go for books. There must be something for you.

2. Take the first step: Get what you need to get started. It can be anything (book, sports equipment, musical instrument, mobile app, food, etc).

3. Set a small goal: It will build your motivation as you succeed. The most important: It will guide you through your learning process so you don't get discouraged by being lost at the beginning.

The hardest part is starting. Once you're in, it's easy to keep on.

4. Have your first session: Learn the basics, read the first pages, lift your first weights, buy your first fruits and vegetables, and so on. You should allow at least an hour for this session and obviously, enjoy it.

5. Repeat and Takes notes: Write down where you started from and how far you are from your goal. After each session, define what you're getting better at, and what needs improvement. Be optimistic and have another session, focusing on your weakest points. Then, look at how much you improved since the beginning. It will highly increase your motivation and your performance. The process is straightforward.

Takes notes in your mind or on a piece of paper. Don't overdo it. Just have a glance at how things are evolving.

6. After a long time, how did it change you?: You will be astonished at how small things lead to big transformations (regarding your mindset, your lifestyle, your self-confidence, your social interactions, etc). I bet you'll take this process again and again.

Invest in yourself and enjoy it. There is no doubt it is the best way to spend both your time and your money.

Personal experiment 1: I wanted to feel more comfortable with not being a workaholic so I decided to allow a mandatory 1-hour break each day. I gradually increased it to a 2-hour break each day until it became a 4-hour break. Looking back on it, it has relieved me from the pressure I would put on myself all the time and it taught me to be more productive.

Personal experiment 2: I wanted to start rollerblading thus I bought cheap rollerblades to practice with. My goal was to go from nothing to a steady 4-kilometer ride within 1 month. I could barely stand without falling the first time. I had 1-hour sessions three times a week and within only two weeks I was able to ride 16 kilometers in my city. Looking back on it, it boosted my self-confidence and my openness toward new experiences (and you have no idea how good reaching my goals felt).

Side note: Don't get selfish though. Volunteering, for instance, is yet another way to invest your time and your efforts effectively. It teaches you a lot and it gives you an idea of what helping others truly means. Invest in yourself wisely and do things that you love.

Take It Anywhere You Go

Feel free to use this infographic as a reminder in case you forget a point.