How investing in yourself can change your mindset and your life

Let me tell you a personal story. I was the first in my family to go to university and one of the first UK students to have to pay tuition fees. At that time, fees were ‘only’ £1000 per year but for me that meant that I had to see that this cost was going to pay off in the long run. Instead of seeing education as a cost, I saw this as an investment as I then went on to complete a masters, and a (funded) PhD. Something that I would benefit from personally as well as in my future career. 

Fast forward, a full-time career, the expense of a house renovation and bringing up children, investing in my personal development took a back seat. For me, the choice between spending money on myself or the children wasn’t an option financially. I often felt guilty spending money on myself when I did. 

Then Covid-lockdowns hit and that’s when I realised the value in making time and space for myself. I recognised that this was something I needed to do but had been conditioned to focus on looking after everyone else’s needs first. But for me, this was about choosing to invest in myself, grow my skills and ultimately, my happiness. 

That’s when I discovered coaching. Serendipitously, I started a coaching course before being put at risk of redundancy which helped prepare me for the foundations of the next stage in my career. 

Coaching gave me the time and space to explore my self-belief and what I wanted to achieve. It also enabled me to explore the different options that were opened up for me and helped me to create a set of clear steps to achieve my intentions. Most important for me personally were the conversations I had with my coach that were without judgement.    

Coaching became life-changing for my mind and my life. This is because wellbeing and financial wellbeing are very much intertwined. Looking back, investing in myself has been the best decision I have ever made. Overcoming the fear of spending time and money on myself by realising that my happiness matters too is the biggest win, both for me and my family. 

If you want to improve your financial wellbeing, what is the biggest fear you want to overcome?   

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