So much of our income goes toward stuff we buy for ourselves. We can also use our money to invest in the stock market, real estate, and other stuff. But another great use for your money is to invest in yourself.
Health
One good way to invest in yourself is to maintain your health. Your money is no good if you are dead.
- Exercise
- Keep yourself in shape and you will feel better and live longer. Exercise doesn’t need to be a pain, find some sport you like and you are set.
- Visit the doctor
- Checkups can identify if you have any problems that should be addressed. It is horrible to be diagnosed with a disease, but it is worse if it goes undiagnosed and you find out right before you die an early death.
- Go see a dentist as well. Have a problem in your mouth can be painful and costly.
- Healthy habits
- Don’t smoke. Smoking is going to cost you years off your life and you very well may end up with cancer.
- Eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight. Most Americans are overweight and this causes a lot of diseases and is totally preventable if we control ourselves.
Skills and education
Now that you are healthy, let’s find ways to improve ourselves to make more money. And hey, maybe you are just so fit you make more money as a model or athlete, who knows. If we gain more valuable skills then we can apply for higher paying jobs and earn more. I have done this through learning languages, learning some programming skills, and completing a certificate from an accredited program.
Online
I have done some online courses on Udemy which I would recommend, but there are also many free options that led into paid options as you advance. Codecademy is a good one and you can also look up Edx and Coursera. I have also done a UCI certification, but I wouldn’t recommend it as it was as in-depth as other online courses and cost quite a bit of money.
In-person
You can also learn in a classroom. A common way is through trade school, community college, college, and graduate school. It is not always going to pay off, so you have to research what could happen and see if it is worth it. Going to acting school may cost thousands and not lead to an increase in pay if you were a programmer or are unable to find a job due to there being an oversupply of actors.
Another good way is to do a bootcamp to become a programmer. I believe there is still a high demand for programmers and that means they get paid a lot.
Conclusion
We often neglect improving ourselves and instead make our lives more comfortable. It is easier to watch TV than to go to school part-time and study on the weekends, but this may have a bigger payoff. As far as your health, it is something you shouldn’t take for granted, so watch yourself diligently.