Are you invested in yourself?
The other day, a colleague of mine posted this status on her Facebook page that really got me thinking:
“I am meeting SO many women entrepreneurs who have spent a ton of money on coaching programs when internally there’s a boat load of fear and other internal gunk that’s resulting in little return on investment. I hope for the day when we can all wake up and realize that to cultivate financial abundance externally, you need to feel abundant internally.” – Stacy, ZenConnect
When I first read this, I got defensive almost -But I’m one of those women who have in the past spent a boatload of money on something I thought would “fix” me! After pausing for a moment to soak this in, I realized she’s 100% completely spot on.
To me, it all comes down to one thing: you can spend thousands and thousands of dollars on the best _____ (nutritionist/business coach/health coach/school/relationship guru, you name it) but if you aren’t invested in yourself first that money is going to get you squat.
And when I say invested in yourself, I mean really freakin’ wanting it. Being willing to learn & grow. Being OK with stepping outside your comfort zone and taking a huge leap even if you don’t know where it’s going to take you. Being clear about who you are and what you want. Loving yourself enough to say “yes” and loving yourself enough to say “no.” Being invested in yourself means that, expensive programs & money aside, you are determined to get that end result anyway. Period.
It brings me back to college when I so badly wanted a boyfriend (or so I thought). I desperately tried to get my freshman fling to fall in love with me and date me, and when he didn’t I felt like a failure. What I really wanted was someone to show me attention and give me affection so I could feel better about myself & my body. I wanted confidence, and as you know that’s something you can’t buy or get from a man. It must come within. As you can see, I wasn’t ready internally to be in a relationship. I hadn’t yet invested in myself enough to realize what I really wanted, to love myself and my body for what it was.
Four years later and I’m engaged to the love of my life, my soul mate. But most importantly I am in love with myself.
In recent years, I paid a business coach $500 for one phone call that again I thought would “save” me and shoot my business forward into success. While it worked for a little (due to my motivation from the phone call and drive to succeed) I quickly fell back into old patterns of fear, overwhelm, comparing and feeling like I wasn’t “enough.” I was not ready. There was no mindset piece to her coaching. And well, without a shift in mindset, hundreds of hours of to-dos, action steps, and business plans will get you nowhere.
The first time I felt truly ready to invest in myself (and an expensive program) was during my trip last spring to Holistic MBA Live: Step Into Your Spotlight. During the weekend, I had a giant breakthrough around my relationship with money. I realized I was treating money as I used to treat my body – obsessing over my bank account, comparing my salary with friends, and shaming myself for not having enough. It was during this trip that I realized I was done letting those limiting beliefs get in the way of my success.
And so I invested in Holistic MBA Core (a business-coaching program for holistic wellness coaches) with the lovely Stacey Morgenstern and Carey Peters. I took a leap of faith because I believed in what these ladies had to say, I was ready to stop selling myself short and most importantly: I believed in myself. That I could really do this thing!
And let me tell you these ladies & their program are brilliant! But the thing is, it was more than a how-to business coaching thing. There was also lots on limiting beliefs, money woes, breakthroughs and mindset. And that’s what really pushed me forward: thinking internally, getting uncomfortable, and looking within.
Where am I now post-program? I now feel financially free & am making more money than I’ve ever made by doing what I love. I’m in the midst of writing my first e-book chockfull of wellness inspirations for women to live a happy, healthy diet-free life. I was brave enough to launch my first group program, where I had 10 women participate. My relationship with money, while a work in progress, feels really darn good. Things feel right. Because I invested in myself. I put in the work. I got a little vulnerable and “naked” and took some risks.
Why am I telling you all this?
As a health coach, I adore working with women to help them feel more confident in their own skin, end their harsh relationships with food & their body, believe in themselves and reach their personal wellness goals. However, the real progress and shifts comes from the client…doing the work, trusting, and believing in themselves enough to want these changes.
When you invest in a coach, you best be investing in yourself too. You see, you can’t expect a program/coach/book/boyfriend to “fix” you and miraculously make your life better. But you can invest in YOURSELF to make these internal changes while investing in someone/something to help guide you there.
Because at the end of the day, well it all comes from within baby!
