Inflation is on everybody’s mind. Rising prices are a source of concern, if not downright anxiety, for many of us. During such challenging times, spending money on self-care and wellness might feel frivolous.
However, when times are tough it is more important than ever to protect our physical and mental health.
Can we balance sensible financial decisions with the imperative to take care of ourselves?
Yes, absolutely!
Here are six tips for self-investment that 1) won’t break the bank and 2) will pay long-term dividends.
Plan to prioritise
The most important first step in successful self-investing is knowing what is most valuable to your well-being. If you’re someone who sleeps peacefully, you probably don’t need a fancy white noise machine, however alluring the whale-song. If you are someone who is sensitive or allergic to certain foods, you must prioritise access to wholesome alternatives.
Identify and categorise your needs
It is a great idea to make a list of all the things that contribute to your well-being. Include big things like ‘holidays’ as well as small things like ‘meeting friends for lunch.’
Once you have a list, you can use an x-y graph to visually categorise your needs. Expense can be the x axis; frequency the y axis. ‘Holidays’ would be high expense but low frequency; ‘yoga studio membership’ would be high frequency but moderate expense; ‘meditation’ would be zero expense but perhaps medium frequency.
This will give you a clear idea of your current self-care practices.
Invest in simple pleasures
You might be surprised at how many things on your well-being chart cost little or no money. Talking to friends, running or cycling in nature, picnics, reading a book, drawing, listening to music… too often these simple pleasures are the ones we overlook, because they’re more accessible they don’t feel as ‘special’.
You can shift this energy by investing in these small moments of joy. This can be as simple as treating yourself to a snack after a long run, or buying a book you’ve had your eye on for a while.
Spend more time (& money) with people
Affirmative, supportive relationships are the bedrock of our emotional and hence our physical well-being. Research shows that stressed, lonely people often turn to retail therapy to deal with painful emotions, and the last thing most of us need right now is to be spending money just for the sake of it!
The best counter-balance to stress is to spend our time cultivating and nurturing relationships. If this means spending a bit more on socialising or entertaining, that is a healthy investment. New shoes or tech toys won’t love you back; dinner with friends, or date night with your partner, not only gives you the immediate satisfaction of the occasion, but happy memories and a stronger bond.
Nourish your body and spirit
Perhaps the best investment you can make is to feed yourself with what nourishes you. Healthful, pleasurable food is the basis of good physical health; feeding your spirit is the basis of mental and emotional health. If you already have an eating pattern that supports your optimum wellness, stick with it; it is an investment you won’t regret. If you are still trying to find the best way to eat for your lifestyle, invest in that process by buying books or seeking professional advice to help you establish good patterns.
Nourishing the spirit can take many forms. Yoga is obviously a terrific investment that rewards you both on the physical and mental level. Other areas to explore are creative expression: photography, dance, drawing, singing, crafting. You might also find your spirit needs a lot of alone time, or that you crave new experiences, or thrive on helping others. Pursue what makes you purely happy when you do it, even if it costs a bit. The investment you make here will be repaid a thousandfold.
Cherish the big ticket items
If you are able to save a little bit, regularly, towards a big self-investment, like a yoga holiday or new piece of fitness equipment, do! Even if you’re just putting aside a couple quid a week, this practice affirms your commitment to self-care, and sets you up to enjoy a treat down the line.
If putting money aside isn’t accessible or realistic right now, focus on extracting value from the good things you already have. Search out fun new recipes for staple ingredients; upcycle a piece of clothing or furniture; put your old holiday photos into a gorgeous album; look for new trails or parks to explore in your neighbourhood; visit that museum or gallery you always walk past. You’d be surprised how rewarding it can be to take the time to appreciate and use what you already have, instead of feeling pressured to spend and buy more.
How do you self-invest? What investments make the biggest difference to your well-being?
Share your answers in the comments or Tweet @YogaWithPaul