The value of investing in yourself
I’ve always seen huge value in investing in yourself, whether it be through reading, taking a course, learning a new skill or travelling. Because when you do, you will always come out more enriched and experienced than when you started. This idea or using the power of experience to help one grow is the foundation to Global Sessions’ team building belief.
I recently had the opportunity to go on a five-day, fully immersive, no phones, no work, all-in experiential leadership development retreat in Utah, with a group called Stop at Nothing. I wanted something that would help me be a better and more compassionate leader for our team, as well as becoming a more balanced person in both my personal and professional life.
Where most leadership courses are based primarily on learning new skills and concepts, this program goes deep and focuses on self awareness, you as a person and as a leader. This opportunity to be introspective allowed me to better understand my behavior traits and drivers. By starting to be more self aware, I found myself becoming much more able to create choices for positive behavioral shifts that in turn help me live a more successful and rewarding life.
This ended up being one of the most profound weeks of my life. And it will certainly be felt both at home and in the office by those around me. I really cannot stress enough the importance of letting yourself be vulnerable, and being open to having new experiences in order to grow.
As cliche as it is to say, in today’s fast-paced world it can feel like you never have the time to invest in yourself and there are a million other tasks that are far more important. But this could not be further from the truth. There is only one you. So make that you the best damn You there is, and get out there and start investing!
Here are my top four takeaways for creating the best You:
1. Have an open mind
Be willing to consider or receive new and different ideas, and be flexible and adaptive to new experiences and ideas. Cultivating an open mind will enable you to seek new ways of doing and looking at things, we will expand our intellectual capability, find life more exciting and broaden our experiences.
2. Get vulnerable
This, of course, is easier said than done. For many people the thought of this is uncomfortable,and a sign of weakness. Not wanting to get vulnerable can be a protection mechanism against getting hurt, both emotionally and physically. But accepting your vulnerability will help you live a wholesome life. Even the smallest act of letting down your guard is a commitment to your personal growth.
3. Be kind to yourself
We talk about acts of kindness to others, but rarely ourselves. We are our own harshest critic, which in turn can prevent us from amazing opportunities and experiences. I believe by being kind to yourself you will find yourself, be more willing to try new experiences, have a deeper sense of empathy and compassion for others, and an overall sense of lightness and joy in all that you do.
4. Make it fun
When something is fun we embrace it, so why not make everything we do fun? Our endorphins (the happy hormone) kicks in, our creative mind lights up, relationships flourish and we start to become our best selves. Do this often enough, and it will become a habit for life.