Invest in yourself.

"It's too expensive"

"I've tried before, and it didn't work"

"I don't have time"

"It's too hard"

So often we make excuses. Excuses for why we don't do things... why we don't invest in ourselves more. We think that spending time on our well-being, on our happiness, is seen as foolish and even selfish. Eating rich food, going on a nice vacation, spending an evening with good friends, taking a course in order to learn something new.

I wonder where we get the notion of neglecting ourselves. Well, perhaps not neglecting ourselves... but certainly not investing in ourselves the way we deserve. Or looking down on others who do.

This past May, my husband and I went on a trip to Jamaica. I've always wanted to go, and he was excited because of the SCUBA diving opportunities there. Several friends of mine, when they heard about our trip, gawfed at me for spending such money on a trip. To me, though, it wasn't a waste. It was an investment. In our lives. In our relationship. In our happiness. (As an aside, we both worked our tails off to pay for it.) We had the best time, and I look forward to being able to work hard in order to be able to make another trip like that again.

If we truly want something, we'll find a way... if we value something, ourselves, people. It won't be too expensive, it will be worth trying again, it won't take too much time, and it won't be too difficult. Whether it involves investing in our work, relationships with others, or even ourselves -- we need to remember that we're worth the investment required.