Invest in What Counts… You

It’s Tuesday, March 10 and I’m sitting in the airport in Ottawa ready to head to San Francisco to do strategic visioning training at The Grove.  The training I am doing is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time as it combines both left and right brained thinking into a practical and fun approach.

Although this sounds wonderful, I almost didn’t go.  I was laying on the couch this morning with my husband chatting as we always do before I have to leave on a trip somewhere and I was telling him that I didn’t want to go.  He was surprised as I am usually very strong in my convictions – when I want to do something, I do it… I generally don’t have fear or doubts around the decisions I make.

Inspirational photo by HKD on Flickr

What was making me falter this morning was this idea that I had to put everyone else first. Thoughts going through my mind included, “My clients are going to be e-mailing me and I’m not going to be able to answer… I’ll be stuck in training all day” and “Maybe it’s just better to keep the regular routine and schedule… I’ll make time for myself later.”  This thinking was not only wrong but it nearly prevented me from doing the follow through on this training.

The thing is, we HAVE to make time for ourselves.  It’s not a selfish thing – you’re investing in the place it matters most.  In yourself.  If we don’t do this, we don’t re-energize or refresh.  We stagnate and we don’t bring anything new to the table.  The one thing I have always been proud of about myself was my ability to stay current and keep on top of the latest trends.  This is no different yet I was getting in my own way.

This is applicable in any scenario… Whether it’s investing in training, retreats, workshops, vacation time, a day spent e-mail / technology free… The application doesn’t matter, it just matters that you are taking time out for you.

So, I’m sitting here now in the airport thanking my husband for pushing me a little and showing me that I was being “safe”.  Now, I get to go to San Francisco to take three days totally for myself.  I get to learn a new skill that I can bring to my clients and to the world in a bigger way.  The best part is, by going through this process, I can now let myself go in that training and be fully present and aware.

I challenge you. Do something this week (today even!) that is completely and utterly for yourself.  Invest in you and the results of that will come out tenfold.

[tags]Erin Blaskie, BSETC, Business Services ETC, internet marketing, internet marketing support, business savvy, investing in yourself, San Francisco, Ottawa, training[/tags]

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