In its simplest form investment is defined as the act of investing money to gain profitable returns. While this may appear at face value to only relate to business or personal financial transactions such as stock, this definition clearly applies to our personal development investments as well.

As I evaluate our investment decisions, I’m concerned that far too many of us make many sacrificial investments in our outer layer but that’s as far as we are willing to go. As women, we ensure our budget, no matter how strained or stretched it may be, includes weekly nail and hair appointments. When asked to consider making an investment in our personal development, we balk at the thought of spending money on ourselves in areas that will give us life changing tools to succeed and change for the better from the inside out!

This choice is not a new phenomenon. The rich young ruler was grieved at the thought of selling his possessions and giving the money to the poor. Perhaps he had placed his hope and trust in his possessions. What about us? Have we been misled to believe that our outward appearance will gain us profitable returns while our inner beauty and longings go unnurtured. Our total being is mind, body, soul and spirit. Any of these areas left unfed or underdeveloped results in retardation and sometimes death. A great visual example is the view of a nice looking banana appearing ready to be devoured, however, a peel back of its outer layer uncovers lots of rotten places rendering it not fit to eat.

I ask you today to prayerfully consider the investments you are making in yourself. In addition to your outer beauty treatments, are you investing in programs or reading material to aid you in exploring your inner beauty, healing your inner hurts and motivating you to pick up broken pieces and begin to live and dream again? Open yourself up to investments in the deeper parts of yourself. I guarantee you these investments will yield greater long lasting results!