If you don’t know anything about stocks, bonds, T-bills, or IRAs, don’t worry. You don’t have to be financially savvy to make great investments. While the investment ideas below may not get you an early retirement, I’m confident that they’ll make your life richer and more enjoyable right now. If you’re not already investing in these five areas, I’d suggest you start today.

Health

Our bodies are the vessel in which we travel during this lifetime. We can’t trade ourselves in or get a new model when we wear this body out. So instead of filling up on junk food, sitting away the days, or neglecting to maintain your good health, choose healthful, natural foods, enjoy plenty of physical activity, and regularly look after your physical needs. Investing in your body is the wise and delightful way to go.

Love

This investment is one that naturally replicates itself. When you give love, you get love (it’s not always returned by who you give it to, but it does come back to you). Love is also one way you can immediately enrich your life, because being loving makes you feel loveable. It is a game you can play alone and it’s also a game without losers—where love is, everyone wins.

“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to evolve you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.”

Barbara De Angelis

Gratitude

If you want to feel rich, be thankful for the blessings in your life. The gifts of your life are boundless and varied. When we take large gifts, like good health, for granted, small ones, like a warm smile from a stranger, don’t even penetrate our consciousness. Invest in gratitude by paying attention to the gifts you’re given, and you’ll start discovering treasures that you’d never noticed before.

Positive attitude

A proverb reminds us that if we fall down six times, we should get up seven times. This resilience is a key investment to make in life. We all get dealt cards that we sometimes want to give back, yet the only power we have is to choose how to be with the cards we have. When you invest in a positive attitude, you open yourself up to possibility and give “bad” cards the room to become “good” opportunities, and maybe even “great” gifts.

“If more people really pondered how much is enough in their lives, perhaps there would be a lot more truly satisfied folks in this world.”

Linda S. Anderson

Forgiveness

This investment is one that many people hesitate to take, thinking it’s risky, foolish, or unwarranted. Somewhere we’ve gotten the notion that forgiveness is mainly about the other person, when it’s really about us. When we forgive another, we release ourselves from past hurt, anger, or fear, thus freeing ourselves to move on to other things in life. While it may take a bit of practice, once you get on the forgiveness track, you’ll want to make it a regular part of your personal investment strategy.

I wrote this for my client newsletter back in August of 2002 with the following introduction. “Here in the United States, for much of the summer, the talk in the news has centered on the lagging economy, corporate corruption, and falling stock prices.” I find this a potent reminder that by living like we’ve been living we’ve created more of the same stuff that doesn’t work. Are you ready to create something new and better?

Below are six ways for you to cultivate love. You don’t have to hoard them for holiday use. They’re great for everyday wear and share. Some focus more on giving love, some more on receiving love. Regardless, they are simple techniques that you can use to create an atmosphere where love flows freely and abundantly. Love is a gift that blesses both the giver and receiver and it’s always in need. Instead of adding to life’s clutter this holiday season, give the gift of love. I promise it will last longer and be more appreciated than all the neckties, socks, and scented candles you could give instead.

Gaze into someone’s eyes

It’s said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Instead of just looking at your husband or glancing at your child now and then, take time to sit close and truly look for their soul by focusing on their eyes. Eye contact, especially sustained and up close gazing, is a sign of intimacy. It’s how we connect with another person heart to heart. If you don’t have a person with whom you feel particularly intimate, you can even gaze into your own eyes. If you let yourself truly “see” into your eyes, I’m confident you’ll come away from the experience with a new picture of who you are deep down inside.

“Life is an opportunity to contribute love in your own way.”

~ Bernie Siegal, MD

Really hear what’s being said

Sometimes we’re so busy with our own lives or consumed with our own thoughts that we listen only partially to what’s being said. When you’re in a conversation with someone, focus yourself entirely on them. Listen to their words and notice the rhythm and intensity of their speech. Watch their body and sense their energy. Use your intuition to feel unspoken information that they’re communicating. By attending fully to them and the different ways in which they’re communicating, you’re much more apt to actually “get” what they’re trying to tell you. When you “listen” in this way, the person doing the talking truly feels heard.

Soak up compliments

For many people, it can be difficult to truly let a compliment in. Some people deflect them — “Oh, it’s nothing, really.” Others minimize them — “Anyone would have done it.” Still others only let them part way in — “Thanks (quickly said and subject changed). The dessert you made was delicious too.” Regardless of our old habits, it’s time to start letting ourselves be acknowledged for who we are and what we bring to this world. Next time someone gives you a compliment or acknowledges you in some way, take a couple of deep breaths and let their words sink in. Then smile and thank them. They’ve really seen you at a deeper level and they appreciate you. When you feel that same appreciation for yourself, you’ve let that compliment in completely.

Let someone know how you love them

Saying, “I love you” is a wonderful gift. It’s gratifying to know that people appreciate our presence in their lives. What’s even more rewarding is to know what about us is loved. Let your friends and family know what makes them dear to you. Affirm their unique impact on your life. Tell them what you adore about them, how you see them and how you feel when you’re with them (or even thinking of them). Such specific acknowledgements can help someone realize their own worth or even remind them of their inherent gifts. Being this kind of mirror for someone you love is a gift seldom given yet sorely needed, plus it doesn’t require batteries.

Allow others to give to you

Most people think they do this easily and readily. Guess what? They don’t. Allowing others to give to you means you don’t try to persuade them not to give. Even if you don’t need anything in the material sense, you can permit someone to give you their undivided attention or treat you to lunch at a favorite restaurant. It also means that you accept their gift with gratitude. Sure, the gifts they offer might not suit your tastes, yet you can still honor their gesture, intention, and spirit of generosity even if you trade in what they’ve given.

Be 100% present

We are so often multi-tasking or simply scattered in our attentions that a truly unique gift can be spending time with someone in a way that you are fully attentive in your time together. Choose a time and place that will make it easy for you and your recipient to be focused on each other. Arrange your schedule so that during this time you’ll be distraction free (i.e., turn off your cell phone, don’t answer the doorbell, turn off the television or the computer, pick a quiet location at which you’ll meet, etc.). Leave any agenda at the door so you can be spontaneous and go with the conversational flow. Dedicated attentiveness is like a spa treatment for the emotions. The person you’re with is going to feel pampered and delighted to have had you all to themselves.

“Love will enter immediately into any mind that truly wants it, but it must want it truly. Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

~ A Course in Miracles

In one of the workshops I lead, we have an exercise where each person lists the blessings in their life. When they finish writing, I ask them to sit quietly, reflecting on their fortune. It is a powerful experience that they really enjoy. Below I offer several practices you can do on your own (or with your family or friends) to experience more gratitude in your life.

“‘Let me light the lamp,’ says the star, ‘And never debate if it will help to remove the darkness.’”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

• Write a list of your blessings. Display it prominently so you can reflect on it regularly and add other things you are grateful for as you notice them.
• Have a daily gratitude ritual. In our family we share at least one thing for which we’re thankful out loud during our evening meal.
• Write a “thank you” letter to yourself, acknowledging your gifts. Let your gratitude flow. If you want, read it aloud while looking at yourself in a mirror (it’s powerful stuff).
• Share wishes or blessings with your friends. Write out several blessings on a sheet of paper (leaving some space between each one). Then, cut the paper so that there is one blessing per slip. Fold each one, placing it in a container of some sort. Invite friends to select a paper from the bunch when they come to visit.
• Keep a gratitude journal in which you write down things you are thankful for.
• Tell your family why you’re grateful to have them in your life. A fun way to do this is to think of three or four fond memories you have that involve them. Then call them up or drop them a note recounting these bygone experiences.
• Give someone a sincere compliment. You might choose someone you don’t usually acknowledge or focus on an area you aren’t usually paying attention to.
• Keep any “thank you notes” or written acknowledgements you receive (at work or home). Open them up once in awhile to remind yourself of how much you’re appreciated.
• Say a daily prayer of thanks, asking for nothing, simply acknowledging what you are grateful for.
• Create an altar where you can put (symbolically or literally) things for which you are grateful. For instance, if you are grateful for love and beautiful flowers, you could put a paper heart or the word love on the altar along with a cut or dried flower.

Grateful for my loving and wise daughter

Busyness is a common ailment today. In modern life, many people experience it as a nearly chronic condition. It is my observation that this busyness in turn contributes to a number of other dis-eases, such as stress, lack of self-awareness, disconnection from what is personally meaningful, less than optimal relationships, poor physical health, and more.

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”
~ Goethe

While identifying that you are too busy is an important step, working with only that information leaves a gap in understanding. Getting below the symptom—busyness—to the source or sources will help you set a plan for change that can address both the sources and symptom. Below are three questions to ask yourself when youre suffering from a common case of busyness (All ten questions are described in my book Live the Life You’ve Imagined: 100 Practical Strategies for Creating Your Ideal Life). As you read through the list, answer each question with “yes” or “no.” Then go back and consider your “yes” responses, and look more fully at the reasons for your affirmative answers. Then you can choose your remedy.

Do I have difficulty saying no?

If you tend to automatically say “yes” to requests made of you, you’re likely to end up with a chronic case of busyness. Certainly, the activities you say “yes” to may enrich your life or make it interesting. Unless you say “yes” because YOU want to, however, you’re living for someone else’s agenda. “No” is a great tonic for yes-induced busyness. “No” can help you set boundaries and establish your own priorities. Start a gentle practice of saying “no” to some of the requests that come into your life and see if some of your busyness begins to disappear.

Do I think I’m the only one who can handle certain tasks?

Aha, a case of self-imposed busyness here! When you rely solely on yourself to be the doer of all things, busyness is almost sure to be part of your life. While you may be a Jill of all trades or a modern-day superman, scattering your attention tends to dilute your effectiveness and may leave you worn out. Some methods for combating this do-it-all tendency include:

• Find a capable assistant who can follow your instructions.
• Delegate tasks at home and at work.
• Simplify your life so there’s less to handle in the first place.
• Prioritize your “to do list” and focus yourself on only the items that truly need your personal attention.
• Get a coach who will assist you in developing ways to fulfill your responsibilities without filling your life with busyness.

Do I procrastinate?

While haste can make waste, a habit of putting things off has the side effect of producing problems too. If you’re delaying starting or completing a project, figure out what’s holding you back. Are you concerned that you don’t have the skills or resources needed? If so, take the step of finding the tools or the person who can help you prepare for the task at hand. Are you ready, yet unsure of how or where to start? You can begin by writing down the steps to take from start to finish (that way you’ll be one step closer and you’ll have a plan to follow). Once you get into the project, you can reevaluate or change course as needed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the size of the project, break large goals into several smaller actions. By completing smaller tasks you’ll be making progress toward finishing the large goal. Your momentum will build and soon you’ll be full steam ahead, your bout of procrastination-prompted busyness a distant memory.

“A lot of our ‘busy-ness’ is a way for us to avoid thinking about what is most important. There’s a difference between being busy and being productive.”

~ Kristen Lippincott

If you’re struggling with “too much to do” in your life, consider a complimentary coaching session. I can help you diagnose your busyness and cure it for good.