Invest in What You Love.

“Where you invest your love, you invest your life.” 

-“Awake My Soul” by Mumford & Sons

Almost 4 years ago, I had just moved to San Francisco. I took a huge leap of faith in moving to California and when I finally landed my dream job, I had $200 left in my bank account. I desperately needed a new comforter, but money was slowly trickling in and only went to the essentials.

One night, I couldn’t take it anymore and went to Bed Bath & Beyond. My budget was low: max $100. I quickly walked past the bed displays to the cheap section, but one caught my eye. It was a duvet cover with beautiful birds on it, and something about that comforter made my heart sing. My head quickly chimed in: “It’s too expensive. You don’t need a $400 comforter. Get the cheap one, and let’s get out of here.”

I had the cheap one in hand, but something in me said: “Buy the one you love.”

What happens when we invest in what we love?

• We feel joy. We honor ourselves. We don’t settle. Every time I walked into my room, I felt joy. Every morning and every night falling asleep under that comforter, I would say to myself, “God, I love this comforter.” I slept better. I felt comfortable. I knew somewhere inside me that if I had bought the other one, every time I looked at it, it would remind me of settling for less than what I really wanted and it would keep me in a place of lack and scarcity.
• It pays for itself. Because I love it, I take excellent care of it, so I still sleep soundly under it every night I’m at home. It’s already paid for itself.
• We magnetize abundance & love. Have you ever bought something you absolutely loved? It doesn’t need to be a thing. It could be an experience. A trip. Skydiving. A ticket to Paris. Do you remember how good you felt? Because you were at a higher vibration and in such joy, did you notice anything different? Did things come easier? Were there joyful surprises along the way?

Joy & Abundance. Photo by Karen Boone

Kayle from Cowgirls & Collard Greens recently told me the story of how her famous cowgirl boots came into her life. I’ll let you giddy up to her site for her to tell the full story, but suffice it to say there were many twists and turns. At the time, Kayle had packed up her entire life into a car and was headed west. Did I mention that she also had cancer and was spending every penny towards her treatment?

From the moment she stepped into the store, she made a beeline for those boots. Everything about them spoke to her. The butterflies symbolized transformation and reminded her of her favorite cowgirl boots as a girl. The boots were expensive. Very expensive, especially considering how costly medical treatments are, but everything in her said “YES!” to those boots. She wore those boots to every cancer treatment, and she overcame not one but two bouts with breast cancer. Today she’s healthy and has built a brand around her love of cowgirls and veganism.

Kayle’s Beloved Boots! Photo by Elizabeth Murrya of Pippen Prints (http://www.pippenprints.com)

The importance of investing in what you love:

In this post, I’ve mostly focused on investing in material objects, but as I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t need to be a thing. It could be investing in a trip or an experience you really want to have. It can be investing in a relationship–romantic or otherwise. It can be investing in your health, your happiness, your peace of mind. It can be investing in a class you want to take, coaching you want to do, or yoga.

How we spend our days makes up a lifetime. It’s completely up to us what we choose to invest our time, energy, and resources in and remember Mumford & Sons’ words “where you invest your love, you invest your life.”