We have all heard the phrase, “you’re worth the effort.” I am here to tell you that you’re worth the investment. Investing in yourself comes with a slew of benefits including improved mental and physical health, goal achievement and better self-awareness. There are many ways to invest in yourself, below I am sharing two life-changing investments that I made recently. Enjoy!

Hiring a doula: When I found out I was pregnant with my second son, I knew that I wanted to hire a doula. I had a rough pregnancy and delivery with my firstborn and wanted to do everything I could to have a better experience with my second. Moreover, I wanted a vaginal birth after C-section (“VBAC”). I read reports that black women had lower VBAC rates and also heard from other moms that I would probably experience a lot of pushback for choosing the VBAC route. After receiving medical clearance from my doctor (this involved some personal advocacy), my husband and I decided that we wanted to attempt a VBAC. Shortly after, we hired a doula. We wanted someone to advocate for and support us before, during, and after the birth of our son. A simple Google search led me to my doula and shortly after speaking to her, I knew that I wanted her on our birth team. As a Christian woman, I was happy to learn that she was also a Believer. She told us that she based her business model on John 10:10: "I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly." In her words, we would be walking in the hospital room in abundance, in everything that made our family abundant. We were not going to walk in with trauma, worries, or fear. Additionally, we brainstormed different approaches and scenarios that we could come across and how to address them if necessary and we developed a music playlist and affirmations (scriptures) for labor day. On the day I gave birth, her and my husband made the best team, and she was especially skilled with working with the hospital team. This resulted in a smooth, transformative, and healing birth experience. Having a VBAC was a faith walk for us, and having her on our team made a world of difference.

Hiring a Coach: My doula recommended my coach. I sought out a coach to help me work through and gain better clarity in a number of areas in my life. In the last four years, I have become a wife, a mom of two and a bonus mom. A lot of amazing changes that required personal life changes. I initially joined a group coaching program but quickly learned group coaching was not for me. Individual coaching fits a lot better. Working with a coach one-on-one helped me to self-reflect, create better boundaries and gain clarity. She also proved to be an excellent accountability partner in helping me go after personal goals. A coach helps you by asking the right questions so that you can reflect in efficient and productive ways. If you are looking to gain deeper perspective, become more self-aware, I highly recommend hiring a coach.