What Finally Made Me Invest in Myself (When Everything Else Felt Like a Waste)

I’m a mom. Which means I’ll always come last.

And I don’t mean that in a self-pitying way — it’s just how I’m wired.
If there’s a spare $30 lying around, I’d rather spend it on a new toy for my daughter than a new top for myself. To see her smile? Worth it.

But somewhere along the way, I realized:
I wasn’t just putting my wants last.
I was putting my growth last.

For the longest time, education — especially personal development — was always last on my list.
Material needs came first.
Bills, responsibilities, life.

Sound familiar?

I’d scroll past courses and programs thinking,
“Maybe later.”
“Let me figure this out on my own first.”
“This isn’t the right time.”

Spoiler: it was never the right time.
Until it suddenly was.

Funny enough — this actually just happened today.
I ran into an old colleague, and we got to talking about the “good old days” in corporate.
The meetings. The deadlines. The drained faces on Zoom calls.

And while it was a friendly conversation, something inside me went:
“Nope. Not going back.”

It didn’t make me nostalgic.
It made me certain — again — that this path I’m on?
It matters.
Even when it’s slow. Even when it’s quiet.
Because I’m not building someone else’s dream anymore.

I didn’t have a huge savings buffer.
I didn’t have a 10K audience or a polished strategy.

But I had a why that burned brighter than my fear of wasting money.
And in early 2025, I decided this would be the year I invested in myself.
No guilt. No hesitation.

Within a few months, my mindset shifted completely.

While others were clocking in for someone else’s dream, I was quietly building mine.
Brick by brick.
Tool by tool.
Skill by skill.

And the wild part? I wasn’t hustling 24/7.
I was learning in flow.
Creating with clarity.
And slowly becoming the version of myself I used to scroll past and think, “Maybe someday.”

If You’re in That “Should I Start?” Place…

Let me say this:

You don’t have to quit your job tomorrow.
You don’t have to go all-in or go broke trying.
But you can start small — and start smart.

Build your thing before you burn out.
Give yourself the security of a side hustle that actually aligns with your values.
And when the time comes?
You’ll be ready to choose your peace over someone else’s paycheck.

My Shortcut (That Isn’t Really a Shortcut)

People say, “You only need 1–2 hours a day to build a business.”
But that only works after you’ve built your foundation.

My shortcut?
I stopped doing it all myself — and started learning from people who’ve done it already.
I got clear.
I got support.
And I gave myself permission to stop overthinking and start building.

Want to explore the system that helped me start?

→ Check out the sneak peek of The Strategy I used to build with confidence — even with a small audience.
It’s not a hustle plan. It’s a calm one. And it just might be what you need too.

Curious what happened after I made that decision?