Invest in Yourself

CRYSTAL REILLEY

What if everything you thought you knew about yourself felt untrue?

I felt this way last year, and it was one of my toughest seasons. While I can’t say I have a bad life, I’ve faced many challenges. Even as I write this, the battle in my mind is real. What will people think? Is it stupid? Will it provide value? Am I good enough? Am I being too open and vulnerable? Will I hurt anyone by sharing? Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between the truth and the lies of the enemy.

Our minds are incredibly powerful and can play some gnarly tricks on us. Our words speak life or death. If we believe we can, we can. If we believe we can’t, we can’t. Both are correct. It’s easy to get wrapped up in ugly, negative thoughts. It is hard to focus on positives, especially when things are turbulent. Choosing to find the positives is crucial.

How can someone choose positivity when all they feel is hurt and pain?

1. Acknowledge the hard stuff. Bring it to light, no matter how dark it is.

2. Ask questions. What is positive? What lesson do I need to learn? How can I respond or react differently?

3. Take responsibility for your thoughts and actions.

4. Choose joy.

5. Choose to overcome the hard things.

Last year I felt lost, like a “midlife crisis,” not knowing what my true identity was. Questioning my value, I was miserable on the inside and silently suffering. Sharing the good times with the public, because I wasn’t ready to be vulnerable, open, and raw and show how I was a mess inside. I wasn’t ready to heal or face my inner demons, and I wasn’t ready for God to work even more on me.

I stepped down from a business I loved, cherished, and was passionate about. I lost my passion for my real estate business; it suffered, and so did my finances. My stepdad had triple bypass surgery, and things were turbulent with my mother. My husband and I became “empty nesters” with two kids in college. I lost the relationship with my biological father, my uncle, and my baby sister, which is still so painful. My mom and stepdad sold their longtime home and temporarily moved in with us. My husband lost his well-paying job. Our finances were disastrous. We ended the year with me falling, getting a concussion, having major brain fog, and then my husband having some heart issues. There were so many “hard things,” and it felt like it was never-ending.

There were days when I could have easily stayed in bed --when my anxiety was so high I just wanted to cry and scream. Some days I didn’t shower or do anything because simple tasks were a challenge.

But GOD… Every day, I made the choice to get out of bed and brush my teeth. I made the choice to do something. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who encourage, love, and support me even though they may not have fully understood what was happening. Sharing deep-rooted, possibly shameful, or too-painful-to-share, private things can be hard. It’s natural for me to keep that to myself, but God keeps telling me to share. It is time. It is time to surrender, trust, heal, and move forward.

So, how did I rise? I made choices. It wasn’t easy, and started with little, simple choices, that led to bigger choices. Choosing to invest in myself. I hired an amazing coach who believed in me and walked me through some of my darkest moments. She helped me formulate a plan to not stay stuck. Making a major impact on my life, she prayed and spoke life into me. She was the perfect person for me when I needed her.

I also made another investment in myself. Questioning if it was the right thing to do with how bad our finances were, I said yes to a certification/leadership program that was life-changing for me. It helped me dig deep into myself, understand my value, and how I was wired. It helped me understand that it was okay that I was created differently. This certification helped me not only understand myself but also to understand others. It taught me the how and why behind human behavior, and excellent words to communicate my value, communication styles, and motivators. I can use those same tools to help women, leaders, and business owners know themselves and help get them unstuck!

In one of my hardest seasons, feeling like a failure, a fraud, and lower than low, I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and invested in myself when I didn’t feel worthy or have the money. God laid it on my heart to “do the hard things” and made it clear I could persevere through them. I started a coaching business and a podcast to help others see their value, overcome the hard things, and step into their greatness.

If I can do this, anyone can. I pray this inspires you to take action. Choose yourself—it’s not selfish! Invest in yourself because you are important! Your story matters. YOU MATTER! It is important to surround yourself with others who will encourage and inspire you. It is okay to be a mess. It is okay to be vulnerable. Give yourself grace and love yourself through the hard times. It is important to say, “I am worth it” and hire professionals to help you in the hard times.

You too can overcome hard things. You can be inspired by other peoples’ stories of hardship by listening to my podcast, “Growing Into Grace.” If you have a story of messy, hard, radical forgiveness, or a story that would inspire others, I would love to interview you. Let’s share your story and inspire others to step into their greatness.

Crystal Reilley, founder of Growing Into Grace Coaching and host of ‘Growing into Grace Podcast,’ empowers personal and professional transformation through self-awareness, effective communication, and overcoming challenges, guiding individuals and businesses to unlock their full potential.

Listen to her Podcast “Growing In Grace” and find out more here: https://linktr.ee/ crystalreilley