When I first set out on my health and wellness journey a few years ago, saving up to pay for things like acupuncture treatments, massage therapy sessions, nutrition coaching, and high-quality supplements seemed like an outrageous expense. As someone who had always prioritized other areas of spending over my health, the idea of investing serious cash into feeling and performing my best physically just didn’t seem practical or worthwhile.
Boy, was I wrong! Looking back now, I can say with certainty that making investments in my health has paid off in countless ways – from increased energy levels and a more positive mindset to improved work performance and stronger relationships. The return on investment for prioritizing preventative healthcare far outweighs any initial costs. In this article, I want to share my personal experience getting started with a wellness routine, the benefits I’ve gained, and why I believe that investing in your health is one of the smartest “business decisions” you can make.
My Wake-Up Call
It took hitting a pretty low point physically and mentally for me to realize I needed an overhaul if I wanted to feel good again. I was stressed, low-energy, and just generally unwell. A string of illnesses over the winter, including a bad sinus infection, was really what pushed me over the edge. As I lay in bed feeling miserable, I knew I had to make a change – I was tired of constantly feeling tired! That’s when I committed to a full lifestyle reset, with the goal of regaining my health and vitality.
Looking back, that period of being run-down was really a blessing in disguise. It served as the perfect wake-up call I needed to prioritize preventative self-care from that point on. I had to accept that if I wanted to avoid frequent illnesses and feel my best, making investments in my wellbeing through things like nutrition, exercise, stress management, and complementary therapies was a must. It was time to start treating my health like the valuable asset it is.
My Initial Health Investments
In the beginning, I started small with some relatively low-cost lifestyle tweaks like cooking more nutritious homemade meals, going for daily walks, keeping a gratitude journal, and scaling back on alcohol. But I knew true transformation would require more significant investments too. Here are some of the bigger “health expenses” I committed to in those early days:
- Nutrition coaching ($200 for 6 one-hour sessions to create a customized meal plan and shopping list)
- Personal training ($150 per month for twice weekly sessions to learn proper exercise form and get accountability)
- Massage therapy ($80-100 per 50-minute session every 2-4 weeks for muscle recovery and stress relief)
- Acupuncture ($100-150 per 60-minute session every 3-4 weeks for whole-body wellness)
- High-quality supplements ($150-200 per month on vitamins, herbs, probiotics, etc. based on my needs)
It was definitely an adjustment to carve out several hundred dollars per month from my budget for these wellness investments. But I came to see them not as costs but as necessities – like budgeting for gas, groceries or utilities each month. My health was too important not to make room for.
The Rewarding Returns
Committing to consistent self-care and making it a financial priority has completely transformed my quality of life over the past few years. Here are just a few of the returns I’ve gained from investing in my health:
Increased Energy Levels – Within a few months of overhauling my lifestyle, my chronic low-energy disappeared. I now wake up feeling refreshed and can easily power through long workdays without crashing.
Stronger Immunity – Thanks to lifestyle changes like reducing stress, sleeping more, and supplementing key nutrients, I rarely get sick anymore. Investing in whole-body wellness really paid off.
Better Work Performance – With more energy and less time missed due to illness, I’m significantly more productive at my job. I even received a promotion thanks to increased work quality.
Happier Mindset – Feeling good physically automatically boosted my mood and outlook. I’m now a much calmer, more positive person both personally and professionally.
Deeper Relationships – I have the capacity to fully show up for others now without being drained. My partnerships are stronger as a result of prioritizing self-care.
All in all, the returns on investing a few hundred dollars per month into my health have been priceless. I’m more capable, confident, and present across all areas of my life thanks to feeling my best.
The True Cost of Neglect
On the other hand, if I had continued neglecting my health and failing to make it a budget priority, the costs – both financial and non-financial – would have piled up significantly over time:
- Missed days of work and lower productivity due to frequent illnesses like colds, flu and digestive issues. This means loss of income and job stability.
- Potentially developing serious chronic diseases down the line like heart disease or diabetes due to poor lifestyle habits, leading to expensive medical bills.
- Prescription medication costs to treat symptoms rather than addressing root causes with lifestyle therapies. This is merely a bandaid solution.
- Relationship strain from always being in low-energy/crabby/sick mode. This negatively impacts quality time with loved ones.
- Mental health issues like anxiety and depression that often stem from physical imbalances if left unchecked long-term. Therapy is expensive.
- Early disability or death in severe cases of unaddressed health issues. The lost potential income and quality years is incalculable.
When you think about it like that, the few hundred dollars I invest each month to feel my absolute best seems quite minimal in comparison to the potential real costs of a health crisis or preventable disease further down the line. An ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure!
My Advice: Make Health a Priority
If there’s one thing I hope others can learn from my journey, it’s that making health investments should be a non-negotiable part of your monthly budget, just like housing or transportation. Your wellbeing is just as important as any other asset, so treat it that way. Some tips if you’re ready to get started:
- Set aside a realistic “health budget” each month even if it’s just $50-100 at first. Make room for it.
- Try lower-cost lifestyle changes like cooking more, walking daily, and reducing stress before jumping into expensive therapies.
- Work with trusted experts like a nutritionist or doctor to identify the most important areas to focus your funds.
- Track your progress both physically and mentally to see the returns. This keeps you motivated.
- Remember that small consistent investments add up to huge returns over time, like compound interest. Stick with it!
While it may seem daunting or unnecessary at first, learning to make health a financial priority has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made, both for my wallet and wellbeing. I truly believe that if more people treated their greatest asset – their one and only body – as the valuable property it is, we’d have a much healthier, happier, and higher-performing society. Your health is worth spending on, so don’t hesitate to make the commitment. The rewards will follow!
