Six Great Life Investments

by Lawrence Vijay Girard

There are many kinds of investments. We are used to thinking of investing in property, stocks or building a business. Sometimes we forget that there are other important investments to be made. Here are six ways to invest in you life that will help you to be wealthy no matter what the size of your bank account.

1. Invest your time in the people you love. If you are too busy to spend time with your family and friends, you will find that your life is not filled with love, but with the activities that you have found more important. Along with your earthly family, find and spend time with your spiritual family. Fellowship with likeminded souls is essential for long-term spiritual health.

2. Invest in your continuing education. Never stop deepening your knowledge of the subjects that interest you. Keep your mind open to new possibilities through exposure to fresh and inspiring ideas. Reading is one of the most powerful ways to do this.

3. Invest in a giving nature. Acts of spontaneous and unselfish giving are rewarding in ways that selfish people can’t imagine. Giving without the thought of what we will receive in return attunes us to the positive joyful energies of life. When we live in the natural joy of the soul it will be its own reward.

4. Invest in self-study. Take the time to get to know yourself. Take a good look at your motivating energies and the kinds of thoughts that pass through your mind each day. Release the energy that you give to negative thoughts and qualities by giving more attention to your positive inner qualities and thoughts.

5. Invest in your physical health. Exercise regularly and consciously eat foods that are low in processing and rich in nutrients. Listen to your body, it will tell you how it feels about what you eat.

6. Invest in your relationship with life itself. No matter your religious affiliation – or lack thereof – spend time in silent meditation. Inwardly explore the central truth of your existence. Through this inner journey you will discover the greatest of all rewards: God’s infinite love and joy.

By making regular deposits in each of these areas your experience of wealth in life will grow regardless of the changes in the economy or interest rates. And don’t forget to smile, because as my friend Swami Kriyananda says in one of his songs, “There is joy all around us, why wait until tomorrow? We’ve only this moment to live. A heaven within us is ours for the asking, a freedom no riches can give!”

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Vijay Girard