If working on your own, building the life of your dreams, and moving your career forward is on your mind—you know that getting ahead is up to you.

Years ago, I worked with Sandy, a personal trainer. This woman was unbelievably fit. She is the mother of 4 children, with an awesome physique and unwavering commitment.

While training with her, Sandy’s favorite phrase was: “If it is to be, it’s up to me.”

Ultimately, it is up to you to make the changes you want to see in your life.

I know. It’s not pretty, fun, or magical. It’s hard work. But, it is the only way forward.

Here are some of the best ways to beat the blues and get ahead in your career.

Ditch Sloth

Whether you’re thinking about lifestyle changes like getting in shape, eating healthy foods, creating your own business, or getting a dream job, you need to be focused.

All the focus in the world won’t do you any good without action. This is why it’s time to ditch sloth. Forget about feeling that being lazy is desirable.

Tip: For one week, track the hours you’re spending doing nothing. Sometimes seeing all those minutes and hours add up can be just the motivation you need to get into gear.

Abandon Self Pity

You’ve got it rough. Things haven’t turned out the way you planned. Someone, maybe a friend, parent, or teacher sold you that success would be easier, faster, and more no-brainer than it turned out to be.

Life is brutal sometimes. But, you can make headway—if you abandon the habit of self-pity. It’s really not going to get you where you want to go.

Tip: For one week, record how much time you’re feeling sorry for yourself. At the end of the week—look at your results. Is there really not a better way to spend your time?

Question Authority

We often don’t question our own thoughts. Habitual thinking has a nasty habit of taking on the tone of an inner authority. This is called negative thinking—and it can seem realistic—until you challenge it.

Tip: For one week, record your thoughts. After a week, examine these authoritative statements. Challenge negative judgmental thoughts, “Is it true? Is it really, really true?”

Question Negative Actions

While we’re living on our own as adults, we often start some negative habits and actions. It makes sense. We may have grown up in a very buttoned down household with lots of rules. We may want to stretch our wings and rebel.

But, after a dose of rebellion has taken place…it’s worth asking some questions.

Did drinking last night really make me feel great this morning?

Did that shopping spree still feel wonderful when you got the credit card bill?

Did paying high interest on lingering debt feel great when you saw the damage?

Tip: Question your actions for one week. Do this gradually, examining your finances, lifestyle, and career moves, one section at a time.

Embrace Learning 

We don’t always know everything we need to. As students in high school or college, we knew this intimately. That’s why going to a new class, learning a new subject, or working with a tutor was so exciting.

It’s not too late to take advantage of learning. If you’re working in an organization, check out employee training offerings. You may find that skills you want to build are already offered—as part of your work package.

Tip: Talk with your manager or supervisor. Find out what training is offered as part of your package.

Put What You Learn Into Action

Naturally, learning is only going to help you if you use it. That’s the awesome thing about action. While you’re learning new skills, you put them into practice. This is a proven way to move ahead in your career and in your life.

Tip: Make an action plan to apply what you’re learning. Use your plan to feel confident, happy, organized, and successful in your life.

Sum Up

If you’re looking for ways to beat the blues and move forward in your career, you’ve got a plan of action. As you move forward, remember, “if it is to be, it’s up to me.” Looking forward to seeing you at the top!

If adulting has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t rely on anyone but yourself.

While having a network of friends and family is important, ultimately, it is up to you to create the life you want for yourself.

Therefore, it is important to take the funds you have and put them to good use by investing in yourself.

Here are the best ways to invest in yourself:

Save Something Every Month

Life is hard. Unexpected expenses pop up when you least expect them, and even without a crazy expensive event, life happens. Whether it is for something good or bad, we are shelling out our hard-earned cash for something every time we turn around.

However, to invest in yourself and save money every month, you need to start making a budget. Write down all your expenses pair that against how much you make per month.

Once you figure that out, go back through your budget and see where you can shave off a few savings.

For instance, do you pay for Hulu and Netflix every month? If you alter your subscription from month to month, you won’t miss any shows, but you will cut your streaming service bill in half.

Here are a few other ways to save some money:

• Eat home more often
• Refinance high-interest debt
• Reassess your bills to make sure you’re getting the best deal for what you need
• Take advantage of coupons and loyalty programs.

Once you have found savings and accumulate, open a savings account and put the money you’re saving in there. Month after month, it will add up, which will encourage you to continue saving.

Get (and Stay) Organized

When you live and work in an organized environment, you feel better about yourself. Knowing where everything is, with everything having a place, you can spend less mental energy on thinking about how much you have to and looking for lost items, so you have more time to get the work done and stay organized.

This organization will also help you earn more time in the day to get more accomplished and have more time to yourself.

Set Goals

Setting goals and writing them down solidifies them in your brain. It helps you visualize those goals, which gives you the incentive to make them a reality.

It doesn’t matter what you want to do. If you work towards it, you can achieve it. However, the only way you are ever going to achieve your goals is to take the first step toward that achievement.

The best way to do that is to write your goals down and place them somewhere that you will see them every day. When you have your goals written down and hanging up close, seeing them will reaffirm your dedication.

Learn Something New

Learning something new, either by reading about it or taking a traditional class, can help expand your horizons.

Whether you want to own a ski resort in the alps or attend one of the best law schools in San Francisco, the first step is to learn about it. You want to have as much information as possible before you make your move.

So, invest in yourself by learning absolutely everything you can about the passion you want to pursue, and then go for it!

Improve Your Health and Wellness

If you start to make healthier choices in your life, you will save money. For instance, if you start eating healthy, you will lose weight and eat less. Therefore, your grocery bill will go down.

If you are eating healthy and losing weight, you will feel better, encouraging you to do more things outside instead of paying for constant indoor entertainment.

Plus, if you are healthy and feel good, chances are, you will have a better quality of life and live longer.

Thus, you will have made a lifelong commitment to investing in yourself.

Get Creative

Adobe published a study that stated 75% of individuals don’t believe they live up to their creative potential.

Creativity is a gift that makes us all unique. It is an outlet that helps fuel the expression of our soul.

Therefore, by investing in creativity, you are investing in yourself on a deep and meaningful level.

The only way you can get ahead of your finances and take control of your life, in general, is if you invest in yourself. If you start working through this list of the best ways to invest in yourself, you will begin to see an almost instantaneous change.

Some people encounter an unforeseen circumstance that causes them to fall into debt. Others simply mismanage their finances and dig themselves into a hole they can’t see their way out of. Regrettably, I fall into the latter group. I started misusing credit in my early twenties. Fresh out of college, I opened a Visa, Mastercard, and department store card. Tired of the penny-pinching lifestyle I had adopted in college, I splurged every chance I had.

Living The Good Life

I lived in a decent one-bedroom apartment, had an entry-level position as a paralegal, and thought I was on top of the world. I kept my credit card balances pretty low (in the beginning) to the point creditors offered to extend my limit. Then, I got comfortable and began charging everything from lunch to new suits. Within two years, I had $5,000 in credit card debt on high-interest credit cards.

Until I Wasn’t

The company I was working for had some budget cuts and my hours went from full to part-time. On top of that, creditors constantly called, threatening further collection actions if I didn’t pay the balance. With no money in the bank, a past due rent bill, and a tight budget, I realized I needed to get serious about my finances.

Debt Consolidation Changed Everything

A co-worker told me about their financial struggles and how they turned to a debt consolidation agency for relief. The company got them approved for a small debt consolidation loan to lump all their credit card balances into one. The interest rates were lower, the credit card accounts were settled, and the collection calls stopped. I figured nothing beats a failure but a try, so I asked for the contact information.

I visited BriceCapital.com and learned more about the agency. After analyzing a few reviews, I contacted a financial advisor that helped me get approved for a $5,000 loan. The interest rate was five percent less than my credit cards, and the monthly payment was affordable. As long as I stuck to the repayment plan, I’d have my debt paid off in no time.

Inspired To Do More

The relief I felt from consolidating my credit card debt inspired me to get more disciplined with the rest of my finances. I quickly realized that I didn’t want to remain in this position any longer. If I was going to live stress-free, I had to take steps towards making positive change. Here’s a quick look at what else I did.

• Budgeting – I had developed a bad habit of spending money I didn’t have and repaying it whenever I got the chance. By creating a realistic budget that listed my everyday expenses compared to my income, I corrected my behavior.
• Saving – You never know when something could throw your finances out of whack. I learned that the hard way with my job. I wanted to have a cushion just in case something like that happened in the future. So, I used the savings from the debt consolidation loan and set it aside for a rainy day.
• Tying Up Loose Ends – Credit cards weren’t the only debt I had mismanaged. I still had student loans and an old cable bill I let go into collections. I signed up for an income-based repayment plan with my student loans. The cable company offered me a settlement amount that I paid upfront. I even contacted my landlord and agreed to pay an additional $50 on my rent until my balance was up-to-date.

When you’re young and carefree, you don’t think about how misusing a credit card could lead to physical, emotional, and financial stress. Fortunately, I learned this lesson early on and was able to do something about it. Consolidating my debt with Brice Capital inspired me to get serious about my finances. Now, I’m on track to living the life I want without my past financial mistakes weighing me down.