Doom and gloom is about all we hear these days when it comes to individual investing. Portfolios have dwindled and that miracle stimulus package didn't really stimulate anything. With more and more Americans out of work, financial hardships are becoming the norm. One type of investment still existst that is definitely worth your attention.
An investment in Time.
Fresh off a six day family road trip I've learned that investing my time has yielded some incredible returns. For example, my four year olds fascination with "where are we?" has insipred the purcahase of an atlas. Instead of repeated Clifford stories at bed time, we've been exploring the world. Last night we talked about Italy. This investment also invigorated our senses, "Bunny smells like grandmas house", we have rocks from Lake Superior, we jumped off a pontoon boat to cool off on a hot summer day and spent time on the dock watching fish eat pieces of a granola bar. The investment of time has created some wonderful memories and has allowed us to connect with friends and family we don't see often enough.
An investment in time isn't much different than an actual financial one. There are risks, like the scenic route possibly not having a lot of bathroom options, or stop-orders, like stop immediately for that antique shop. Like any wise investor, or road-trip planner, you begin with some general calculations, and from there you analyze progress. I could have charted my investment in time just like that of any stock. There were moments of pure joy, excitement and happiness, and those inevitable meltdowns. Times when I hoped the trip would never end, and moments I wished it never started. The key was holding on for the long-term.
An investment in time is an investment in people. It's about talking, listening, laughing and crying. It's the making of memories, some only for a moment, and others for a lifetime. You never know what can happen, you might even start a blog.
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