ThePeopleAlchemist Edit: Be your best self - #SmashYourCeiling, change starts from within -Business & Lifestyle Experimentation for #TheWomanAlchemist

After talking about debt and savings, it is now time to expand and talk about investing. Oh, yes, that's right! To step into your Financial Independent (and Fabulous) Best Self, besides working on breaking your limiting beliefs on your self-worth and family paradigms, you need to invest too. Investing is a wealth generator. And women tend to do it less.

So why are women missing out on investing?

And how can we advocate for more women to invest? The most potent weapon when it comes to investing is time. Time even beats out money—relatively speaking—if you have enough of it.

How can investing more money minimize the pay gap between men and women?

One of the most important things you can do to change the investment gap is simple: financial education. People who understand investing are less likely to be intimidated by it and more likely to do it. The investment gap and the gender pay gap are closely related. Many of us know about the gender pay gap. And lack of investing amplifies that difference. More income means more choices: the choice to take time off for family, change jobs for something you love, but that may not pay as well, leave a bad relationship, travel the world. Money equals choices.

What is the best place to start investing? If someone is overwhelmed, are there one-size-fits-all rules for simplifying the process?

I'm not a financial advisor (get one), but there’s a concept I think you should be familiar with called passive investing. The idea is that it’s smarter to invest across the entire market and then not pay attention to it than pick stocks or pay someone else to pick stocks. Passive investing and using technology to build brilliant portfolios for people who don’t have the time, interest, or expertise to research (to figure out risk tolerance and asset allocation and diversification). Starting early is essential. Diversifying is just as important. The purpose of being diversified is that when one part of the market goes down—stocks, for instance—others may go up or go down less. The purpose is to protect yourself against catastrophe. Precisely how your investments should be diversified depends on how old you are, when you plan to retire, etc. Whether you’re investing your money yourself or hiring an advisor to do it, or using an automated service, make sure they’re taking those factors into account. Here are, again, some useful resources to work on your mind, read, digest and then take action:

• Tapping Into Wealth by Margaret M. Lynch - EFT to clear your inner blocks
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki - to build awareness
• Money: Master The Game by Tony Robbins - to build your financial future.

What has all this got to do with being your Best Self? Money is one of the ways that reveal how we feel about ourselves. And for women and their relationship with money, demystifying money and all the talk around it is the first step to real equality. How much do you think you are worth? See you tomorrow x Change starts from within; that's why training your consciousness should be your Priority Numero 1 - a daily practice to silence your inner critic.