Where to invest? Look in mirror

The stock market has more craters than the moon. Banks aren’t looking so solid either. Real estate values are still sinking — so where is a person supposed to invest in 2009?

“The best place to invest right now is in — you,” said Darcy Eikenberg, owner of Coach Darcy LLC, an Atlanta leadership and executive coaching firm. “Investing in your own talents and abilities is one thing no one can take away from you. It’s in your control. If you give time and attention to developing your ‘personal portfolio,’ you won’t ever see the value of it go down.”

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Leita Cowart / AJC Special

Darcy Eikenberg tells clients to invest in their own talents. Develop your ‘personal portfolio,’ and its value will never drop, she says.

Eikenberg and Viki Andino, CEO and owner of Soar to Success Coaching Inc., offer advice on creating your personal investment strategy with these affordable and accessible ideas.

» Invest in an expertise exchange: “Since we’re all in this economy together, now is the best time to help each other,” Eikenberg said. “What do people you know do well that you’d like to learn to do better?” Are they great at running a meeting, using Microsoft Excel, finding bargains or negotiating a deal?

“Ask for a block of time where you can pick their brain about their talent. Or better yet, ask if you can shadow them while they’re actually doing it,” Eikenberg said. “Don’t think that you are bothering them. No one I asked ever said no. Most will be flattered and willing to help.”

You may help a person recognize an ability that she was undervaluing, or discover you have a skill that someone else wants to learn.

“When you ask, you are building relationships as well as talents,” Eikenberg said.

“Bartering services is a great way to stretch the budget and build community,” Andino said.

» Take a class: “Brain expert Dr. Daniel G. Amen says one of the best ways to take care of your brain is to keep learning and challenging yourself,” Eikenberg said. “I recently signed up for a glass-blowing class that took me totally out of my comfort zone. I coach with words. Using my hands to craft something was a totally different experience and fun.”

University continuing education departments, museums and local parks and recreation departments have low-cost classes. YouTube and ITunesU offer educational and inspirational classes for free.

» Read, watch and listen to what matters to you: “I’d written off the library as a 20th-century dinosaur, but last summer I fell in love with it,” Eikenberg said. If someone suggested an interesting book, instead of ordering it on Amazon, she found she could request it online at her local library, and it would appear in about a week. “If I didn’t like it, I could return it — no money lost, no guilt — and check out something else,” she said.

“It’s the best deal in town — an ecologically friendly, free source of books, CDs, DVDs and Wi-Fi access,” Eikenberg said. “And don’t forget the reference librarian, who has great research skills and can point you in the right direction,” Andino said.

Want to explore a different industry, career or hobby? Try reading magazines or trade publications, or attending an association meeting, as a guest. Many magazines have rock-bottom subscription rates at the moment.

» Reconnect to your goals: “Many of us fell into our careers — my education was in human research, but my first career opportunities were in IT. Now, when so much is in flux and you may be feeling stuck, is a good time to reassess what you meant to do and want to do,” Andino said.

A career or life coach offers advice customized to your goals and will help you make decisions and take action in an encouraging, nonthreatening way, she said.

“Coaches have different specialties and styles; most offer free initial consultations,” Eikenberg said. The Georgia Coach Association is a good place to start.

» Connect to others: “Whether you are job searching or a survivor picking up other people’s work, this is not the time to isolate yourself,” Andino said. “Networking and building relationships is the best way to invest in yourself. Join a church networking group, volunteer or call an old friend. One of the best things about all the changes we are going through is that people are starting to connect to each other and build communities again.”

» Adopt a positive attitude: When Andino’s husband was recently laid off, the couple, who have active young children, found joy in having more time to spend with one another. “There’s a silver lining and lessons to be learned from every situation,” Andino said. “Having to readjust our budget, our children are learning the difference between necessities and luxuries. When relatives or friends start the misery talk, say, ‘Yeah, but …’ and add something positive.”