#BeginnerTips

[infinity-state]

Weekly Q&A Session: Your Mental Health Questions Answered

Welcome to our weekly Q&A session on Infinity State! 🌟

This week, we’re diving into some of the most frequently asked questions about mental health and self-care. Our goal is to provide you with insightful answers and practical advice to help you navigate life's challenges and support your mental well-being. Feel free to share your thoughts, ask more questions, or offer your own tips in the comments. Let's learn and grow together!

Q1: How can I start practicing mindfulness if I've never done it before?

Answer: Starting a mindfulness practice can be simple and doesn't require a lot of time. Begin with just a few minutes each day, focusing on your breath. Find a quiet space, sit comfortably, and close your eyes. Take slow, deep breaths, paying attention to the sensation of the air entering and leaving your body. If your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath without judgment. You can also use guided meditation apps like Headspace or Calm to help you get started. Over time, gradually increase the duration of your practice as you become more comfortable with it.

Q2: What are some effective ways to cope with anxiety in everyday life?

Answer: Coping with anxiety involves a combination of strategies that work best for you. Here are a few techniques to consider:

Grounding Techniques: Use grounding exercises to bring your focus back to the present moment. This could be as simple as naming five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Exercise Regularly: Physical activity is a powerful anxiety reducer. Activities like walking, jogging, or yoga can help release tension and improve mood.

Limit Caffeine and Sugar: These can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Opt for herbal teas and a balanced diet to stabilize your energy and mood.

Create a Routine: Establishing a daily routine can provide a sense of structure and predictability, which can be calming for anxiety-prone individuals.

Talk to Someone: Sharing your feelings with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can provide relief and perspective.

Q4: What are some self-care practices that can help with stress relief?

Answer: Self-care is essential for managing stress and maintaining mental well-being. Here are some effective self-care practices:

Create a Relaxation Routine: Dedicate time each day to relax and unwind. This could be through meditation, a warm bath, or reading a book.

Engage in Creative Activities: Art, music, writing, or any form of creative expression can be a therapeutic way to release stress and channel emotions.

Prioritize Sleep: Ensure you're getting enough rest each night. A consistent sleep schedule can improve your mood and resilience to stress.

Practice Gratitude: Reflect on things you’re grateful for each day. Gratitude can shift your focus from stressors to positive aspects of your life.

Disconnect from Technology: Take breaks from screens and social media to recharge. Spend time in nature or engage in activities that don't involve technology.

Q5: How can I support a friend who is struggling with their mental health?

Answer: Supporting a friend with mental health challenges requires empathy, patience, and understanding. Here are some ways you can help:

Listen Actively: Be present and listen to your friend without interrupting or offering immediate solutions. Sometimes, just being heard can be incredibly healing.

Offer Support: Let them know you’re there for them and willing to help in any way you can, whether it's accompanying them to appointments or just being a shoulder to lean on.

Encourage Professional Help: Gently suggest seeking help from a therapist or counselor if they haven’t already. Offer to help them find resources or accompany them if they're nervous.

Check-In Regularly: Consistent check-ins show that you care and are thinking about them. A simple message or call can make a big difference.

Be Patient: Understand that recovery is a journey, and there may be ups and downs. Offer your support without pressure or judgment.

Thank you for joining us for this week's Q&A session on Infinity State! 🌟 If you found these answers helpful, don't forget to follow our blog for more insights and tips on mental health and well-being. We're here to support each other on this journey, and your voice is an essential part of our community.

We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, experiences, or additional questions in the comments below. Let us know what topics you'd like us to cover in future sessions. Together, we can create a supportive space where everyone feels heard and valued.

Follow us for more content, and let's continue to grow and learn together.

[alinasartsandthings]

Tips and Tricks For Beginner Artists

I want to preface this by saying two things. Or maybe couple more.

One: This is my first ever blog post that I have written. There will be mistakes. I am still figuring out Tumblr Blogs. Deal with me. Thank you <3

Two: I am by no means a professional artist. I am still a student. I have been doing art for little over three years now and I am writing these to share my experiences as an artist that is self-taught. Also because I struggle with the mental aspect of art. I want to share and help people that are where I once was. I wish I had found somebody to give more personal, down to the bits advice to get me into the world of digital art. I am writing about what worked for me and how I did certain things. Enjoy.

(I am largely a digital artist. This is centered around digital mediums and methods. )

This blog post will be more helpful for people that are self-teaching and just starting art.

Regardless of why you want to do art, you need adequate tools to do it.

My first and current graphic tablet is One By Wacom in Small (ought to be replaced soon). I still use it and it serves just fine. It has no buttons on it, plain design. Wacom has excellent support and works smoothly. It was also a good budget decision. If you have a tablet that comes with a pen, work on that. Keep in mind, if you are intently buying a graphic pad or a tablet for purpose of art, buy something that you won't regret too much if art doesn't work out for you and it ends up collecting dust. It is easy to upgrade once your needs require it. Research what graphic tablets are out there and what would work best for you. There is a wild variety to choose from.

Now to the art program. Finding an art program to start on is not at all hard now. There are so many, each with its own quirk. I used Krita since forever. It is very professional, much like Photoshop but also easy for a beginner to grasp. And entirely free. Find an art program that you are comfortable in. Procreate, MediBang, Clip Studio Paint, Paint Tool SAI, Photoshop are only some of the choices.

Possibly in another post I will get more into Krita and how I use it as I am very fond of it.

Set Up Your Canvas

Here I am not going to go way too much into depth on this as it can vary greatly depending on what tools you use and what program but I want to stress the importance of having a workspace that works with you, not against you. Some of the best tips I have gotten for this are:

Set your canvas to a a medium gray color, somewhere in the middle of the gray value scale. Looking at a plain white canvas is daunting and quite inconvenient when you're starting off.

Pick your resolution. Usual choice is 300 dot per inch (DPI). Size of your canvas depends on your screen/machine/program. I usually go between 2000-2500 as my PC is past its prime and doesn't handle things well without sounding like a rocket about to take off. Research what your machine can do without lag.

I will give more advice on using brushes in another post but just going to say, using plain black color is usually bad idea. At least it was for me. It amplifies mistakes and leaves little room for fixing. Instead, try using a gray color somewhere between black and your canvas color. Medium value blue and red also work fine as sketch colors.

Start Comfortably

There is no point looking at all the masterpieces that ArtStation and Instagram has to offer and setting it as your short-term goal. A biggest downfall you can have is from starting too big.

Instead, focus of doing small things. Sketch a lot. Sketch basic shapes. And draw what you love. Art is a craft of heart, at least for me. Detaching yourself from that will make art will like a chore, a cold labor that you do not enjoy.

Ahem. Anyway.

One of the best exercises I have found is to just draw lines. This you can do on paper too as it is an excellent way to warm up. Try to make a straight line. Go not too fast nor slow. Make as many as you need until you get it straight. Do the same for circles. Make them as round as you can. Your hand is the biggest trickster. It does not cooperate with your mind as well as you want it to.

Sketch, sketch sketch, get yourself comfortable with it. Everyone does sketches, one way or another. Of course, you are free to try an entire piece but it can be very discouraging when it turns out nothing like you expected it to be.

I will make a post just on the ways you can practice as a beginner.

Find Inspiration

The biggest foe of artists is lack of inspiration and an artists block. I know it was mine. Finding inspiration is way easier when you are starting off as you often want to draw everything. There are plenty of places where you can get inspiration on what to draw. Pinterest in my all time favourite. You can also look at Instagram, ArtStation, your favourite shows, camera roll, world outside. Jot down what you want to draw when you get an idea and save it for later.

Find Artists You Love

This goes for everyone, but especially if you want to get into business of art. Having artists that inspire you and whose art you enjoy seeing is a must. It feeds your creativity and helps you develop your art style in the long run.

Don't compare yourself to other artists

Often, artists you see that get most views and likes have been in it for years. Do not go into art expecting that it will look perfect right away. Art takes time. A lot of it, often. Those artists whose works seem perfect have spent countless hours on sketches, studies, classes, lessons. Stressing over why your art is not good at the very start will not allow you to move on and better. Instead, appreciate and enjoy little what you created. Everyone's art journey is different and what matters is the road, not the destination

You don't have to be a natural

I never was exceptionally good at art growing up I did have an affinity for all things creative—I had passion for it, but my skills weren't out there. Majority of artists aren't naturals. In my opinion, passion and will is more important than natural skill set. Skills can be taught but without passion and will to learn, you won't get anywhere in art.

Your journey is unique

Everyone learns things at a different pace. What works for somebody, might not work for you. We all have different minds.. That is why everyone's art journey is so unique and interesting. When I started off, I was doing things exactly as I saw others do them and it resulted in frustrations because it wasn't turning out the way I imagined it would. Beginners are inclined towards this and that's alright. But it is important to realize that there is no law out there on how you have to learn the craft. Do it in a way that is most comfortable.

For example, I have quite an attention deficit. I cannot focus on a subject for longer than 15 minutes tops. So watching hour long lessons on Youtube or reading books on the subject didn't cut it for me. I either broke it up into smaller bits and only took what I needed in the moment or looked for compact, one-slide lessons, usually with examples, to tackle a subject. Rather than being told what to do, I needed to be shown how to do it. This might not be a good way for somebody, it really depends and comes down to you. You know yourself the best.

Now for the more practical tips

Outlining

This might be a controversial one out there, but I was never a strong believer in outlining. While it can be fun and it is helpful in beginning stages, it eventually stunts your growth. Instead of simply just outlining, look at how the things work and why does it look the way it does. Break down shapes and study them. Of course, there are instances where it does help to do it and I am not saying that you shouldn't do it, I just never did it. In my opinion, training your hand and mind to follow references is much better way to study and improve.

Use References

Do it. The best of artists use them or have used them for a large portion of their art journey. Do not see reference images as a cheat for artists. Drawing from mind is difficult and not something I would suggest to somebody starting off. Instead, find several references—for poses, shapes, color palette. The more references you have, more you will learn. I use Pinterest for this mostly. As I get can very easily distracted, I usually prepare them couple of hours in advance or a whole day before and store them so I can use them in the future whenever I need.

Don't just look at at the image and completely try to mirror it. Improvise. That's how you learn. Study it. Draw over the reference and then draw next to it. Do it as many times as you want and do it on several references. Sometimes it is enough to do reference thumbnails to effectively improve your art for the day.

Learn from Other Artists

I will make a special post on what artists I watched and learned from and how the self-teaching process looks for me. Regardless of how you study art (art school or not), it is important to find as many resources and sources as you can. Do not focus too much on narrowing it down to a specific thing. Look for lectures on basics that will prepare you for any course you might want to take, especially if you are self-taught.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

This advice I got from listening to my favourite art podcast from Adam Duff LUCIDPIXUL and it gives you this comparison.

If you spend a year reading fitness magazines but never go to the gym, are you going to get fit? No.

Try to make a routine and set the time when you are free to draw. More you do it, faster you will progress and develop your skill. No matter how bad it looks to you, just draw. You don't even have to complete it. Just sit down and put something on the canvas or paper. If it doesn't work, store it and move on. You learned something and will be better next time. It only looks bad if you didn't draw anything.

I hope this tips got to you and that you find them as helpful as I did. Happy drawing!

____________

I am a self-taught digital artist from Serbia. I hope to help people by sharing my art, process and advice that has and still is helping me.

[pranavanand27]

What is Calisthenics? A Beginner’s Guide

Looking to build strength, endurance, and flexibility without expensive gym equipment? Calisthenics is your answer. 💪

This beginner’s guide breaks down essential bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and more. Learn why a good diet, structured workout plan, and consistency are key to transforming your physique using just your bodyweight.

Whether you’re a total beginner or looking to level up, this guide covers everything from progression plans to whether you really need a personal trainer. Start your fitness journey today and unlock the power of bodyweight training!

Read the full guide here 👉https://skillenergizers.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-is-calisthenics-beginners-guide.html

[jetskirace]

🚫 New to JetSki Race? Don’t Make These Mistakes!

New racers often struggle with the basics. 🧭 Visit 👉 <a href="https://jetskirace.net" target="_blank">jetskirace.net</a> 📝 Click Blog > “Random Mistakes Made in JetSki Race Game by New Players” 🧠 Learn what to avoid, and race smarter from the start.

[nataliaabritney]

Learn the 10 Effective video editing tips that are beginner friendly.

[thriftbeam]

Investing in Real Estate: A Wise Decision

Real estate investment offers a lucrative opportunity for diversifying your portfolio. This post dives into the numerous benefits of real estate investments, including steady income, tax advantages, and long-term appreciation. It also explores current market trends and provides practical tips for both beginners and seasoned investors on how to navigate the real estate landscape successfully. Discover how investing in real estate can be a smart move for securing your financial future and achieving your investment goals. 🌟🏠

[clippingpathking1]

Ready to enhance your photo editing skills? Check out our tutorial on simple photo fixes where we show you how to invert colors in Photoshop using three easy methods! This step-by-step guide is perfect for beginners looking to add a creative twist to their images. Learn how to transform your photos with just a few clicks, making them stand out in your portfolio or social media feed. Whether you're editing product images or personal snapshots, mastering these simple techniques will elevate your editing game. Dive in and start creating stunning visuals today!

[naturallivinginsider]

Living Off the Grid: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Sufficiency

Embarking on an off-grid lifestyle is a bold and rewarding choice. 

https://www.naturallivinginsider.com/lcaf

[elitepharmas15]

Trenbolone Enanthate Injection tips for Beginners

Trenbolone Enanthate is a powerful anabolic steroid commonly used in bodybuilding for muscle growth and fat loss. For beginners, understanding the correct way to administer the injection is crucial to ensuring safety and effectiveness.

Choose the Right Needle: Use a 23-25 gauge needle with a length of 1 to 1.5 inches for deep intramuscular injections, typically in the gluteus or thigh.

Sterilize the Area: Always clean the injection site with alcohol swabs to prevent infections.

Inject Slowly: Administer the solution slowly and steadily to minimize discomfort and avoid creating lumps under the skin.

Rotate Injection Sites: Alternating between different muscles, like the thighs and glutes, reduces the risk of scar tissue buildup.

Dosage: Start with a lower dosage to gauge your body's response. Most beginners use 200-300 mg per week.

Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance and post-cycle therapy to avoid side effects.

[vaishaliblogsworld]

Start your journey in data analytics with essential advice for students. Learn the basics, build technical skills, and gain practical experience to excel in this growing field.

[bongtastics]

How to Start Using Cannabis Safely 🌿✨

New to cannabis? Here are some tips to ensure you start safely:

🌟 Educate Yourself: Learn about different strains and consumption methods.

🌟 Start Low and Go Slow: Begin with a low dose and gradually increase it.

🌟 Choose a Safe Environment: Be in a comfortable and familiar place.

🌟 Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after consumption.

🌟 Avoid Mixing Substances: Don't mix cannabis with alcohol or other substances.

🌟 Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how you feel and adjust accordingly.

🌟 Consult a Healthcare Professional: If you have health conditions, seek professional advice.

For more detailed tips, read our full guide: How to Start Using Cannabis Safely 🌿💚

[markedwardes]

Master the basics of Coin Master

Master the basics of Coin Master with our beginner’s guide. Learn to manage spins, build and upgrade villages, attack and raid strategically, and leverage pets and shields. Connect with friends and participate in events to maximize rewards and progress quickly in the game. Read More…..

[projectmanagertemplate]

Project Management for Beginners The Ultimate Guide

Stepping into project management can be both exciting and scary. With the right strategies and tools, even a beginner can manage projects effectively. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get started on your project management journey.

[fullymotiv]

El uso de drones en el ámbito de la construcción y mantenimiento de edificios ha experimentado un crecimiento significativo en los últimos años. Estas aeronaves no tripuladas ofrecen soluciones innovadoras y eficientes para diversas tareas relacionadas con la arquitectura y la gestión de edificios. Aquí se exploran algunas de las aplicaciones más destacadas de los drones en este sector:

1. Inspección de Edificios: Los drones permiten inspeccionar de manera rápida y segura la estructura exterior de los edificios. Equipados con cámaras de alta resolución, los drones pueden capturar imágenes detalladas que ayudan a identificar posibles problemas, como grietas, desgaste o daños en la fachada. Esta tecnología mejora la eficiencia de las inspecciones y reduce el riesgo para los inspectores.

2. Monitoreo de Obras y Proyectos: Durante la construcción de un edificio, los drones son valiosos para monitorear el progreso de la obra. Proporcionan una vista aérea que facilita la supervisión y gestión del sitio, permitiendo a los equipos de construcción detectar posibles problemas y tomar decisiones informadas para garantizar el avance eficiente del proyecto.

3. Seguridad en la Construcción: Los drones también se utilizan para mejorar la seguridad en los sitios de construcción. Pueden realizar inspecciones de seguridad aérea, identificando riesgos potenciales y asegurando el cumplimiento de los protocolos de seguridad. Esto ayuda a prevenir accidentes y a mantener un entorno de trabajo más seguro.

4. Mantenimiento de Infraestructuras: Los drones son herramientas útiles para el mantenimiento de infraestructuras, como la limpieza y reparación de fachadas de edificios altos. Al evitar el acceso humano directo a áreas peligrosas o de difícil acceso, los drones contribuyen a reducir costos y riesgos asociados con el mantenimiento de edificaciones.

5. Topografía y Cartografía: Para proyectos arquitectónicos, los drones pueden realizar levantamientos topográficos y crear mapas detallados del terreno. Esto es especialmente útil para entender mejor el entorno circundante y planificar la ubicación óptima de un nuevo edificio.

6. Promoción Inmobiliaria: En el ámbito inmobiliario, los drones son utilizados para capturar imágenes y vídeos aéreos impresionantes de propiedades y edificaciones. Esta herramienta de marketing ofrece a los posibles compradores una perspectiva única y detallada de los inmuebles, mejorando la presentación y promoción de las propiedades.

7. Evaluación de Daños: En casos de desastres naturales o situaciones de emergencia, los drones pueden ser desplegados para evaluar rápidamente los daños en edificios. Esta información es crucial para la planificación de la respuesta y la asignación eficiente de recursos de rescate.

En conclusión, los drones han revolucionado la forma en que abordamos la construcción, mantenimiento y gestión de edificios. Estas aeronaves no tripuladas ofrecen eficiencia, seguridad y perspectivas únicas que mejoran significativamente los procesos relacionados con la arquitectura y la infraestructura.

[risetomastery]

How to Invest With Little Money

How to Start Investing with Little Money: 19 Tips for Beginners to Invest $50, $100 or $500 per Month"

How to Start Investing with Little Money: 19 Tips for Beginners to Invest $50, $100 or $500 per Month" Start with an Emergency Fund Use a Retirement Account Invest in Low-Cost Index Funds Use a Micro-Investing App Look Into Robo-Advisors Employ Dollar Cost Averaging Reinvest Dividends Invest in Yourself 19 Tips for beginners Final Thoughts Investing can seem intimidating, especially if you don't have much money to spare. However, you don't need thousands of dollars to get started investing. With some planning and discipline, you can begin investing even small amounts and build your portfolio over time. Here are some tips for investing with little money:

Start with an Emergency Fund

Before you start investing, make sure you have a rainy day fund with 3-6 months of living expenses. This will prevent you from having to cash out investments prematurely if an unexpected expense comes up. Once you have an emergency cushion, you can focus any extra funds on investing. The FDIC recommends having at least $500 set aside for emergencies, but preferably 3-6 months worth of expenses. Calculate your average monthly costs for necessities like housing, food, transportation, and utilities. Multiply that by 3-6 months to see how much you need saved. This money should be kept in an accessible account like a savings account, money market account or short-term CDs. High yield savings accounts can earn over 2% interest these days. Having an emergency fund prevents you from tapping into long-term investments if an unexpected expense pops up like a car repair or medical bill. It helps you adhere to the investing maxim “Don’t touch your principal.” Knowing you have a backup cushion helps remove emotion from investing decisions.

Use a Retirement Account

Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs offer great tax benefits that can supercharge your investment gains. The key benefits are tax-deferred growth and often tax-deductible contributions. Investments in a retirement account grow tax-free each year since you don't pay taxes on capital gains and dividends. You aren’t taxed until you withdraw funds in retirement. This enables faster compound growth compared to taxable accounts. Many employers offer 401(k) plans where you can contribute pre-tax dollars from your paycheck up to an annual limit ($20,500 in 2023). Some employers also match a percentage of your contributions, essentially giving you free money toward retirement. Even without an employer match, 401(k)s allow tax-free investing for retirement. IRAs also offer tax perks. With a traditional IRA, your contributions may be tax deductible depending on income limits. Roth IRAs, on the other hand, don't offer a tax deduction but allow tax-free withdrawals in retirement. The IRS currently allows contributions of up to $6,000 per year to an IRA if under 50 years old. This applies to both traditional and Roth accounts combined. If you have an employer retirement plan, your ability to deduct traditional IRA contributions phases out at higher incomes. For early investors, prioritizing retirement accounts is smart because of the tax savings. Plus, money in these accounts is harder to access before retirement so it keeps your investments on track for the long-term. Contribute at least enough to get any employer match if available. Then you can consider funding a taxable investing account.

Invest in Low-Cost Index Funds

Once you’ve saved emergency cash and are funding retirement accounts, it’s time to actually invest your money. Index funds are the best way for beginner investors to gain diversified exposure to the stock market. They provide instant diversification across hundreds or thousands of stocks in a single fund while requiring very low investment amounts to get started. Index funds simply aim to track the performance of a specific market index like the S&P 500. Since they aren’t managed actively by a fund manager, their fees are extremely low compared to actively managed mutual funds. The average expense ratio for index funds is around 0.1% versus over 1% for active funds. This makes index funds ideal for long-term buy-and-hold investing. Over the past decades, index funds have consistently outperformed the majority of more expensive actively managed funds. Their simplicity, diversification, and low costs are the reasons why many experts recommend index funds for retirement investing. For beginners, basic index funds that track the entire U.S. stock market are best. Examples are S&P 500 index funds like Vanguard’s VOO or Fidelity’s FSKAX. These contain over 500 of the largest U.S. companies. Investing in the entire stock market provides safety versus picking individual stocks. The average expense ratio for S&P 500 index funds is around 0.03%. Many brokers like Vanguard and Fidelity allow minimum investments of just the fund's expense ratio or $1-3,000 for index mutual funds. This makes index funds achievable even with limited savings. Investing small amounts monthly allows dollar cost averaging into the market at different prices over time.

Use a Micro-Investing App

Micro-investing apps help make investing more automated and painless. They allow you to invest your "spare change" from everyday credit and debit card purchases into diversified portfolios. Examples are Acorns, Stash, Chime and Robinhood’s new Recurring Investments. Here’s how they work: you connect your bank cards to the app. After each card purchase, the transaction amount gets rounded up to the nearest dollar. The app takes that “spare change” and invests it into your portfolio. For instance, a $2.50 coffee would lead to a $0.50 investment. While the invested amounts start small, they add up over time with regular card spending. The portfolios recommended contain low-cost ETFs spanning thousands of stocks and bonds. The apps handle automatic rebalancing and dividend reinvesting. There are minimal fees of just $1-3 monthly. Micro-investing apps make saving and investing effortless. Even if you have just $5 or $10 weekly to invest, these platforms allow you to put your money to work in the markets. The “set it and forget it” approach helps develop the investing discipline needed for long-term success. Though you likely won’t get rich quick, micro-investing provides an easy way to build savings and investing habits.

Look Into Robo-Advisors

Robo-advisors like Betterment and Wealth front are another good option for beginner investors. These are automated investment platforms that use algorithms to recommend and manage portfolios tailored to your goals. After filling out a questionnaire, robo-advisors will recommend a portfolio of low-cost ETFs spanning various asset classes like stocks, bonds and real estate based on your timeline and risk tolerance. The minimum investment can be as low as $500 to get started. Robos automatically handle portfolio rebalancing, dividend reinvesting, tax loss harvesting and systematic deposits/withdrawals. Management fees range from 0.25% to 0.50% annually. While fees are higher than self-managed index fund portfolios, robos are extremely convenient and provide guidance for new investors. For hands-free investing, robo-advisors are great set-it-and-forget-it solutions. Just be wary of inappropriate risk recommendations or overconcentration in cash for younger investors by some robos. Check their investment methodology before jumping in. For DIY investors willing to rebalance occasionally, low-cost index funds may be preferable. But robo-advisors are still a solid choice for easily building a diversified portfolio.

Employ Dollar Cost Averaging

Dollar cost averaging is a strategy all beginner investors should utilize when investing small amounts continuously over time. With dollar cost averaging, you invest a fixed dollar amount on a regular schedule, like $50-100 monthly. Since the market fluctuates daily, this allows you to buy more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high. While dollar cost averaging doesn’t guarantee a profit or avoid losses in declining markets, it does help smooth out volatility. Going “all in” by investing a large lump sum at once can provide poor timing if a market drop follows soon after. But investing incremental amounts lessens the risk of putting your money in at a peak right before a downturn. Apps mentioned like Acorns along with monthly automatic transfers into mutual funds or ETFs make dollar cost averaging simple to implement. The key is consistency and avoiding the tendency to only invest when you “feel” like the market is doing well. Set up automatic periodic investments and let dollar cost averaging improve your timing.

Reinvest Dividends

Another smart strategy is reinvesting any dividends paid out by your investments. Dividend reinvesting automatically uses paid distributions to buy additional shares. This compounds your wealth over time by increasing the number of shares you own. Many brokerages and robo-advisors offer automatic dividend reinvesting. For example, Vanguard mutual fund holders can elect to have dividends reinvested back into the funds to grow their positions. Apps like M1 Finance also allow dividend reinvesting for individual stocks and ETFs. Even dividend reinvesting small amounts will power compound growth. And companies that pay steady dividends tend to be stable, established businesses. The combination of dividend payouts plus reinvestment can enhance long-term total returns. Just make sure any fees for dividend reinvesting are minimal.

Invest in Yourself

Your own skills, education and career trajectory are likely your greatest “asset” when it comes to earning potential over your lifetime. Don’t underinvest in yourself through self-education and career development. The monetary return on learning new skills and moving up in your career is often far beyond what stock market investing can provide. Make sure to leave room in your budget for self-improvement. Take courses to gain skills in coding, marketing, accounting, design and more based on your career interests. Seek mentorships and apprenticeships in your industry. Attend conferences and classes to network and showcase your abilities. Further education like an associate’s, bachelor's or master’s degree can really pay off career-wise in the long run. If your employer offers tuition reimbursement for approved courses, take full advantage of this great benefit. The education will enhance your knowledge, and your improved skills can lead to promotions down the road. Investing in yourself boosts future cash flow. Don't just think of it as spending, but as investing in your human capital. Beyond career development, also invest in your mental and physical health. These factors drive well-being and productivity. Make fitness a habit and get regular checkups. Managing stress through yoga, meditation or therapy can give your mindset and motivation a boost. Ultimately, investing in yourself across skills, education and health delivers big dividends.

19 Tips for beginners

- Build an emergency fund first - Use retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs - Invest in low-cost index funds - Try a micro-investing app - Consider a robo-advisor - Dollar cost average into the market - Reinvest dividends to compound gains - Invest in yourself through skills and education - Automate deposits into investment accounts - Don't panic during market swings - Focus on long-term compound growth - Keep investment fees low - Diversify with broad market funds - Set a consistent investing schedule - Start small and scale up over time - Educate yourself on investing basics - Create a financial plan and stick to it - Live below your means to free up money to invest - Delay gratification today for better returns tomorrow

Final Thoughts

Investing, even with small amounts, is very achievable for beginners. The key is consistency by making regular deposits into vehicles like retirement accounts, index funds, micro-investing apps and robo-advisors. Reinvest dividends, dollar cost average, and enhance your earning potential. Investing does require discipline, delayed gratification and tuning out market swings. But the process can be simple by automating deposits into broadly diversified, low-cost funds you hold for the long term. Compounding works wonders over 5, 10 or 20 year periods. Start wherever you can, even if it’s just pocket change amounts to begin. Investing apps have lowered the barriers. With education and discipline, anyone has the ability to steadily build wealth and reach financial goals through investing.

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