For some of us, today marks the halfway point on our 30 day journey to becoming a better version of ourselves. You have put in two weeks of incredible effort towards meeting this new you and I’m so stinkin’ proud I could just explode! Maybe, you have just stumbled upon our little tribe and you are still figuring out what in the world we are up to. Either way, today, YOU deserve a reward today!
“I think we are defined by the way we treat ourselves and other people.” - Oprah Winfrey
The question is, are we treating other people better than we treat ourselves? Are we giving everyone else our very best and living on the leftovers? Learning to treat yourself is actually an important discipline for sustainable success. Now, if you are anything like me, just the word “treat” may sound like an indulgence. We are moving too fast, we are super moms because our kids come first, we don’t have the time or the money to stop and treat ourselves...I get it.
Unfortunately, this small gesture of kindness towards ourselves is often accompanied by shame, guilt or even conviction. We need to let that go and realize this is truly an act of self-preservation. You are just as important as all of those other people, places or things...even more so, because you are the driver! Ok, honest engine...would you want your child to be driven to school by someone who had had no sleep, was completely frazzled and stressed out, maybe gulping coffee like a drug just to stay awake for their next shift OR would you prefer that driver be well-rested, someone who is actually enjoying their job, maybe even singing through their shift? Both examples have the same job, the same route, the same children aboard, but one of them invests regularly in “filling their cup” and the other, well they are just running on empty. Which driver are you?
On Day 1 of the 30 Days to a Better Us Challenge, we talked about the importance of taking the time to celebrate our accomplishments, both big and small. This is necessary for our success because it not only re-energizes our motivation for the tasks that lie ahead, but also reminds our subconscious that we are important. Furthermore, when we DON’T take the time to do this, we start to get bitter. Ironically, that bitterness generally occurs when we get mad at life for not offering us a break, a reward, a treat...that we could have paused and easily given to ourselves.
**It is important to note that there is a fine line between treating ourselves and reaching for comfort. A treat is a rewards, comfort is a band-aide. Just ask that bite of cake I snuck last night before heading to bed. Number one, it should not have even been there! Number two, it isn’t a treat if it only serves to sabotage the other goals I have set for myself...and neither are those new shoes if they put you back from meeting the financial goals YOU have set for YOURself. Just a caution flag for us to stay aware.**
Now, as much as I would love to make this a biblical practice for women everywhere, treating ourselves can not always look like a day at the spa. I know, super sad face, but let’s be just a little realistic here. Healthy treats, just like us, come in all shapes and sizes. No matter your obstacle today (time, money, location, access), here is a small list of healthy treats to get you started:
Window shopping at your favorite store (better yet, hit the dressing room and take some selfies - vision board, hello?!)
Buy yourself a new shower gel (that smells like your last vacation, or the one you are dreaming to take)
Go to the library and read a magazine
Light that fancy candle (for no other reason than it smells really gold)
Watch a myriad of baby videos on Vine
Take a walk
Drink a diet coke (and actually say ahhhh)
Go to a museum
Grab a nap (or sleep in)
Ride the sunrail with your favorite book
Take a long bath and use the “good lotion”
Let’s build this list together. Comment below with your favorite healthy treat, it might be just what the next woman needs to see in order to give herself permission to tell her body thank you. Whatever you choose to indulge in today, you deserve this moment (and frankly your family and friends need you to take this moment). You earned it!
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