Small, affordable treats can help you feel more connected to the very best version of yourself. And that's a treat for your loved ones, who will benefit from basking in your good mood rather than walking on eggshells while you're serving up a side of silent resentment with tonight's dinner.
Here are a few of our Lifeologists' ideas for treating yourself in ways that are easy and meaningful - without breaking the bank.
Fall Back Into A Happy Childhood
The greatest thing about Halloween is the endless array of candy available in the oh-so-perfectly named Fun Size! A fun-size bag of Peanut M&Ms? 90 calories. A snack of Snickers? 80 calories. 1 YumEarth Organic Lollipop? 70 calories. Rainbow skittles? 60 calories. Tiny pumpkin shaped pretzels? 50 calories.
If there's no fun in the fun size, it's not a treat. Instead of wolfing down one (or more) of these because you have deprived yourself for so long, eat something healthy beforehand so you're not ravenous, and then let it be a true treat: a worthy experience that you want to last for a long, satisfying moment. Does the flavor or texture or smell bring back a happy memory? You might need to eat another one just to be sure. And if candy isn't your thing, savor something you rarely let yourself enjoy from a gourmet food specialty store or a favorite bakery or food truck. This is not the time for the delayed gratification of the Marshmallow Test. Indulge yourself! Moderately. Then it's time to move on to #2.
Choose Green Over Gray
Walking is free, easy, and available to almost everyone. But where you walk can make a big difference, so making a walk feel like a special treat is a healthy form of self care. If you're lucky enough to live in a part of the world with accessible outdoor spaces and changing seasons, schedule time for a walk in a nearby park, garden, or nature trail and let the sights and smells and sounds bring you joy in the present moment. There's a reason Monet painted the same view of the Rouen Cathedral on thirty different days: each day, he found something was special and different if he took the time to pay attention to the light and color.
Speaking of color, the Science Museum of Virginia studied people who strolled in a quiet urban setting with shade and plants and compared them with city-dwellers whose walks had no parks or trees. Not surprisingly, those who walked in green spaces reported elevated moods and reduced levels of stress after their walks. The gray-space walkers reported increased stress and heat-related discomfort. If your daily commute or regular dog walking route is drab and dreary, find a way to get to the green and walk your way to a great new mood.
Budget In A Small Luxury
Take a moment to think about all of your physical senses. Is there something you really enjoy but don't indulge in because it's too expensive, inconvenient, takes too much time, or isn't something your partner or family enjoys? Is it a luxury of money or of time? When you deny some small pleasure that you enjoy for the sake of convenience of others, you tell yourself that you deserve less than they do. Sure, you don't need a new fuzzy blanket to wrap up in to binge watch bad reality TV. You don't need to go to an insanely expensive perfume counter and try out 12 different scents on those little strips of paper that you then tuck into every purse and backpack you own so it smells like joy every time you reach in for your glasses. You don't need to nuzzle the milk-breath puppies at the Humane Society event at the mall. Except maybe you do.
If there's a scent that you know makes you feel special or warm or amazing or sexy or loved, find a way to bring it into your life, whether that's a scented candle or a small bottle of perfume you splurge on once in your life. If there's a texture or softness to something that makes you feel pampered and warm and safe, find a sweater or throw that gives you that feeling, even if you live in Florida and have to sit under the ceiling fan. If there's an artist's work that makes you feel the way you want to feel when you look at it, find a print or create something similar on your own. If you love blue cheese but your family can't stand the smell, treat yourself to a wedge and crackers and eat it when nobody's around. Your sensory system is tied deeply to all of your experiences up to now. Treat your senses to something only you know the joy and value they bring.
Carve Out Time for a Hobby
What's something you used to love to do, or have always wanted to learn? Whether it’s sketching, knitting, singing, doing puzzles, taking pictures, learning to cook, dancing, painting, gardening, pickleball, or scuba diving, immersing yourself in an activity you enjoy (or want to try) brings a sense of relaxation and joy.
See if you can take one free class in something new to see if it sounds fun, or go dig out your old knitting needles or charcoal pencils and create the space and time to do something purely for your own enjoyment, not for the results or validation others may bestow., not for Instagram. It's ok to be awful. It's ok to be great. The point is to find flow and relaxation and enjoyment in the doing, not the achieving.
Remember at the beginning of the pandemic when we were all going to learn how to speak Italian? Well, fortunata for you, signore, this 2020 chestnut, How To Find A New Hobby During Lockdown from FutureLearn still sings a few years later. A perfect read if you have no idea what new activity you might like to try.
Surround Yourself With New Sounds
Whatever your typical podcast trend is, take a break from it and try something new. Our body appreciates the familiar, but our brains crave novelty. Lay down new neural pathways by letting new information in.
A quarter of podcast subscribers spend their time listening to true crime. It's exciting, entertaining, and often ends with a satisfying gavel bang from the justice system. But true crime can also be negative, exploitative, and scary. Does it feel like a luxury to listen to these stories, or would it be more of a novelty to try to find something that clicks with your curiosity? Find a storyteller you adore, an interview with someone you admire, or just a topic you've always wanted to explore but never found the time. You'll learn something new about someone or something else, and it might strike a chord that encourages you to explore other things about the world and about yourself.
If podcasts aren't your thing, ask someone with a unique taste in music to create a 30 minute playlist of songs just for you - and listen to it without doing anything else. Not driving, cooking dinner, or feeding the dog. Inspiration can come from anywhere. The trick to this treat is being open to letting it find you.
Unplug From Everything
In a digital world, which is great for binge watching, podcasting, and ordering small luxury items, it's essential to take a break from all the interference and opinions. You deserve to detach. Turn off your devices for an hour. Read a book you enjoy, not one you're supposed to read. Take a cat nap when everyone thinks you're in the shower. Stretch. Look for shapes in the clouds. Daydream. Remember. Rest.
We hope a few of these ideas resonate with you, and we'd love to connect with you about more ways to reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and navigate life's difficulties. Join our mailing list for monthly tips like these, or look for a Lifeologie therapist near you who can help you get unstuck, embrace the present, and move forward into the life you deserve.