Enjoying indulgences or treating yourself to a reward for hard work, meeting a goal or some other accomplishment is something everyone deserves on occasion. Perpetually being in the mode of working, saving every penny, or moving to the next item on a checklist can become overwhelming and also make us feel unnoticed. There’s just something about those small rewards that help rejuvenate the soul and here are 4 affordable ways to celebrate your accomplishments without feeling guilty.
#1 Enjoy Some “Me Time”– As women, so often we focus on caring for others and neglect self-care, so the next time you decide to reward yourself, do it with Me Time. Do something you truly enjoy, whether it is sitting in a hot bath listening to your favorite music for an hour without interruption, or driving to the countryside completely alone for the day.
#2 Spend Money On Yourself– A major key to rewarding yourself without guilt is to choose something that will not counteract your progress. For example, if you’ve just finished decluttering your home, it’s likely not a good idea to purchase more stuff. Likewise, if you’ve just lost five pounds, you probably shouldn’t reward yourself with a high-calorie treat. These kinds of rewards may seem like a great idea beforehand, but afterwards, they often negate what you were celebrating. When choosing to spend money on yourself, be sure that it fits within your budget and select something that you will look back on and feel good. For example, if you enjoy pampering, treat yourself to a massage or a manicure, or if you want a long-lasting item, opt for a nice candle, a plant for your office, a book, or a piece of wall art you’ve been eyeing for a while.
#3 Create a Treat Jar–Sometimes we feel so guilty about rewarding ourselves, we mentally push aside personal desires, but having a reward to look forward to can help maintain motivation to finish a project. Set aside an evening and write out all the inexpensive things you’d like to buy or experience. Do you want to binge-watch an entire season of your favorite TV show or do nothing but read for an entire weekend? Is there a class or a new hobby that you’d like to try but keep putting it on the back burner? If so, write it down for the treat jar. Be sure to place the jar in a visible location as a motivator each and every day. You can always add new ideas to it or even special wrapped treats like morsels of chocolate covered macadamia nuts or salted caramel. Then when the time comes to reward yourself, rest assured whatever you choose will be something you’ve been looking forward to.
#4 Cash-In on Freebies and Rewards– From discounted meals or coupons, to earning a free cup of coffee on a punch card, or racking up reward points on a credit card, you can enjoy a free hotel stay, purchase that new outfit from a favorite store during their blowout sale, and treat yourself to a day of fun that requires little or no money with so many options of freebies and rewards.
When you do reward yourself, savor every moment, have gratitude, and remind yourself how hard you worked to get to that point.