Reward Yourself!

January 24, 2013

Someone asked me recently, "how do you reward yourself?" Nearly every single "reward" I could think of included some kind of consumable good (food or drink). My brain thought of a cupcake on my way home from a rough day or a splurge at the grocery store. I thought of going out to dinner with friends. I thought of ordering delivery from the sushi place by my house. I thought of sneaking a cookie from the break room at work... *uh oh*. I may be obsessed with food...

How do you break out of that cycle? I began putting together a list that included tangible, but non-consumable rewards:

• Watching a movie with friends at home.
• Splurging on a new pair of earrings.
• Going for a swim.
• Stay in with a good book.
• Take a hot bubble bath.
• Get all dressed up for no reason.
• Take yourself out to the movies (just no popcorn!).
• Buy or download your new favorite song online (or check it out at the library!).
• Take a nap.
• Retail therapy: make sure you set a budget ahead of time.
• Go for a run (this is something I would actually reward myself for doing, but there are plenty of people who enjoy exercising).
• Visit a museum: many local museums are free, at least on certain days.
• Blast your favorite album and dance along.
• Schedule time with your significant other, best friend, or your kids.
• Get creative: build, write, paint, sew, or draw something!
• Go thrifting: find a cool new lamp or piece of clothing on the cheap.
• Play a board game: when's the last time you busted out one of those?
• Put together a puzzle.
• Tack on an extra half hour to your leisure time: give yourself a whole hour to surf the internet, instead of that measly 1/2 hour.
• Revisit an old hobby.
• Visit the park.
• Go somewhere you've never been before.

With this list, I am keeping on track with my New Year's Resolution to be healthier. No more feeling guilty about sneaking that second brownie or spending too much money on dinners out!

Abbey L.
South Independence Branch