There was a recurring bit on the TV show Parks and Recreation where two of the characters would take a random day off of work and spend the entire day treating themselves to whatever indulgences they wanted. They called it a “treat yo’ self” day. Now every time I treat myself to something (today, it was a piece of chocolate cake), I think “treat yo’ self!!” And today, that got me thinking – why don’t we treat ourselves more often?
On special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, we feel like we’re “allowed” – nay, supposed – to do something nice for ourselves. It’s also easy to treat yourself when you’re traveling. After all, the entire trip is one big treat, isn’t it? You allow yourself to eat all the goodies you want, sleep late if you want, only do what you want. For many people, I suspect that’s the entire point of their vacation.
But the rest of the year? It tends to be a treat-less wasteland. And really, there’s no good reason for that.
It’s important to be nice to yourself all the time, of course. But sometimes we need a little something extra to maintain our sanity throughout the year, rather than just grinding through the days from one vacation or holiday to the next. It can be something simple (like giving yourself an extra hour of sleep) or something lavish (like a trip to the spa). You don’t have to spend a whole day at it; you don’t have spend money on it; it doesn’t even have to involve baked goods. Just give yourself a few minutes to embrace a bit of life’s joy.
You don’t need permission to do this for yourself, and you definitely shouldn’t ration it out for rare special occasions. Think of a little self-indulgence as a positivity booster shot.
Some people call this “self-care.” But I find it much more fun and satisfying to declare “treat yo’ self!!” right before I dig into my piece of chocolate cake.