As the old saying goes – if you don’t love yourself, who else will? It’s the little pleasures that get us through the everyday grind.
Doing little things that make you happy is a good way to boost your self-esteem as well as your general mood. This in turn has a knock-on effect on your mental health. It’s a win-win! Plus, most are free or cheap, so there’s no excuse for not showing yourself a little love from time to time!
Why wait for your next day off or vacation? Remind yourself that you deserve to lead a happy life and enjoy yourself on a regular basis with these 30 ways to treat yourself.
- Give yourself the gift of 5 minutes of doing nothing. Sometimes this is enough to get a bit of breathing room and plan your next move.
- Give yourself permission to reach out to someone else. Text or call a friend or relative who you know will support you.
- Make a healthy snack or drink and enjoy it slowly. Take pleasure in nurturing yourself.
- Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.
- Make a plan for the weekend, thus ensuring you have something to look forward to.
- Set a timer and tidy up your workspace for 10 minutes. This doesn’t sound like much fun, but giving yourself the gift of a clear desk is not to be underestimated!
- Go for a brief walk outside. Natural green shades are soothing, and if the weather is sunny, this will also provide you with a mood boost.
- Go to an animal shelter or pet store and look at the cute animals. There’s something relaxing about watching them play or sleep together in a happy snuggly heap.
- Get out a notebook and pen and start journaling. Let yourself express hopes, fears, desires and dreams. This can be very cathartic and healing.
- Read an interesting and uplifting blog article for free inspiration within minutes!
- Head to the library or second-hand book store for some free or cheap books. Grab anything that looks amusing, entertaining or inspirational.
- Ask a friend for a TV show or movie recommendation. Bonus points if you can borrow it from them for free! You could even suggest a movie night, complete with drinks and popcorn.
- Buy a seriously decadent treat, like a bar of your favourite chocolate, and savor it.
- Pretend to be a tourist in your local area. Leave your everyday cares behind and walk around the park, museums etc. as though it’s the first time you have ever visited.
- Buy yourself a new outfit, or at least a new accessory. If you are on a tight budget, visit thrift stores or hold a clothes-swapping event with friends.
- Do something nice for someone else. Why does this work? When we carry out random acts of kindness, we feel a warm glow inside. Everyone benefits!
- Give yourself the gift of learning something new. Stimulate your brain by reading or hearing about a totally new topic.
- Go and see a new movie by yourself during a weekday afternoon. There’s something relaxing and peaceful about seeing a film alone in a quiet cinema.
- Learn how to cook a new dish that you’ve always wanted to try. Master it and you’ll be able to have great food whenever you feel like it!
- Have an early night, just because you feel like it. Put off the chores until tomorrow, and just get into bed with a good book or film. We all deserve that from time to time.
- Give yourself the gift of taking your dreams seriously. Write down 5 key life goals that you want to achieve over the next year or so, and the steps needed to achieve them.
- Take a nap. So many of us are sleep-deprived, so 20 minutes spent napping in the afternoon may be just the refreshment you need.
- Make yourself an uplifting playlist containing all your favourite songs, and listen to it several times.
- Buy some new bedlinen, or at least change your sheets. It will make you feel nice and relaxed at bedtime.
- Avoid toxic influences. Do you suspect that a certain co-worker, relative or even ‘friend’ just depresses you or gets you down with their negative attitude? Try to spend less time with them.
- If the weather is pleasant, get out a hammock or blanket, and spend time relaxing in the yard or garden.
- The next time someone asks you to do something non-essential that you don’t want to do, vow to look after yourself and say ‘No.’
- Buy your favourite flavor of ice-cream on your way home from work and spend a couple of hours indulging in dessert and trashy TV.
- Treat yourself to a few compliments – from yourself! Get inspired from this article: Don’t Wait for People to Praise You. Do It Yourself Every Single Day
- Get rid of any clothing that doesn’t fit or flatter you, and go shopping for replacement. Take a look at this guide and learn how to declutter for a stress-free life.
