Treat Yourself—Without Food!
As you work towards your goals, it can be very helpful to reward yourself with small prizes along the way to keep you motivated. However, sometimes it can be hard to come up with rewards because so many of us are used to treating ourselves with snacks. If you are working towards specific health and fitness goals, food rewards can only delay your goals and you can end up feeling regretful rather than motivated. Instead, here are some ideas for rewards that are not food and will not break the bank:
• Take a nap. Realistically, this is not always possible, but maybe you could find a way to pamper yourself in your sleep space, such as changing the pillowcase for that delicious new-sheet-feel or spraying your pillow with lavender.
• Adopt or foster a furry friend. If you love animals, consider adopting or fostering a pet. Plus, if you opt to bring a dog home, dogs can be very helpful in aiding your health and fitness goals by keeping you active during walks and playtime. And who doesn’t love puppy cuddles?
• Give yourself a night off. Schedule a night that is just for you! Set yourself up with all of your favorite guilty pleasure movies and curl up in your pajamas with a cozy blanket. Or, if you would prefer, re-read your favorite book with a warm cup of tea by your side. Whichever activity you choose, the most important thing is to give yourself permission to relax and unwind.
• Virtually visit an art museum. With the pandemic, many places are closed to in-person visitors so you cannot visit the way you used to. However, many museums are offering free virtual tours of their collections. As a reward for all of your hard work, let yourself enjoy some beautiful artwork!
• Learn a new skill. With many in-person classes temporarily suspended, more and more teachers are moving online. There are tons of great options for a variety of skills, ranging from online Masterclasses with experts in their fields to free YouTube tutorials. Knitting, writing, singing, scrapbooking, woodworking, underwater basket weaving, whatever you’re into, someone is out there teaching it!
• Take a hot bath. If you’ve been pushing yourself in your workouts, your muscles will appreciate the pampering. Pour in the Epsom salt, load up on your favorite bubble bath, and relax with your favorite book or your favorite music on the stereo.
You work hard and it is important to reward your progress while you pursue your goals. What sort of ways do you like to reward yourself? Tag us on social media and show us your self care!