Reward Yourself: You Absolutely Deserve It

“The purpose here is to reward yourself for a job well done. This is positive reinforcement. The reward is an opportunity to stop and smell the roses that bloom as a result of your hard work.”

K. Jeffrey Miller

Sound the trumpets, alert the papers, you have done it!! You have become better today than you were yesterday. You have pushed hard and persevered and stepped towards the light. You have done enough to make sure that you are a leap ahead. And YOU, deserve a reward.

What “IT” is, doesn’t matter. Whether you made it a full month at the gym, or signed up to take a class to grow your mind, or officially cut soda out of your life – all of those “its” are worth some recognition.

It is hard to become better. Don’t you agree that it takes less brain power to just stay stagnant? To remain where you are – complacent and adjusted? Why rock the boat? But that is precisely WHY you rock the boat. You rock the boat because being uncomfortable is when you grow. You rock the boat because I am sure that in some way you spend time trying to make other people better (spouse, kids), so why aren’t you spending time trying to make YOU better? And you rock the boat because what else are you living for? If you don’t rock it, it doesn’t feel much like living.

However, amongst all that rocking, you need to spend some time recognizing all of your hard work – all of the efforts that you have put in when it was simply not easy. Why? Because that is where you will find your resolve for more. That is when you can evaluate how far you’ve come and remind yourself where you still have to go. It is a time for evaluation, reflection, and praise. Often we do the evaluation piece, but fail at the praise piece. And that is simply not a complete picture.

Some of the medals that my 4th grade daughter has earned.

Take my 8th graders for instance – I still use stickers for them. When they score well on an exam, even if it means they are still below the coveted A, but they grew greatly from their previous exam, they get a sticker.

AND THEY LOVE THEM! They do! They show each other what sticker they got, and they exclaim in happiness when they see that they are part of the coveted ‘sticker group’. It is pretty cool to see and listen to. BECAUSE WE ALL WANT REWARDS! And you, for yourself, is no different.

SO, I am here to help you with some ideas of what to reward yourself with. I mean, because now that you know how important it is to do it, it only makes sense that you would make it a priority to participate within the concept:

Invest in your health

I bet, if you are healthier now than you were before, that you made some poor choices regarding your health. Perhaps you spent more money on food and drink that were feeding lethargy and sugar increases than you did on fruits and vegetables. Maybe you made excuses why you couldn’t do things or invest in things that would increase your health. Well, not anymore sister! If you choose this reward, now you are going to make the time and commitment to continue forwarding your health. Here are some ideas –

  • Incorporate a whole food, wellness drink into your life. I personally use Zeal (I actually wrote a post about this product not that long ago), and it helps to provide all that I am missing within my diet. It gives me increased mental focus and clarity, and way more energy. Zurvita is the name of the company, and they also sell protein powders (AH-mazing!), and products to assist you in your workouts. The company is definitely worth checking out.
  • Look into some of the supplements that are truly needed for your body. Things like magnesium – it helps to keep you regular and assists in your sleep. Or vitamin D – we all need a little more sunshine and happiness in our lives. Or even just some added fiber! You can then do a little research to see who sells the best product within the line you are looking for.
  • Or maybe you do both of the above (or neither of the above), but spend a little bit more on foods that are truly supporting the machine that is your body. You know – green things. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, but often, it is. Focus a little more on expanding your shopping list in the produce area, and it should help you make better choices at home.
Full disclosure – I also share this product, professionally. And yes, it is THAT good.

Invest in your needs

When you are building on yourself and making the time and effort to be better, needs are kinda important! These are the things that you can’t necessarily do without; or, you can participate within them, but not well or in an engaging way.

  • Workout attire. Ohh yes, this is one of my favorites. This could be anything from sports bras, to capri leggings, to a new tank top or running jacket. We all need some sweet attire to spruce up our time, sweating. There are a vast majority of options here, but for the sake of ease, I simply use a service. I have fallen in love with Fabletics. I had heard about them because the company is owned by or endorsed by (something like that) Kate Hudson, and I have just always loved her. But they have killer sales ALL the time, and they are super easy to work with. Plus, they have the greatest selections and when you sign up, you get an awesome discount. Their VIP service automatically ships you a box once a month, but you don’t have to accept it! Meaning, all you do is tell them ‘no’ (and don’t worry – they remind you to respond) and you just skip it whenever you want to. Plus, they let you cancel at any time. So, you could sign up, get the sign up price, and cancel right after. Pretty sweet, huh?
  • Kitchen gadgets are another example of something that can be super helpful, make your job easier, and be considered a reward. Are you cooking more? Do you need that air fryer that everyone is talking about? What about a bread maker so that you can consume healthier carbs? Or even that new coffee maker that can brew your black coffee juuuuust right. Any of these things would feel like a sweet treat.
  • Services fall under this category, too. Would you rather use an eating company to help with those busy nights? Hello Fresh anyone? Or, should you purchase some new songs on iTunes to help keep the beat up? These ideas can be a little more like the gift that keeps on giving if you use a subscription service, but as long as you are okay with that, then I say have at it!
I am sporting my newest pair of workout pants, courtesy of Fabletics! They are SO comfy.
**Full disclosure – if you click the link above and you order, it gives me credit towards Fabletics achieving a new customer. I do not however, “sell” for them.

Spend time doing what you love

Quiet, independent, alone, self care?! What is this that you speak of?! This category of reward may be the most important one. But it is the one that we do the least of, or make time for in the smallest increments. We are all so busy, so if we are just laying around on a massage table, waiting for our Swedish massage (is that a thing?) it feels very much like laziness. Like there are so many other things that we should be doing. Then starts the guilt, and before you know it, your time is ruined and you are trying to rush through it. Don’t do that. You can’t take care of anyone if you yourself are frazzled. So spend some time on you!

  • Go shopping!! Yeassss! I am a shopaholic. I loooove wandering through Target (one of my favorite places) with a Starbucks in hand, drinking my warm, soothing yumminess, while I am touching everything that I walk by. I don’t get to do this very often – unfortunately (for me!) my whole family loves Target – but when I do, I treasure it.
  • Send your family out of the house and stay at home. Alone. I KNOW! That is such a foreign concept! But, do it! I dare you! Snuggle up in your bed and take a nap. Or, snuggle up in your bed and read a book. Or, snuggle up in your bed (do you see where I am going here?) and eat ice cream while you watch trashy soap operas. Whatever it is that lets you decompress – do it! Because you never get the chance to, and now is the time!
  • Plunk yourself down at your local bookstore’s cafe, or even your local coffee place. Breathe in the smell of new books and java-inspired drink creations. Sit in the quiet for a moment. Read a book, or don’t – you have permission to simply stare off into space if you want to. Or, do what a friend of mine does, and fill an insulated tumbler and walk through the book store for an hour or two, sipping your favorite wine while no one is the wiser. Now, I am not sure that is completely “legal” but hey! It is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
Or, take a nice warm, relaxing bath. I mean, really – who gets to do that?!

Satisfy a passion

A passion is something that you have strong, positive feelings towards, that you absolutely love the idea of or the concept of, but doesn’t make you money. Some times it even requires you to spend money. But oh, even when that happens, it is so worth it.

  • Get a [new] tattoo. With every goal obtained, my gym buddy goes out and gets a tattoo. (He now has quite a few.) It is something that becomes a physical reminder of how he’s grown and what he has accomplished. Often times the tattoo is something fitness related, but it doesn’t have to be. You could finally get that back piece that you have been wanting because your back profile is much slimmer. Or, you could get that piece on your leg or ankle, since you are spending so much more time in shorts. The whatever and wherever doesn’t matter – it’s what those two elements symbolize.
  • What about a passion project? Something that you always think about, and maybe have dabbled in, but haven’t committed the time to. Learning how to knit; taking those guitar lessons; blogging!; finally securing that Cricut machine. Spend some time in your passion – that is actually how and why I got started with blogging. I had always wanted to be a blogger, but it wasn’t until a friend of my husband’s did a tarot card reading for me, and specifically mentioned a passion project, that I threw my hand down and jumped in with all feet (because, I have like more than two?!).
  • Volunteer your time. You know you want to go snuggle those sweet animals at the animal shelter. Or maybe your reward is due to the Marie Kondo-ing that you did at your house, and it has led to a lot of left over “supplies” – bring them to a homeless shelter or even downtown where you know people hang out that don’t have a home, and pass out your old clothes there. Volunteering makes our heart feel good, so feel free to spread the love.
My friend’s newest tattoo, after breaking some exercise barriers.

Whatever your reward choice is, just make sure you that spend some time giving yourself a reward. Acknowledge your hard work and perseverance and accept whatever it is that you want most. And after you have rewarded yourself, then get right back up and on the path to earning your NEXT reward. I have so much faith in you – I know that you can do it.