Indulgence sometimes gets a bad rap. There is a time and a place for a treat. The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines a treat as “an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure.” This definition sometimes gets narrowed to something sweet, which is unfortunate, since there are in fact many events and items that can give great pleasure. In addition to taking the time to establish care routines for the foundations of your health, sometimes you might need a little pick-me-up. Here’s a list to help you broaden your definition of treats, to take pleasure in things that don’t sabotage your goals. 

 20 Ways to Treat Yourself

1. Buy or gather a bouquet for your table.
2. Take a ten minute walk outside, in any weather, to see what’s growing.
3. Take time to explore a park you’ve never visited, or stop at the shop that’s always looked interesting, or take a new route home to see new things.
4. Call your best friend to tell them something that makes you laugh.
5. Leave love notes for your partner or children or roommates.
6. Spend time with your favorite animal, whether that’s a trip to the dog park with your own dog, a cup of tea with your cat in your lap, or a trip to the zoo to sit and watch the tigers.
7. Get a really good cup of coffee or tea, at a coffee shop, and savor it.
8. Spend a half hour in an infrared sauna.
9. Visit your local library and browse for a new book.
10. Hunt up an artisan chocolate maker in your town and have one perfect truffle.
11. Try a new fruit: fresh figs, Bosc pears, pomegranates, mangos, papaya, blackberries. 
12. Get up early to watch the sun rise.
13. Write yourself a letter of encouragement, praising your progress and cheering yourself on. Mail it from work or town so it comes to your mailbox a few days later. Read the whole thing. 
14. Try something you’ve always wanted to try: a dance class, a new color for shoes or nail polish or a shirt, an art class, a houseplant.
15. Buy a card you love from a favorite artist and put it up in your workspace.
16. Make the call you’ve been dreading, book the therapy session, send the email, or take care of something hard that’s been hanging over your head. Then celebrate with something else from this list!
17. Listen to your favorite playlist. Sing and dance along. 
18. Say no, cancel the plans, and stay in for a long bath and early bedtime.
19. Say yes, join your friends out, and laugh out loud. 
20. Repeat, upon waking and before going to bed: I am loved. Treat yourself to words of love and care. 

The word “treat” can also be used as an action word, meaning to behave toward or deal with in a certain way, or to apply a process that will protect or preserve and amplify certain properties, or to heal or cure. All of these definitions are worth thinking about as well, as you consider how you care for yourself on a day to day basis. The small habits that make up your day can have a profound impact on your health: how much water you drink, what you choose to nourish yourself with, how you prioritize sleep, how you move your body, and how you give yourself space for your emotions and thoughts. Including deliberate choices to enjoy things you love and to seek experiences that bring you joy are ways to “treat” yourself for your health as well. 

To tap into community support and exclusive resources, you can join Dr. Kiernan’s TRIBE. If one-on-one coaching and support is what you’re looking for, all TruBalance offices are equipped for virtual appointments. You deserve to be treated with respect and care, and to be encouraged as you pursue health and vitality in your one and only body.