Make Rewarding Yourself an Attitude

Take time to reward yourself. Let it become a deliberate and practiced habit.

It is one thing to mentally congratulate ourselves for a job well done. It is another to take the time to actually, deliberately, and specifically reward ourselves. How many years do we have to live before it's time to treat ourselves? How much good do we have to do before it's good enough to give ourselves a gift? Maybe it's time right now -- today -- to begin practicing the habit of rewarding ourselves.

Our souls can become tired, very weary, of striving to grow, to do things well, to do our best at life, love, and work if there is no reward. Our passion can wane if good is never good enough, and if the rewards and pleasure are always, always at bay -- somewhere out in the distant future. If you find yourself beginning to resist working hard, doing well, striving for personal growth, maybe it's because you're neglecting to reward yourself for all you've already done. If you feel like the world offers no reward to you, maybe it's because you're not cooperating by rewarding yourself.

Stop punishing and depriving yourself. Don't let others punish you for a job, a day, or a life well done. Instead, reward yourself. Take a break and do something especially nice for you, something that would make you happy. Buy yourself something. It can be a little gift. Or you can splurge. Take yourself somewhere you want to go -- in your home town, or in another country. Do something fun, magical and exciting, something that makes your heart sing and your spirit soar. Reward yourself by allowing yourself to enjoy what you give yourself, or what you're doing. Make rewarding yourself an attitude.

-- Melody Beattie, Journey to the Heart