01Nov

Treat Yourself – The Practical Side

In Season 4, episode 4 of Parks and Recreation, Donna (Retta) and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) created the tradition of “Treat Yo Self” day. In this episode, they can be seen buying themselves whatever they want for a day. After the airing of that episode in 2011 the phrase “treat yo self” gained popularity. In fact, some people (including the actors themselves per a Google search) grew tired of the phrase after some time.

While the phrase itself has fallen off, the idea of treating ourselves has not. I love many things about America and all of its commercialism; however, we are a society that perhaps too often thinks about treating ourselves verses caring for ourselves.

I would like to propose that treating oneself looks different from caring for oneself.  A treat is buying coffee out instead of making it at home. Or, buying the more expensive clothing item when you had planned on getting the one on clearance. Caring for yourself is taking a walk every day at lunch time or spending 10 minutes stretching or meditating each morning to calm and ground yourself. At times, treating and caring may look similar; however, one is more superficial while the other nourishes us body, mind and soul.

Treating can be easier in that it often does not necessitate intentionality or a time commitment. Caring requires planning, thoughtfulness and discipline. Treating may only address one or two aspects of your life—for example your appearance (clothing, shoes, accessories, etc.). Caring should address multiple areas such as your physical health, emotional health and spirituality. I do believe that treats are important because they are bright spots in our days. Splurging on new shoes or getting a spa treatment are fun and relaxing ways to spend time. However, caring is more important. If we treat our minds and bodies well, we will be more regulated internally and feel better physically.

For now, I encourage you to take inventory. Do you treat yourself? If not, why not?  Do you have what I call a “poverty mindset”? Maybe you grew up poor or had financial, food and/or shelter insecurities. Maybe you have a fear of becoming insecure in important areas of life, so you don’t treat yourself because you are anxious. If you do treat yourself, how do you do so? Do those treats brighten your day or do you feel the money spent on them could be used in a better way in your life?

What about care or as we call it, self-care? Do you care for your mind, body and spirit? And how? Examples of caring for your mind include going to counseling, reading, taking classes, doing a crossword puzzle each morning or learning a new skill. Examples of caring for your body include moving your body regularly, exercising or meditating (though meditating is good for your mind as well). Spiritual care can include meditating, praying, meeting with like-minded individuals, attending church or another worship experience, reading books like the Bible, Quran or the Tanakh.

It is important to identify how you want to care for yourself and what steps you need to begin doing so. If you are struggling with caring for yourself due to anxiety, depression or other life factors, we can help. Our seasoned mental health therapists can help you identify and implement ways to care for yourself so that you can live fully and still enjoy treating yourself all while actually caring for yourself. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yolanda Brailey