Based on my Birthday Extravaganza trip to Shanghai, one might assume I like to “live large”. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. It’s the little things in my day-to-day world that I find the most joy in. A good cup of tea, a hike with Brian and a trip to the farmers market are the things that make me the happiest.
When we find the things in life we really enjoy, we should cultivate those habits. We shouldn’t save them for special occasions. According to Gretchen Rubin, regular treats can play an important role in forming good habits. In her book Better Than Before she says,
Studies show that people who got a little treat, in the form of receiving a surprise gift or watching a funny video gained self control….When we don’t get any treats, we feel depleted, resentful, and angry, and justified in self-indulgence. We start to crave comfort – and we’ll grab that comfort wherever we can, even if it means breaking good habits. (pg 201)
My favorite things right now feel like little treats to myself. They didn’t cost a lot but make me feel a special and perhaps even indulgent every time I use them. Call them instant mood lifters. They are part of the bliss moments that I want to cultivate on a regular basis.
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The Tea Totaler
My love of tea is no secret. I indulge in it every day but sometimes the quality of tea isn’t as good as I would like it to be. The Starbucks switch to Teavana tea has been, in my opinion, a disaster. However, when on the go it’s the best I can often find. I solved that problem with this birthday present to myself. The Tea Totaler is a travel mug for the tea aficionado. With a removable steeping basket and storage container I can take my gorgeous Mao Feng from Tea City anywhere!
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ToeSox
I love TJMaxx because you never know what you’re going to find. My latest bargain is ToeSox – toeless for yoga and full toe for hiking (or walking and running too). I love the way they spread my toes apart for a good stretch during yoga and the way they support my feet when hiking and walking. Yoga and hiking are good habits I want to support. My ToeSox make them that much more special and encourage me to do them even more.
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White Peaches
You will not find white peaches anywhere on either OxyChallenge meal plan. These beauties only appear at the farmers market for a short time however and I won’t let them pass me by. If I did I would feel like I was depriving something of myself very special. They almost taste like a mix of peach and pear, firmer and not as sweet. I’m replacing the recommended grapefruit with a small white peach instead for breakfast some mornings.
Speaking of the Ultimate Oxygen Challenge, I’m getting ready to wrap up week three. What I love about it so far is some of the new recipes. The Rocky Road Protein Pudding is to die for! It feels like a treat too, especially at the end of hot summer day. While not as good as my protein pancake recipe, I’ve also come to really enjoy Amanda’s Coconut Blueberry Protein Pancakes. More about the meal and recipes next week so stay tuned!
What’s your favorite way to treat yourself?
By the way, if you have questions about the challenge I might have time to do a Periscope Q&A. Let me know what you think!
