The ongoing treadmill they call life seems to have an impact, not just on our timetable, but on our temperament and sense of self. We sacrifice so much of everything when we work 24/7 to ensure our families are healthy and happy. We deserve to treat ourselves, but there are many reasons why we don’t. What do we need to remember about treating ourselves?
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Do We Need to Save That Much Money?
The toughest part of feeling like you can treat yourself is that if you decide to splurge on an item of jewelry or clothing, this might be to the detriment of the entire family unit. We think that we need to save money all of the time, and in doing so, this means that we can spend more on vacations and Christmas or birthday presents, but when you look at your finances in terms of the bigger picture, can you benefit by cutting back in other areas?
A very good example would be the brands of food you buy. Food is critical, but there are many little tricks you can do to make sure that you don’t buy name brands all the time and potentially save yourself hundreds a month. That way, if you’ve been lusting after a Dreamland Jewelry piece or an item of clothing, you can see exactly how you can afford it based on moving the finances around a little and conserving other parts of your life. Rather than thinking that you need to cut back on your life and everybody else gets the best of everything, you can constrict several other resources so that nobody goes without and you still benefit.
It Will Help You Be a Better Parent
We must get out of this mindset that if we put ourselves through the wringer and suffer for our family’s sake, it will be better for everyone in the long run. It could be easy to feel like we are a martyr, and many parents think that because they are going without things for the family’s sake, this makes them better parents. In fact, the opposite can occur.
When you feel like you are not giving yourself the things that make you a better parent, you are constantly running on empty. It’s all about that age-old tale of when you are in an airplane. You should put your breathing apparatus on first for the very simple reason that you can help everyone else. If it wasn’t for you, the household would stop still. This is why you’ve got to start thinking that, rather than going without makes you a better parent because you are doing the “honorable” or “noble” thing. Doing the things that make you realize you are worth treating reinforces those positive behaviors within yourself.
It makes you understand that to be a better individual that can cope with the rigors of parenting. You nourish yourself in the right ways, which can mean a treat. The trick is to make sure that this treat is a reward.
Rewarding Yourself for a Goal
To be a better parent, it’s not just about ensuring we give ourselves treats, but about recognizing that we have to achieve goals in life that can make us a far more functional family member. You may find yourself constantly exhausted, fueling yourself on caffeine, which could be offset by introducing a bit more exercise into your life. When you start to make certain changes in your life, this is where you can reward yourself and feel like it is justified. Many parents feel guilty for giving themselves something when they could have given it to their children. But we must remember that something that helps us stay on our path is critical.
Suppose you want to lose weight by being strict on your diet for 14 days and then rewarding yourself. A reward like a meal from your favorite restaurant or that Body & Earth bath bomb set you’ve been lusting after is the perfect way to give yourself a guilt-free reward because you’re doing something that is not easy for you. That reward is going to feel much more worthwhile.
It Is the Pinnacle of Self-care
We’ve already talked about why you must put your mask on before you get to help others. The problem many parents have is feeling they don’t have the opportunities to build self-care into their lives. We must recognize that self-care is the most important tool to being a better parent. We deserve to treat ourselves because it makes us feel we are worth treating. Many parents struggle with the idea of self-care because they say they don’t have the opportunities, although many parents experience ongoing internal battles with mental health. Doing something that focuses on self-care, rather than feeling like you’ve got to fight through yet another day, ensures that you recognize yourself as someone who deserves 5 minutes of peace and quiet to ensure that you can do your job better.
When you give yourself treats, whether you buy gifts for yourself or start to build self-care practices into your daily life, you slowly build a picture of someone who deserves to be treated with respect and care. We can feel that, as parents, the idea of sacrifice is more important than our ability to function. The reality is that this could not be farther from the truth.
Some people believe you’ve got to slave away for months, years, and decades to prove your worth. At the end of your life, what would you have to show for it? Having worked hard is only one piece of the puzzle. If you work hard to bring up respectful, caring, and well-behaved children, it’s not enough to give yourself a silent pat on the back on occasion. You must treat yourself as this is real validation.
Featured Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi: https://www.pexels.com/
