And it really got me thinking. I am one who has always rewarded (or comforted, or celebrated!) myself with food. If I had a great day at work, I felt like I deserved Cheetos and a cupcake. If I had a terrible day at work, I felt like I deserved Cheetos and a cupcake with some tears. On a Friday, I felt I needed to celebrate my survival through another work week with some Cheetos and a cupcake.
But since beginning Weight Watchers again, I have tried to change that mentality. Just the other day, I was going through some stressful times, and I told my friend Jenni that I wanted "wings and beer" just to make it through. And Jenni's response was just what I needed to hear:
"At the end of the meal, Amanda, is your stress still going to be there, or will wings and beer truly take care of it?"
And she was right, of course. The food would make me feel better for all of 20 minutes, but then, once the plates were cleaned and the smoke cleared, I'd still be left with the stress hanging over my head, only now it would be compounded with guilt over giving in to a compulsion I knew I shouldn't.
So instead, I began to make a list of rewards and/or comforts that were not food-related:
1) Work out -- on a bad day, nothing can turn my mood around better than a good sweat. Even a bad run on a bad day can make me feel so much better.
2) Give myself permission to laze -- There are times where I feel like I SHOULD be doing something "useful" -- laundry, cleaning, etc. But I have learned to let myself lay on the couch with a good book on my Kindle or a recorded show on my DVR, and let THAT be a treat.
3) Quality time with friends and/or family -- If I'm in a bad mood, it's a surefire thing that my friends can cheer me up. They make me laugh, and they will cajole me out of my mood. My parents are much the same way. I can go and vent to them about my problem or stresses, and then, the magical healing properties of a parent's presence takes over and I feel better.
4) Read a good book -- My Kindle is the most amazing thing I've ever gotten. I love that I can pull it out of my purse, regardless of where I am. If I want to reward myself or comfort myself, I will often find myself buying new books. My newest reads have been either 1) geared to the young adult section of the bookstore, or 2) running related.
5) Blog! -- I have already found, in just a week and a half, that writing down my thoughts and emotions go a long way towards validating my thoughts, be they happy, sad, or stressed. Whether you want others to read it or not, write down your thoughts. It can help clear up potentially cloudy situations and it can provide a way to remember those happy events in your life!
Is there a good way to reward/comfort/celebrate yourself that does not involve food that I missed? Let me know!
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