With Christmas coming up, we are all scrambling trying to pick out presents for our loved ones. Constantly searching for what we think will bring those close to us the most joy, we often find ourselves to be stressed out and worn down come January. Something that is important all of the time, but especially during high-stress times such as these, is the act of treating yourself to some goodies or experiences that serve as gentle reminders to smile.
Something I have learned is that in order to help keep other people happy, you need to make sure that you are keeping yourself happy as well. It sounds a tad selfish, but we all need to focus a little bit more on ourselves. Being happy is a process and a little bit of a choice, but once you can achieve it, I promise will be worth it. Something as simple as a smile has the power to change the day of those around you, and all it takes to provide that smile is giving yourself the attention you deserve. Happiness is contagious, and I would much rather people be spreading that than all the other junk that gets passed around this time of year.
It doesn't require much work, it just requires attention. My roommate and I are both in our senior year of college and have both given this idea a lot of thought. We have stopped saying no when friends ask us to go out to eat or join them for an adventure. We no longer look at the menu and choose an appetizer or side salad because it is what might be cheapest, but instead, opt for the option that sticks out to us and might even order ourselves a fancy cocktail or glass of wine if that is what our heart desires.
In October I ordered a new type of makeup/moisturizer I had tried a sample of (and fell in love with) that I normally wouldn't consider purchasing simply because of the price. Although small, it is something that makes me happy every single time I use it and there has not been a moment where I have regretted my decision. I'm not saying we all need to go out and make purchases that are going to break our bank to help make us smile because that sounds a bit materialistic. What I am saying is that we shouldn't just ignore our desires and should sometimes give into the things/experiences that are "calling our names."
One thing we don't get back in life is time, so we should use the bit we have to make sure that we are never missing out on something that we wanted to do. If it means picking up one extra shift at your part-time job so that you can take yourself out to one nice meal a month or even a week, then do it. Life is about experiencing things that you will be able to look back on and smile about...which means there needs to be things that are going to make you smile right now. For those of you reading, especially to those of you who are in college about to enter finals week, take a look at that crazy schedule and set aside some time to do something that will make you happy.
