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5 Ways I Spoil Myself (and why you should pamper yourself)

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Sometimes you have to put yourself first.

Pampering yourself is necessary to regain perspective, to boost your confidence, and to hit the reset button now and then. If that means that you spoil yourself by splurging on a night out with friends or restocking your closet with a new wardrobe, then by all means – celebrate you!

I used to do nice things for myself only when I thought I deserved it. For example, if I passed a major college exam or got a raise at work, I would convince myself I had “earned” the right to do spoil myself. As I matured, I realized that self-preservation doesn’t mean I have to justify buying a new spring wardrobe or a vacation somewhere. Giving back to yourself is a part of self-care.

Is it time for you to pay it forward to yourself?

I bet you’re like me in that you give so much of yourself to work, family, and your household that you seldom give thought to yourself and how you’re feeling. Time constraints keep so many of us from giving back to ourselves. Check out 5 Ways I Spoil Myself below and I’ll bet you discover at least one way you to pamper yourself without spending a ton of time doing it!

  1. Birthday Meal. I always treat myself to a delicious lunch at one of my favorite restaurants on my birthday. Even if I have to dine alone, because all of my favorite people are stuck at work, I’ll dine on my city’s best nachos, fattoush salad, or pizza. In my twenties, I once filled an entire table at The Mad Greek in Lawrence, Kansas with a spread of Mediterranean  favorites including a cocktail on my birthday! Why? Because I was celebrating me!
  2. StitchFix. Life is too short for me to spend another minute hating myself for having to cut through crowds at the mall to find staple clothing items. Enter…StitchFix! Every month I receive my “fix” in the mail that includes five clothing or accessories to add to my closet. I’m like a kid on Christmas when the green and white box arrives with hand-selected items from my personal stylist. If I don’t like something, I simply mail it back. It’s great!
  3. Hair Color. The first time I had an Aveda stylist color my hair and give me a scalp massage at the shampoo bowl, I was hooked. I didn’t need to spend another minute contemplating hair color options in the drugstore aisle. Now my trusted stylist colors my hair and you can see the difference. The cost of paying a professional to color my hair leaves it feeling soft and looking healthy.
  4. Flowers. Ain’t nobody got time to wait for someone else to buy them flowers! Buy them for yourself! Every month I purchase a bouquet of marked down flowers to add to our home. It makes me happy to see bright colors across the room and that level happiness is worth $5 any day.
  5. Gourmet Food. You know me, I love yummy food. So it’s no surprise that I would spoil myself by throwing some fancy cheese or a few expensive condiments into my shopping cart. Why deny yourself sushi or fresh mozzarella? Just buy it every once in a while and relish in the satisfaction of your purchase while you devour it!

You deserve to walk around in this world a happier person even if it means going the extra mile to spoil yourself. I’m not suggesting you waste your next paycheck on all of your favorite things in the name of “self-care.” Instead, select one or two activities that bring you joy and add them into your life on a regular basis. You’ll feel more delightful overall!

 

20 Ways to Be Kind to Yourself

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So often I read articles about how to pay-it-forward and be kind to others, something you know I appreciate! However, we often neglect to be kind to ourselves. It’s like the airplane oxygen mask rule: put the oxygen mask on yourself first so that you can assist others. If we’re not healthy and not taking care of ourselves, then we can’t present the world the best version of ourself to aide others.

Why don’t we take time for ourselves?

It’s simple. We allow the world’s demands to distract us from turning the focus on ourselves. Of course, there are events in our lives that require us to act and live selflessly. That’s okay as long as we understand that life is a balance. At the end of the day, we are no good to anyone else if we have nothing left to give.

When I take time for myself to relax, to learn or to just be still — I’m a better person to those who I connect with in the world. So, when was the last time you took a hour to give back to yourself?

If you’re like me and often need a reminder to prioritize myself, here are 20 Ways to Be Kind to Yourself.

  1. Take a long shower or enjoy a hot bath. Relax.
  2. Prepare your favorite meal even if it’s not what others want to eat for dinner.
  3. Use your vacation days from work. Americans don’t use provided vacation days, according to Forbes. Learn why. 
  4. Subscribe to a delivery service like Stitch Fix or order your household supplies from Amazon. Give yourself a break from shopping!
  5. Go for the appetizer. You always turn down the restaurant server’s suggestion for a pre-meal bite. Stop denying yourself the queso!
  6. Upgrade your shoe game or wardrobe.
  7. Make an appointment for a massage or make-up application.
  8. Read a self-help book or an inspirational story.
  9. Meet a friend for lunch. Conversations with friends are a vital to understanding oneself.
  10. Buy yourself flowers or a nice bottle of wine.
  11. Meditate.
  12. Go to bed an hour early every night for a week.
  13. Eat a nourishing breakfast.
  14. Yoga. Downward dog anyone?
  15. Allow yourself free time for a hobby you’ve put on the back burner.
  16. Try an at-home facial.
  17. Gently rub your temples.
  18. Eliminate the feeling of being rushed in the morning before work. Pack your lunch the night before.
  19. Dedicate one evening every week to watching your favorite show or movie.
  20. Get a babysitter and take yourself on a date.

How have you taken time for yourself recently? Tell me in the comments section below!

 

Photo: Pixabay

Refrigerator Overhaul: How to reduce food waste and slim your waist

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Sometimes we have to admit that things have gotten away from us.

This week I had one of those moments when I opened the refrigerator only to find teetering takeout boxes and a lack of vegetables. I know you’ve experienced this moments at least once too.

So, how do we cut down on our refrigerator waste while trying to slim our waist? If you’re like me, sometimes you buy healthy food but don’t prep it for the week and end up tossing it later. Perhaps you don’t even know what’s in your refrigerator right now.

Reducing food waste and restocking it with healthy food starts with a total refrigerator overhaul. Follow these six steps:

  1. Toss food. You work hard for your money, which everyone can respect. But the food you buy just sits in the refrigerator and doesn’t get eaten. That’s a waste of your money. Example: Look at all those condiments! How many times a year are you going to actually use three kinds of horseradish? If it is expired or not something you’ll ever use, admit it and pitch it.
  2. Clean it. Remove all items from the refrigerator from every bin and door compartment. Use a warm sudsy sponge to remove grime. For those difficult to remove stains or bits, I spray diluted Simple Green and they scrub away with little effort.
  3. Check your thermostat settings for your refrigerator spaces. Make sure they are set to temperature for the items they house.
  4. Return items to the refrigerator by category and face them (labels towards the front.) Have a hankering for pickles? Store them on the door near the ketchup and mustard. Like items should be placed with like items. Place taller items towards the back.
  5. Visit the produce section of your local organic grocery store. Recently, I bolted to our city’s new Sprouts Farmers Market and came home with bags filled to the brim with berries to leafy greens. As you know from earlier an earlier post, I’m quite the hunter when it comes to tracking down low-cost produce and clearance grocery finds.
  6. Clean and store your prepped veggies in transparent containers with secure lids. Lettuce should be washed and completely dried before storing it in new Ziplock bags. The only way you’re going to actually make time for smoothies before work is if you clean and dice all your newly purchased fruit!

Open bags and packaging, rinse with water, and allow them to completely dry before placing vegetables in new see-through containers. Place grab and go items at eye-level.

Admitting that you’ve fell off the “healthy diet” wagon isn’t easy but the shame doesn’t last long if you own it. If you admit that you live a rushed lifestyle and that the only way for you to eat healthy on a regular basis is to have grab and go produce or meal prepped food, then make sure your refrigerator (and pantry) contain those items. Taking a couple hours each weekend to prep your refrigerator for the week, will pay off.

I’ve included two produce driven recipes that are easy to pack for lunch or prep for breakfast. Try this fruit-filled spinach salad or one of five smoothie recipes!

If I can do it, you can too. Walk over to your refrigerator, open the door, and be honest. You got this!

Let me know your tips for overhauling the lazy eater’s syndrome and getting healthy in comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

*While Sprouts Farmers Market did recently like this Instagram photo, they are not an affiliate.

Classic Egg Salad Sandwich on Ciabatta

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Very few ingredients go as well together like peanut butter and jelly than hard-boiled egg and Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Hands down! This Egg Salad Sandwich is a classic for a reason and is incredibly creamy and delicious on a toasted ciabatta roll with crunchy romaine lettuce. Bonus: The breakdown price of ingredients for each sandwich is only one dollar! Let me show you how to save money on your next delicious lunch:

If you buy cage free eggs on sale and your ciabatta rolls from Aldi, this sandwich is the cheapest meal you’ll enjoy all week. Guaranteed. I buy a package of six pre-sliced ciabatta rolls at Aldi ($1,49), and the eggs and vegetables from Kroger when on sale (prices vary). (Don’t forget to read my post 10 Ways to Get Deep Discounts on Groceries Without Using Coupons.You know how I love a deal and I want to save you money too.) Look for Manager’s Special discounts on packaged dill or soon-to-expire lettuce when in the grocer’s produce section.

It looks like I already took a bite out of this egg salad sandwich, but I didn't. Trust me. It was hard to resist eating it until I got the photo.
It looks like I already took a bite out of this egg salad sandwich, but I didn’t. Trust me. It was hard to resist eating it or that homemade dill pickle until I got the photo.

If you look up how to a boil an egg, more than one recipe exists. Hard to believe for since it’s basic cooking skill, but it’s true. Some people think you should add white vinegar to the saucepan water. Here’s my easy to follow method: I prefer to layer my eggs in a glass one quart saucepan, cover them with one inch of lukewarm water, and bring them to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove it from the burner and cover it with a lid for fifteen minutes. After the time expires, remove each egg with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a bowl of ice water. Later, crack and peel each egg under running water. I get yellow yokes and white hard-boiled egg whites every time.

Mix all chopped ingredients in one medium bowl and then pile it on your favorite light bread or cut the carbs and spoon it into a leaf cup.

My recipes yielded four or five ciabatta sandwiches but it depends how high you pile the egg salad. This meal was a lunchtime hit and we ran out of egg salad in two sittings. It’s hard to resist!

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Ingredients

  • 7 hard-boiled chopped eggs
  • 1/4 c. mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
  • 1 1/2 T. stoneground mustard
  • 2 diced celery ribs
  • 1 T. diced red onion
  • 1 diced scallion
  • 1 T. chopped fresh dill
  • 1 chopped dill spear
  • heavy pinch black pepper
  • small pinch kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Hard-boil the eggs, remove shell, and chop them.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.
  3. Add chopped eggs to sandwich mixture and stir well.
  4. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to an hour.
  5. Spoon onto a ciabatta roll and add lettuce.

Notes

Want a smoked flavor? Add 1/2 T. smoked paprika.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/egg-salad-sandwich-on-ciabatta/

Nutrition

Calories

233 cal

Fat

25 g

Carbs

4 g

Protein

1 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info