Hey, guess what–you deserve a little treat. It’s true, pampering yourself or giving yourself little treats is a great way to boost your self-esteem and improve your health both physically and mentally.

The first step is to accept that you deserve a little treat in your life. Not a reward that you have to earn, but a little extra something that makes you feel happy and brightens your mood.

These small pleasures are not designed to break the bank or take a large chunk of time out of your day. They are little indulgences that make us feel special.

The next step is to select a treat that supports your goals, is customized to fit your personality, and isn’t very demanding. These treats keep you on track, make you feel refreshed and valued, and are easy enough to do that you can enjoy them regularly.

Ways to treat yourself

If you’re at a loss for some ways to indulge, which don’t include a pint of ice cream and a day of binge-watching Netflix, we’ve got some ideas that may help you get started.

1. Read

If your idea of a real treat is to spend some quiet time reading, then you certainly deserve to carve out a few minutes each day for a book break. Not only does this treat make you happy, but reading is also good for you, and practicing it a little bit every day gives you something to look forward to. It validates your self-worth.

2. Clean

For some people, this will seem like a punishment, but for others, taking 10 to 15 minutes a day to clean and organize their surroundings feels cathartic.

This feeling of relief when your home is clean is proven in a study that found that the way you describe your home reflects whether you find it restful or stressful. If you are someone who likes order and cleanliness, then give yourself time to straighten up each day.

3. Sun yourself

Take a tip from the cats and spend a little time enjoying the sun. Sunlight has been linked to a rise in serotonin, which is that chemical in your brain that makes you happy.

While sunbathing puts you at risk for skin cancer and other effects from dangerous UV rays, spending a few minutes in the sun is another story entirely. In addition to giving you valuable vitamin D, it can boost your mood and literally brighten your day.

After a day of sun, you want to be sure to use a penetrating moisturizer that will continue to protect your skin past the sun exposure. Simple Beauty’s Age-Defying Retinol Moisturizer is formulated with a powerful and toxic-free blend of retinol, peptides, and natural botanicals that absorb quickly to hydrate your skin and stimulate your collagen production. It’s an essential step to any skincare regimen.

4. Take a nap

Naps are often seen as great indulgences, yet they don’t have to be. A quick nap can boost your energy and improve your mental and physical performance for the rest of the day.

There are a lot of health benefits in napping, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about taking a little time out to refresh.

5. Exercise

Everyone knows that exercising is good for you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yet many people hate the idea of exercise, or they don’t feel they have the time in their day to fit it in.

The key is finding an exercise that feels like a treat to you. Exercise doesn’t have to be running or lifting weights. Rock climbing, taking a walk, dancing, or even hula hooping are excellent forms of exercise that can make you feel happy and fit.

6. Be creative

If you have artistic inclinations, you deserve to explore them. While you may never become the next Mozart or Michelangelo, you certainly can enjoy arts and crafts.

For people who have found their passion for creating things and exploring their imagination, there’s nothing quite as rewarding.

7. Explore tastes

Obviously, a pint of ice cream is a nice big treat on a summer day, but that will leave you feeling guilty about your choices. Instead, treat yourself to chocolate from a new chocolatier shop, make a fresh berry cobbler, taste the local honey at the farmer’s market. Allow yourself little indulgences that open your mind to new flavors and tastes, but don’t go overboard on the sugar.

To put it simply

Making the mental shift from rewarding yourself to indulging in little treats gives you permission to have the things you want in moderation.

This healthy approach to satiating your desires keeps everything in perspective, so a little goes a long way. It also validates your value and self-worth by reinforcing the feeling that you deserve the good things in life.

The key to making little treats meaningful is acknowledging that you’re worth the extras. If you simply give in every time you want something or mindlessly do things without appreciating them, then your treats have lost their meaning.