TREATING MYSELF LIKE GOLD

This idea for this list came from a friend, and felt like a gift. She told me her husband was trying too hard to win the love of her kids. He is not their bio dad. He came into their life kind of late. He would shower them with presents and go to all their sporting events, spend more time with the kids than he did with his wife. She told me, "He's got the wrong idea. If he wants to win over the kids, he should be treating ME like gold." He wasn't treating her badly, just maybe a little bit too focused on winning the kids, maybe because they were pulling away, and she was feeling a little neglected. "But," she said, "if he's not going to treat me like gold, I'm going to have to treat myself like gold." And that's what she did. When he wasn't into going on vacation, she took the kids on a nice camping trip. She bought herself little presents, took herself out to coffee, out for a glass of wine, out for a movie night with friends.

I decided that I would do that too, and I made a list of ways I could treat myself like gold. Here it is:

• Making my bed in the morning.
• Doing exercises every day.
• Eating healthy foods.
• Treating those around me with love and respect.
• Paying the bills and making sure my life is running smoothly.
• Keeping in touch with my kids.
• Getting enough rest.
• Saying no when I need to.
• Making choices about what I'll share with whom.
• Making a nice dinner, sometimes with dessert.
• Making sure I have health care.
• Asking for support when I need it.
• Indulging in time alone.
• Maintaining my home.
• Enjoying my family.
• Picking flowers for the table.
• Giving myself credit for all I do.
• Turning all these outward to the people surrounding me.