Simple and Affordable Ways to Celebrate and Reward Yourself

Celebrating and rewarding yourself is an essential aspect of self-care and personal growth. There are simple and affordable ways to celebrate and reward yourself at home and in the city.

Dear Spirited Earthling,

Living within your means and prioritising saving doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate and reward yourself. Celebrating and rewarding yourself is an essential aspect of self-care and personal growth. It helps you acknowledge and appreciate your achievements, no matter how big or small they may be. Celebrating yourself can help boost your self-esteem, which can lead to increased confidence and motivation.

Why You Should Celebrate and Reward Yourself

Self-celebration is a sincere acknowledgement of where you are now and how far you’ve come. Celebrating yourself may not feel normal because society links it to immodesty or self-indulgence. Ignore those feelings because it is important to celebrate yourself!

Rewarding yourself can also serve as an incentive to work towards your goals, achieve further goals and dream bigger. When you have something to look forward to, such as a reward, it can make the journey towards achieving your goals more enjoyable and fulfilling. This positive reinforcement can help reinforce positive habits and behaviours, making it more likely that you will continue to achieve your goals. Celebrating small wins also leads to greater victories because you know and feel you can do it.

Celebrating your efforts is not only a form of self-love but also a confidence-building practice. You’re cultivating the belief that you are enough, your skills are enough, and you are learning to trust yourself. In addition, celebrating and rewarding yourself can help you manage stress and prevent burnout. Taking the time to acknowledge your accomplishments can help you feel more satisfied and fulfilled, reducing the risk of feeling overwhelmed or drained. Life is meant to be loved and lived fully, and there great things you can do to bring joy in simple and affordable ways that are authentic to you.

You give yourself permission to be happy and proud without needing external validation. You’re determining how you feel about a situation. You’re not waiting for a reaction and seeking confirmation from outside sources for that joy. Celebrations and rewards create memorable moments in your life. These positive memories can serve as sources of joy and inspiration during tougher times.

Celebrating and rewarding yourself allows you to sit in happiness, and this cultivates gratitude. It gives you the chance to give thanks – for the strength to complete and do it, the courage to go after your goals, the people who helped you along the way, for this opportunity and the opportunities that will come after.  

12 Free and Affordable Ways to Have Fun and Be Happy at Home

Celebrating and rewarding yourself can be something personal and intimate, done at home:

1. Journal: Write down how you feel – take the time to sit in this happiness. What were the struggles you overcame? What did you learn? How has this given you the confidence to reach for more? What are your next goals and dreams?

2. Write a letter: Write a congratulatory letter to yourself filled with thanks and appreciation for yourself.

3. Relax: Find what relaxes you and have self-care days or reset weeks. Enjoy a warm bath in candlelight. Do a face mask. Listen to relaxing music (and maybe take a nap). Light your favourite candle and sip on your favourite tea. Meditate at your altar. 

4. Sleep: Turn off your alarm and allow yourself to wake up naturally (obviously on a day you can afford to sleep in!). Take a nap.

5. Dance at home: Put on music that makes you happy and dance for the simple reason that you can. To give yourself that extra hype, sing out loud.

6. Movie night: Make some popcorn and watch the movie that always makes you happy or the latest one you’ve been meaning to see. Put on the string lights and create a blanket fort. Watch alone or with a partner or friends.

7. House plants: Flowers are beautiful and quickly bring joy. Buying flowers and plants that will keep growing creates a lovely space to surround yourself in daily.

8. Cooking delicious and nourishing meals: We cook dinner together at least 3 times a week. Creating new dishes with new recipes, touching base after the work day, and dancing in the kitchen is fun.

9. Create: Let your creativity flow. Colouring books are inexpensive sparkers of joy. If you want more of a challenge, learn a new skill or craft. Try knitting a scarf or crocheting a blanket. Hobbies make life all the more enjoyable.

10. Learn: Find great podcasts on topics you love and listen while you’re cleaning the house. Learn new languages with the abundant free content on the internet and YouTube.

11. Read: New books, used books, loaned library books – making time to read is a simple pleasure.

12. Community: Having a community behind you can be one of the greatest gifts in life. Whether it’s members of your family, a few special friends, or an online community – find people who will sincerely celebrate you and your progress.

6 Free and Affordable Ways to Have Fun and Be Happy in the City

Celebrating and rewarding yourself can be shared with loved ones and strangers alike:

1. Free activities: Look out for free activities in your area, like free yoga classes in the summer and free museum entrance on museum day. Go to carnivals or markets with free entrance and walk around (only take the money you need to get there and back if you’re saving but still want to enjoy the atmosphere).

2. Cheer: Is there a big race on, like a marathon or Iron Man competition? Stand on the sidelines and encourage the athletes. It costs you nothing, but that encouragement could be just what they need.

3. Volunteer: Meet people and potentially make friends while doing something good, like volunteering at a soup kitchen or organisation. Look at animal welfare centres, walk the dogs, or encourage people to adopt.

4. Donate: Sometimes the best part about being happy is sharing that happiness. Share your happiness and gratitude by distributing food to the homeless or donating to charities close to your heart.

5. Be in nature: Breathe fresh air on forest trails or sandy beaches. Read a book in the shade of a tree or beach umbrella. Take a cup of coffee to your favourite bench and enjoy the day. Picnic with family and friends. Walk around your local botanical garden.

6. Take the bus or tram: Get off at the bus stop one further than you usually would, and walk around the new area. We live in Germany and have the S-Bahn and U-Bahn (trams or inner-city trains). We travelled to the next neighbourhood and walked around on a small fare.

Whether you’re going out into the city or spending time at home, let these fun ideas inspire you to find the joy in simple things. Romanticise your life and your small wins. Celebrations and rewards don't have to be extravagant or expensive. They can range from simple pleasures like reading a book you enjoy, treating yourself to a favourite meal, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in a hobby you love. The key is to acknowledge your achievements and take time to appreciate yourself for the progress you've made.

Spirited Earthling is more than just a blog – it's a gathering place for kindred spirits drawn by an interest in self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and a desire for a deeper connection to the world. Written and created for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in everyday life, this blog aims to help you curate your wholesome personal growth with free weekly ideas and affordable resources for sale.

As you navigate your personal growth journey using the words and ideas shared here, consider sharing this blog with someone looking for inspiration or motivation on their own journey. We are all spirited earthlings, and can lift each other together with mindful, connected living.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

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