Self-Care Toolkit: Treat Yourself
Tom Haverford, played by Aziz Ansari (left), and Donna Meagle, played by Retta (right) embodying the spirit of “Treat Yourself” in an episode of Parks and Recreation (TV Series 2009–2015)
That’s it. That’s the post. Treat yourself. Whatever that means to you. Whatever you need most in this moment. Find it. Get it. Do it.
Treat yourself.
You’ve worked hard. Or maybe you haven’t. Either way, we’re pretty sure that you’re doing your best, and because of that, you’ve earned this. Life is exhausting and the world is on fire and just trying to be a semi-functioning human amidst the death knell of late stage capitalism is super effing confusing, exhausting, and hard.
While we know it might not be practical (or sustainable) to commit fully to this credo every day, we here at CCP officially give you permission to take at least a moment to treat yourself today.
There’s no right or wrong way for treating yourself to look. There’s no rules, only vibes. If you need inspiration, we recommend looking back at our last self-care toolkit post about polyvagal “glimmers” and using that as your guide.
Tom Haverford, connecting to the deep, real, ephemeral joy that treating yourself can bring. 🙏
Close your eyes, take three deep breaths, channel your inner Donna Meagle/Retta, put one hand over your heart, and ask yourself: What is one small way I can treat myself today?
Halloween candy? Treat yourself.
Halloween candy on sale? Treat yourself extra.
A day off from work? Treat yourself.
An extra hour in bed? Treat yourself.
A walk by the lake? Treat yourself.
Watching videos of puppies online? Treat yourself!
Feeling inspired to catch up on some overdue chores? Sure! That can be treating yourself, too!
Finally ready to start (or restart) therapy? We got you. Treat yourself.
Craving a weekend long horror movie marathon for spooky season? You guessed it.
Treat yourself!
How you “treat yourself” doesn’t matter—what does matter is how it makes you feel.
When we engage in self-care activities or do something nice for ourselves, several beneficial neurotransmitters and hormones are released in our brains, including:
Dopamine: This neurotransmitter is associated with feelings of pleasure and reward, and it's released when we engage in activities that make us happy or fulfilled. Doing something nice for ourselves triggers dopamine release, which helps us feel good and encourages us to repeat the behavior.
Oxytocin: Often referred to as the "love hormone," oxytocin is released during social bonding, empathy, and trust-building. By doing something nice for ourselves, we signal to our brains that we're worthy of love and care, which can increase oxytocin levels and promote feelings of self-love and acceptance.
Endorphins: These neurotransmitters are our body's natural painkillers, and they can be released during activities like exercise, laughter, or even eating delicious food. Endorphins help reduce stress and promote feelings of relaxation and well-being.
And if you’re by chance the rare soul who feels that your own cup is not only already full but possibly even running over—please feel free to use this advice and treat yourself by treating someone else! All of the above benefits still apply, because community care matters too, y’all, and kindness feels good!
