Most people aren’t used to doing nice things for themselves, but if anyone knows about the importance of taking time for yourself and making quick simple improvements to turn the ordinary to extraordinary -- otherwise known as "tszujing" -- it's style expert Carson Kressley (of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Dancing With The Stars” fame):
"You know the advice you always get during the safety portion of a flight? The part about how, in the event of an emergency, you should secure your own oxygen mask first, before assisting others? Well, even though this isn’t an emergency (well, not technically, anyway...), that’s the important lesson of the fifth part of our Happier Makeover: Put your own mask on first; help others second.
In other words: Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish.
In fact, creating time and space to take a few minutes every day to focus on you is one of the best things you can do for yourself -- and for the people in your life. If you’re more relaxed, you’ll snap less. If you value yourself more, you’ll care about what others think less. Spending time on yourself and with yourself sends a signal to your heart and your mind that you’re worth pampering, that you deserve to be taken care of, and that doing for others works better when you do for yourself, too. Being good to yourself in even super-small ways every day won’t just reduce stress and boost your self-esteem -- it’ll also make you happier. Because who doesn’t feel good when someone pays attention to them?
If it’s been so long since you did something nice for yourself without the buzz-kill of guilt that you can barely remember what it feels like, here’s a list of suggestions for Everyday Quick n’ Easy Guilt-Free Special Treats:
- Stop for a mani-pedi (or even just a polish change)
- Get a 10-minute shoulder and neck massage
- Try a new lipstick
- Put on a statement necklace
- Get your hair blown out
- Use some self-tanner
- Change out your watch
- Switch your sunglasses
- Take a quick walk
- Set a nice table
Watch the video:
For more Carson, go here to learn about “Happier Makeover" and “Confident Style.”
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