Gift Yourself Your Time: Respect Yourself, Pamper Yourself, Spend Time with Yourself
If you have a harrowing job that's filled with tension, what you need is some time off just to take care of... well, you! That means your body, your mind, and your soul. Here are some 'starter ideas' to help you identify what you want this Christmas.Book a Solo Holiday as Your Gift for Christmas 2020
Grab the opportunity to spend time with yourself and your thoughts by booking a solo holiday to a destination you've always wanted to go to. Spare no expense - book the best room in the best hotel you can afford, dine at the best restaurants in the city, go see a show that the area is famous for, etc. A day in Vegas might be good for your soul, too. Just let your hair down and enjoy yourself like nobody's watching.Book a Full Spa Day and Let Your Hair Down
If you're physically stressed more than anything, a spa day might be the perfect way to wind down and prepare yourself for the hectic holiday season ahead. You can actually book one in January as well so you're all set for the new year ahead. A day in a spa getting the best therapeutic treatments for yourself can really help bring down the stress quotient in your life.Take a Road Trip Alone
Travel by road is a unique way to spend time with your thoughts. The real open road will help you figuratively create an open road in your mind where your imagination can run free. It's a liberating experience that has to be tried at least once in your life. Make sure you have all you need for the trip. If it's an over-nighter, get your motel or hotel booking done in advance... or just wing it and see where the road takes you. If you like being organized, do that; if you want to leave everything to chance, then do that. The point is, there are no rules. This is your opportunity to gift the most special person in the world - you - the most valuable gift in the world - your time.Spend One Morning in A Religious Place of Worship
If you're the spiritual type, you might want to spend a quiet morning in a place of religious worship. It helps your soul reconnect with the Creator and make sense of your life as few other things can. In a way, this is what meditation is all about - calming your mind to the point where it becomes like a placid pond so the more important things in life are brought to the forefront. A lot can be gained from giving yourself the gift of time in a serene place like a house of worship.Treat Yourself to Dinner and a Movie (Take a friend along if you want)
If entertainment is what you crave, then go all out and splurge for an expensive meal at a fancy restaurant followed by a movie you know you'll enjoy. It's often better to do it on your own but if you feel uncomfortable with that, you can always take a good friend along. After all, the receiver of the gift is you, so you get to decide. The purpose of giving yourself the gift of your own time is to give you the space and calmness of mind to reflect on your life and make crucial course-corrections for the future. But this should be a natural result of you spending time on your own, not a forced agenda to be met at any cost. That's why it's very important that you are physically in a place where your mind and soul can open up and tell you what they expect from you. And then, do their bidding, because nobody else in the world can give you better advice. That physical place could be the road, a new destination, a spa resort, a religious place, or any space that is conducive to self-reflection and looking inward.Gifting Yourself the Good Stuff: aka, Buy Yourself Some Swag
If you'd rather not engage in mental or spiritual self-indulgence, there's another way to go about pampering yourself - buying yourself some goodies you've always wanted. Material things can do a lot to calm the mind when done in moderation. This is a once-in-a-while thing, so don't be afraid to go all out and splurge a hefty sum on buying things for yourself. Here are some kindling ideas to help you generate your own.Gift Yourself That Huge Smart TV This Christmas
Come on, you know you want it. You've been eyeing it ever since you saw that ad. This Christmas, why not splurge on it. It's okay if others get cheaper gifts (ahem, more affordable, that is) because you spent most of your present-buying money on yourself. It's just this once. Remember, we told you that it's okay to be a little selfish this Christmas, so don't feel guilty. After all, how often do you think of yourself versus thinking of other members of your family, your friends, and even your colleagues at work? If your answer is "most of the time", then you should definitely do this for yourself. Just replace "That Huge Smart TV" with anything expensive you've always wanted - that genuine Rolex Oyster Perpetual, that lovely China Dinner Set with platinum embellishments, that holiday in Rome, that fancy security system for your home... you get the idea, right?Rent the Car You've Always Wanted
Buying an expensive car is not for everyone, but renting a car - even a luxury make like a Porsche or a Beemer - will only cost you about $1,500 for a whole month. It's a lot, sure, but you get to drive around for an entire month at that price, and a luxury car is going to be great for your ego and maybe even motivate you to go out and do more with your life. In a way, this materialistic experience might turn out to be the most spiritual experience you've ever had!Refresh Your Wardrobe
Another great self-gifting idea is to give away your entire wardrobe to a charity and get yourself some new threads and accessories. Go through your closet with a fine-toothed comb or a bulldozer - as applicable - and get rid of everything that you haven't worn or used in the last couple of months. Those are things you probably won't ever use again. Give it all to a local charity and go shopping for a new wardrobe. A fully refreshed wardrobe can give you a lot of confidence and satisfaction, and your charitable act won't go unnoticed, either. Someone will be grateful to you this Christmas, possibly several 'someones.' Don't worry about spending money on yourself. Every penny is worth it if the act itself uplifts you and makes you feel better about yourself. Money can always be earned; it's here today and gone the next, but the money you spend on pampering yourself will live forever in your memory and bring a smile to your face whenever you think of it.Invest in Yourself This Christmas
Not keen about spending that much money on mere entertainment, enjoyment, or material fun? Worried that you'll do it and then feel guilty long after it's done? Then how about investing in yourself and your future? This is not about spending as much as making a down payment on the rest of your life. Speaking of down payments...Put the Down Payment on that Apartment or House
This might be the right time to organize your finances and make that apartment or home happen. The first step is to start looking at listings to see what you can afford to put an initial payment on and what you can expect to pay toward your mortgage. Buying a home will allow you to build equity and net worth, and will give you options to upgrade to a more expensive property once yours appreciates enough. Wait long enough and the value of any property will tend to increase over time. The key is to identify a property that is currently undervalued so your capital appreciation happens that much faster. Consult with a realty agent who knows the area well and has their finger on the pulse of that particular neighborhood - who's looking to sell, who found a new job in another city, and so on.Get Your Money to Work For You This Christmas
Starting this year, you can invest in low-yield-low-risk instruments and securities in order to secure your future. You might not have the appetite to get into stock trading or enter the wild world of forex trading, but you can certainly invest your savings into something safe that also gives you a higher rate of interest than your bank does on your savings or checking account. Think about government bonds, gold bonds, and the like. These instruments usually offer a safe harbor for your money and will keep giving you returns that you can then reinvest in the same manner or in other investment vehicles.Invest in Continuing Education
Another way to put your money to work is to invest in new courses and certifications that will allow you to upgrade your skills and be worth a lot more to your employer. According to a recent research study, an average additional certification can boost your base pay by up to 8%, and that's apart from your regular bonuses, periodic pay increases, and performance-based pay. In short, it pays to study. Keep honing your skills and up-skilling yourself every chance you get. Many companies will even pay for the course if they feel it will add value to your job role.Invest in Your Health
Health problems that are ignored during the early stages can lead a much more complicated - not to mention expensive - medical problems later on. Do your annual checkup and make sure you address issues early on. Investing in your health is probably one of the best investments you'll ever make, so do it now. In the long run, it will save you a lot of expense and trouble if a particular health problem is dealt with at the earliest opportunity.A Final Note on the Art of Self-gifting
Most of us feel guilty about spending money on ourselves, especially if we have a family to look after, elderly parents to care for, and so on. As an adult, you have many obligations to your near and dear ones. The result of that, unfortunately, is that you tend to ignore your own needs, thereby 'weakening your battery' over time and reducing your ability to meet those obligations. On the other hand, if you recharge yourself once in a while by implementing the self-gift ideas offered here, you'll be healthier and wealthier in the long run, which means you can better serve the needs of others. That's why the air steward will always tell you to wear your own oxygen mask first before you help your child or anyone else. Not doing could incapacitate you, and that will endanger you and the other person in a much worse way. That's the actual meaning of 'charity begins at home,' in our opinion. So, take care of yourself by addressing your needs and playing Santa to yourself this Christmas.=============WAIT! THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE...=============
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