To “Gut Check” Your Self-Esteem.

The author-poet Aberjhani once said, "Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends." It's one of my favorite self-esteem quotes because it reminds me that if I don't treat myself as invaluable, it's going to be close to impossible to expect others to do it.

And here's the thing – if you're not big on pampering yourself, take out a pen and piece of paper and write down why. If you can't come up with a reason, you have no legitimate excuse. On the other hand, if you say something along the lines that pampering is frivolous or wasteful, let me put into perspective what's really going on. What you're telling yourself is someone as unique, special, and awesome as you doesn't think it's a wise investment to celebrate that fact.

If you really and truly believe that, what does that say about your self-esteem? (I'll wait.)

To “Tithe” to Yourself.

If you're a Christian, don't freak out. I'm not saying that you shouldn't tithe to your church. What I am saying is there are lots of financial advisors who support the concept of "tithing to yourself" too. Not only is it a great way to make yourself a priority but it's also a smart way to save money so that you're able to pay for vacations or that pricey handbag you've been eyeing in cash rather than on credit. (You can learn more about this concept by reading The 'Pay Yourself First' Budgeting Method.)

You work hard. Why not set aside some money each month to treat yourself?

To Facilitate Healing.

Back when I didn't love myself very much (or well), I used to have a horrible habit of making sure other people's wants and needs were met, most times at the expense of my own (and rarely at the hands of their reciprocation).

Then one day, I thought about the fact that when it came to a particular woman in my life, I had spent literally thousands of dollars on her over the course of several years. I did it because when I saw something I thought she would like, I'd buy it. But when I reflected on what she had gotten me over that same period of time, it consisted of a five-dollar ring from some museum and a lost pack of lip gloss (meaning, she said she bought it but I still never got it).

When I let this all sink in, at first I got angry. But then I thought, Why should I wait on her to see my worth when I'm not even doing it? Within that same week, I wrote a list of ways to pamper myself and incorporated it into my lifestyle. It took a few weeks but the anger soon subsided and was replaced with profound clarity and inner peace.

Pampering taught me that I don't need to wait for someone else to treat me well. I can do it for myself. Right now. At this very moment. And the more I meet my own needs, the less reliant I am on others to do it.

To Reduce Stress. 

What does heart disease, diabetes, insomnia, eating disorders, obesity, cancer and even premature death all have in common? They are stress-related issues. And you know what? If nothing else convinces you to pamper yourself more, let your physical health be your motivation!

Something else that pampering has done is calm me down. Whenever I treat myself without any real motive than I want it, it slows me down, releases anxiety, and helps me to focus on what's truly important as I also release what's nothing more than background noise.

I've definitely been more self-aware and centered since pampering has become a part of my regular routine. No doubt about it.

Because You’re Worth It.

Recently, I was having a conversation with another friend of mine about the difference between being broken and being damaged. After spending some time looking up the definitions of both words, I am convinced that NO WOMAN should ever call herself – or allow someone else to refer to her as – "damaged".

Life is hard. It causes us to do things – and have things done to us – that can put us through seasons of brokenness. But no matter what, we have not experienced "injury or harm that reduces value or usefulness" (which is what "damaged" means).

Taking this point up a notch, the fact that we're able to survive things like heartbreak, loss, and hard times alone earns us the right to pamper ourselves. It's one of the best (and most effective) ways to tend to the broken areas of ourselves, remind us of our value and worth, and give us the strength that we need to keep going.

If that doesn't convince you to set a lil' money aside and pamper yourself ASAP, I honestly don't know what will!