Healthy Rewards

For the past 7 years, I have been a member of spiritually healing support groups.  God has utilized one to help me maintain a healthy body size for almost four years (maintaining well over 100 pound weight release); another is centered around maintaining healthy behavior with money management.

Yesterday, I realized a reoccurring thought and corresponding behavior that was not serving me...not beneficial.  For two consecutive days, I purchased a smoothie; but when the thought to purchase another yesterday (would have been the fourth one in 3 days), healthy thinking posed questions, "Why do I want another smoothie? What's the motive behind this thought? Is it healthy?"

Thanks to insight from God, as I self-reflected, I realized a need was being revealed.  The need for celebration/reward.  I am nearing the end of a very long work period...have persevered through challenges in life as well as challenges with job responsibilities; was feeling proud of accomplishment and wanted to reward or celebrate the fact that despite challenges...still I stand :)  Though, it is perfectly fine to celebrate and reward myself, the compulsive behavior of continuous reward was not beneficial.  For me, thoughts of food as "reward or celebration" is not healthy...because I set myself up for abuse of food. Food's basic purpose is for nourishment...the smoothy's purpose was for nourishment (I consider it as a sweet snack option) not for reward; thankful for the reminder of this value.

Another thought that emerged in addition to food as reward, was condoning spending of money above budgeted amount for food items.  I have an allotted amount of money designated to food/snack purchase a week.  Staying within the healthy boundaries established is a way that I show respect for the financial blessings God has given...being a good steward with my money.  Purchasing several smoothies within a week put me over my budget.  Seven dollars a day seems an innocent number by itself; but 7 dollars over the span of several days was, in the treasured words of my late grandfather, "A horse of a different color";...something totally different...something to take a closer look at.

Thanks to this insight, prayer, reaching out to share my experience; and humility in asking questions, I received "no cost" and "low cost" celebration/reward ideas that did not support food as reward:  a bubble bath with candles, a gift of time in form of one day to do whatever I want...free of schedule; time in nature; this is a begining; and it meets my need for acknowlegement for work well done.  I am also adding the category of "luxurious reward" which includes my domestic and international travel to fun and exotic places as my budget allows.

So, how do you reward yourself? What are "no cost", "low cost" and "luxurious reward" things you can do to celebrate accomplishment of a milestone or goal in your life?