No More Excuses Mamas! Splurge On Yourselves!

“Spoil yourself, that’s important.” -Kanye. It seems like moms always get the short end of the stick, don’t we? What do we spend our money on? Groceries, field trips, kids’ clothes, field trips, kids’ clothes, and more freakin groceries. Do we ever think about ourselves? Is there even any money left over for us mamas at the end of the day? Have you ever just been selfish and focused on yourself? If you answered NO to any of these questions, it’s time for a mommy-splurge makeover!

Now, some of you may be thinking that it would be totally irresponsible to splurge on yourself and that this idea is totally ridiculous. Blah. Blah. Blah. NO MORE EXCUSES! Let’s lay them all to rest and go and get our life, one sale at a time!

Five excuses that need to be retired:

1. It’s not about me. Oh honey, but it is! You matter! You spend day and night sacrificing for everyone else and you forget about yourself. You MUST carve out your space for YOU. Whether that means setting aside time for yourself, or splurging on yourself, you deserve it and you have to be intentional about making it happen. As moms, we are so used to getting the last, tiny slice of pie that we don’t even know any better anymore! Plus, if you don’t splurge and pour into yourself, who will? *Crickets* Eat the whole pie for once without feeling guilty!
2. I don’t have time. Stop lying to yourself. You DO have time. We can move mountains and make time for the things we want to make time for. When you treat yourself as a priority, the time will suddenly appear out of nowhere.
3. There are too many bills. Yeah yeah yeah. Newsflash: the bills will always be there. Until the day we die. Statistically speaking, if we wait until every single bill in life is paid before we ever splurge on ourselves, it will never, ever happen!
4. I’m always working. Okaaaaay….. But what’s the point of working hard if you can’t spend your earnings on you? Make time.
5. All my extra money goes to the kids. That’s because we’ve become habitual givers! We just keep pouring into our children and forget to treat ourselves. They probably don’t need all that crap anyway. Every once in a while, YOU be the recipient! Children should see you pamper yourself and realize you’re a person too.

So now that you’ve agreed to splurge on yourself for once, what shall you do?

My “I’m going to be selfish for a moment and treat myself” wish list:

1. Go on a shopping spree. Get that bracelet you’ve been eyeing. Say yes to the dress! Even if you have no where to wear it at the moment, put it in your closet and save it for a special day!
2. Get a mani pedi. This is an easy one and it will take two hours at the most.
3. Head to the movies. On your way in, stop at the concession stand and grab all the snacks you passed up all these years trying to save a buck. If you really want to splurge, see two movies in a row with double the snacks!
4. Get your hair done! You’ll leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.
5. Buy a new pair of shoes. Red Bottoms if you’re feisty! Or grab a pair from the clearance rack at DSW. Or BOGO at Payless. We are equal shoe opportunists!
6. Get a massage. Try it, you’ll leave a whole new person!
7. Take yourself on a date. Go to a fancy restaurant alone and order a glass of wine! Or two. You need NO ONE but yourself to have a good time!
8. Get a gym membership: But the caveat is that YOU MUST ACTUALLY USE IT, ma’am.
9. Attend a conference. Get some professional development AND me-time all in one swoop!
10. Plan a “girls trip.” Enough said.
11. Or plan an alone trip. If this isn’t on your bucket list, it should be.
12. Head to your nearest coffee shop and sit there an hour. Or two. Or three. Sometimes splurging is a state of mind, not money.

So now that you’ve been given permission to splurge on yourself, DO IT and report back!