Rewards.

I like to give myself rewards. Rewards motivate me to get a job done, get through the week, finish strong. I don't think people reward themselves enough in general. Here are some rewards I have experienced...some are from a long time ago, but they still stick out in my mind!

-After a week of spiritual growth and not much cleanliness at church camp, I got to eat fast food and listen to KDWB on the drive home.

-After a week in the Boundary Waters (or BWCA), my dad always brought us to this yummy frozen yogurt place - TCBY - totally worth all the mosquito bites and sitting in the middle of the canoe 'cause I was not strong enough to paddle.

-After a grueling Cross Country meet, the moms and dads always had loads of yummy food for use to eat (my mom had the best - chocolate chip banana muffins!)

-After a Cross Country ski meet, changing into dry sweatpants and eating whatever I wanted - I had just burned about 2000 calories.

More recently...

-After a day of work - a stop at Starbucks.

-After I got my grading done tonight - a bubble bath.

-After water aerobics class - meet friends at Coldstone (not a good habit!)

-After a day of teaching - watching Ellen and/or episodes of The Office and falling alseep on the couch.

Rewards don't have to be expensive or big either - here are some really simple ones I try to give myself...

-Changing out of uncomfortable, professional (and very cute!) clothes at the end of the day and putting on $5 K-Mart sweatpants.

-Eating a bowl of ice cream after grading 3 classes worth of work - with 2 to go.

-Dessert in general - eat your veggies first!

-This is one of my fav's - calling my sister and bro in law and getting to talk to my niece (neice?) on the phone. When we talked this weekend, she said, "Allison! California!" and I was happy as a clam. What a smartie pants!

So although it's almost anti-American to do ....make sure you reward yourself every once in a while! My next HUGE reward - get through the last part of March and all of April - then hang with MOM in CALIFORNIA! :) Can't wait. What a reward.