Treat Yo’Self Team, 2015!

Did anyone else feel like 2014 was the year of not-treating-yourself-to-anything year?  Because I sure did.  All the way down to my daily meals.

Let’s start there.  For almost a year I ate the following meals on the daily:

– A half of swiss cheese and vegennaise sandwich and an instant soup for breakfast;

– Sometimes the same for lunch, substitutions being $.25 ramen or leftovers made by my guy; and

– That’s it.

Lame.

I don’t know if it was from remembering when my family was poor in my very young formative years, or if I’m financially insecure.  Either way, I’ve never been in a REAL financial hardship, but I was doing the most as far as doing the least when it came to being thrifty in 2014.

One, because I knew I was quitting my fucked up job, and two, us worriers can’t help but wonder when that next paycheck will come in.

And so, my “treat yo’self” days have been far and few between for the past year.  And this was after going from treating myself as often as possible to not at all.  No clothes, no fragrances, no fine leather goods.  You’ll understand after watching this.

In all seriousness, though, my mind shifted from, “I’m going to go get a ($15 salad) for lunch to “leather wearing in the summertime”, meaning, treating myself to a Subway sandwich or getting a cheap beer with my friends at the bar.  It’s just WRONG.  WRONG.

I looked around me and my neighborhood and couldn’t help but ask myself how many paychecks I was away from really being an active participant in my homeless community.  The answer is, probably quite a few, and realistically, not one would let it go THAT far, but what if I had no body?

When I finally got this temp position, I treated myself to a brand new leather bag.  I still find it so precious I keep it hidden away when I get home from work.  When this position goes permanent (universe willing), I will treat myself to a new work wardrobe, because that shit really needs a makeover.  So does my hair.  I will definitely have to treat myself.

My couch?  Oh dear Lord, Girl.  Treat. Yo. Self.

I discovered with the encouraging words of my step father that depriving yourself does not make your situation any better, or make your worries go away, and certainly does affect your mental health and happiness.  He told me, “If you hate your hair, go cut it (and agreed with me that it sucked).  If your car breaks down, get a new one.  Come home for a couple weeks and stay with Mom and I, get out of Los Angeles and get some fresh air.”  What he was telling me to do in his own way was to quit worrying, I’ll get a job, and TREAT.YO.MUTHER FUCKIN’. SELF.  Just because the Universe hasn’t been good to you for a year, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be good to yo’self.  Preach.

Not that *always* listen to my dad, but I did go get a haircut and got out of Los Angeles.  Turns out he was right.  I felt better.

Feeling better means positive energy.  Zeh-neh-neh-NEH!!!  … new job.  Thank you, Universe.  Thank you, Dad.

Today I had a veggie burger and fries from Fatburger for lunch.  The first one in my entire life.  It was decadent and ridiculous.  I walked out of the joint smelling like grease and goodness.  It was in my hair and clothes and I ate that shit like I hadn’t eaten for a year.  I treated myself and it felt sexy and gross all at once.  Treat. Yo. Self.

So let’s watch this again and make a pact to have a Treat Yo Self Team, 2015.  Anyone in?  Anyone?

Tags: downtown, Family, fatburger, homeless, los angeles, new job, old couch, parks and recreations, positive energy, skidrow, treat yo'self, treat yourself, work