I’ve always been a saver. Each year at Halloween, I’d hit as many houses as I could and fill my pumpkin to the point where the princess, bride, witch, or ballerina that I was could barely lift it. Unlike most kids who dove into their candy immediately, I would organize my sugary loot (I am a Virgo) and then put it away in a special kitchen cupboard. And it would be there until the next Halloween. On the rare occasions I did eat my candy, I would never eat my favorites, like Butterfingers or Snickers, because I wanted to save them. So I’d take a mediocre piece of candy instead, delaying my gratification of what I really wanted.
My trick-or-treat days may be behind me but the saver has survived. Sometimes the saver is very useful because it’s kept me from indulging in a lot of instant gratification behaviors like over-spending, over-drinking, over-eating, etc. But as I was looking around my house recently, I noticed the saver has kept me from enjoying some nice things like a special bottle of wine I received as a gift over nine years ago, a beautiful dress with the tags still on it, gift certificates to a Spa, an unique chocolate bar, and beautiful lingerie that is tucked in the back of a drawer. The saver keeps waiting for special occasions to enjoy all these things, but why wait?
If there are things in your life you are not enjoying now because you think you will enjoy them more someday in the future, set your saver free and indulge yourself. Wear your really good underwear, take yourself out in the outfit that is collecting dust in your closet, plan the trip you’ve been waiting to take, crack open that special bottle of wine on your shelf. What are you waiting for? Make today your special occasion.
Originally published on Christine Hassler
