50 Ways to Give Thanks to Yourself

Guest blog post by Lydia Criss Mays, Ph.D.

If you live in the United States, you know November has a focus on giving thanks, specifically on Thanksgiving Day.

If you live outside of the USA, think lots of turkey basting, potato mashing, parade watching, and camaraderie. The "thanks giving" part of Thanksgiving Day got us thinking about ways to see beautiful.

How can you send a little thanks your own way? That led us to our nifty "50 ways to give thanks to yourself"...and see beautiful in each.

1. Take a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood.
2. Find, purchase, and read a book you've been hearing about and wishing you could read.
3. Enjoy a bath with the book you just purchased.
4. Drive your car with no radio to give your mind a chance to relax (obviously not relaxing to the extent you're not paying attention to the road).
5. Explore your front or back yard or surrounding environment for new things.
6. Volunteer anywhere...though we have a few ideas below.
7. Write in a journal.
8. Linger on See Beautiful's new website: www.seebeautiful.com (sorry, we couldn't help it).
9. Go to a movie you've been wanting to see all by yourself.
10. Indulge in snacks at the movie theater.
11. Do a crossword puzzle.
12. Go to a yoga class. Hot yoga is REALLY relaxing.
13. Lay on the floor in your bedroom to stretch your back.
14. Visit a local park.
15. Lay in the grass at the local park.
16. Feed the ducks at the local park.
17. Visit a National Park.
18. Go hiking.
19. Enjoy a picnic.
20. Stop and take in the changing color of the leaves.
21. Take your camera with you and snap photos of beautiful things you see.
22. Take a dog on a walk at your local dog shelter.
23. Buy yourself flowers.
24. Give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
25. Leave flowers on a friend's doorstep.
26. Plant a garden.
27. Make a meal from scratch.
28. Follow a family recipe from scratch.
29. Go to breakfast, lunch, or dinner by yourself.
30. Treat yourself to a massage.
31. Ride a bike.
32. Get streamers, a horn, a basket and flag for your bike.
33. Partake in a local 5k.
34. Over tip and enjoy your server's reaction.
35. Drink a warm mug of apple cider.
36. Put cucumber in your water for a refreshing glass of water.
37. Volunteer at your local food bank.
38. Rearrange your furniture.
39. Drink a cold, cold beer.
40. Visit your local library.
41. Eat any fresh fruit in season.
42. Visit a local Farmer's Market.
43. Wander around the Farmer's Market and enjoy the scene.
44. Buy something eco-friendly for yourself!
45. Re-read your favorite blog post on this blog.
46. Do a handstand.
47. Dance while no one or everyone is watching. Who cares?
48. Send the reason you're beautiful to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
49. Eat an ice cream sundae.
50. Sleep in.

Lydia Criss Mays, Ph.D. is a college professor of literacy and language arts, a children's book author, a dog lover, and a seeker of all things beautiful. She started See Beautiful in June 2011 and is committed to empowering women to see the beauty they possess, and empowering all to see beauty in the world.