A different kind of deserving

I've been reflecting on something that has come up in conversations with my clients about "deserving" treats and rewards. While we absolutely deserve rest, enjoyment, and pleasure in our lives, I want to explore a different kind of deserving today.

What if, instead of constantly giving ourselves permission to break our commitments to ourselves, we started believing we deserve to keep them?

Think about it: How often do we say "I deserve this cookie because I had a hard day," but never say "I deserve to honor the promise I made to nourish my body well"? How often do we give ourselves permission to skip the gym because we're tired, but forget that we also deserve the energy, strength, and mental clarity that comes from movement?

We've become experts at permission-giving for immediate comfort. Still, we've forgotten to give ourselves permission for the deeper things we truly deserve:

• We deserve to trust ourselves and build that trust through kept promises

• We deserve to feel proud of our choices at the end of the day

• We deserve the long-term benefits that come from short-term discipline

• We deserve to live in alignment with our values, even when it's uncomfortable

• We deserve the self-respect that comes from following through

This isn't about perfection or being rigid with ourselves. It's about recognizing that sometimes the most loving thing we can do is honor our commitments to ourselves, especially when we don't feel like it.

The next time you find yourself saying "I deserve this [immediate comfort]," pause and ask: "What else do I deserve?" You might be surprised by the answer.

What commitment to yourself have you been avoiding? What would it look like to believe you deserve to keep that promise? I'd love to hear your thoughts below.