How to Be Your Own Best Friend

You are the only person from whom you can never escape. Think about it. You have no privacy. You're with yourself when you're in the bathtub. You're with yourself when you're trying to sleep. You're even with yourself when you're driving alone in your car! Every time you pass a mirror, you are reminded of the "you" that goes with you everywhere you go.

If you're going to spend your entire life with yourself, you ought to learn how to be your own best friend! Spoil yourself a little! You're worth the time and attention that you give yourself! Here are some tips to help you enjoy yourself:

Invest in the unique talents that you have been given. If you can sing, write music, paint, draw, or do anything creative, don't waste these abilities. Use them to make the world a more beautiful place in which to live! You weren't given your talents for your enjoyment only. You're only going to be on this Earth for eighty to ninety years. Don't end your terrestrial sojourn without leaving a beautiful artistic footprint for future generations to enjoy! Write a book, for example. If you can't find have it produced in hardback form, produce it yourself in virtual form! Take advantage of Internet sites that allow people to publish their work at no cost. Carefully worded writings can literally change the flow of societal thinking, potentially impacting thousands of lives! Writing is only one way to honor yourself by investing in yourself.

Enjoy the mood-enhancing benefits of scents.

Fragrance oils can be purchased online and are inexpensive (about two dollars for an ounce-sized sample bottle). They can be used in a variety of ways. Rub a tiny amount of your favorite scent or scents on the light bulbs in your house, for example. When the lights are turned on, the bulb will heat the oil and release a wonderful aroma into the room. Combine scents on one bulb for maximum enjoyment. If you enjoy kitchen aromas, try rubbing apple fragrance oil on one side of the bulb, and cinnamon fragrance oil on the other side of the bulb.

If you have an electric heater in your bathroom, another way to use fragrance oil would be to rub a small amount on the metal grates that cover the heating coils. When the heater is turned on, the oil will be gently heated and the aroma will be released into the room. Nice scents to try in this manner would be "Clean Cotton" or an exciting masculine fragrance.

Your favorite fragrance oil can be rubbed onto your pillow at night for a soothing aromatic experience.

Sprinkle baby powder onto your sheets for a silky nighttime experience. Baby powder will soften your skin and leave a heavenly fragrance at the same time.

Another way to surround yourself with fragrance is to learn to use incense. It is inexpensive and easy to use. Simply light the end of the stick with a match, watch the stick carefully until the tip glows orange, blow out the flame, and watch the aromatic smoke rise in the air, carrying your worries with it. Before you settle into the tub for a nice hot bath, light two sticks of incense in a wooden incense holder and put them on the floor of the bathroom, right up against the tub. Inhale aroma. Exhale stress. Another place to use incense is in your bedroom. Twenty minutes before you plan to go to bed, light two incense sticks and let them fill your bedroom with the relaxing fragrance of your choice. For those of you who are extra daring, light two sticks of incense in a wooden holder and put the holder on the passenger seat of your vehicle. Let the upholstery and carpeting absorb the beautiful aroma. Remove the holder when the incense sticks have burned out. Inhale deeply next time you get into your vehicle to go somewhere.

A very creative way to use fragrance is to take a scent pad from a can of car deodorizer and put it into your dryer with your damp clothes. The whole load will smell like the fragrance of your choice. Often, car deodorizer cans come with three scented pads. You can store the other two pads in a sealed plastic container to use when the first pad loses its scent.

Music is a medium to use to be your own best friend. Put your favorite tape or CD on while you're cleaning your house. The best thing about music is that you can accomplish almost anything while enjoying it!

Take the time to read. Reading can be a wonderful tool for self-engagement and relaxation! You may enjoy non-fiction writings, self-help books, comedic memoirs, or other writings. There's no need to spend money on this potential addiction, either, since libraries offer access to thousands of books at no charge. Just be sure to return them on time to avoid overdue book fines!

Surf the Internet for relaxation purposes. Try social networking sites where you can get to know people. If you are addicted to writing letters, get involved in some of the free sites that specialize in pen pals or e-pals. It's easy to form new bonds with people all over the world, using this method. Try subscribing to joke newsletters that will fill your Inbox with much-needed laughs! Watch your favorite videos online. With minimal equipment and a little experimentation, you can even produce your OWN videos and publish them on the Internet for your friends and family to watch! This provides a creative outlet and a wonderful sense of achievement as well.

The bottom line is that you will be with yourself no matter where you go. If you learn to be your own best friend, you'll always have someone to enjoy!