It’s the Little Things: How My Grandma Taught Me to Make Life Sweet

Ice cream is a thing of elegance. When properly scooped, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.

Ice cream is nostalgic. Our favorite flavors often carry personal significance.

Ice cream brings joy. It’s that little sweet something that can elevate nearly any day.

Pretty amazing, right, for something that’s just fancy milk (or coconut milk for my fellow vegans!). Ice cream is powerful because you’re not just licking a cone filled with fancy milk, you’re treating yourself.

Having the money or time to treat ourselves to something big on a regular basis isn’t really practical, for ourselves or our finite earth. But treating yourself to something small each day is a tiny way to relish the time we’re alive even if there’s nothing particularly exciting or celebratory going on.

Finding joy in a little daily treat is something I learned from my grandma.

Growing up nothing felt like more of a treat than visiting my favorite ice cream place in my hometown with my grandma. At Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream in Carlisle, PA (voted one of the top ten ice cream shops in the nation on TripAdvisor btw!), I would choose salted caramel, my favorite flavor, but to my Grandma, this was boring. The hot fudge brownie sundae is what she qualifies as a real treat.

This philosophy of indulging in one small sweet thing each day is now one I live by.

Sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day is knowing I can go home and crack open a cold seltzer (anything is a treat if you make it one!).

Treats don’t always have to be food related. Making time for a long walk or a picnic at the park can be a treat. Maybe you’re having a stressful time at work with no break in sight. Treat yourself to a shiny new pair of fair trade earrings and pretend your life’s a party all the time!

Perhaps you’re going through a break up or a good friend has recently moved away. Take yourself out on a date or treat yourself to a new eco-friendly journal (taking time to work through all your feelings in this fast-paced world can often feel like a treat).

Or maybe you’re the one who just moved to a new city, and you’re feel a bit overwhelmed. Treat yourself to an ethically made accessory that fits your personality and makes you feel confident.

On National Ice Cream Day, July 21st, you can bet I’ll be treating myself to a delicious dish of my favorite ice cream (and I bet my grandma will be, too). In what small ways do you treat yourself?