By Patrick Robinson

I have some shampoo that costs $35 for about 7 ounces. My hairstylist thinks that makes me a “Shampoo Snob” and maybe it does. But it takes me about a year to go through it. 

So why do I have it?

I love the smell of it (I’m very big on scent) and it makes me feel good. It’s a little luxury.

We all have some of these, or at least those that can afford it have them.

At some level, this is the Starbucks business model. Why would most people choose to pay $6 for a cup of coffee, sugar, and whipped cream? We all know it’s not for the caffeine. A cup of drip coffee has more. 

Why do we get a cookie, or candy bar, or an extra pat of butter on a muffin? Because it feels like we deserve it, and why not?

Luxuries come in many forms, from two hours of just time alone to relax, to the kind of bath tissue you use. 

A company called Emporia conducted a study and found that 79 percent of women say buying an affordable luxury item makes them feel happier. It’s retail therapy.

Which is sort of the point. 

You can take it too far of course but you know it when you do. You end up feeling guilty, or sick, or can’t sleep or just out of sorts. 

But being good to yourself is good idea. You can hope others will know what you like, and get you a gift and yes, that’s great. Maybe the best. 

But most of the time, because we are all unique, seeking out little luxuries is a way to buoy your own spirits. I’m going to suggest something that’s even healthier.

What if you wrote down a short list of the things you really like? You could rank them and get to 5 or 10.

Then this: Tie them to your goals. You might want to get to 10,000 steps, or get the kitchen cleaned, or get your kids all squared away for school. Whatever that goal IS.. reward yourself. I don’t mean buy a car or eat a cake. I mean something you find emotionally rewarding.. that becomes part of your “life satisfaction” framework. 

Experts say it takes about six weeks to establish a new habit. So to get there.. it might take putting some post-it notes up in key places with a phrase to remind you like, “That Frappacino is waiting!” to serve as visual cues to stay on track. Either way, you can just get that thing you like, or you can literally improve your life by making life’s little luxuries part of why you work toward your goals.