We all need a reminder from time to time of how far we’ve come.

We’ve all been down roads that haven’t been smooth…some far bumpier than we would have liked…some downright treacherous…

And yet, we’ve survived.

And celebrating that survival, is, I believe, a necessary way of holding on to the momentum, and the memories, of what “got us through.”

For some of us, what “got us through” was our faith in a God (or Goddess), or our belief that “all things happen for a reason.”

For others of us, it was support from our family, or friends.

And for still others of us, it was a cup.

What??

You never heard of anyone who said that what “got them through” was a cup?

Well, dear friend, now you have, because there were many, many things that “got me through,” and one of them was a cup.

Join me for a moment on a walk down Memory Lane…

A long, long time ago (sometimes feels like forever), I was broken. Financially. Emotionally.  Mentally. Physically. Spiritually.

I was broken in every way that a woman can be broken, and I will spare you the details of exactly how that came to be my “reality” but suffice to say, there I was.

One morning around Christmas I knew I had to get out of the house. I needed to get away, to do “something” that felt “normal.”

So I went shopping, with nothing to my name but debt.

And I found this cup.

It was a traveling cup; you know the ones that are insulated to keep your beverage hot? And it was sparkly-taupe in color, and had this red knitted “jacket” on it so that you wouldn’t burn your hand when you held it.

It was, at that moment, the most beautifully decadent cup I had ever seen.

Now for whatever reason, at that moment, I sneezed.

And I reached into my pocket for a tissue and pulled out, instead, a twenty dollar bill.

Twenty dollars! At that time in my life, that was like finding gold!

(I still, for the record, have no idea where that money came from but there it was, in my hand, as I gazed at that cup.)

And I used that twenty dollars to buy that cup.

Were there more “responsible” things I could have done with that money?

That depends on your perspective.

I would argue that buying that cup was the single most financially-responsible thing I have ever done.

That cup represented so much more to me than a container for my drink (the irony is that I didn’t even drink coffee or tea!).

That cup was a representation of personal freedom. It was, after all, a traveling cup.

And it was a representation of financial freedom. It was the sort of thing you would only buy if you had money to spend on such things.

And it was a representation of beauty. It sparkled! And it had this gorgeous knitted red “sweater” on it, complete with a wooden button! I mean, really, how great is that?

And for a gal who was not feeling particularly free, and didn’t have a whole lot of beauty in her life…well, that cup was everything.

When I bought that cup, I invested in ME.

And I think it was the most important investment I could have ever made.

Fast-forward many years and I use that cup every single day. I bring my smoothie to work in that cup. I travel with that cup. And the shape and color of it still light me up.

But perhaps most importantly, each time I look at that cup I remember Where I Have Been.

And I remember that I survived that darkness and so, I guess it could be said, that this cup is also a reminder of Who I Am.

I am freedom.

I am beauty.

No wonder I love this cup so much.

And now, my routine is to practice what I call my “Daily Dose of Decadence” as a further reminder that, no matter how crappy things may appear to be, there is beauty everywhere, and there is always time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. It’s my daily way of investing in the most important thing: My Self.

Your Daily Dose of Decadence may be drinking from your own favorite mug, the one you bought from the potter on that side road on Georgian Bay.

If you’re a mom of small kids, your Daily Dose of Decadence may simply be having a shower!

Or perhaps your Daily Dose of Decadence is a favorite piece of chocolate…a hug from your child that lasts just that extra second longer…or a kiss from the man who makes your heart sing.

Whatever your own Daily Dose of Decadence might be, I encourage you to invest in it whole-heartedly. Make that investment part of your own routine. And do it as a reminder that you are freedom. You are beauty. And you are worth it.