The 'treat yourself'-era
Welcome to the era of little treats.
One consequence of our modern, heighten awareness of an apparent new global epidemic of mental health challenges, is that we are now far more conscious of alternative remedies that may help us cope with the stresses of life.
No not the usual go-to cures like therapy and Prozac; little treats - small things that sooth the suffering temporarily.
Welcome to the era of little treats - small, daily rituals of self-love that help us get through the day.
“We’re living in an era where security and ‘the big joys,’ if you will, are not guaranteed at all,” she said. “So all we have to fall back on are small comforts. It’s almost like a poor man’s hedonism.”
“It’s about giving ourselves tiny wins,” she added. “Like a tiny symbol of resistance against systems that are sucking us dry and then telling us we’re failing.”
Ms. Zucker, a 26-year-old music coordinator living in Brooklyn, is just one of the many people who have been reimagining their lives to include more small pleasures after two years of canceled plans and lowered expectations throughout the pandemic. - via
When people feel like they have lost control of their lives and a sense of helplessness haunts them on a daily basis, small pockets of self-directed pleasure can at least give them some kind of relief from this kind of mindset.
Gretchen Rubin, a 56-year-old writer and podcast host who studies happiness and habit formation, said that treats have always come up in her work, but the pandemic has given them a new sense of urgency.
“A lot of people are justifying things: ‘given everything that’s going on; given what’s been demanded of me; given everything that I’ve been deprived of; I need it. I deserve a treat,’” Ms. Rubin said.
This is obviously fantastic news for the future of businesses that are focused on the growing treat culture.
Cupcake makers, cocktail sellers, small shops that sell loose sweets - all will be happy to hear that people are increasingly looking for a little treat to ease their nihilistic existence.
Post-pandemic consumer behaviour change is emerging in many ways - the 'treats culture' is just one that is perhaps worth taking note of and exploring a little deeper. Two further related references are listed below if so.
Richard Godwin
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