For me, “little treat” strategizing starts early in the work day. My morning to-do list transforms into a mental obstacle course, with a glittering, $8 iced vanilla latte waiting at the finish line. Sure, I have a perfectly good coffee machine at home, and another one staring me down from the office kitchenette.
But while there may be simpler, cheaper ways to get my midday caffeine hit , that’s not really the point. I’m after the ritual of removing myself from a mundane environment or task, engaging with the scenery and smells of a buzzing café, and indulging in something that feels special. As my TikTok and Instagram feeds remind me every day, my experience is not unique.
Little treat culture has emerged as a major social media trend in 2024, with droves of users attesting that they, too, have to bribe themselves with small delights to conquer basic responsibilities of adulthood—laundry, doctor’s appointments , overflowing inboxes. This self-care strategy may reflect a generational shift that financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, LMSW , has observed: Millennials and Gen Z are rejecting “grit language” and fear of punishment as motivators. Instead, young people are responding to the promise of satisfaction and reward, Bryan-Podvin tells SELF.
And we’re willing to hunt down—or create—those incentives for ourselves, if necessary. This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. While the little treat has an impressive online fan club, .
