I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want to throw all the self-improvement and health ideals out the window and simply indulge in my favorite guilty pleasures.

Don’t get me wrong. I love self-improvement and I thrive on it, but there are times when all I want to hear is that it’s OK to be lazy, a tad irresponsible and unrestrained, right?

Let’s face it, we all have guilty pleasures and I think we should all allow ourselves to indulge in them every once in a while. Where would be the fun in life if we’d always stick to the rules?

So, today, to make it all easier on you (and me), I’ll share my top 10 guilty pleasures with you, but only if you promise to share yours to. Deal?

OK, here we go.

1. Social Media

I love social media. I’ve not been the earliest adopter, but it has changed my life drastically. Not only have I survived anorexia with the help of social media tools, but I’ve also gotten to know my husband and all of my friends on social networking platforms. However, I’m using social media excessively and I may even be slightly addicted to it.

My twitter stream is always visible, my Facebook Account is always open and the thought of posting a just taken picture on Pinterest is never more than a fraction of a second away. Yes, social media is often a waste of time and keeps me from working more focused and productive on way too many occasions, so it deserves it’s place in my top 10 guilty pleasures with out a shadow of a doubt.

2. Podcasts

Oh, my podcasts, how much I love thy. I actually stumbled upon social media because of my love for podcasts back when they were still a very, very niche product. I’ve reduced the time I’m listening to podcasts drastically since I discovered them, but I have to be honest and say that there are still many episodes I listen to that are nothing but guilty pleasures and a way to numb my mind.

3. Shoes

I know it’s cliche, but what can I say? I love, love, love, love, love, love shoes. I just do. I love them in all colors, shapes and forms. I love them flat or with heels. I love them open or closed and I can never have enough of them.

 4. Gadgets

I’m a geek. I love Apple and there could never be too much gadgets in my proximity. In fact, as I’m writing this post on my MacBook Air (affiliate link), my iPhone sits on the left of it and my iPad on the right. My Kindle is in the drawer only one movement away while my iMac is waiting for me back in Germany. What can I say to my defense? They’re all so shiny!

5. Starbucks

Yes, I know that Starbucks coffee is excessively overpriced. I know that I could make myself a cup of Mocha at home just as quickly and as deliciously, but there’s just something about Starbucks that always draws me in. It’s good marketing and a lot of purposefully employed psychology and I’m falling for it every time. In fact, I think it’s time for a break…

6. Ice-Cream

Yum! I love ice-cream. Always have and probably always will and I’m eating much more of it than I should. But who can resist the deliciousness of Chocolate Chips melting on your tongue while the rich, dark chocolate ice-cream is tickling your desperate taste buds? Who can resist devilishly sweet caramel sauce paired with nuts and vanilla ice-cream? I sure as hell can’t.

7. American TV series

TV is probably my biggest guilty pleasure. I’ve had many attempts of trying to stop watching it all together and while German TV doesn’t interest me at all, there’s just something about American TV that draws me in like a fly to the light. As with podcasts, I’ve been able to reduce my TV shows in the recent years and my threshold for BS is extremely high. That makes this particular guilty pleasure feel a tiny bit less guilty to me, but still, a guilty pleasure it most certainly is.

 8. Fashion Magazines

I read them over and over again even though I know how bad they are for your body image and overall emotional health. I read them even though I only recently recovered from anorexia. I read them even though they almost solely consist of advertisements and product placements. I read them and I enjoy the heck out of them.

I love to look at beautiful women, even if what I see is anything but real. I love to look at the newest trends in fashion and think to myself how awesome it would be to wear something as beautifully made as what I see. I read them and dream of a life that could be.

9. Diet Soda

I know how harmful diet soda is. I know about the chemicals that are in that stuff. I know about all the health issues and yet, I still cannot bring myself to stop drinking Diet Coke. I just delight in the taste of it and there’s nothing more refreshing than a cup of ice-cold diet coke on a hot summer day.

Even though I’ve been trying to get rid of this habit for years, it stays with me like the best friend I never had growing up. It’s always there, ready to comfort me with a splash of freshness and a sparkle that makes my day. Pathetic, I know.

10. Chinese Food

I love Chinese food and I would eat it every day of my life if I could. During the days of my going to university, I lived on Chinese takeout. I’m not a cook at all, so it was always my first choice. I literally would eat the same meal for weeks on end and I loved every single bite of it. I know it’s not the most healthy, most nutritious kind of food, but it’s tasty, comforting and it never disappoints.

So there, I’ve laid it all out there for you.

On to you. What are your Top 10 Guilty Pleasures?