#3: A Good Dose of Ear Candy

Even if Rock N’ Roll isn’t your thing, you should at least dabble in it. Fortunately, rock is a very expansive genre, ready to suit a wide range of sonic palates.

If you’re more a classic rock kind of guy, you can’t go wrong legends like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Cream and Pink Floyd. They’re the cornerstone of the genre for a good reason, so it wouldn’t hurt to learn from the masters.

Then there’s old school heavy metal and hard rock. I’m talking about stuff like Metallica, AC/DC, Dio, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith and Anthrax. This is pretty much Rock and Roll Hall of Fame material that doesn’t get old. Any one of their albums is sure to get the blood pumping just as hard.

If you’re looking for something 90s and beyond, there are plenty of associated acts from that era, too. Look into bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Tool and Nirvana – these guys essentially killed “Hair Metal” when they arrived on the scene, which was a significant turning point in rock.

For those willing to test their limits, try on heavier acts like Pantera, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Korn, and Shadows Fall. Be warned though – their music involves a lot of screaming and other subhuman noises, so newcomers should tread lightly.

But this is just the tip of the musical iceberg. Plug in one album that you like into online services like Pandora and Spotify, and you’ll get a bunch of recommendations to expand your horizons.

If you have the cheddar to go vinyl, then feel free to go nuts and get some records instead for a true audiophile experience. You’ll be blown away by how good they sound on this vintage medium.

Rock is essentially music that empowers. Find a band that you like and embrace the noisy chaos!

#4: A Classy Bottle of Cologne

If you’re going to dress to the nines this holiday, then you might as well go for the sweet-smelling cherry on top as well.

Think of cologne as an extension of your personality. Are you laid-back, assertive, or somewhere in between? Find a scent that suits who you are and what kind “personal brand” you’re advertising to the rest of the world.

The olfactory heavyweights include, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Armani, Mont Blanc, Dolce and Gabbana. All of them have different product lines to suit all sorts of lifestyles, whether you like sports, hiking outdoors, work an office job or just want to go for a night on the town.

Don’t be afraid to drop a little coin on a quality fragrance that defines your presence. Your friends, colleagues and significant other will secretly thank you for it.

#5: Sign Up For Something – Anything

Don’t just invest in stuff – learning new skills and taking care of your health are pretty awesome self-gifts too. Not only do they last much longer, they’ll also kick off good habits that contribute to your self-development.

Taking a class or getting a membership is a good place to start. Look for something that appeals to you, such as a gym membership or martial arts/self-defense.

Obviously, doing more cardio and building up your body strength will keep the flab away and help you live longer – no surprise there. But it also helps build up testosterone levels which naturally boost your manly essence, so to speak.

For marital arts stuff though, the unique benefit is learning to handle physical confrontations when necessary. This isn’t to make you cocky, but merely to inject you with some confidence that actually carries over to social situations.

After all, women are psychologically wired to desire men who are physically capable of holding their own.

Even if you never have to hurt anyone in your life, the mere capacity to do so already adds to your social value. And that certainly won’t hurt your standing with the ladies.

Speaking of which, there’s a nifty program called the Lust Response System, if you’re looking for that smart, sexy lady to share your holidays with. Like the name suggests, it’s a complete guide to getting women to open themselves up to you (in more ways than one) without looking creepy or desperate.

(In other words, the best self-gift ever.)

Hey, if you’re going to treat yourself this holiday, you might as well go all the way, right?

Besides, the economy sucks, which means you’ve been holding back all year – but not this time.

Stay Alpha,

– Carlos Xuma