I did a lot of thinking during my trip last week about what exactly was so calming about my visit to the spa.
Obviously the setting was gorgeous.
The cuisine was refreshing and plentiful.
The massages and treatments were luxurious.
But most of all it was a mindset. Everyone was calm. Robes were the choice of clothing (or yoga pants!) Make-up and jewelry were hard to find.
Most of us can’t afford trips like that on the regular, if at all. So how, then, could we create a spa mindset at home? As I walked around the grounds taking it all in, here were some of my takeaways to bring on the spa attitude.
- Trade massages. As I was getting a foot massage I thought “We all need to be trading massages more!” Ask your spouse, your best friend or even your kids if they want to trade massages with you. I’ll massage your feet if you massage mine! Everyone should get a massage each week even if it’s only 5 minutes from a family member.
- Light a candle. There was a candle in the spa reception area that was so pretty and made the air smell sweet. I have lots of candles in my house but do no light them enough! The flame creates such a sense of calm. (Here are two favorites: Chardonnay by Rewined and Sunshower by SweetClaires!)
- Stop and smell the roses. Literally and figuratively. We are such rushers to accomplish so much, but while I was at the spa I tried very hard to keep my schedule open enough that I didn’t have to rush. Plan some extra time in your day for transit and decompression – after meetings, after bedtime. You can find some – I promise!
- Try something new. I tried Nia, BEAMing and meditation for the first time and it put a little skip in my step (even though I don’t see them becoming my next favorite activity). New things energize us.
- Nourish your body. This trip was a big reminder to me how much I love cooked vegetables at lunch! Lunch is my least favorite meal of the day, and it’s often an afterthought – a quick salad or leftovers. The lunches I had at the spa were SO good, and they really fueled me all afternoon yet never felt heavy. It’s obviously awesome if someone can prepare food for you, but doing some weekend meal prep gives the same effect – you make it for yourself in advance! A well-stocked fridge of healthy options always leads to better choices.
- Surround yourself with good smells. The lotions, the shampoo – everything was so delicious! A little aromatherapy goes a long way.
- Stretch. I’m obviously a high intensity kind of exerciser – I love strength class and plyo jumps and sprinting down the soccer field. My only goal at the spa was to stretch out my body and create a sense of calm. I know I need both kinds of movement in my life – yoga and kettlebells, and this has been a change I’ve been doing well with this year having gotten back into hot yoga. It doesn’t take a formal yoga class to get this benefit – 5 sun salutations first thing in the morning or at bedtime will do.
- Single task. How often do I walk with my cell phone in my hand or work while I’m eating? All the time. I am such a multitasker, which is good in some ways, but I found myself reverting to single tasks at the spa. Try walking and just looking around, focusing on your breath and the smells you’re taking in. Play music and actually listen to it for a few minutes.
- DIY a facial and take a bath. Some days I talk about how excited I am to take a bath all day and when bedtime comes around I nix it in favor of just getting straight into bed – likely because I wasted too much time on my computer! Make the time to unwind. Build it into your day.
- Make friends. In my positivity class we talked about the difference in reception you give and receive when you walk into the room and just SMILE. Just like the first week of your freshman year of college, be friendly! Make small talk, smile, offer to help someone out. That kind of attitude isn’t just reserved for travel. Friendships make the world go ’round.
Not all of these suggestions are realistic for everyone all the time – they aren’t for me either. But like all things in health, every step counts. Inch your way closer to a spa mindset!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
Such great ideas! I have a handful of candles and I’ve been getting better about burning them on a regular basis. It’s so good for my mental and emotional health!
Kelli @ Hungry Hobby says
These are great tips! I think it can be so hard to pause between the million things that need to get done when at home. Then its hard, you work so hard until you get a vacation and then you like collapse on vacay. Working in a little more spa at home is a great idea to keep things going at a steady pace!
Andrea @ Blog Strength says
Great ideas there are a much here that I need to incorporate more often, especially the single task. I’ve noticed that too much multitasking has been making me unproductive lately.
Clareio says
I love spa days, and seem to have got into the habit of between myself, my brother and my dad, buying mum spa vouchers for her birthday (which i volunteer to tag along for day trips to use) and I ALWAYS leave feeling i need to treat myself more at home.
I have recently got into the habit of using a hot cloth cleanser every evening and an exfoliating facial wash every 2 days. i find the hot cloth cleansers make it feel like you’re having a mini facial every time and the scrub and an occasional tea tree face mask add a little extra treat! i’ve found it makes me feel better in myself to take that 5 minutes every evening even though all i’m really doing is cleansing my face! I also seem to have got myself in the habit of having a bath every week (one weekend day will always include a walk, often a 10+ mile one and the best thing after a walk is a hot bath) especially with the lovely English weather we’re having at the moment (freezing cold but sunny for the most part). I love Lush bath bombs but sometimes only a few drops of lavender essential oil will do!
KathEats says
10 mile walk is impressive! Put some Epsom salts in there too 🙂 Great ideas!
Amelia Ames says
Thank you for this post! I really needed it today after a few weeks of crazy. Life always seems to speed up near the spring. What do you mean by planning time in your day for transit and decompression? Is this taking more time to slow down between tasks? I am so guilty of running from one thing to another without a proper rest!
KathEats says
I mean instead of scheduling your day back-to-back, build in a little break so you’re literally not going from one thing to the next. Assuming you have time in your overall day!
Louise RD says
I’ve been on a quest for a ‘Calgon moment’ for weeks….I’m determined to get it in tonight:-)
KathEats says
Haha – I thought maybe I had a typo of “Calming” in my post! Just googled these products!
Liz says
This is such a good reminder to take time for myself! You do such a great job of taking time out of being a busy Mom, blogger, and baker owner to focus on yourself. I also love the idea of cooked vegetables at lunch!! I am so guilty of just throwing whatever leftovers I have in my freezer atop a sad pile of lettuce : ) I am going to change that up this week.
Lauren says
Sign me up for trading massages! Actually every Valentine’s Day, that’s my gift from my husband. Still haven’t cashed in this year, thanks for the reminder!
Electrician NOLA says
This is a bit of a different one and one I’m sure you could relate to… but I have been exercising more and drinking more water and I feel great! I think that healthy feeling you get is a great thing to add to this list!
Robin says
I so agree with you on all these pointers. We can make our day to day lives so much more enjoyable by just being in tune with what makes us happier and comforted. It doesn’t take much.
Melissa | HerGreenLife says
So many fun ideas here! I will say that we discontinued regular burning of candles dues to indoor air quality issues — even the “clean” ones are not that great. We’re hoping to eventually have a screen porch where we can enjoy candle-light dinners with plenty of ventilation!
Carla says
This was a really nice post! Thank you!
Chelsea says
I know some people think candles as gifts are a cop-out, but I LOVE them. There is nothing better than a scented candle at night. Aromatherarpy and lovely light.