DOWN TIME IN THE TUB

Other than the inevitable daily necessary hygiene maintenance that one is bound by, I’m not a ritualistic person by nature. That said, however, there are certain beauty rituals that I personally have had no problem adopting and find crucial to make time for, such as baths, massages and the occasional facial. While some may view this as merely pampering for those who have the time for it, for me, it is actually one required routine that I prioritize in my hectic schedule to get myself back in a better mental health space. Given my lifestyle and work schedule, I don’t find it overly indulgent to invest the time in making me feel relaxed, refreshed and re-energized by filling a tub with my favorite bath gel and salt for a deep meditative soak. The bonus: it makes me a better spouse, friend and a nicer person in society. Who doesn’t want that?!

Here’s one of the various ways I go about preparing for my ‘me time.’

Creating the right mood is part of the fun of course:

* I start out with afavorite tea or infused water (think cucumber, lemon and mint or strawberry, grapefruit and basil). 

* Change into the plushest bathrobe and slippers. 

* Dim the lights (don’t have a dimmer? Not, a problem – keep the lights off). 

* Turn on some favorite scented candles…nothing’s more relaxing than the flickering light of candles. 

* Turn on soothing sound.

At last, I sink into that warm tub of aromatic suds and let myself be transported to the happiest place I can think of (um, being on vacation is one for me). Why not try it on this hump day or even better yet, why not make a new weekly ritual that will make tackling hump days much easier. It’s a great change from the happy hour fix ;-).

Happy Relaxing!