The power of daily self-care
and why it doesn't need to be another chore to add to the to-do list
I love a spa day as much as the next person, but they don’t happen very often for me. If I waited until I was able to go for a massage, a manicure or a full day in the spa to support my wellbeing, I would be in trouble.
Many of us have limited time. We work, we have caring responsibilities, houses to run, people to please, practical errands to run – you name it, our time is squeezed. And when we do find the time, it’s not always at a time that’s convenient to go to the spa or even run a long bubble bath with chocolate treats, wine to sip or flickering candles.
We constantly put other people’s wants and needs before our own, and whilst that’s necessary some of the time, it’s essential this doesn’t become all of the time.
I’ve been in the self-care / wellbeing world for years and of all the things out there that I’ve tried, the key thing I come back to is regularity. For me, it’s more important to have 5-10minutes a day 5 days a week, than it is to have an afternoon or a day a month. It’s those little moments that add up and remind us regularly that we are worth putting first, that our needs deserve to be met. That we are more than just a wife, daughter, mum, carer, manager, chauffeur, laundry maid, housemaid, chef etc. We are beautifully and inescapably us – a human being that matters.
I’ve heard so many people say they didn’t feel like themselves anymore. That they were drowning in the jobs they had to do and felt like self-care would be just another thing to add to the to-do list. For many others, they said they just couldn’t afford self-care (which they saw as long amounts of time involving lots of money).
Enter Project Sparkle!
As I said, I love a good massage (and dearly miss the aromatherapist I used to go to), but that feels like a treat. One that addresses my body only. Yes, it’s a relaxing experience that can help us slow our mind and help us feel pampered and special – all good things. But alone, it doesn’t address everything. Self-care and wellbeing covers so much more. It affects every aspect of ourselves.
Which is why our approach in Project Sparkle works so well.
Each day we have different activities and prompts that focus on different areas of your wellbeing:
exercise routines that can be done in isolation or grouped together for a longer workout. Can suit most abilities and targets the whole body in turn. Ideal to fit in whilst waiting for the tea to cook, the washing machine to finish, the kids to have their bath etc
self-care roulette to take the decision making and idea generating burden away from you, so when you have that small chunk of time for yourself, you don’t waste it thinking about what to do.
journal prompts to help you dig deeper and address areas in your life that aren’t in balance or quite how you’d like them to be. Being able to be aware of and process your thoughts and emotions in a safe, non-judgemental space is hugely beneficial for your wellbeing.
meditations
mindfulness exercises - many of which you can do anywhere at anytime without others knowing
tips on how oils and smells can boost our wellbeing, productivity, focus and more
recipes and meal plan ideas to help take off some of that work and allow you to try things you might not have thought of before
skin-care tips and classes
make up masterclasses
ideas and encouragement for hobbies old and new
regular facials along with the how-tos and what to use
a no pressure book club
tarot and oracle card pulls to help you focus on a particular area for the coming week
lots more!
Everything is designed to be able to be picked up and put down easily. If you did 5-10minutes everyday on the topic we suggest you’ll be giving much needed attention to all areas of your wellbeing - your body, your mind, your feelings and your soul.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t prioritise yourself enough to give yourself days at the spa or dates with yourself or friends. What we’re encouraging you to think, is that you don’t have to wait for those opportunities to do self-care. Your wellbeing is important enough to do something towards it every single day and through Project Sparkle, we show you how this is possible.
Self-care is not a chore, especially when we’ve done the work and the thinking for you! It is something fundamentally essential to our daily lives.
When you invest in yourself, something magical happens.
Deciding to invest in ourselves is scary and can make us feel guilty, but juggling all this along with a head full of competing goals and constant distractions, means no one is getting the best of you - least of all you.
Not everything we offer will suit everybody, but there is something for everyone. It is designed to be a place from where you can start to build your own toolkit of self-care. It is an oasis you can come to to find new ideas and to connect with people who are in a similar situation as you are, who understand it’s difficult not to feel guilty about putting yourself first but who are learning to do it and reaping the benefits!
We know that you are more than just a xxx (fill in your own labels here). You are an incredible human that deserves to sparkle brightly.
What’s stopping you from joining us? We can’t wait to help you sparkle again.
