Lauren, Marketing Executive: what have spas taught me about wellness?

Creative and empathetic to the wants and needs of spabreakers across the UK, Lauren is our Marketing Executive, and it turns out that spa has actually always been running through her veins…

It’s funny to me that I ended up working so closely with the world of spa, as I so distinctly remember approaching my 16th birthday and my mum saying “now you can come to the spa with me!” as if it was a significant coming of age rite of passage.

Spas are not just for special occasions 

I celebrated my 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays with a spa break, as well as various family members birthdays in between. Typically, before I joined Spabreaks.com I was a little bit conditioned to see spas as places for celebrations and special occasions. Although they are absolutely fab for this and still my go to suggestion for a girl’s day, I’ve started to really experience and appreciate the wellness benefits of spa at any time. 

The power of stopping

I’ve never been that great at ‘doing nothing’. When I’m laying on the beach I need a book to read. If I’m sat at home I’ll end up scrolling through Instagram. Even when I’m doing nothing I end up doing something! So I wasn’t very good at shutting off and truly embracing the genuinely relaxing environment of spas on my first few trips. The more I’ve been the better I’ve got.

I had a real breakthrough last year and it sticks vividly in my mind as one of the most relaxing days of my life. It was just before Christmas, so it had been a really hectic few weeks. It was a totally last minute trip which was booked for me as a gift from work. As it was spur of the moment I didn’t have a chance to say no; I probably would have said “I’m too busy” had I had time to think about it. I came out of my treatment, into the relaxation room and fell into a seriously deep sleep. It was the best nap I’d ever had! I remember being really shocked when I woke up that I’d even fallen asleep.

It wasn’t until I got to my locker at the very end of the day that I realised I hadn’t thought about my phone, emails, to-do list, Christmas presents to wrap etc, for the entire day. It’s difficult to put into words, but I can so clearly remember just how incredibly, and surprisingly, relaxed I felt on that day. The trip was so different to any of the many spa experiences I’d had before and I think it was because this was the first time I’d really needed the break. It was midweek, which I’d never done before, and it set me up so well for the rest of the week too as I just took a moment to breathe for once! 

Tools for life and ditching the guilt

At Spabreaks.com we are so passionate about ensuring spas are seen as an integral part of our health and wellbeing, and this particular day really taught me this. In general, I’m so much better at just taking a minute to breathe when I need it now, and when I do go to a spa I can just waltz straight in, shut my distractions in the locker and genuinely shut off. 

My main learning from spas is just that taking time for yourself is so important and something we really shouldn’t feel guilty about either. Spas offer so much more than just a birthday celebration and I’m pleased I can now really appreciate this. The fact that this particular feeling of being truly relaxed is such a stand out memory shows I just don’t do it enough. Next on my list is to try a solo spa day for a 100% distraction free trip!