Helen escorts me into a small room. It’s dim and ambient music is piped through the speakers. She leaves me to change and get comfortable. When she returns, she proceeds to clean my face with a pineapple scrub and then steam my pores open.
It’s a basic facial. And it’s like my favorite splurge.
When I was a teen, my friends and I would gather at someone’s house for “facials” which were almost always a tube of mud mask from Walmart, scary movies, and once someone snuck in some vodka that we blended with margarita mix.
But the best part was laying back on someone’s couch or bed and having someone rub things on my face: the gentle pressure, the nice-smelling of the product, the warm damp cloth, the zinging clean feeling on my cheeks after.
I love it.
And that’s where I’m going today. I’m going to see Helen and celebrate launch day with a facial. I’m going to Treat Myself!
Most of my Treat My Self activities are solo endeavors. I just like doing things on my own. I like meeting friends for coffee or drinks. But I’m not big on parties. I don’t care to go dancing. And I don’t like people for group weekends away.
Here’s a list of the other top things I like to do when I want to treat myself:
Go get a massage: If I wasn’t happily married, I would likely leave Hubs for my massage therapist Debra. He knows this. He understands.
Try a new type of wine. I’m super into Sparkling Wines right now. Cava Rosé, Sparkling California, Prosecco, Rosé Prosecco … yum, yum, yum. I’ve had nothing but nice things to say about the 19 Crimes brand Snoop California Gold Sparkling.
Download a new game. I don’t often play video games, but I like puzzle games. Bedazzled, Candy Crush, Cookie Jam, etc. But I have a tendency to become obsessive with them or I wait until the end of the day to play and get all jacked up on the pretty lights.
An uninterrupted hour of browsing. The hardest thing for me during COVID was I couldn’t go to the bookstore or the library. That’s where I go to center myself. I wander around the store and touch the spines of the books. Sometimes I buy things. Sometimes I plop down next to the rack full of obscure, international, and *expensive* fashion magazines and flip through the gorgeous page designs. Other times, I’ll go to Ulta, Sephora, or Target. I wear my headphones and listen to a podcast or playlist while I examine many tiny boxes.
I purchase something for my routine. Usually, it ends up being something for my sleep schedule. Sleep masks, quilts, pillows, new pajamas, etc.
Solo brunch. I love brunch. When people ask me about good places to eat in Atlanta, I can only recommend different brunch spots. I love some eggs, home fries, cheesy grits, and coffee. My Instagram account is mostly photos of brunch. And while it’s fun to go with family and friends, I really love waking on a Friday morning, dropping Behr at school, and then going to have brunch alone. I take my journal. I listen to music or a podcast. Fridays are a good time for me to go because it’s a virtual teaching day for me and it’s not too busy.
I’ve been reading a lot about not saving all your treats for when you feel you “deserve” them. To make space to treat yourself every day. Because otherwise I would be depriving myself or I would be binging on it.
So celebrate with me this week. Mothers of the Missing Mermaid is officially available on April 28. Use me as your excuse to pop bottles – or your equivalent. And share with me what you choose to do. Message me on Instagram, or Twitter, or email me at info@brandibradley.com.
Read Books. Wear Boots.
XOXO, B.
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