in my attempts to get this whole Jan1 Challenge underway, I knew I needed to make sure I wasn’t just focusing on the superficial. Sure, just about anyone can reduce their caloric intake and pump iron/sweat it off at the gym. But what about what’s going into my body? And how am I treating it otherwise?

One of Claire’s mini-goals during our kickoff was to avoid couch sleeping, and make sure she got to bed for a night’s rest. And one of my goals as of late has merely been “get a full night’s sleep”. I’ve found that when I go out during the week, or when I’m eating my meals late at night, getting to sleep is a challenge. And staying a sleep is damn near impossible (oof. After that trip to Australia, I was a combo of jet lag and regular crazy. The bags under my eyes had bags. A veritable luggage set…)

Lately, though, through getting some early workouts in and feeding my body exactly what it needs, I’m enjoying 8-9 hour sleeps (a new record) without mid-evening wake-ups. And a trip to Eviama Life Spa this Sunday showed me a whole new way of looking at keeping my mind and spirit in good shape.

Spas aren’t something I normally treat myself to. Maybe I’m a cheapskate. Maybe I prefer THINGS over pampering. But typically, when I #treatmahself, it’s more about the food and the drink and the stuff than the self. And maybe it’s time for a change on that front. Luckily, Eviama really brought their A-game.

I know I was talking about more than just food, but let’s talk about the food and drink for a minute. As this event was a Sip and Spa Brunch, it wouldn’t be right to ignore the food and drank! Of course, I couldn’t help myself and indulged in a mimosa… but then I switched to sparkling water, so happy they offered a few different options. There were organic yogurts, gluten free crackers, more vegetables than you could shake a stick at, and all the foods were labeled for anyone with dietary restrictions. Love it.

We were offered the chance to enjoy “mini sessions” to try the spa services and, when I saw the words “Kansa Wand” I was… intrigued.

Kansa Wands, made with wood bases and copper/tin metals, are used on the face to “enhance health and strength, increase energy, and relieve stress”. After some essential oils were rubbed on my face, the wand was rubbed onto my face with repetitive long strokes and circles. Allegedly, this works to detoxify and works on the “subtle electrical system”. It was brief, though, so I can’t say I felt fully detoxified. But I felt relaxed, and the circles around my eyes especially were refreshing as that’s not exactly a place I focus much energy on during my day-to-day. I have no photo, but I felt as if I were glowing afterwards.

We had a great little talk with Jill Hoffman, a Naturopathic Doctor, about how your skin reflects your lifestyle. Definitely going to agree there. She highlighted the importance of real food, restful sleep, limiting sugar, and regular breathing and relaxation. These are all things that seem like common sense… so why don’t I do them? Life gets in the way. But the point of NOvember is making sure I say NO to the parts of life that might not be best for my body.

I’ll admit, after a trip to Australia and an upcoming one to New Orleans this weekend, getting an Eviama service is unfortunately not in my budget. It’s a high end spa with all natural, green focus and, though I’m a high end kinda gal… I’m balling on that post grad-school budget. Maybe if I came across some splurge bucks, I’ll hit them up… Until then, I treated myself to a brow wax.

For $5.

Baby steps to that inner peace and tranquility that comes from regular Kansa Wandings and natural sea salt scrubs, right?