Save the Day!

A few months ago, the idea of “saving the day” took off as a TikTok trend. (Okay, I think we can all admit that social media often has a negative side – like these boneheaded “challenges” that asked people to risk life and limb, but – every now and then – it really can be something lovely that helps us actually connect with each other.) The notion of “saving the day” is firmly in the “lovely” camp.

As I have said overandover here at Splendor, self care needs to be an everyday habit, not an occasional splurge and doing something small to “save the day” from being a slog of dull drudgery or a breathless whirl of toomuchtodo is an excellent way to get in touch with that idea.

Find yourself an accountability partner and text that person at the end of the workday to ask, “How’d you save the day?” For many overly booked Divas, self care is much easier to do if you have to be accountable for treating yourself well. It’s a sad state of affairs, but there it is. Keep at it, and eventually it’ll become a such a habit that you won’t need the reminder. But until then – text your Diva buddy!

The other key is this – keep things small! I’ve seen people complicate this simple, lovely idea by making their “save the day” be more of a commitment than you may actually have time for, like making an elaborate dinner without planning ahead for it, or trying a much more involved exercise class than you usually go for.

Here are a few simple suggestions to get you started. Do not limit yourself to this list, but remember – “little and often.”

• Turn off the lights and eat by candlelight, even if dinner is leftovers.
• Brew a cup of tea and sip it before bed, preferable while listening to some favorite music.
• If you are lucky enough to have “the good stuff,” use it. Wear your great-aunt’s pearls to the office and put that pizza on your mother’s china. (It’s becoming trendy! Click here and here!)
• Swing by the public library on your way home and stroll through the stacks. Find something interesting, whether that’s a classic whodunit, a biography of someone amazing (I really want to read Come Fly the World), or a “how to” book on carpentry. Learn how to dance the Lindy Hop, play chess, or bluff at poker. It’s all there in your library and it’s totally free!

Today, I “saved my day” by hand-writing a note to include in a wedding gift. Yesterday, I carved out 20 minutes to paint a quick sketch (should’ve carved out 25 and let my watercolor layers dry!) while earlier, I made chai in a favorite cup.

Go save your day, Diva!