Sparkly Days
A balm for the soul
When was the last time you spent a day off, filled only with things that instil pure joy?
Not the mundane tasks and chores of life admin but the passing of time with moments that genuinely fill your heart with a feeling of deep contentment.
In the quest to prioritise the perfect work/life balance following cancer treatment 6 years ago, I began marking one day per week in my diary with a ‘doing day off’ and another I would mark with this emoji ✨
The symbol would signify a day off where I could suit myself, to do exactly as I please.
A day of rest, reflection, nourishment and unapologetic self indulgence.
Of slowing down and noticing the small things.
Of time well spent on simple, inexpensive pleasures, like enjoying a nice coffee and a walk along the riverside, making time to read a few chapters of a book or basking in the warmth and comfort of a candle lit bath.
Most often it would be a day spent in my own company too.
(I’m fully aware that our decision not to have children makes this a fairly straightforward task in terms of time management and for some it may be harder to carve out an entire day!)
The point is, whenever things start feeling a bit too full on and overwhelm starts creeping in, the sight of this symbol in my schedule is a like a beacon that spurs me on, a countdown to restoration.
My partner once asked what all the ✨ were for in my calendar and has referred to them ever since as ‘sparkly days’. The name has stuck, and I even have friends that now use the term, which always makes me smile.
Not too long ago, I decided to spend one of these days at the seaside, on my own.
In a moment of spontaneity I hopped on a train down to one of my fave coastal