How to feel royal and be treated like celebrity
When your anxiety crushes your dreams, can a ritual save the day?
You just had another draining day in the office. You feel gray like a drizzly Seattle afternoon and dried out like that old sponge your dad cleans the gutters with.
Not only are you yearning to leave that dreadful workday behind, but now your anxiety kicks in:
You are having a date later tonight and there is no way you will impress anyone like this.
How can you turn this around?
This was supposed to be your night. You’ve romanticized all week, giggled with your friends, day-dreamed about how the butterflies in your stomach would make you itch.
And now this - you are exhausted, in a foul mood and frankly you feel anything but inspiring and awesome today.
But you really, really want to feel that heat again, want to be desired and fall into somebody’s arms once more. And tonight’s date was that chance!
Is it happening again?
Ever since that agonizing break up three long and lonely years ago, you see those words from that letter in your mind:
“I can’t do this anymore. Your lack of self esteem makes me suffer too. You suck the life and the fun out of this relationship.”
And you wonder: “Am I at that point again, where I cannot even overcome an exhausting day at work and I cannot find a way to feel good in my skin?”
Your mood gets even worse, the mirror hates you and you just ran out of toilet paper. What’s next, the sky falling onto earth?
“Why me, why now? And how will I ever be able to feel much better about myself?” Its no use!
But since you have to head out to restock on toilet paper anyway, why not buying a big bottle of bubble bath and spend the evening by yourself, with a nice glass of Zinfandel and your playlist with The Avalanches and cry yourself to sleep? Again.
Rituals…
As you walk down towards the supermarket however, your eyes fixate on a new store you have not noticed before. From across the street it rather looks like a playful florist. It features a cherry tree with white blossoms, surrounded by a colorful spectrum of flasks, cream jars and dispenser bottles, drenched in milky glossing spotlights.
And then it hits you, this scent you never smelled in all your life, a blend of exotic, warm and soothing fragrances - they coat your nostrils as if they whisper: ‘bathe in me’.
Immediately forgotten is the dreadful day at work, the anger at yourself for a ruined date night and your anxiety to “suck the life and fun out” of everything and everyone.
After a good twenty minutes exploring a whole new world of aroma and beautiful deco, you assemble a basket of goodies that you can absolutely picture to dwell in, to sink in and to wrap your body and soul into.
Back in your own bathroom, everything seems to fall into place all of a sudden: your new ritual of treating yourself to a truly royal bath, phenomenal bouquets of soul-touching smells and a new softness of your skin, makes you shine, makes you want to hit that club tonight and… are there some tiny butterflies tickling your stomach already…?
That night, you hardly recognize yourself: A deep relaxation, a smooth cocoon of mysterious fragrance and a warm smile on your face that feels like sunshine from your heart.
You haven’t felt this comfortable and confident in years. Your date slips you a note with the good night cheek kiss:
“Tonight I danced with royalty. My heart celebrates that we met. And it burns to see your beauty and your smile again.”
