What’s the best way to nurture our friendships and family ties? By making time for each other to celebrate and enjoy life.Life happens fast, sometimes even too fast. To keep up, we must learn to run. In this race against time, how can we nurture our friendships and family ties?The first step is to mark a date on the calendar and make it non-negotiable. That was the hard part. To welcome spring, let’s make a change and take some time off, because we really deserve it.

Happy birthday, sis. You too, sis!

It was in the middle of February when I gave the concept a try. I brought my dear sister to the spa to celebrate our birthday. We’re only two days apart, so we usually celebrate our birthdays with family, give each other gifts, blow out the same candles, and… well, don’t really have much time to talk. This year, I suggested we try a brand new formula: spend some quality time together just the two of us. No cake, no candles, no birthday song. Just some peace and quiet, warmth and meaningful discussions with relaxing background music. Peace at last!We began our sisters’ day at the spa in a hot tub where we did some catching up on the usual topics: kids, work, holiday plans. Once the thermal cycle was completed, it was time to relax, get deeper into the conversation and share secrets. Sitting comfortably in the relaxation pavilion, nothing else mattered in the world. It was a break from our lives to remind ourselves that despite the years going by and more and more responsibilities, we are and always will be sisters, and relaxing together is good for us. After a delicious light meal at Restö, sharing bites off of each other’s plates, we continued our wellness ritual together, while telling each other that this was the beginning of a new tradition. To treat ourselves to quality time together for our birthdays, but more importantly to take a break and some time to maintain our strong relationship alive and well.

A girls’ day out to the spa

This relaxation break with my sister felt so good that I went right ahead and booked another date to relive this experience, but this time with my best friend. A girls’ day out to relax, doesn’t it? It’s impossible to refuse, it’s a definite yes!

A duo massage, nothing less.

We left work early to get to the spa in the afternoon. We had booked a duo massage, of course. Dressed in our bathrobes, we were directed towards the waiting area. While waiting for our massage therapists to come and get us, we took the opportunity to catch up over a comforting herbal tea. It was like being on holiday; life is just wonderful!It’s our turn! The massage therapists come to get us and guide us to a haven of peace! Greeted like queens, we discover a soothing, calming and peaceful area. The scent of eucalyptus essential oils fills the space. How great it was to share such a wonderful experience with my soul sister. During the treatment, we kept reminding ourselves how good it was to be there, and how we must absolutely do it again. We will. It’s just so magical.Completely relaxed and invigorated, we continued our relaxation ritual by alternating between the various saunas, the exfoliation ritual, relaxation areas, and hot tubs. We took this opportunity to discuss our vision of love, our roles as mothers, our common projects, our dreams as women, and more, all without interruptions.It’s definitely a different type of girls’ day out, but so beneficial to us and our friendship. It’s a meet-up that we’ve promised to repeat at the start of every season.Is it possible to stop time? For me, the answer is yes. Taking a moment with your best friend, your sister, or your mother to celebrate and enjoy life and be grateful is easy, and it feels good to try something new.Anne-Marie, wellness blogger