Let me be clear – I’m in favor of living the “diva life” and I’m not apologetic about that.
But what’s the “diva life”?
After all, some people hear “diva” and they think – “loud, demanding, impossible to please, stuck up, thinks everything must be arranged to suit her and her alone.”
That sounds like a truly terrible, awful person. Don’t be her – that might be “prima donna” territory, but it’s not a diva.
The word “diva” originates from Italian where, at its most basic, it means “female deity.” I like that.
Here at Splendor in the Sticks, a “diva” refers to a woman who is acutely aware of her own worth, is kind and generous, and – perhaps most importantly – knows the value of celebration and play.
All too often, as women approach being women “of a certain age,” we wake to discover that we’ve spent years so wrapped up in everyday concerns and responsibilities that we’ve lost track of how to take good care of ourselves. We want to remember and make ourselves a priority in our own lives, but there’s just so much else going on that it seems useless and frivolous.
I know – I’ve been there. And now I’m here to help! I’ve spent yearsandyears trying to juggle obligations with home, family, full-time work, and my own interests and usually dropping several balls every week. Modern American society still tries to crush us all into boxes – men and women – and it can be exhausting trying to live up to all the conflicting media messages.
So a few years back (after a spectacularly stressful holiday season that was totally self-inflicted), I started making changes. I wanted to be happier and calmer. I wanted to be exuberant and daring. I wanted to have a clean house and feel fulfilled at my work. (See what I mean about dropping balls?) I read lifestyle books and collected Pinterest boards. I read about how “French women don’t get fat” and learned how to have an “at home spa day.” I journaled. I made vision boards. I tried yoga. I got off the couch and ran 5K races. Slowly, through trial and (mostly) error, I found what worked for me and I think I can help you, as well.
Keep in mind, I live in a small town (under 30,000 people) and I’m on a budget that is sometimes quite tight. I don’t have season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera. I drive an car that was manufactured in the previous decade. I scrimp, I haggle, I shop at consignment and thrift stores. I’ve reached the half-century mark. I am occasionally deeply silly. I’m involved in causes that matter to me on a bone-deep level. And I’m happier than I’ve been since childhood.
This is what “diva training” has done for me and what I think it can do for you. If you agree with the Stillwater sect that “life is meant to be enjoyed, not saddled with,” this is the place for you.
I know that tears are a part of life and that not everything can be solved with a hot bath followed by a nap. But I also know that hot baths and naps seldom make anything worse. Further, I believe that moving too quickly only makes me dizzy and that life is far too important to be taken too seriously.
I intend to live well, live large, and live abundantly – and I’ve learned ways to do these things in a small town.
Join me!
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