Features
WELLNESS
I get pampered ... regulary !
I realize there is a cost to this one and that ’ s okay
. Who says you can ’ t buy happiness ? I am in the spa industry and can ’ t tell you how neglected my skin and body get because my passion is caring for others . Some of my family members think I sit at my desk all day with my feet up , eating BonBons and getting my shoulders rubbed by some gorgeous male model named Sven . Couldn ’ t be further from the truth ! I love to be pampered but don ’ t have time . Correction , wouldn ’ t make time . Now I do and I am a better person for it . I have convinced myself that when my car is clean , it drives better ( laugh it up guys ) so naturally if my nails are painted and my skin looks great , I ’ m a better boss , friend , sister …. Lord , I could rule the world with the perfect shade of OPI red polish and lip gloss . I now schedule my monthly appointments and I treat it like I would a doctor ’ s appointment ... you just don ’ t cancel those . And when you really break it down , it ’ s for my health … my mental health .
I started reading again
My father was an avid reader . He had a passion for it - history and John Grisham to be exact . I am very much like my father so naturally I developed this hobby very young as well . We ’ re both speed-readers , clearing two or three novels in a week on occasion . There is absolutely nothing better than getting completely lost and consumed in a great story or learning something new to detach yourself from the mundane real world . Somehow over the years , I got too busy and found myself reading less and less . I was too tired , or too busy . My father passed away nine years ago , which is pretty close to the last time I purchased a book until recently . Now I can ’ t stop , and don ’ t want to . I even caught myself cancelling dinner plans once because I couldn ’ t put a new book down .
I OFFICIALLY KNOW WHAT A
BURPEE IS ( I HATE THEM )
You see , these are not hugely profound lessons that you ’ d expect to hear from doctors , therapists , psychologists or even Ghandi . These are very simple reality checks that are teaching me to be the best , happiest version of myself . The time I make for me is now non-negotiable . We ’ ve all heard , ‘ it ’ s the simple things in life ’ that matter and I can honestly tell you it ’ s so very true . With age and experience come wisdom . Find who and what makes you happy and repeat it , over and over again . If it no longer makes you happy , move on . It ’ s that simple . I am just beginning to learn what I ’ m capable of as well as what I ’ d like to improve about myself .
I ’ m a flawed human being ... but I ’ m happy .
JENNIFER HIPWELL
JENNIFER IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE SPA AT WHITE OAKS AND A FREQUENT AND VALUED CONTRIBUOTR TO WO MAGAZINE . MORE
THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE , JENNIFER IS A SKIN-CARE GURU , A FERVENT ADVOCATE FOR ORGANIC LIVING , AND AN AUTHORITY ON
WHERE THE WORLDS OF BEAUTY AND WELLNESS INTERSECT .
spring 2016 | wo magazine | 49