Congratulations on your upcoming spa day! Whether you've made this investment in pampering yourself, or been gifted a day at a spa, you're about to enjoy an incredible day of pampering, relaxation and rejuvenation. When you get home in the evening, you'll feel like a brand new person, and be relaxed and ready for whatever comes next in your life.

To get the most out of your day spa, you should spend a little time before you go preparing yourself physically and emotionally for your special day. The more prepared and relaxed you are when you get there, the better you'll feel when you leave.

When you schedule your appointment at the day spa, select the treatments you'd like, and find out a little about the routine at the spa you've chosen. Know what you'll be doing first, and next, and so on. Ask whether they have a meditation room where you can relax and do some breathing exercises before your treatments. Also check whether you'll have an opportunity to rest afterward, perhaps with a cup of hot tea, before heading back out into the world.

The night before your day spa visit, get plenty of rest. Try to spend the morning doing nothing much before your appointment, and simply relax and prepare to be extremely pampered and nourished for a few hours. Don't worry or stress, just allow yourself to look forward to this special day.

Arrive at the spa a few minutes early to give yourself time to relax and settle in. You want everything to be calming and relaxing. Don't rush or push yourself, just allow yourself to stay calm, relaxed and open to having a great experience.

Once you're in the spa and having your treatments, just let go. Don't think about what you have to do when you get home. Don't mull over your big project at work. Don't really think about anything. Just allow yourself to listen to the relaxing music, feel the gentle massage and facial techniques, and totally relax.

We're not accustomed to just completely relaxing. Many of us don't relax well. If you must focus on something and think about something while you're in the spa (and you probably must), then think about how to relax more. Focus on each muscle group separately and just imagine and feel it relaxing.

If you don't get to a day spa often, you may feel you have to do it right and not waste it. That kind of thinking does waste your day spa. This is not something you can or must do right. It's just a chance to relax. Whatever you get out of it is what you get out of it.

It is what it is.

Just relax, have a nice day, and don't think too much. While that sounds like a tall order, if that is the only thing you accomplish during your day at the spa, you will have done everything you have to do to enjoy a wonderful, relaxing day.