For decades, wellness trends have been grounded in discipline: consistent exercise routines, a daily meditation practice, strict elimination diets. But more recently, the focus has shifted, and researchers and practitioners are putting an increased emphasis on appreciating the little things in life and experiencing joy. Studies have shown that feeling joy—a distinct and complex emotion often linked to gratitude, connection, and awe—can contribute to long-term happiness and resilience.
It’s not surprising then, that the luxury hotel company Auberge Collection, long considered an expert in the wellness space, is rolling out a new line of experiences for their guests centered on happiness. In early November, the brand launched The Joy of Wellbeing, an initiative that will be tailored to each of its 30 properties, and that aims to help guests discover the movements, connections, and moments that spark joy.
Auberge Collection
The Joy of Wellbeing Launch Event at the Mayflower Inn & Spa.
The program kicked off at Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Connecticut, in early November. I packed my bags, kissed my two young boys goodbye, and was whisked away from my bustling Brooklyn neighborhood in a Maybach, courtesy of Auberge. It was my first time spending the night away from my seven-month-old, and only my second time leaving my energetic (and often unruly) toddler. If anyone needed a chance to reset, it was me.
A couple of hours later, we pulled up to the Mayflower House. The main guest building has a stately yet approachable New England feel. Once inside my room, with its subtle lavender and white striped wallpaper, floral curtains, and rattan lampshades, I was in heaven. A canopied king-size bed, a soaking tub, and a bag of fancy Swedish candies all to myself? The program was working; I was already feeling more joyful.
The next morning, I walked from the Mayflower House to the spa on a path that led me through the grounds, past the pool and chef’s garden. The leaves on the trees were crisp, and they fell easily when the wind blew through the branches. In the spa, a sprawling 20,000-square-foot complex that sits above the Blue Heron Pond, I settled into a meditation session led by Gemma Gambee Lewis, the master teacher at the property, who encouraged us to visualize a joyous moment and meditate on that feeling. Even as I relished time to myself, I pictured my sons, and their squeals of delight watching the sea lions at the aquarium.
Next, Gabby Bernstein, a celebrated motivational speaker and a key collaborator on The Joy of Wellbeing, led a small-group discussion. It’s not so much about searching for the joy within us, she explained, as it is removing the obstacles to happiness that have built up over the years. My blockers, I realized during her session, are rigidness, a reliance on schedules, and perfectionism. I thought about how that shows up in my parenting.
Auberge Collection
Gabby Bernstein walking around the grounds at the Mayflower Inn & Spa.
Bernstein’s session was a window into her involvement with the hotel group. The self-proclaimed “wellbeing goddess of Auberge” will also lead a three-day retreat in the spring at The Lodge at Blue Sky in Park City. Amanda Kloots, a fitness influencer and host of The Talk, will present a series of exercise retreats, the first taking place this winter in Los Cabos. The Joy of Wellbeing will show up in smaller ways, too: spa treatments, like the Deep Calm massage I got at the Mayflower; creative and cultural experiences; and access to Bernstein’s coaching and meditation app for guests at any Auberge property.
During my stay, I found myself reflecting on joy, and what it means to me. As a mom, I’ve experienced more bliss in the past three years of my children’s lives than I have since I was a child myself. Everything is new and exciting to them, and my greatest joy is watching them experience the emotion themselves—the delight of tasting ice cream for the first time, the thrill of spotting an excavator in the city, or the satisfaction of learning to crawl. It’s pure and unbridled, and when I’m with them, I feel unselfconscious, too. I can squeal at a cement mixer and wave stupidly at a garbage man. Playing along with them releases me of the expectations that I put on myself—to have order, to be on time, to do everything just so. And that is joy in the purest form.
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