Endota Spa founder Melanie Gleeson shares her personal health and wellbeing tips

Endota spa founder Melanie Gleeson. Source: Endota Spa

When Melanie Gleeson was 26 years old, she quit her job as a spa manager to pursue her own venture. In 2000, she opened the first Endota Spa in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

She now runs and owns the largest day spa brand in Australia, with 100 locations around the country now offering skincare, treatments in spas, certified wellness colleges, and a hub of wellness tools.

Endota also celebrates strong international demand and has grown to become one of Australia’s most recognised spa and wellness brands.

Gleeson says that her business recognises that wellness is deeper than just a passing trend.

“We know that something special happens when we actively nurture our own health and happiness, we feel more uplifted, more confident and more authentically ourselves,” she says.

As for Gleeson’s wellness, it’s no surprise to hear that she has cultivated a nourishing and uplifting daily wellness routine for herself. This daily routine is one filled with stress-relieving exercise, family time, and reflective moments to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

In the morning, I…  

start my day by scanning my emails and reading a quote from my dad – he likes to take the time each morning to send our entire Endota team at the head office an inspirational quote. From there, I get up, shower, and get my boys ready for school, following which, my husband and I take our dog, Storm, out for a long walk along the beach.

My exercise routine includes… 

a little bit of everything, I like to mix it up. I enjoy a combination of walking, pilates and yoga. Anything that helps me focus, alleviates stress, and encourages me to enjoy some reflective moments with myself.

My favourite workout is… 

ideally, a class each morning. However, if I can’t get in, then I jump on an Endota retreat. This is our online wellness platform where we offer a range of amazing classes, recipes, dance classes, and positive affirmations.

I find balance in…

taking time out for myself, even just for 5 or 10 minutes to sit, breathe and be present. As women, we’re used to wearing so many different hats – mother, wife, friend, employee. I think that to find balance, it’s important to take a few moments each day to reflect and practise being still. This is how I feel most connected to myself. I also believe practising mindfulness every day is vital to maintaining a happy and balanced life. A lot of the inspiration for Endota’s nourish.nurture.you rebrand focuses on how it’s not just about how we look, but more importantly about how we feel. If we are healthy, happy and confident in who we are, we will feel well.

On health, I encourage women to… 

do what makes you happy. I know it sounds simple, but this is how I help maintain both my physical and mental health. I understand that you’re not going to be in a constant state of bliss from one day to the next, this isn’t a realistic expectation – however, I think it’s important to set time aside to reflect on what you’re thankful for each day. I find that I’m able to do this best when I align my thoughts, feelings and actions. Whilst this does take work, it’s worth it.

I also encourage all women to be aware of the energy they use when comparing themselves to others, because ultimately, I’ve found this to be wasted energy (that could be better invested in positive self-talk), and it can really take a toll on your mental health.

The inspiration behind Endota’s new nourish.nurture.you campaign…

Our vision for Endota’s nourish.nurture.you campaign was to demonstrate that the experience of wellbeing is our natural state and that embracing this state starts with a love of self. When you nurture yourself and embrace your own story, making the pursuit of wellbeing your way of life, you feel free, within your own skin. We therefore asked some of the world’s most celebrated photographers – Stephen Ward, Nicole Bentley and Jennifer Stenglein – to find and photograph people of their choosing. No wardrobe, no hair and makeup, just natural lighting. This was our only direction.

The result is a beautiful, intimate, and raw campaign that contributes to a movement of encouraging people to recognise their own strength and feel empowered as they are.

Where wellness looks like in 2023…

As a leader in wellness, in 2023 we recognise that wellbeing is more than a trend and deeper than a quick fix – we know that something special happens when we actively nurture our own health and happiness, we feel more uplifted, more confident and more authentically ourselves.

This article was first published by Women’s Agenda.

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