Determination

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Losing a battle or losing everything we possessed will bring us moments of sadness. But when those moments pass, we will discover the hidden strength that exists in each of us, a strength that will surprise us and increase our self-respect. —Paulo Coelho

Determination is defined as the ability to continue trying to do something.

Do you have what it takes to push through even the hardest and most unlikely circumstances to succeed? Do you have the will to make things happen despite being faced with struggle? Do you give up because it is challenging?

What if the things that you think limit you could instead inspire you?

It took allowing myself to feel like I lost it all to find my inner determination and strength. And just like this little sunflower, I found my way through the tiniest cracks of hope.

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Natural Fabric Freshener

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There is nothing better than fresh sheets on the bed. Did you know that fabric softener sheets is one of the most toxic things in your home??

Switching to a natural fabric softener is easy and so much more cost effective. Your clothes and bed sheets will smell amazing and be less staticky and no toxins!

Recipe for natural fabric softener:

  • 1 tsp Witch Hazel or Vodka
  • Water
  • 30 drops Lavender (or essential oil of choice)

Directions:

Add witch hazel, water, and essential oil into a 2 oz spray bottle and spray linens! You can also use wool dryer balls and either spray the balls, or add essential oils straight from the bottles onto the dryer balls! This helps reduce static clean AND makes your sheets (or clothes) smell amazing and no awful toxins!

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Bonus: the lavender will help you relax and drift off to dreamland.

Curious how essential oils can work into your world? Check this gorgeous ebook out. Plus, I offer some amazing mentoring and education along the way.

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Truth

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Many of you know I have a daughter with a disability. To be specific it is a rare chromosome anomaly with feature of autism and cognitive delay. She is a delight in many ways, but the truth is, many of the “typical” interactions of having a daughter were lost. Out life consisted of therapists, learning to talk and cope and much more.

Having a granddaughter has brought such a joy to my heart through the simple things like painting nails.

While my girl means so much to me, the truth is there is a loss. The honesty in saying that is real. And in that honesty, there is redemption. Her same is Sawyer.

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And she loves purple and she loves sparkles.

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DIY Dish Soap

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Did you know that liquid dish soap is another one with a high score on the Think Dirty app. We all use it though, so it might be nice to just make our own!

Recipe for DIY dish soap

2 cups unscented castile soap
20 drops Lime oil
8 drops Lemon oil
6 drops Citrus Bliss

Directions to make DIY dish soap:

Fill a large, clean bottle with castile soap and essential oils
To use, shake and add 1-2 tbsp to dishwater or a small amount to a natural sponge

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So simple, yet again, MASSIVE impact!

Once you start to swap out these super expensive grocery store products with an easy DIY one, you will be shocked at why it took you so long to jump on board!

Not a DIY-er??? Whip out that On Guard concentrate cleaner! It has instructions right on the bottle for how to use it as dish soap!???

Ready to learn more about essential oils? This gorgeous ebook will give you the basics!

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DIY Dishwasher Tabs

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Unfortunately, commercial dish detergent is loaded with awful chemicals that coat everything you eat off of. So here is an alternative that you can make right at home and have comfort knowing you aren’t washing your dishes in harmful chemicals!

Recipe for DIY dishwasher tabs:

1 cup baking soda
¼ cup citric acid
1 tbsp On Guard Cleaner Concentrate
5 drops Grapefruit essential oil (or any citrus)

Directions:

  1. Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix together until the mixture is an even consistency.
  2. Place in silicone molds and let sit for 4 hours.
  3. Remove tabs and store them in an airtight container. Use in place of store-bought tablets!

This is a MAJOR impact DIY and a MAJOR money saver!

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Are these types of non-toxic swaps important to you? Would you like to know more about the basic uses of essential oils? Check out this gorgeous ebook!

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Nurture Essential Oil Blend

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Nothing say nurture more than a loving Mother’s energy. Plus, the renewal of spring reminds us that Mother Earth is soaking in the rain and nurturing her beautiful land and animals.

This blend is earthy, reassuring, soft, and feels like a giant hug. I love to apply this to my wrist and my heart so that I can smell the aromas all day long.

Myrrh and nurturing

Did you know that Myrrrh essential oil is often referred to as the oil of the Divine Mother because it offers feelings of safety, healthy attachment, trust, feelings of being nurtured, loved and secure? Pretty amazing, right?

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What is in the nurture blend

I added myrrh first to be the bottom note of aroma. Magnolia is often said to bring out feelings of compassion so gives you another layer of goodness at the end of this blend. Layered between these two essential oils are earthy, warm, love inducing essential oils with lavender petals and amethyst. Amethyst is a powerful and protective stone. It alleviates sadness and grief, and dissolves negativity. Amethysts are said to promote serenity and calm and is the perfect addition to this blend.

Need some nurture in your life? Pop over here and grab one.

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After Sun Spray

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I just spent five glorious days in Florida and spent four of them at the beach! Being a natural redhead offers me a challenge when it comes to my skin and the sun. I am a rare redhead that actually tans–if I use sunscreen and take it slow. I try to take breaks in the shade and not spend hours in the sun on the first day.

I am so thankful to have this simple and affordable DIY spray to sooth the skin. This is safe for kids and adults and the oils in this combo are also great for sleep, anxious feelings, cleaning, aches and pains, and MUCH more. Seriously.

Depending on the size of the glass bottle, you add:

  • lavender—soothing to the skin
  • melaleuca—keeps skin germ free
  • peppermint—provides a natural cool
  • Top off with water

Spray as needed following time in the sun! You can grab all three of these oils HERE and find my favorite glass bottles in my amazon shop!

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You can learn more about the endless other ways to use these three versatile essential oils in this free ebook.

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Gardener’s Hand Balm

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This gardeners hand balm is a traditional balm; it is firm in the jar and will melt into the skin as you rub it in (salves are usually softer in consistency).  If you prefer the consistency of a salve vs a balm, you could lower the amount of beeswax in the recipe.

Gardeners hand balm soothes dryness, heals cracks and generally helps tired hands.

If you garden or work outside you know how hard the dirt, sun, sweat, etc can be on your hands. This is a great balm to put on after you get inside. But you’ll find it hard to keep everyone out of the jar because it just feels so good on the skin.

The gardeners hand balm isn’t just for HANDS – elbows, knees, heels; anything that needs a little extra hydration and healing.  It can also be good for those with eczema.

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These little jars are great for gifts too – just wrap some raffia or a pretty ribbon around it.

Easy Peasy!

GARDENERS HAND BALM RECIPE WITH HEALING LAVENDER

  • 2.5 oz of Beeswax
    ~Firms the balm and adds a layer of protection to the skin when applied.
  • 2.5 oz of Shea Butter
    ~Healing, protecting, fights aging and deeply moisturizing to the skin
  • 5.5 oz of Coconut Oil
    ~Naturally moisturizing with antibacterial and anti-fungal properties
  • 2.5 oz of Sweet Almond Oil
    ~Filled with Vitamin E, monounsaturated fatty acids, proteins, potassium and zinc
  • 30 – 40 drops of high quality Lavender Essential Oil
    ~Known to clean and soothe cuts. burns and other skin irritations. The scent is also calming to the mind and body.

GARDENERS HAND BALM RECIPE – DIRECTIONS

  1. Prepare your double boiler
  2. Add your Beeswax to the double boiler and melt completely
  3. Add Shea Butter to the Beeswax and allow it to melt completely
  4. Add in Coconut oil, I stir with a fork that I only use for making balms, lotions, etc
  5. Add in Sweet Almond Oil, stir
  6. Once everything look completely meshed together remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 2 – 3 minutes
  7. Add in your essential oil, optional
  8. Pour into your containers—I love these.
  9. Allow it to harden for a few hours – or put it in the refrigerator, like I do, to speed up the process

Your Gardeners Hand Balm is now ready to use.  Keep some for yourself and share as gifts. FYI, I often keep a jar in the fridge because I find it extra soothing in the summer heat.

Enjoy! To learn more about the many uses of essential oils, check out this free gorgeous ebook.

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Say Goodbye to Toxins

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I used to be such a candle addict! Especially from fall through Christmas! I always had a candle burning and plug in things in the wall spewing out even more toxins. GAH!

I had NO idea that I was disrupting my own hormones and my family’s! (Yep! Hormones aren’t just a woman thing!) In fact, our homes are one of the most toxic environments we spend the most time in!

I have a friend whose son was suffering from chronic breathing issues. Lots it discomfort and costly doctor appointments. But wouldn’t ya know when she ditched the synthetic fragrances in candles, air fresheners, car fresheners, laundry soaps and personal care items… his breathing troubles pretty much disappeared!

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Maya Angelou says, “ When you know better, you do better.”

Diffusing essential oils can’t not only make your house smell amazing but it will bring great benefits to everyone in the home!

DoTERRA just released a new bundle that will replace all your smelly things with natural, safe and health benefiting aromas AND a diffuser. Remember, if you’re diffusing essential oils that you cannot openly view the testing, you have no idea the potentially toxic stuff you’re breathing in. I choose only the purest.

Order this new bundle here. When you do, I plug you into education and mentoring and send you an awesome welcome package. Not sure just how versatile essential oils can be? Check out this free ebook!

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Awaken Essential Oil Blend

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Ten years ago this month I formally created my business Embracing Sprit Yoga & Wellness.  Over those years I have learned so much about being a business woman and staying in my authentic self, which is not all that easy in the competitive world we live in.

I love the symbolism of spring in helping us remember to push through the hard stuff and awaken to the beautiful, blissful, flourishing, life we desire.

This blend was carefully designed to bring out your inner awakening and encourage you to bloom in all of your endeavors.

  • Enlightening Blend—helps enlightening, feeling emotionally lifted
  • Cedarwood—Protects against negative energy
  • Clary sage—helps with intuition and clarity 
  • Coriander—fosters inner guidance
  • Frankincense—Promotes feelings of being mentally balanced, grounded, and receptive to new experiences and thoughts
  • Litsea—brings out feelings of being inspired and aligned
  • Star anise—empowered, expansive
  • Ylang ylang—Promotes the release of negative sentiments, such as stress, sadness, anger, frustration, and nervous tension
  • Fluorite Gemstone— absorbs and neutralizes  negative energy and stress. Also increases concentration, self-confidence and helps us in decision-making. It encourages positivity, balances energy.
  • Jasmine flower—brings out purity and luck

You can purchase one of these beauties here.

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Be Here Now

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Earlier this week I was sitting in the drive up waiting for my coffee and I got to thinking about how much time I spend thinking about the future. Where we are going next, what task is next, what bite of food is next, what class to teach is next, what thing to do is next, what worry is next, what dreadful event is next, what is next?!

Wait.

What if instead I just sat with the sun blinding me, enjoying the song on my radio (Bruce of course), and allowed myself to BE.

I am all for planning and strategizing but sinking in to the moment was awesome.

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Lesson of the day? Don’t rush the moment to get to the next thing. Enjoy this thing!

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The Top Ten Essential Oils

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The Immune System and the Lymphatic System work synergistically to protect the body from harmful pathogens and disease. 

What are these systems?

These systems include many aspects to our body; white blood cells, bone marrow, the spleen, tonsils, adenoids, appendix, thymus, lymph, and lymph nodes. When our immune system is working properly, it is able to identify a threat and engage in a series of responses designed to eliminate the pathogen from entering targeted cells and tissues.

Lifestyle choices can either strengthen or weaken the immune response.

Nutrition is an important factor in having a healthy immune system because cells need vital nutrients to safeguard the body. 

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Did you know  your essential oils have a chemical footprint similar to the human body, therefore, they have the unique ability to help the immune system bring itself to balance? Essential oils are fat-soluble (lipophilic) so they are able to penetrate the cell membrane and back up your immune system when you are feeling a bit run down.

There are so many uses for just these ten essential oils! And the great news is these come in two of my favorite starter bundles. Plus, when you get started with me, I hook you up with some awesome education and mentoring so that you know exactly how to use them, a free wellness coaching session, and a welcome package to get your started! You will also be part of a great community of people striving for wholeness.

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