mindful eating

Self-Care

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Over the years I have learned the value of self care. While raising three humans I developed some really unhealthy habits.

I made a decision about 18 years ago to start taking care of me. Not only did I shed 100 pounds, I got rid of a ton of negative self talk and old beliefs.

It all started with a gratitude practice, daily walks and feeding myself more mindfully. I didn’t begin yoga or even any sort of group exercise for several years. I had so much internal dialogue work to repair before I had the courage to walk into a gym!

My self care practice now looks much the same with some added things—a daily bubble bath (or two), time to read and connect with something meaningful, using my oils mindfully, enjoying collecting gems and working a jigsaw puzzle.

These are just a few of the ways I take care of my mind, body and spirit. I can say my authentic self has indeed gotten stronger!

Tell me your self care! I’d love to know!

Magnolia

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High in linalool, magnolia essential oil is known for its calming, soothing, and relaxing properties. It uplifts the spirit and instills a sense of natural wonder in the world around us.

It is also pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, sedative, and antiseptic.

Magnolia flower essential oil is also known to:

• Alleviate rashes, hives, eczema, and psoriasis
• Calm worry, tension, and feelings of stress
• Ease anxiety
• Ease inflammation
• Ease menstrual discomfort
• Encourage better communication
• Heal dry skin
• Help heal minor wounds
• Improve memory and focus
• Increase appetite
• Increase circulation
• Increase confidence
• Inspire romance
• Instill a sense of well-being
• Reduce scars
• Relieve respiratory congestion
• Relieve symptoms of PMS
• Relieve feelings of depression
• Soothe cough
• Stimulate the lymphatic system

And, it smells amazing.

Learn more here! And if you are curious about how to use essential oils in your home, check out this gorgeous ebook!

Empower Yourself

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Each month I am loving crafting gorgeous blends of essential oils and gems to inspire and bring a deeper sense of mind, body and spirit healing to the user.

I created this blend to fuel those who wear it to be empowered to live within their deepest wishes and desires. Also to be driven to live each day with a sense of purpose and a drive to be their very best.

The oils in this blend are synergistically powerful in doing just that.

Each oil has its own unique physical and emotional properties, while also working together to bring about a great sense of personal power. The added lapis lazuli, or commonly known as the ‘wisdom keeper’ helps guide each of us on our path. Check out all the emotional benefits of this blend. You can grab yours here.

Empower Blend

  • Clove: empowered, clear boundaries, protected
  • Ginger: empowered, capable, responsible
  • Cardamom: objective, respectful, self-control
  • Ylang ylang: freedom, playful, intuitive
  • Basil: energized, renewed, rested
  • Bergamot: self-acceptance, optimistic, confident
  • Peppermint: buoyant, optimistic, relieved
  • Arborvitae: grace-filled, trusting, peaceful
  • Frankincense: wisdom, discerning, connected
  • Lapis Lazuli—”THE WISDOM KEEPER” Assists individuals in taking the lead n your own life and is a natural immune system booster.

Yoga, Essential Oils and Gratitude

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I have been spending a lot of time in recent weeks looking at my business and figuring out what matters the most to me.

Yoga is my heart and soul.

The practice goes far beyond touching your toes. In fact, I won’t focus as much on the physical aspect of the practice as I will on how we actually show up in the world. We use the physical stuff to help us see areas that might offer growth and healing.

Essential oils are a beautiful compliment to the deeper states of awareness that yoga offers.

Plus they are a natural, safe and effective way to treat our mind and body. You can also clean your homes in a non-toxic way. And, they bring people together in a beautiful way. I have met some of my dearest friends through sharing essential oils and helping others see their is a choice to their families well-being.

Gratitude is at the heart of who I am and something I teach other people to practice.

Developing a formal gratitude practice can be an amazing way to transform your life from a place of not enough, to more than enough.

This is my year of refining my business (and myself) and focusing on the areas that bring me the greatest joy. I realize I need to let some things go, and adjust slightly what is proving to work well. You know, take all that is good and sand off the rough edges to make it all great.

Want to be part of something I might offer? I’d love to connect.

Release

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I love mindfully crafting essential oil blends together for an emotional purpose. Last month I wanted to offer one that could help facilitate a release of the years emotions. It smells heavenly and as apply it to my hands and take in three full complete breaths, I can feel the tension escape my body.

This RELEASE blend that was offered last month isn’t just for the year end. This is a blend to use anytime life shows up and becomes stuck in your body and heart.

Check out what is included in this RELEASE blend.

  • Thyme empties the soul of negativity, leaves the heart open wide. This oil helps with emotional release.
  • Lemongrass is the oil of cleansing. It helps us let go of toxic energy and negativity. It helps release limiting beliefs. It allows us to move past old trauma and to gain clarity to move forward.
  • Cypress is the oil of motion. Ever feel stuck? Cypress will help you let go of worry and the need for control, and help you have trust in the flow of life. It will help with getting unstuck and moving forward.
  • Peppermint is the oil of a buoyant heart. It is a very invigorating oil to both mind and body. It is an encouraging oil that helps us rediscover the joy of life and being alive!
  • Basil essential oil is helpful in dealing with feelings of anxiety, panic, or apprehension, and has been said to be the oil of “renewal”, both emotionally and spiritually. It provides strength and tranquility to the heart and mind, making it perfect for overwhelm, stress, fatigue, and may even assist a person in their efforts to overcome addiction–which makes it a great choice for overcoming ruminating thoughts and self-sabotaging behaviors that often result from toxic relationships
  • Cedarwood oil is a great oil for times of crisis or sudden change, such as when there is an adjustment in households, jobs, and/or relationships. These events often lead to feeling isolated or knocked off balance. Cedarwood provides feelings of stability and grounding when external circumstances threaten your feelings of stability. It also helps lessen fears that deter your ability to realize your potential.
  • Bergamot helps us transfer love back to ourselves. We can be so fixated on wanting other people to make us happy that we forget we can do that for ourselves. Bergamot is uplifting, has natural anti-depressant properties, and helps us to relax and regain self-confidence again. Bergamot oil helps us in the areas of self-love, self-worth, self-acceptance, self-judgment, and self-loathing. It instills validation within, allowing us to accept our own authenticity, and not spend so much time worrying about the opinions of others.
  • Frankincense. In addition to alleviating and eliminating depression, Frankincense is known as the “Oil of Truth”, revealing deceptiveness and false truths. It invites the individual to let go of lower vibrations, insults, and negativity. This oil helps create new perspectives based on integrity and enlightenment. Frankincense is a powerful cleanser of the spirit. It assists in removing malevolent energies attached to a person, allowing them to open to enlightenment. Addresses the emotions of abandonment and spiritual disconnectedness.
  • Lemon. In addition to its bright aroma, lemon is also a great cleanser and purifier. This is a perfect choice to bring clarity, focus and brightness to the end of the year.
  • Smokey Quartz–The Smoky Quartz crystal is a grounding stone known for its ability to help you move on from difficult or painful experiences. It guides you to a higher state of being, a place where you can let go of the past and welcome in the future.

External Versus Internal: Your Happiness and Success Factor

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Close your eyes for a minute and think about what would make you happy or successful? Got it?

Now, think about how many times you might blame an external factor on your lack of happiness or success. You know the list of external things; the economy, the small town, the cost of things, lack of time or money, your job, your lousy boyfriend.

The truth is that success and happiness is determined NOT by trends in economy or other external variables, but instead by the consciousness of each individual.  

It is up to YOU and your thinking.

When you can dig deep into your values and beliefs and you are able to maintain your thoughts, words and action at a higher level AND you source your life on some pretty rock solid principles, you will achieve your happiness and wild success in whatever endeavour you take on. When you let the world know what you stand for and what you wish to experience, all the right people, encounters, events and the results will recognize your intentions and they will literally show up in your life.

YOU have to get past the idea that the economy, or your boss, or your amount in your bank, or your miserable spouse is the cause of your lack of success and joy.

YOU simply have to start living in your mind and heart in the economy or life experience as if it is already so.

You see the experiences that you create for yourself are independent on the experience that others choose for themselves. You in all your magnificence can live the life of your dreams.

Truth is your happiness and success depend on your thoughts and intentions.

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Emotions and Thoughts

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Emotions are indicators of where our thoughts are. (Both conscious and subconscious).

It’s also why I reach for essential oils more than ever to help process and uplevel my emotions.

Every time I inhale an oil, I intentionally take 3-4 breaths and with each breath, think of something I’m grateful for.

Notice when you do this, it’s very difficult to hold a lower emotion at the same time.

Here is a reference to assist in shifting emotions if needed.

In times of great change, it can be a challenge to bring Gratitude into your Heart. This may help to elevate an emotion or neutralize it to peace and calm.

All emotions are valid and feeling through them is helpful

At times I am very Grateful for my Breath!

Much LOVE. To learn more about the basics of essential oils, check out this gorgeous ebook.

Self-Care and Healthy Exercise

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Self care can have a bad rap. It is not all bubble bath and manicures. We better get a better mindset when it comes to self-care or we might suffer burnout.

I spent WAY too many years giving and giving without much thought about myself, and especially about self-care and self-love.

The result; I was angry, toxic, fearful and incredibly overweight. I had no mind-body connection. I was clueless as to what my habits were creating in my mind, body and spirit.

I began with small changes; daily walks, bubble baths, buying myself a small treasure here and there, and surrounding myself with positive people.

Now, I practice self-care DAILY and the result is I am more peaceful, healthier, I sleep better and my stress is way down.

However in my quest for health I used to punish myself with exercise. I believe that I caused harm to my body physically (and emotionally) with excessive exercise.

Now, I enjoy a nice walk in nature, a gentle yoga class and pilates. Kickboxing, racing myself up steep hill and 100 mike bike rides are a thing of the past. I am okay with it. And do you the best part, my body is actually healthier now than ever.

Celebrate your body today!

Soothing Salve

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This is the easiest and most effective salve for the aches and pains, especially when it occurs in the legs at night. No more chemical filled stuff for your body! This is calming, soothing and smells amazing. Plus it’s super easy to make!!

My clients love it when I bring a batch with me and pass little tins around for all their little aches and pains.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup almond oil

2 tablespoons beeswax

10 drops Lavender

10 drops Cypress

10 drops Lemongrass

10 drops Marjoram

5 drops Frankincense

Here is a link to all the oils you need to make this and have many uses for your home! Sleep, cleaning, cooking, skin care, mood support and much more! When you get started you’ll get a free wellness consult with me, all the goodies to get you started and you’ll have access to mentoring and education!

Curious how versatile oils are for your family? Check out this free downloadable ebook!

Instructions

  1. Melt beeswax with almond and grapeseed oil in a mason jar placed in a pot of simmering water.
  2. Once combined, set aside for two to three minutes.
  3. Add essential oils and stir.
  4. Pour in container and allow to set for two hours.
  5. To use, apply to legs and feet or on area of discomfort. Rub up the legs for great circulation.

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Online Yoga

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As a yoga teacher I am thrilled to see so many online offerings for people to practice at home. Now more than ever it is important to stay grounded, steady and connected.

As I find myself longing to keep teaching, I decided to jump into the online world, too.

Here’s the thing though—I teach an intuitive, sensation based practice. What does that mean? It means you won’t see me doing any postures. Instead, I will guide you to explore within yourself (with my verbal cues) where you are in space, and what sensations you might be feeling, and how to self navigate your body on the mat while connecting to your breath.

Teaching yoga to visually impaired students has taught me so much about the practice and how to teach (and practice) intuitively. I will open the door for you and guide you on your path.

If you’d like to experience a little different way of receiving yoga instruction, I would love to have you send me a private message. I will give you a FREE session and then if it resonates with you, there will be a new video each week by Wednesday at 4pm that you’ll be able to sign up to get right into your inbox to view and practice when it is convenient for you.

I welcome you to my space and into a self-discovery like no other. Send me an email or comment below and I will send you a VIP link to a free session.