Uncategorized

Top 10 reasons essential oils “didn’t work” for you.

Did you try essential oils only to find they just didn’t work for you? Check out these top ten reasons to find out if you fell into one of these categories:

1. You didn’t believe they would work in the first place.

Just like anything else in life, only the things you desire AND believe in come to fruition. Give them an honest chance.

2. You tried them, but didn’t use consistently or long enough to benefit from them.

If you just tried them here and there for something like anxiety or concentration or skin care, you really need to use them continuously day after day to see the benefit. Apply morning and night for the very best results.

3. You were one and done.

You tried them this one time, and didn’t see any difference so they must not work.

4. You just didn’t find the right oil yet.

Sleep is a good example to use here. There are so many oils and blends to try for sleep, and if you ask 10 different oilers their favorite for sleep, they may very well give you ten different answers. That’s because they hung in there and stuck with it until they found their magic unicorn oil. Most start with lavender, then cedarwood, then Roman Chamomile, then often some blend of those. The point here, is you may have to use trial and error before you find that perfect oil for you. It’s just like with skin care or a brand of makeup: you didn’t expect to necessarily love the first one you tried. You tried several until you found the one that worked for you. Oils are like that.

5. You bought them, but you never had the time to learn to use them.

They are still sitting on your shelf. Are they even still good anymore?

If you bought Young Living oils, they never expire because 100% pure oils don’t expire! So they are still good! If not, which most other brands aren’t, simply because they have been cut with carrier oil and pre-diluted. This is not bad, but it could mean they won’t last as long. Your bottle should have an expiration date somewhere on it.

6. You try oils as a last resort.

If you wait until you need to see a doctor and meds haven’t worked, a potent oil like Thieves blend or Frankincense would likely help, but you’ve let things get too far gone. Using oils at the earliest most subtle symptoms, or at the very first impulse that you or a loved one is not feeling well is really your best shot at seeing what oils can do. Oils can head off an illness at its onset if you use them in time, and they do this by supporting your body systems.

This would really depend on your scenario, but let’s say you tried peppermint for a headache. Peppermint works amazingly well for headaches if you catch the headache in its early stages. But honestly if you’ve waited until you have a full blown migraine your best bet is to take a nap and sleep it off. But it’s not really fair to write off oils as “they don’t work.”

Instead, you need to try oils as your first course of action. For example, my daughter’s migraines almost always rise out of anxiety. If she can catch herself getting stressed out and use her oils for calming at that point, she can forego a headache. Or when she does feel slight tension in her forehead, she has luck with peppermint if she catches it BEFORE it’s a full-blown migraine.

7. You think oils are/were a fad or a trend. Something extra that some people have.

Essential oils have actually been around for thousands of years and are even biblical. They are the essence of life-blood of a plant. They were used before synthetic drugs were an option to treat and support the body. If that word “synthetic” makes you cringe a little, it does me too. I don’t want to put anything foreign into my body or my children’s if I can help it.

8. You need to become healthy in other aspects of your life.

You can apply all of the tummy support oils, but if you are lactose or gluten intolerant but keep eating all the bread and dairy, you won’t see long term results. Be willing to make dietary changes that are necessary in addition to using oils and you will see massive results.

9. You aren’t using pure therapeutic grade oils.

Quality matters. Just like you wouldn’t want to skimp and buy a cheaper mattress, because you know your spine and back benefit from a higher quality, the same is true with your oils.

10. You think you can’t afford high quality oils.

This is so not the case! We are on a very tight budget in our household. I have a predicable income as a teacher, but my husband works from home and his income is unpredictable. Many months, my paycheck is all that is coming in. But the oils and natural products that I purchase each month have replaced what we once were spending on meds, doctor visits, toxic personal care products and harsh cleaners. It truly has balanced out! Also, by using oils proactively to keep well and stay well, we are getting sick less often, and when we do it is a milder case than what we see those around as experience.

All in all, pure therapeutic grade oils work when used proactively, consistently and with intentionality. They are not something you should consider as an extra or a “nice to have.” They should fall under the category of essential. Because they are.

You can find Young Living pure therapeutic grade oils here. I always like to recommend the premium starter kit which comes with the 12 oils your family with use most plus a high quality diffuser. If you need to know more, please don’t hesitate to send me a personal at averitta74@yahoo.com.

Uncategorized

Seeking Sobriety

It’s been 13 days since I’ve had a drink. And these oils have been my saving grace. Peace & Calming and Bergamot help me keep it together and stick with it, Purification and Juvaflex detox the liver where alcohol and anger take their toll (did you know anger is stored in the liver?) and Acceptance helps well, with acceptance.

I’m not what you would call a drunk or an alcoholic. In fact, the handful of friends that I have shared this with have told me they drink more than I do, and that I am far from that.

That doesn’t even really matter. What matters is that I know once I start drinking wine, I have a hard time stopping. I know that addiction runs in my family. I know that I don’t want to model that for my children. I know that because I am a peaceful enneagram 9 who holds things in to keep the peace, out they come after a few drinks, and it isn’t pretty. I know that alcohol has been a crutch I’ve used instead of dealing with my problems. That I’ve numbed myself down.

If I had a bad day, I’d have a drink. If I was stressed, drink. If I was worried about something, drink. My kids were being crazy, drink. Introvert having to be social in public, for sure drink. I’m not proud, just being honest.

My go to was red wine, but I found this bottle of vodka tonight, the last remaining bottle of my small stash. I was proud of myself that I had no resistance in pouring it down the drain.

Honest struggles: I’ve had a couple of craptastic days and I literally pulled into the liquor store parking lot, cried my eyes out, and then backed right back out.

I haven’t told my children I stopped drinking, but my oldest has noticed and looked at me proudly when she saw my water bottle at the dinner table and said, “Water Mommy? Good.” 😭

I have felt so tense and my emotions are all over the place. That’s the part I’m struggling with the most. Normally I would just have a glass of wine, and now I’m relying on a to do list and exercise. So far so good, but I won’t lie. It’s a mental battle daily.

The hardest days for me have been those where my motives were misinterpreted. Like I have expectations for my children to behave in a civilized manner in public and someone verbally questioned my parenting making me feel I was being too hard on them. Please pass me a bottle now and pray for me. Sweet Baby Jesus. 😭

Or days when a student seems to be allowed to behave how they like and are not held to the same standard as others, one who disrespects me daily. Where’s my wine?

Being ignored by someone I’ve known for years as if I don’t exist, or being treated kindly when I’m one on one with someone and excluded by them in a group setting. 😭 Shouldn’t mean girls just be a middle school/high school thing?

Positive outcomes I’ve noticed so far: I get so much more done now in the evenings! Staying busy has been my coping mechanism so that I’m too busy to think about drinking. I’m more present for my children. I’m no longer shamefully bringing my “cup” to the dinner table which I hated modeling for my impressionable nine-year-old. I feel so much more well-rested the next morning, and no more headaches.

I will continue to post about my progress and struggles via my blog, and would love any encouraging words any of you could offer. ❤️

Uncategorized

Satin Facial Scrub by Young Living

Let’s talk exfoliation.

It’s important to exfoliate the face because our skin is constantly regenerating new skin cells as the old ones shed. The outer layer is shed about every 30 days. As we age, the process of cell regeneration slows down. This means that the body is slower to shed skin cells and generate new.

When old skin cells start to pile up on the surface of the skin, it can leave skin looking dull, rough, and dry. Furthermore, the build-up of dead skin cells can result in excess oil and clogged pores, leading to blemishes and acne.

A gentle exfoliation will help slough off those old skin cells and reveal brighter, younger skin. It’s important to use a gentle exfoliation that is not going to be harmful to your skin! Many products contain ingredients that are too harsh and are actually tearing the skin which you do not want!

Young Living Satin Mint Facial Scrub contains gentle ingredients that will not harm your skin’s pH balance. I love that it is formulated with 100% all-naturally derived and plant-based ingredients. It contains coconut oil, mango butter, apricot seed powder, raspberry fruit extract, and Peppermint essential oil to minimize the appearance of pores and invigorate dull skin.

I have been using it for going on a year now and I love it. I plan to use it once a week in the shower and use a pea size amount for my entire face. A little bit really does go a long way. It is nice and gentle, and feels cool and tingly afterward. My favorite thing about Satin Mint scrub is that it does not dry my skin out like other scrubs, most likely because the ingredients selected are all clean and natural. ※

My oldest who is nine started noticing the pores on her nose were more visible until using this amazing concoction once a week. Now her skin is back to its usual porcelain self. ❤️ I love feeling totally safe using on her because it’s all natural and she is still little.

This tube is $16.75 and mine has lasted over 6 months, and that is sharing it with my daughter.

Who is excited to try an awesome non-toxic facial scrub???

**The price listed in my post is the Young Living members price. Members get 24% off all oils and products. It is super easy to become a member. You can look into it here.

Uncategorized

Understanding Introverts: 4 Misconceptions

If you’re reading this and you’re an introvert like me, much of your life you’ve been surrounded by extroverts. If you’re an extrovert, you most likely have wondered about the introverts in your life and how to relate to them.

I am introverted and I love it. I like and crave alone time. I love peace and quiet. I dislike crowds and traffic and have learned all of the paths and roads to take to avoid them. The only issue is that I worry about being misunderstood by extroverted others.

And my only concern about writing a piece like this is that in sharing my own experience, other introverts may take it as me generalizing that we are all the same. I would never dare to lump all introverts into one pile and label us. We are each so very different and unique. I do hope in sharing my perspective that it may resonate with some, and that extroverts who may read it will find it eye-opening, that it could offer understanding which all introverts need are reaching for.

I want to break this down into misconceptions and address them one by one.

Misconception #1: Introverts are loners.

We may give off the vibe that we want to be alone, so much so that others steer clear of us. The truth is, we want friends just like anyone. We need and crave alone time. That is true enough, but please smile at us and say “hello” to us. Just by sheer virtue of talking less than most, we are less practiced in social situations and feel more awkward. Reach out to your introverted friends and pull them in. They will withdraw and struggle to make the first move or say the first words, especially if they don’t know you very well. But we do not want to be alone.

Misconception #2: Introverts are stuck-up and think they are better than everyone else.

Please don’t mistake an introvert’s silence as a statement about you. It’s almost always about them either simply not wanting to talk or not knowing what to say. It’s that simple.

Misconception #3: Introverts should communicate more.

I have seen this in my family and have been told this point blank. Teachers cold called on me in school with still no response from me. My dad told me as a child it was disrespectful not to speak at breakfast in the morning. Other family members have told me I need to communicate more. But you can’t make an introvert be an extrovert. You definitely CAN’T intimidate an introvert into talking. Being assertive or using aggression to get us to speak will only cause us to want to withdraw further. Those in my life who have proven themselves to be trustworthy safe havens who I can really be myself around, they will tell you that once I start talking I can be quite the chatterbox! Introverts can and will reveal themselves once trust and comfort are established!

Misconception #4: Introverts are “emo” or depressed.

Far from it! We are energized by alone time in the same way that extroverts are energized by being social. I am a daydreaming, hopeful, forward thinking optimist. I spend a lot of time doing art, writing, imagining, and creating through photography. I love planning outings and travel. I really enjoy the outdoors and get as much joy out of a walk, meal or coffee alone as a do when I’m with others. I have suffered from depression in the past following the deaths of each of my parents, but it was not related to being introverted. I consider myself to be happy and emotionally healthy. In fact, the older I get the more I embrace my introvertedness (if that’s a word), and I wish I could go back and tell my younger self that it is just fine to be an introvert!

All in all, introverts want friends, their silence is almost never about you, they will talk when they feel safe and they are not all depressed. I hope this gives some insight to the mind and heart of the introvert (or at least this one).

Uncategorized

10 Uses for Lemon Essential Oil

Did you know it takes 75 lemons to make just one 15 ml bottle of lemon oil? There are 300 drops in a 15 ml bottle, so 1 drop of lemon oil is equal to 1/4 of a lemon! 🍋🍋🍋

Let’s look at the versatility of this amazing oil:

1. Key ingredient in the seasonal roller (lavender:lemon:peppermint- aka LLP)

2. Diffused with purification helps support respiratory system for the whole family. Love this for littles. It is such a clean scent!

3. Love diffusing in the classroom! Bought a bottle of lemon just for school. Aids in concentration, mood boosting, and noticed fewer trips to the Kleenex box. 👍🏻

4. So good in drinking water. So many health benefits- detoxifying and supports the digestive system. (Be sure to use a glass or invest in a glass bottle. Citrus oils can break down plastic.)

5. Added to Thieves Cleaner, vinegar and water, makes an excellent glass cleaner. Bye-bye blue stuff.

6. Lemon is your natural alternative to Goo-Gone. Releases adhesive like nobody’s business.

7. Love for promoting normal body temp for your littles.

8. Love in Thieves tea to soothe throat OR straight in a tbsp with drop of Thieves and local honey.

9. Skin lightening. (Only attempt this at night. Citrus oils are photosensitive and can actually cause sun spotting if applied by day.) 10. Love inhaling for an instant mood boost.

Bonus: removes sharpie from any surface!

How will you use lemon? Or if you have already fallen in love with lemon, what’s your favorite use?

If you are new to oils, beyond curious and ready to dive in, the Premium Starter Kit is where to start. It has the 12 oils you will use the most often (including peppermint, lemon, lavender, Thieves, Digize, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Panaway, Stress Away, Raven and frankincense) plus a diffuser. Grab yours here.

Uncategorized

Behold the power of Frank.

Lavender often gets the bragging rights for being the Swiss Army knife of oils because it’s so versatile, but I would argue that Frankincense could rival it for that title.

Here are just a few that come to mind (behold the power and versatility of FRANK):

† healthy skin

† anti-aging

† calming

† grounding

† promotes cell health (google this)

† boosts mood

† supports immune system

† helps with meditation

† soothes tension

† supports memory

† helps with focus

Whew! That’s an impressive list, right? You can use Frankincense for #allthethings ! I’ve joked before that if you took all of my other oils and left me just with Frankincense, I could get along just fine.

By the way, did you know that Frankincense essential oil is mentioned in the Bible 52 times? Some of these references, frankincense is referred to as “incense” implying frankincense the actual oil or a mixture where frankincense was one of the ingredients.

And legend has it that the “gold” brought to the Baby Jesus by the three wise men was turmeric. During that time (and still true today), frankincense, myrrh and turmeric were all known for promoting good health and warding off illnesses. So they literally gave Baby Jesus the gift of health!

Frankincense is a staple that belongs in every home, and not just any Frankincense. Not all Frank is created equal. It’s high quality, pure therapeutic grade Frankincense that I’m talking about here. And there’s truly no more affordable way to grab Young Living Frankincense than to get the starter kit. It’s the 12 oils your family will use most (including Frank) plus a high quality diffuser. If you need to learn more, I hope you’ll explore more of my blog. And when you’re ready to make this ESSENTIAL oil an essential, here you go. ❤️

Uncategorized

Hello Tarragon. Goodbye Hiccups.

Both of my sweet baby girls recently have had hiccups that wouldn’t go away, and we are out of our go-to: Tarragon essential oil.

👉🏻In case you didn’t already know, Tarragon is a fast, natural remedy for the hiccups!

👉🏻Holding your breath, drinking water or having someone scare you are old wives tales, and hardly reliable.

👉🏻Tarragon is surefire. Simply inhale from the bottle and it does its magic. We have tried using the fumes of this empty bottle for several months now and it has finally lost its effect.

👉🏻I think my whole family was impressed with how long the empty bottle served us! Now that is saying something about the power of these oils, when your body can benefit from an empty! #tarragon

If you are new to oils, beyond curious and ready to dive in, the Premium Starter Kit is where to start. It has the 12 oils you will use the most often (including peppermint, lemon, lavender, Thieves, Digize, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Panaway, Stress Away, Raven and frankincense) plus a diffuser. Grab yours here.

Uncategorized

Does your hair need a protein treatment?

I have been fighting a year long battle of getting my hair healthy again.

I had a ballyage hair color treatment with a hairstylist who was not my usual trusted stylist and friend, and it totally dried and fried my hair. I thought about cutting it off, but my nine-year-old daughter and I were (and are) obsessed with learning braids and updos. So chopping it off was not an option.

I conditioned.

I deep conditioned.

I laid off flat irons and hairdryers.

I used natural products.

Then I read a post about hair types just like mine -frizzy, dry and breaks easily – and it said I need a protein treatment. Raw egg, avocado and coconut oil were all options. Even mayo.

I tried egg. Then tried rinsing the egg with extremely warm, almost hot, water. It made scrambled eggs! My daughter was cracking up watching me pick bits of egg out of my hair the next several hours. So if you try the raw egg route be sure to use cooler water to rinse!

I tried mayo. After much shampooing and rinsing following the treatment, it still seemed greasy to me.

Then, this afternoon, I tried coconut oil. I mixed two tbsp of coconut oil with two of raw honey (for added shine) and wrapped my hair up. I left it on for an hour. Then I shampooed and conditioned as usual, rinsing very well. I blow dried straight and I am so excited to see my hair actually shine for the first time in months and months…with the exception of my two hair appointments to my trusted hairdresser. I can never seem to get her results, but with this treatment I can!

Uncategorized

Rockets of Awesome!

Rockets of Awesome is like Stitch Fix for kids, only better.

It’s once a season, vs every month, and there is a “sneak peak” option which my girls love.

With the sneak peak, you are able to see what items you’ll be getting before the box ships and swap out items you don’t like ahead of time. It’s so fun!

Sometimes we keep everything and sometimes (like this last box) I’ll tell the girls they can each choose three.

They really enjoy it and look forward to it. It’s brought nothing but joy and the pieces we get aren’t like anything else I’ve seen and we all love that.

Here are the items the girls chose this time. The first top we kept for both girls. I love that they still like to match.

This post contains affiliate links for ROA. You will get $20 off your first ROA box if you use my link and I will get $20 credit as well for my children as well. You in turn have the opportunity to go forward and do the same.

Uncategorized

Silke’s Ole World Breads

Silke’s Old World Breads has become a weekly stop for me. It is a German deli and bakery. I have a family of bread lovers and butter lovers and we just want these breads around!

As I am typing this I am overhearing my nine-year-old telling her dad, “Mommy got Tuscan bread! That will be perfect with mussels!” I love it.

We are a foodie family and my husband is a classically trained chef, but we leave bread to the experts. Enter Silke’s.

I’ve started making it a point to try a different bread each week. We’ve tried sourdough, Italian and Tuscan (which I understand are similar), many baguettes and more.

I like that they make “baby breads,” mini versions of their larger breads that you can try first before getting a larger one.

My youngest loves being greeted with a “lady finger” cookie when she enters and cracks up at the name.

If you’ve never been, there are two entrances – one for the deli where you can buy meats, breads and treats, and the other is the restaurant which is one of the most kid friendly places to dine in town, with a play area for littles and clean baby changing area. They have pizzas, sandwiches and soups as well as German dishes and vegetarian/vegan options.

Two thumbs way up for Silke’s.