Category: health

essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Why I Chose Young Living

Essentially Better Living1 Comment
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In 2013, I experienced the bittersweet paradox of losing my mom to Alzheimer’s and giving birth to my daughter in the same year. It was then that I started pursuing a healthier, more natural way of living. I was searching for natural remedies to help promote memory for my mom before she passed, while at the same time learning healthier habits during my pregnancy and for my new baby following her birth. Since then, I have become passionate about health and wellbeing for myself, the ones I love, and really for everyone.

This was the beginning of my essential oils journey and I continue to use the protocols I that I learned during that difficult season of my life today. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, always building and expanding on my knowledge of essential oils and wellness and sharing it with others. My personal mission is to promote natural health and wellness options to others and educate about harmful chemicals found in our daily products that are so heavily promoted and sadly trusted world-wide. Media and popularity evoke a feeling in us that what is common is normal and therefore safe. I want to challenge you to see it different: What’s healthy should be our normal, not what’s popular.

We have normalized antibiotics. When my girls were little, antibiotics seemed to be doctors’ answer to every ear infection and virus that we encountered, but I was simultaneously reading and learning about how too many prescribed antibiotics can weaken the immune system, impacting the gut microbiome. I realized they were annihilating the good bacteria as well as the bad, and making my children more susceptible to future illness. It’s why your child may be given an antibiotic only to immediatly catch another virus. I’ve seen it over and over with friends’ kids.

This led me to discovering THIEVES and a host of other immune system building protocols. This also led to me becoming the guardian of the threshold of my home – mindful of the foods we were eating and products we were using. Understanding that the air we breathe and what we put on our skin matters as much as the food we consume. The best change that you will make for your family is becoming discerning and skeptical about the products marketed to you.


This includes FRAGRANCE and PROCESSED FOODS. If you are wondering “if these are so bad, why are they allowed to be sold?” I have BILLIONS of reasons for you, and it is spelled M-O-N-E-Y. We are the least healthy generation that has ever lived on this planet. Our grandparents and their parents ate from the earth. They worked and moved and exercised all day long. They did not have the fertility issues that we have – they did not have hormone disrupting artificial fragrance (read that again). Yes, artificial fragrances can disrupt hormones and may impact fertility. Endocrine disruptors, including phthalates and parabens, found in many scented products, can interfere with hormone function, potentially leading to reproductive problems. 

Past generations didn’t even have access to all the drugs that we have. They relied on herbs and botanical tinctures that God put here for us. Why is it that people are so trusting of man-made drugs, but skeptical and downright resistant to the oldest pharmaceutical available – natural and plant based options?

I was particularly awakened to the impact artificial ingredients and food sensitivities can have when our oldest daughter (who is now a teen) struggled with severe and frequent migraine headaches. She showed dramatic improvement after we tried diet alterations (stemming from sensitivity to sugar, reactions to artificial colors and not drinking enough water). To protect her and our family, I became even more determined to be mindful of what we ate and brought into our home.

Young Living has ESSENTIALLY developed a non-toxic alternative for every toxic product we have in our homes. This thoughtful and innovative company has checked so many boxes for our family: 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils (we use oils instead of meds for most physical ailments and especially to PREVENT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE), bath and skincare products (from Lavender Lotion to Satin Mint Facial Scrub), non-toxic cleaner (Thieves Cleaner), high quality supplements. Young Living has became my one-stop shop for all things natural and has continued fill this need for our family for almost ten years now.

I continue to pursue a better lifestyle and live life by a mantra “things are getting better all the time.” We are constantly seeking out more real food and less ultra-processed foods. Maintaining a chemical free home something I will strive for as long as I live (I still have a lot to learn and many more changes to make!). As a result, I’m always seeking healthier options and research on improving health because we will never know it all, and there is always more to learn. You can be sure that as I do, I will be sharing it with others.

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Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher
health · inspiration · personal development · self help · teaching

Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Over the years as a teacher, I have observed my colleagues stay at school way into the night hours, take stacks of work home, and complain they have no time for themselves or their families. Some even come to school to work on the weekends. They struggle with home-work balance, finding time to be a great parent, teacher, friend, family member. Their workload takes its toll on their mental and physical health. If there is a complement I consistently receive from other teachers, it’s that I have good home-work balance. Part of this stems from placing a priority on my inner peace above and beyond else, but there also are many habits and protocols I have put into place over the years to accomplish this. I realize there are countless blogs and posts on self care, but this one is for my teacher friends.

Set boundaries.

Teaching can consume all of your time if you allow it to. There is always something else to do! You have to start by setting some time boundaries. Now, I am not one of those teachers who spend all their time at school, but nor am I one who gets there at the last minute as buses are unloading and driving off as buses pull out. I come in an hour before kids and often stay an hour after my contracted day. I am motivated to be a great teacher and I love my students! But I also love my family and protecting and guarding my own mental and physical wellbeing. You will never look back ten years from now and think “I wish I spent more time at work,” but you may wish you spent more time with your family, chasing your dreams and taking care of your health.

When you’re thinking about setting time boundaries, set a time that you can be consistent with and agree with yourself that you will stop working and leave at that time daily. For me, the school day ends at 2:30 and I am committed to leave at 3:30. That is a personal time boundary to set for yourself that allows you to get your work done, but also have time for your family and for yourself.

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

You have also probably heard the expression that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Some of the things you should consider doing to fill your cup are:

  • Exercise (bonus points if this includes a yoga class once a week)
  • Go to a spa, get a massage, or go to the infrared sauna once a week (*stay tuned* – future post topic)
  • Allow yourself to indulge in a hobby whether that’s reading, writing, art, or playing an instrument
  • Get outside. Work in the garden. Take a neighborhood walk or go for a hike – make it a point to get outside and get some sunlight.
  • Make a point to go outside and get some sunlight EVERY DAY during your lunch break or planning at school. This helps your circadian rhythm and will help you sleep through the night. Hit me up in the comments if you want to know more about circadian rhythm or you can Google it.
  • Start taking a magnesium supplement. This will also help promote sleeping through the night.
  • Consider quitting drinking – that’s a whole different post.

My list is a little different than your typical “self-care list.” That’s because TRUE self care means taking care of yourself. Not filling yourself with gluten or breathing in artificial fragrance from scented candles. Not lounging on the couch for hours and binging shows. Not coming home and napping which disrupts your natural circadian rhythm and is no doubt the reason you can’t sleep at night.

Redefining self care.

While some think of self care as comfort, true self care means you’re improving your health and not detracting from it. True self care means taking care of yourself. If you get on Pinterest and type in “self care,” you’ll no doubt see suggestions like binging your favorite show, napping, having a glass of wine, enjoying your favorite comfort food or lighting scented candles (learn more about exposure to artificial fragrance here). However these all lower your immune system or interrupt your sleep. Take this challenge if you wouldn’t mind humoring me: list the things you do for self care and make a two column table beside it. Label one column “raises my immune system” and the second one “lowers.” If you go back and reread my list of self-care items, they are basically exercise, getting sunlight exposure, getting extra sleep during the night, and eating healthy. These all BOOST the immune system.

We find time (and energy) to do the things that matter to us.

If you are mentally pushing back, thinking how can you take a walk or exercise when you are exhausted from the school day, I hear you! Me too! But that’s the thing and the mindshift change you have to make. YOU GO ANYWAY. I rarely feel like going, but once I’m there I enjoy the routine and I feel AMAZING afterward. I think we mistakingly think of exercise as energy draining, but in actually it is life-giving! You will sleep so much better and you will feel so much stronger and more energized the next day. You will feel proud of yourself for doing it and more confident because your clothes will fit better.

Better sleep, better life.

The amount and quality of your sleep are paramount to your overall mental and physical health. Quality sleep belongs in this post because it’s a time boundary you need to set for yourself and a priority you have to set as well. Make sure that you are going to bed early enough to allow yourself the change to get 8 hours of sleep or rest. The big three that help me go to sleep and stay asleep are taking a magnesium gummy before bed (I like these), diffusing lavender and cedarwood in your bedroom, and temperature – keep your space cool and pile on extra blankets as needed. If you struggle with either going to sleep or staying asleep, I would encourage you to read my post on quality sleep, as there is much more to this than what I am sharing here.

Do your work at work (and how you can do this better.)

I VERY RARELY take any work home with me. The number one way I’m able to accomplish that is by setting planning, lunchtime and before/after school boundaries. In short, I close my door. Now a student here or there may need me and knock on my door, but for the most part, just by closing my door I’m able to work uninterrupted. This is not to be antisocial, but it gives me the time that is the topic of this entire post. I have also realized over the past few years as I have pinpointed my stressors and worked to minimize them, that interruptions are very high on the list. By setting the closed door boundary, I have minimized my interruptions, increased my productivity, and lowered my stress level.

Right or wrong, I eat in my classroom. I’m able to multi-task and get papers graded and recorded while I eat. My lunch is typically composed of finger food so it’s easy for me to be able to eat while I work. Then, as I mentioned earlier in this post, I make sure to get sunlight during this time. I set a timer to go off 8 minutes before students return. This gives me time to walk outdoors to the nicer faculty bathroom and wash my hands using nice hot water. There’s also a water bottle filling station there so I can refill my water bottle with ice and cold water.

Whether you are a teacher or not, a parent or not, the strategies and boundaries shared in this post can help anyone who is wanting to improve their sleep, energy, time management and quality of life. Please share your favorite tip in the comments and let me know if you have other suggestions for how teachers can set better boundaries and prioritize themselves.

Designing Your Perfect Day
health · inspiration · personal development · self help · wisdom

Designing Your Perfect Day

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Designing your perfect day is one of the best choices you can make to bring joy into your life. It’s the idea that begins with simply making a list of all of the things you would do on your ideal, perfect day. All of your favorite things! This can be paper/pencil or on the Notes app of your phone. You can start as soon as today! I’m suggested here, to be clear, not only thinking about planning, but executing your perfect day! You can repeat this several times a year!

Consider making a promise to yourself this year is to take a day each month, just to focus on yourself – your wants, needs and dreams. This can be a weekday or a weekend, but just making sure to do it. We get so busy in the rush of life, that we forget to take care of ourselves. Before we know it, weeks, months and even years have passed and all of the hopes and vision we had for our life have been placed on hold. And we don’t even realize we’re doing it. We forget to do basic care and maintenance for our bodies. We forget to rest. Our health can suffer the consequences.

Taking one day each month can be a game changer. It gives you the PERMISSION and the OPPORTUNITY to stop and check in with what matters to you. There are some mindset shifts, exercises, processes and ideas that can help you to plan and execute this.

Mindset matters. On days like this, it can be easy to fall into the trap of doing work. If you are the workaholic, busy type like many of us are, it can be easy to take a day off for yourself, only to realize you spent it working or running errands. You have to be intentional and set boundaries. Don’t let yourself work and keep your mind set on this the entire day. Don’t check your email, and if possible, try and stay off your devices. Your only goal is to do what suits you! You are worthy and deserving of this.

To keep your perfect day centered around things you love and enjoy, there are several exercises you can use to remind yourself of your hobbies and interests, and processes that you will love to use for planning them. These processes can be done using the Notes app on your phone, Google Slides, or just using a pen and paper!

One of the best exercises you can implement using the Notes app of your phone. Create a note called “What matters to me.” Add a few things now that resonate, but continue to touch back and add to it as sort of an ongoing bulleted list for you. And along with that Note of things that matter to you, include a second Note called “my perfect day.” If you are more of a paper/pencil person, that works great too!

On your “my perfect day” Note, make a bucket list of all the things you would do on YOUR perfect day. Before you do, close your eyes and visualize yourself going through that day in the most delighted state imaginable. Elizabeth Gilbert shared an exercise for this on her podcast, where you close your eyes and visualize the most beautiful setting you can imagine, your favorite scent, the most delightful enjoyable sound, and the most cozy and satisfying fabric on your skin. For me, I’m at the beach viewing beautiful vistas at sunrise, listening to the waves crashing and the sound of birds, wearing my favorite fleece robe and smelling the aroma of my favorite coffee. When I did this exercise, it helped me know that being outdoors, enjoying coffee and watching the sunrise belong on that perfect day list. Close your eyes and go through each of your five senses and include the five things that come to your mind.

Another exercise that will help to design and plan your perfect day, is similar to creating a vision board. You open a blank Google slide and create a collage of images – things that you find are fun, that give you energy, or that are meaningful. Spend some time on this! Keep a tab open for this slide at all times so you can add to it and so that it’s always evolving. This exercise will help you to add other items to your perfect day list. Keeping a slide or list of the things that bring you joy will help you to be more intentional when you do take that day just for you. This helps make sure it isn’t wasted and that every second is spend on the things that make you happy!

Once you have a perfect day “bucket list” or Google slide vision board or both, don’t feel like you have to do all of the things, but instead use it as a way to be intentional and to inspire you. You will be excited the days and weeks leading up to your perfect day. It puts you in such a delightful planning state, trying to pick the exact activities that you think will bring you the most joy at that time. Become a perpetual LIST MAKER. Look over your Google slide, your bucket list, Notes on your phone and pick a few of those things, but always leave room for inspired action – to be spontaneous.

Your perfect day will include all of the things that bring you joy. Some ideas include going for a walk, treating yourself to your favorite coffee or smoothie, writing, yoga, sauna, have lunch with a friend, cast vision for your life, reading scriptures or positive quotes. Find quiet and solace in a bookstore or library and grab books filled with quotes and inspiration that fill your soul. You can also make sure on these days to schedule appointments that will make sure your body is as high functioning as it can be so that I will be strong and able bodied for your grandchildren and their children. Schedule an appointment with your therapist and at the chiropractor for these days. Healthy spine, healthy you. And seeing a therapist is what healthy people do. Seriously. It is so cathartic to feel truly heard and seen by someone. Lunch with your best friend can also serve this purpose.

When creating your list of things that bring your joy, be sure to incorporate visiting new places. It can be so inspiring to try new things and go on a short adventure. Go try that new restaurant for lunch that you’ve been dying to try. Anything life-giving. Outdoor walks. Time in the sunshine (vitamin D).

Consider what larger cities you live near. I live near Nashville, so love going to the zoo or Cheekwood or walking a trail at Radnor Lake, with NO TIME PRESSURE. I love simple things like going to Target at a time when it isn’t crowded or busy and I can linger on each aisle as long as I like (in particular I love the “good Target’) and Trader Joes on White Bridge Road in Nashville. I love Raising Cane’s. I love lattes and flat whites.

What does your perfect day look like? What aspects of designing a perfect day struck a chord with you? I hope this dive into designing your perfect day has inspired you to consider your own. Do you take days like this for yourself? What could you start putting into place so that you could incorporate days like this into your life? Do you see the value in it? Can you visualize it? Making lists of things that spark joy for you is a great place to start. Be intentional about scheduling days like this for yourself. Block them off on your calendar and stick to it. You will be so glad that you did.

Top 10 Life-Changing Young Living Products
essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Top 10 Life-Changing Young Living Products

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

I sat down to make a list of my top 10 Young Living products, and ended up with a list that was 30+ items long!

Asking me to pick my favorite oil or Young Living product is like asking me to pick my favorite child. It’s not really possible because I love them all differently, and for different reasons! However, I made the attempt.

To narrow it down to TEN, I set some criteria. I made a web and categorized all of my favorites by use. Then I really thought through which ones have been the most life-changing, most frequently ordered, have multiple uses, and why I used each of them. After MUCH contemplation, these are the ten that think I love the most.

  1. Lavender Lotion. If I stopped using oils today, or started getting oils from another company, this is the product I would continue to buy from Young Living. My whole life I have struggled with dry itchy skin, patches of eczema, cracked hands and heals and no lotion has really made a difference. This lotion is everything. I always keep a bottle at home and at work. When it gets to be half empty I go ahead and order a backup. No more eczema patches, and as a math teacher, I am a HAND MODEL. I have students watching my hands all day long. I cannot have haggard, ratchet looking hands. This lotion keeps my hands and feet soft and smooth, and I think, younger looking! You know how most lotions you apply, only to feel the need to reapply a half hour later or even sooner? Not this one. It is long lasting too! Learn more about Lavender Lotion here.
  2. Thieves Cleaner. This ONE cleaner replaced so many cleaners in our home that were full of harmful chemicals. It’s a concentrate, so not only does it last forever, but each 32 oz spray bottle that I mix up costs pennies, so it saves us a ton of money every single month. What did it replace? Pretty much every cleaner in our home. And when I switched to from using Clorox wipes in my classroom to using Thieves Cleaner, my students with asthma comment that my classroom is the one they feel safe in and that they can actually breathe. That is huge! Read my post on Thieves Cleaner and it’s many uses here. I also did a whole Ditch and Switch series if you are interested in making the shift to a chemical free home.
  3. Thieves Essential Oil. This oil. It is the one I reach for if myself or anyone in my home falls below the wellness line. We are diffusing it, applying it (diluted), adding it to our epsom salts bath, and personally I am adding it to a capsule or making a tea. I have an entire post on Thieves as well. It belongs in every home. I feel the need to add that if you are a DoTerra user and you are thinking “oh that’s basically OnGuard,” I disagree. I have tried OnGuard in the diffuser and topically and 1) it doesn’t smell as wonderful to me and 2) Thieves is the original and OnGuard is a copy. It’s like if you want Coca Cola and someone hands you a Sam’s Cola. If you would like to read more about the many uses and applications for Thieves, I wrote this one on common uses, and lesser known uses in this post.
  4. Lavender Essential Oil. I have indeed bought more bottles of this oil over the past 10 years than any other. The reason I know this is because I do a strange thing – I keep my empty oil bottles. There are SO many more lavender bottles than any other. That’s because lavender is the most versatile of all essential oils. It has been referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of oils. It’s good for allergies, skin, hair growth, sleep and anxiety just to name a few. It has dozens of uses. You can read my blog post on lavender here to learn about even more uses. Be cautioned about using just any lavender. Lavender has no regulation and anyone can slap a lavender essential oil label on a bottle and sell it. Lavender that you find on Amazon or at Walmart likely has no health benefit and is really just lavender fragrance. Fragrance itself is harmful and a whole other conversation for another post. If you want real lavender that satisfies the health claims I am making here, make sure you purchase from a company who has their own farms, grows the plant and distills the oil themselves – Young Living is the only company that does all of that.
  5. Valor Essential Oil. I am honestly surprised that this one is on my list. It didn’t make my original cut. I had to not only include it in my top 10, but put it higher on my list because of one word: VERSATILITY. Once I started thinking practically about what I use from Young Living and started list making what I use most often and why, this one appeared on EVERY list. It’s my go to for: back pain (it’s actually called “chiropractor in a bottle” by many), TMJ! Apply on jawline at bedtime. NO. MORE. TEETH GRINDING. Nerves/Anxiety – it’s in my Liquid X roller which will be the topic of an upcoming post. Valor + 4 other oils in combination have completely calmed this previously anxious girl. Valor also helps so much with SLEEP. And maybe one of it’s stranger uses is that it helps stop SNORING. How weird is that? Don’t take my word for it. Apply to the big toes of the person in your life who is snoring and you can thank me for this life changer.
  6. Life 9. I was reminded of the power of this AMAZING probiotic. I have tried other probiotics in effort to save money, but I would just go back to being bloated, having worse lactose intolerance and gluten issues, and just being backed up. I would also go back to feeling more sluggish overall. My most recent testimony is that in the past year I have hit menopause. I gained weight and inches in my middle. None of my pants fit anymore. I started watching what I ate more closely and working out daily but it didn’t help. I would cry at least once a week over it, mourning the youthful figure I once had and wondering if it was gone forever. I sat down one day and brainstormed if there was anything else I was or wasn’t doing. I had stopped taking Life 9 because of money. I had spent a couple of years trying every other probiotic under the sun just to cut cost. Then I went to a small local Young Living event last month and talked one on one with a Young Living exec who works in the supplement department. He asked me if I was taking Life 9 and when I said no, he asked why in the world not. He said to do that one thing and watch the difference. The next day I started taking Life 9 again. I have lost an inch if not two in my waist just in a few weeks. No more muffin top, back rolls, my old pants are fitting. The waistband of my leggings and joggers aren’t rolling down anymore. I’m having much greater bowel movements (sorry, not sorry if that’s TMI!) I am just blown away by the very recent difference I’m seeing, especially considering the fact I haven’t been able to exercise as much in the past few weeks due to my children’s busy schedule as well as my own. The Young Living exec said the difference (which I already knew and had forgotten) is that all YL supplements are made with essential oils which help make sure the body uses the supplement entirely. The addition of the oils whose molecules are tiny help make sure the supplement travels throughout the body. Over the counter probiotics are often not used by the body at all and just get expelled through our urine. The addition of the essential oils is crucial to making sure the body fully uses what we are putting in it, much the same way you should take a turmeric supplement that has black pepper (curcumin) otherwise you are just peeing it out. The 9 different probioitic strains are the exact ones we need for a healthy gut. We NEED good bacteria and not to take anti-biotics! Healthy gut goals! 75% of our immune system is located in the gut folks. End of probiotic Ted Talk.
  7. Copaiba Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner. This pair was such a great find and game changer and YL favorites of mine! Since we went chemical free in our home and all-in using essential oils, I have developed an intolerance for fragrance. Artificial fragrance burns my nose and makes my throat close up. Sadly, most store bought shampoos and conditioners have very strong artificial fragrance added. I was on the search for a shampoo and conditioner that smelled great but no artificial fragrance added, would clean and condition my hair, were absent of harmful chemicals like pthalates, and didn’t leave my hair frizzy (I have wavy, almost curly hair). That’s a tall order! I have tried dozens and dozens over the years, and this pair is the only set I have found that checks all of those boxes.
  8. Regenolone Lotion. This one also makes the cut because of it’s versatility. Attention anyone with arthritis, knee pain, back pain, painful bunions, healing stitches or deep cuts. As I’m contemplating how to explain to you what Regenolone is, I realize it’s going to sound a little bit like a miracle potion, and I would say that it is! Re-gen-o-lone re-gen-er-ates skin, tissue, cartilage. All I know is that before I started using it I had severe arthritis in my wrists, almost unbearable back pain that made me a huge grouch to be around, knees that ached and crackled when I would scale a set of stairs, and the most painful bunions that would only allow me to wear sneakers. When I use it WITH CONSISTENCY, there is no more crackling or pain in my knees, no back pain or sciatic pain in my legs, my wrist pain is almost a memory and my feet are feeling great and visibly look better! I have recently also discovered it helps with healing scars. I have had the deepest darkest C-section scar for years that I was hugely self-conscious of. It would even hurt from time to time when I lean against the edge of a bathroom or kitchen counter. I have noticed the pain minimize and the scar I swear is getting smaller and less visible! I will keep testing what it can do, but if I need any part of my body made new, I’m putting this on it!
  9. Kidscents Line. This may be cheating a bit, because this line has dozens of products, but there is no way I could pick just one of them for my top ten. It was such a game changer as a busy mom when I discovered this ready-made line of rollerballs for kids as well as chemical free bath gel, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste! And they are all potent enough to use for adults! When I first started using oils, I went all-in and did all the DIYS. For me, the longer I use oils, the fun and excitement of making rollers and products myself wore off, and I wanted something easy and ready made. Enter Kidscents line! Snifflease, Tummygize, Sleepyize, Owie, Geneyus and Kidpower, and they all do what their name implies. The Kidscents line is not only what I recommend to friends with kids, but anyone who is apprehensive about diluting and making rollers themselves. These are READY TO GO, gentle enough for littles, but potent enough for adults! If I get a cut or scrape, I am grabbing Owie. If I want a good night sleep I’m applying or putting Sleepyize in the diffuser (each of the Kidscents oils are available in roller form and regular oil bottles). If my tummy is upset, I’m putting Tummygize on my belly. Can’t focus? Geneyus. Need courage or to soothe anxiety? Grab Kidpower. Runny or stuffy nose? Snifflease. Whether you have kids or not, you need this set in your home. All the relief, only oils have NO SIDE EFFECTS or medicine head!
  10. Lavender Lip Balm. I have tried so many lip balms and chapsticks over the years. For the longest, EOS and Carmex were my go-to. But then I learned about all of the harmful ingredients in Carmex and the toxins in artificial fragrance and flavors in EOS products. And we are putting this on our mouths and licking it off! How about a lip balm with a list of ingredients that we can pronounce and find in nature, that is not only chemical free, but actually heals your lips so you don’t have to apply as often? Have you ever noticed that the more you apply products like Chapstick, the more you seem to need Chapstick? If you will try this lip balm you will never go back. I have one in my purse, my desk drawer, in my car, by the night stand, in the bathroom and for each of my children! THE. BEST. EVER.

If you are reading this and already a Young Living user, I’m curious if you agree with my list. What products would you add? If you are new to Young Living, what are you excited to try? You can get started with your very own account, get 24% off all products, and place your first order here.

If you are wondering why you should consider using essential oils and make the switch to a more natural lifestyle for your family, and why I chose Young Living specifically, I explain all of that in this post.

Note: I am a Young Living Brand Partner and may receive compensation via any links shared here.

What gives you energy?
health · natural lifestyle

What gives you energy?

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Our energy level is so important to doing all the things that need to be done in a given day, and how we feel in our bodies. When our energy is low, life can feel like a huge struggle. But the good news is that there are so many variables are within our control that we can impact to increase our energy level on a daily basis.

Being outdoors is life giving. Sunlight exposure releases seratonin in the brain which is one of the happy chemicals in our brain – mood boosting. You can track your time outside on your devices and try hit at least 100 minutes a day, even in the winter months. On rainy days it doesn’t rain ALL DAY. So you may find even on those days you can carve out some outdoor time. You have to make it a non-negotiable for yourself, just like any other habit that you want to stick. Getting sunlight in the early morning hours (during/after sunrise) is so important. You can set an alarm on your phone that goes off every morning 10 minutes before sunrise. Even days you are at work you can step out and take a short 5-10 minute walk. You can do the same thing at lunch and try to after work as well. Daily sunlight exposure also helps with our circadian rhythm which impacts our sleep!

Sleep is so important to energy level. During the work week, 8 hours may not always be realistic realistic, but you can try to shoot for 6 and a half to 7 at a minimum. On days you don’t work, strive to hit that 8 hour mark. You can track this on your devices as well. You will sleep better when you limit your fluids before bedtime, keep it cool in the room but put on lots of covers. Strange things like wearing socks and certain comfy joggers may impact your sleep. Wearing pants that stay in place is helpful (that don’t ride up to your knee) but also cotton or other lightweight fabrics are helpful. You can diffuse and wear essential oils like lavender and cedarwood. Cedarwood and magnesium are everything for sleep. A total game changer. Reading before bed helps too. Put your phone in “red mode” and airplane mode. Also try to stay off your phone while laying in bed. You should train your brain that the bed is where we sleep, not where we eat, watch TV, or scroll on our phones. This may be far from your norm but I promise it helps!

Exercise can make so much difference for your energy level. After a long day at work, it can be so tempting to go home and collapse on the couch and binge Netflix. It may even feel intuitive to go take a nap! But you will learn different. Once you have made exercise after work a non-negotiable, your energy level will be so much better. Not just after your workout, but the following day. The days you exercise, you will sleep better, and when you sleep better, you feel so much better the day after! I will be honest – at first it will be HARD, but what they say about it taking 30 days to form a habit is so true! Once it’s your habit, it will become automatic. If you don’t already have a practice of daily exercise, I recommend starting with a walk around your neighborhood. And the first week will be the hardest. The most difficult part of starting an exercise practice is pulling on those workout clothes. So just do it! Once you’ve gone to the trouble of changing clothes, it’s happening!

Eating healthier can be another game changer. Anytime you consider eating something, ask yourself if you will feel better or worse after eating it. When you become more mindful of everything you put in your mouth, and start looking at it through this lens, everything will change. If you have an intolerance to certain foods like gluten or lactose, it may become easier for you to say “no” to those foods because you will in time care more about how you feel! If you don’t have an intolerance to any foods, there are surely foods that you can think of that make you feel better afterward, or worse afterward. Eat more of the things that make you feel good and energized and less of those that don’t. Plain and simple.

Finally, spend time with people who fill your tank. These can be friends or family members, but you know who the people are in your life that just make you feel better when you are around them.

These may seem common sense, but they are also all things that require intentionalilty, and are worth making a priority. As you create better habits and a healthier lifestyle, you will find that these life choices will give you more energy and improve your life as a whole.

health · inspiration · personal development · self help · Uncategorized · wisdom

Starting a Metta Practice

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This is a new concept to me, and I discovered it listening to this episode of the Ten Percent Happier podcast. What made it compelling to me, was when the guest Devin Berry shared that he felt difficult to be around, angry, and easily offended. He also describes himself as sarcastic and skeptical, and that fact that all of those descriptors sadly resonated with me and how badly I didn’t want them to.

As I listened to him talk through a Metta Practice, I tried it for myself. I did not expect the tears to flow! I released so much emotion as I wished love and kindness to others, but especially as I wished it for myself and also forgave myself. I didn’t know that I needed this. Thank you Devin so much for being vulnerable and sharing your experience with Metta.

It has been a long time since I have felt this big of a shift in energy in such a positive way, and I wanted to share it here for a couple of reasons: 1) to selfishly help me process it, and 2) in case others want to find all of the high points shared in the podcast and this short and condensed form.

Initially I thought I would just listen to the podcast once a week, but I don’t trust myself to dedicate an hour to listen through all that is presented there.

Metta is a Buddhist practice that essentially is a practice of wishing others good will, including yourself. It’s the practice of becoming kind and benevolent. There are many mantras involved which I already believe in and practice. I have been a long time believer in the concept of repeating a positive saying or intention throughout my day. I have a yoga practice, and deep breathing and quieting the mind is a part of that.

I also want to go on the record as saying that you do not have to be Buddhist to practice Metta and wish goodwill toward others. I identify as a Christian, believe and God and Jesus, 100 percent. I strongly believe that you can adopt pieces of other religious practices as your own and that all religions have practices we can use to better ourselves.

This practice of Metta takes meditation a step further with a very specific series of mantras, to open your mind and heart.

Choose some meaningful phrases of what you want to bring into your life. These were suggested:

May I be happy and peaceful (may I have joy and contentment).

May I be safe.

May I be protected.

May I have well-being.

This can be hard to wish for yourself. Dan Harris, the host of the podcast, suggests that you begin with “easy people” – someone you love, and if people are hard choose a pet. This made me laugh, but I also found it relatable. Dan suggests also starting your children or spouse. He really likes to front load with two easy people. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.”

Eastern practice starts with yourself, but that is hard for most of us so they are inverting this. Once you’ve done your two easy people, you can move to a mentor. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.”

Then someone you see on a regular basis, and neutral person. I am sitting at a coffee shop right now, and I chose the barista that I literally have seen every day this summer. I’m not even sure of her name, but “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.” This one got to me today, because it opened my eyes to how I neglect to think of people in service as being just like me, having real feelings and hopes and dreams. Teary-eyed as a type this.

From the neutral person you shift to a difficult person. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.” Each time a think of a “difficult” person, what I find is that I really care for them and have no issue really wanting these things for them, but what makes it hard is that I don’t feel like they want it in return for me. I feel that they either don’t like me or that I annoy them. It points me back to my own lack of self-worth.

From the difficult person you shift to yourself. The idea being that you are better able to want these things for yourself if you are able to wish them for others, even those who are difficult. “May I be happy and peaceful, may I be safe, may I be protected, may I have well-being.”

I will add that as Dan talks through this part of the podcast which I found so very valuable, but he talked through it so fast that I had to re-listen to this part over and over to get it all in my mind. Roughly around 17 minutes into the podcast.

The sense of seeing yourself as a part of an interconnected web, helps you to be kind and step outside yourself. It helps you stop feeling you need more and more, that you need to collect things.

Think of people in your life who have been generous to you. How can you replicate that? How can you serve and volunteer and contribute to the greater good? Each time you practice this, it will help you let go of your since of self and selfishness.

Again, here is the link to the episode of Ten Percent Happier that I refer to in the blog post, but I also recommend that you subscribe to Dan Harris’s Podcast. They are all so good.

Processing Negative Emotions in the Body
essential oils · health · natural lifestyle · personal development

Processing Negative Emotions in the Body

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Let. It. Go. Anger, hate, resentment – all the negativity.

Did you know that each of our emotions are stored in specific organs of our body? Anger, for example, is stored in the liver. If you think about it this makes a lot of sense. Think of the term “disease.” Broken down it is literally “dis-ease,” meaning we are not at ease. Negative emotions then present themselves as illnesses in our bodies. This means the more emotional healing that we do can result in physical healing and better health overall.

Each emotion we have gets stored in a specific organ in our bodies according to traditional Chinese medicine. Learn more here.

Let’s take a look at anger, specifically, how we can process it in a healthy way, and actually release it from our bodies. Because it is stored in the liver, a focus on liver health is imperative. The liver serves as the body’s filter, so the fewer toxins, alcohol and drugs that we ingest the better. The more water and whole foods we take in the better. It’s kind of common sense, but a healthy liver is going to benefit you having a more peaceful life experience if that is the home to anger!

Anger can be released by the use and application of specific essential oils. There are blends of these oils for this exact purpose. Three of my favorites are Juvaflex, Release, and Trauma Life. Trauma Life is great for helping to bring suppressed emotions to the surface so that you can then process them. Release is good for releasing negative emotions in general, while Juvaflex targets liver health specifically.

If your focus is releasing anger, Juvaflex would be your best bet. Anger and hate are stored in the liver, which causes extreme toxicity. Juvaflex contains oils that have been recognized medically and traditionally for aiding the body in cleansing the liver, allowing the body to release the emotions of anger and hate. You can either apply these oils over the liver which is right below the rib cage on the right side. Or you can just add a drop or two to epsom salts in a bath. You can almost feel the negativity melt away.

If your anger stems from trauma or past events and resentment, I would strongly consider Trauma Life. This blend helps bring suppressed anger and other negative emotions to the surface so that you can process it and move through it. I would recommend simultaneously seeing a therapist to help you talk through these feelings in a supported setting. The application and recommended uses for Trauma Life are the same as explained for Juvaflex.

All three of the oils I have shared here can be used to help you process anger and help facilitate moving through negative emotions so that you can lead a happier, healthier life.

Finally, for processing and releasing more deep-rooted emotions and trauma as a result of abuse, there is a blend creating for that called Sara. Sara promotes relaxation into a mental state whereby you may be able to release and let go of negative emotions and the memory of traumatic experiences.

For more tips and ideas for processing negative emotions, check out 6 Healthy Ways to Process Emotions as an Introvert.

This article contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

health · kids · parenting

Turning off your thoughts: a guide for kids.

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I teach sixth grade, and every day I share a thought for the day (a positive quote) with my students. Today’s thought was “One of the greatest addictions people have is the addiction to thought.” I talked to them about how when we think about addiction, we usually think about being addicted to video games or soda or TV, but thinking can also be an addition. In fact, these days most of us can find ourselves addicted to thinking, especially negative thoughts. I asked students if they ever have a hard time falling asleep because they can’t shut their brains off. In all four of my classes, every hand went up. I asked if they would like to know a way to stop it, and I had their full attention.

I had them do an experiment. I had them close their eyes and listen for a sound: the sound of the heating/air unit. It makes a soft white noise sound. Then I asked if they noticed that while they were listening, they weren’t thinking any other thoughts. They agreed that was true.

I explained they could practice that same process at home at night when they’re trying to go to sleep. I also used the word “meditation” at this point and several kids made faces at me. I asked them if when I said the word “meditation” they thought of sitting in a cross-legged position and saying “ohm” and they laughed. I explained that meditation isn’t really about that, that it’s quieting the mind.

Then I asked if anyone had a sound machine in their room. Some said yes, but most didn’t know what a sound machine was. I explained that sound machines can play ocean wave sounds (my favorite), white noise (and what that means), thunderstorms (my father-in-law’s favorite), and one with crickets and birds chirping, which I would personally find annoying. Some students shared that you can have Amazon Alexa play ocean or beach sounds too.

I encouraged them to try this and really focus on listening to and really focusing on whatever white noise sound they chose, then to let me know if it made a difference for them.

We also talked about how tapping in to any of the five senses can help bring you back to the present moment. You can feel the fabric of your jeans or shirt. Like when I’m driving, I will feel the texture of the steering wheel or the fabric of the seat and it will calm me and ground me. In my classroom, during cold weather months, I play a video of a fireplace during classwork time, and during warmer months, I play a video of ocean waves or beach scenery. Both of these are calming and students tell me they help them to be calm and to “turn their brain off” of whatever may be bothering them. Then they can refocus and get back to work.

Our brains tend to have so many tabs open and we can feel so overwhelmed that we don’t know where to start. By practicing mindfulness and having techniques to stop thought, we can turn off the tape playing in our minds of what has already happened or things that we may be anxious about happening in the future. We can be here. Now. In the moment. Namaste.

health · natural lifestyle

Young Living Lavender Lotion, How I Love Thee

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I wanted to give a quick shout out to what is quite possibly my favorite Young Living product!

Do you know about Young Living’s Lavender Lotion? If you or anyone in your family is in search of that one product that will soothe your skin, look no further.

My sweet daughter now has perfectly soft, healthy skin. That was not her story six years ago, before I discovered this lotion. We had tried everything and nothing worked. Aquaphor and Eucerin were ok, but this Lavender Lotion completely soothed her skin like nothing else.

I’m a teacher, and had dry, cracked hands from frequent washing and using those rough brown school paper towels multiple times a day. And they were even worse in winter months, until I discovered this wonderful product.

Perhaps the best thing about this lotion is that it is all natural and COMPLETELY plant-based. And Young Living lavender fields are weeded BY HAND. This company blows me away with how pure of a product they are committed to provide.

Because it is all natural, it is FRAGRANCE FREE. Oh, it has the most beautiful lavender scent that you will fall in love with, but there is no ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCE. Do you know why this matters so much? Did you know that due to trade secrets companies don’t have to tell you what is in fragrance when they scent their products artificially? They can get away with just putting “fragrance” on the label. That concerns me and it should concern you too. We banned Bath and Body from our home two years ago and never looked back.

“A 1986 report by the National Academy of Sciences noted that 95 percent of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum (yep, crude oil) and include benzene derivatives (carcinogenic), aldehydes, toluene, and many other known toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, central nervous system …”

A simple Google search for “what is in artificial fragrance” will pull this up and a host of others!!!

I know some scoff and say, “well, you’re gonna die of something” or “Well, everyone else uses Bath and Body. I love my Bath and Body.” I’ll tell you what I tell my sixth graders: “everyone else is doing it” is the dumbest reason to do anything! (That’s actually a Joyce Meyer quote but I have totally stolen it.)

I want to give myself and my family the absolute best shot at a quality life as possible. When you know better, you do better.

Young Living’s fragrance free, plant-based products are things I would buy anyway, but YL gives me 24% back each month for being a loyal customer. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, kids body wash, kids shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, and on and on.

I am willing to sacrifice new clothes and shoes for myself. I’m willing to sacrifice buying frivolous things I don’t need. But I have found I don’t need to make those sacrifices anymore. My oil habit is paid for because I share my passion for this lifestyle with others and the company rewards me for that. And you are able to do the same. You can learn more about Young Living, purchase essential oils, and natural products like Lavender Lotion here.

I invest in my family’s health because it matters. I hope you will join me.

Let’s all share with those we love that there is a better way. ❤️❤️❤️

If you love Lavender Lotion or any of Young Living’s other personal care products, please share in the comments.

Hey Mom! Want to Sled with Us?
health · parenting

Hey Mom! Want to Sled with Us?

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I had my children a little later in life than most. I’m in my mid-forties, and have an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old. They REALLY want me to play and sled with them on snow days. And I really want to play with them.

As we get older, mentally we want to have fun and do the same things we did when we were younger, but in reality, our bodies have changed and we have to be more careful to make sure we don’t end up hurting ourselves.

There are three things I do to help prevent injury when I know I’ll be sledding with my kids and they work wonderfully:

  1. Take an Aleve beforehand. I’ve sledded without doing this and have paid the price. The last two snows where I had the forethought to take one before sledding, made a huge difference!
  2. Keep your abs and core tight as you sled. If I’m going to injure myself sledding, it’s going to more than likely be a back injury. I know from taking yoga and pilates, that when you tighten your core (in other words your abdominals, gluteal and back muscles) you are protecting your back! Not to mention, it’s a good core workout!
  3. Apply essential oils beforehand. If you have Young Living’s Panaway or Deep Relief blends, they have been the best that I have found. Ortho Sport or Ortho Ease (also Young Living) work great as well. I prefer Ortho Sport and Ortho Ease since they are already diluted. If you use Panaway, you may want to dilute with a carrier oil. I apply not only to my back, but also to my knees as a preventative measure. If you use other brands of essential oils, I recommend any blend with wintergreen and peppermint. If you would like to buy any of these life-changing oils, you can buy them here.

I was able to sled with my children again today, and can happily report I have no injuries whatsoever, had a great time, and my kids’ love watching me have fun too.