Summertime is full of fun activities, but do your best to not over schedule yourself. If you’re taking a trip, don’t wait until the last minute to pack. If you’re throwing a party, take it easy on yourself and make it a potluck. The less pressure you put on yourself, the less stressed you’ll be in the long run.
1. Acknowledge and accept your feelings.
Whenever you are experiencing any challenging feeling, it’s always important to stop and acknowledge the feeling you’re having. In this case, acknowledge the overwhelm and try to accept it. Overwhelm is normal and expected when you have a lot going on. Acknowledging and accepting your overwhelm is the first step to letting it go.
2. Determine where the overwhelm is coming from.
We feel overwhelmed when there is too much of something: too much to do, too many feelings, too many things to think about, too many people or things pulling us in too many directions… you get the idea! After you acknowledge that you are overwhelmed, ask yourself what’s causing the feeling. For me, it’s often caused by the feeling that I have to give all the people and all the things all of my attention right now and I have to do it all perfectly. That’s a very overwhelming feeling!
3. Figure out the truth.
Once you know where the overwhelm is coming from, you might notice that you’re telling yourself a story that isn’t true. Like in my example from above, it might feel like I need to take care of everything all at once and I need to do it all perfectly, but that simply is not true. The truth is that some things can be set aside for now. The truth is that everything will be okay if I let go of perfection.
4. Ask yourself what you need.
This step can be challenging at first but it is so important. Once you know that you are overwhelmed, you know what’s causing the overwhelm, and you’ve been honest with yourself about it, it’s time to ask yourself what you need right now in this moment. Maybe you need to tackle a task and get it out of the way, maybe you need a break, or maybe stepping outside for a walk will help tame your overwhelm. There is no right or wrong answer here, just figure out what will give you a bit of space to breathe and feel a bit calmer.
5. Take one small step.
Now that you know what you need, take one small step to help yourself. If you need a walk, take one. If you need to check something off your list, do it. One small step will usually lead you to one next step, and before you know it, you’ve calmed yourself down and you’re ready for the next thing.
I hope you find those tips as helpful as I have!!! See you next week!
Theresa LeGarie
As the name indicates, aromatherapy is a therapy that uses aromas. Aromatherapy is a branch of botanical medicine that uses volatile and aromatic plant compounds. Because of the unique direct relationship between emotions and olfaction within the brain, essential oils can help “unlock” stored memories and emotions. When you breathe in essential oils, molecules enter the limbic system and elicit an emotional response. An aversion to a particular oil may indicate something more than just personal preference. It could actually be stirring an unpleasant emotional reaction. Conversely, oils that bring about positive emotions are likely favored.
Intentional imprinting is a POWERFUL way to take control of your emotions by using essential oils, well, intentionally! Below are the steps:
1. You will be choosing (4) different essential oils and/or essential oil blends to correspond with one of the following emotions:
- Anger/Frustration
- Sadness
- Overwhelm/Stress
- Anxiety/Fear
2. Now, keep these oils on you or in places where you experience the opposite of the
emotions above. You will inhale your selected oil to start imprinting your limbic system to elicit the particular emotional response you want to occur when you want the emotion experienced.
For example, the opposite emotion of anger/frustration is calm. I choose to use
lavender essential oil in times of calm or when I experience a sense of calm in my life.
Examples of calm moments in my life might be in the evenings after my children have been put to bed or when I am in the shower taking a few moments to myself for self-care and relaxation. I will inhale lavender at these moments of calm as consistently as I can. Now, when I am feeling angry or frustrated, I need to take my bottle of lavender and inhale deeply. If I have been consistent for about 30 days, then my limbic system should be triggered by the lavender aroma to bring about a feeling of calm.
3. Be consistent. Try to inhale your chosen oil when you are feeling calm, happy, peaceful, or courageous every time you feel that emotion. It will take about 30 days to imprint your limbic system. Be patient with yourself if it takes longer. You need to remember to be intentional and conscious of your use of oils with your emotions.
Below are listed the (4) emotions we will be focusing on and the opposite emotions that we want to elicit. There are also suggested essential oils and blends for your consideration. Honestly, there is no right or wrong oil to pair with an emotion. I suggest trying to pick oils that you are drawn to.
Anger/Frustration – Calm
- lavender, bergamot, cedarwood, cypress, rose, melissa, orange, frankincense, geranium, helichyrsum, lemon, mandarin, sandalwood
Sadness – Joy, happy, blissful
- orange, geranium, helichrysum, joy, lime, lemon, citrus fresh
Overwhelm/Stress - Peace, tranquil, relaxing
- stress away, vetiver, peace & calming, cedarwood, lavender, tangerine
Anxiety/Fear – Courage, valor, bravery
- valor, peace & calming, sandalwood, bergamot, clary sage, geranium, juniper, marjoram, orange, Roman chamomile, myrrh, rose, ylang ylang
Have you ever woken up feeling unstoppable and ready to seize the day? Perhaps you know someone who radiates this energy and confidence at the crack of dawn. Whether you’re a morning person or not, there’s no denying that the first moments set the mood for the rest of the day. Essential oils can be used to tap directly into the limbic system to stimulate memories and emotions.
There are so many definitions for that single word. This is possibly because there is no scientific consensus on a single definition. Emotion represents a mental state associated with thoughts and feelings. It is a conscious experience with intense mental activity and a high degree of pleasure or displeasure. Emotion is often intertwined with mood, temperament, past experiences, personality, disposition, and motivation.
As you inhale essential oils, the tiny molecules enter the nasal cavity and pass by the olfactory bulb. Your olfactory bulb is a part of your limbic system and therefore your response to an aroma is going to be emotional before it can be rational.
This is great news! That means you can use essential oils to recall both good and bad memories. If they are bad, you can use the oils to help you release cellular memories stored in the body, allowing you to process and move past them.
We all regularly come in contact with reactions to smells. You walk into the house at dinner time and smell your favorite meal being prepared. Your emotions are instantly triggered by the fond memories you have of that meal and you feel joy. You smell the cologne your grandfather used to wear. It instantly triggers emotions based on your relationship. If you had a good relationship, you may feel emotions like love and joy. If you had a bad relationship or he has passed away, you may feel anger or sadness.
Incorporating essential oils into your morning routine can amplify your intentions and enhance your feelings of confidence so you can start your day from a place of strength. Layering and blending specific oils in distinct ways can help cultivate the right mindset to manifest your goals.
That’s why Young Living founder, D. Gary Young, put together an empowering essential oil routine, Gary’s Great Day Protocol. If you’d like to learn about the Great Day Protocol in more detail, click here and join in on our 4-day Great Day Protocol challenge!
Summer can be one of the best, most fun times of the year, and it can also be one of the most overwhelming times. We hear a lot of talk about the slow, relaxing days of summer, and that’s true to an extent, but when you have young kids, a job, and a life, summer can feel anything but slow.
Summertime living is easy — or so it seems. Between planning vacations and ball games, trying to get things done at work, and packing your days full of fun activities, the summer can be more chaotic than carefree.
All the little things you’re juggling can add to lots of stress: Contrary to popular belief, a new study from the American Physiological Society says that stress can rise in the summer. The good news? If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone, and there are plenty of ways to decrease your stress levels and keep your emotional health in check.
You know we’re going to talk about oils because they are beneficial when we are dealing with emotions, but we are also going to dig into more info and tips.
Pop this blend into your diffuser right now and feel yourself start to relax.
