Hectic Holidays and HSA's

How the holidays get hectic!  Then add open enrollment for health insurance.  This year, my husband's company did a massive overhaul to the system.  Now, we are extremely lucky in that he works for a great company that truly provides excellent benefits so don't take any of this post as a complaint.  The overhaul was encouraging employees to switch to a Health Savings Account instead of the previously offered PPO's.  As I said, we are extremely lucky in that they didn't just take the PPO off the table completely.  I know change is scary so we took a good look at the two plans.

In the process of doing our homework, which they gave lots of great resources as well, it occured to me that the quote I often say in my classes is really showing up in corporate America - "You are in charge of your own health.  You need to make the choices for yourself."  Well, I say something like that but basically when I am teaching about using doTERRA oils, I want people to know they have options even when their doctors roll their eyes.  With this major change to insurance and premiums where you cover your out of pocket expenses for just about all your sick visits until the deductible is met, it solidfies it for me.  I must make choices and my choices have consequences either to my health or my bank account - probably BOTH.

So with choices let's look at how each day we can make positive choices to keep us out of the doctor's office and those charges in that HSA.  Personally, I would rather keep that money for retirement than for being sick, what about you?

There is a quote I see frequently on my friend's Facebook feeds, "You will never out train a bad diet."  What you eat is the foundation of your health.  If you are filling your body with neon colored drinks and food then expecting to feel great, you are fooling yourself.  I have never seen neon colored fruits and veggies in the produce section.  But I am not telling you to clear your fridge and pantry and throw it all out because that is irresponsible.  There is too much hunger on this planet to waste food.  Start with one....1....uno...thing you can change to be healthier.  Drop one can of Coke for a large glass or two of water.  Instead of chips, try crunchy veggies.  Just one habit per week.  Then add another then another.  After a year, you will look back and be amazed at the changes you have made with small manageable changes.

In the meantime, make sure you get some good nutrition with good vitamins.  At our house, we use the LLV as we call it.

Knock on wood, as those around us have really been catching some major germs we have only suffered with a cold.  I really do credit good vitamins with keeping us well.  Why do I love them more than other vitamins?  I absorb them.  how do I know?  Let's just say, nothing is neon!  Watch this video to learn more.  

Following the chart above, you have to get moving.  Exercise.  We all know it, yet so many avoid it.  I am as guilty as anyone.  I will get better and you can too!

Rest & Stress management....I have blogged on stress so many times but it is so important.  Getting your sleep too.    The links will take you to my experiences where I didn't follow this plan.  It can get ugly.  With the new health insurance models, it looks like it will get expensive too.

If this blog does nothing more than make you think about what you eat and drink first, then I have accomplished my goal.  I want us all having the happy, healthy lives we want. 

Natural First Aid

Let's talk a bit about First Aid and the oils.  

 Let me warn you, there are some graphic pictures of my finger in this blog as well.  

About a week before I went to convention, I was trying to get some yardwork done.  It wasn't oppressively hot out and the shrubs needed trimming, weeds needed pulling, we needed to mulch the flower beds.  You get the picture.  I was on my last set of shrubs of the day with a our handy electric hedge trimmer.  

I cannot say if I was rushing or tired or just plain careless but I can say I got my finger with that power tool.  It stunned me for a second.  I felt dumb then it hurt.  The pain and the blood kicked into high gear as I ran into the house while the rest of my family was finishing up lunch.

Keeping my head in the game, I told my husband to grab Helichrysum and fast!  It is known as "the liquid bandaid" of oils.  I hovered over the sink washing off the finger complete with dirt and mulch.  I was pretty grossed out.  Blood is really not my thing.

The damage to my finger was signifcant but could have been much worse.  All things were attached thank heavens.

My husband handled everything calmly even as the kids were crying "why is Mommy crying and hurt?"  It was a rough few minutes.

Luckily for us, a friend was already on her way to pick up some items.  As she walked in the house, she was stunned at the chaos but put me in her car and off to Urgent Care we went.

Mind you, the bleeding was almost stopped.  As I got back to the nurses, the bleeding began again as the pulled the bandaging off.  My husband was complimented on his excellent First Aid.  The biggest question they had was, "why aren't you bleeding more?"  I replied, Helichyrsum.  It just worked.

With the finger cleaned up, I took a few pictures......

The nurses were kind, glued me back together and wrapped me back up.  I was off to travel west in just a few days.  It was sore and hurt to bump anything.  It was also swollen for a few days.

To help the soreness and swelling, I used Deep Blue.  

For the healing process, I chose to use my oils.  Although, I could not access the actual wound for many days, I applied Frankincense and Helichyrsum at the base of my finger three times a day.  Then I arrived at doTERRA's Aspire Convention where they announced a little product with a huge punch called CorrectX.  It packs all the heavy hitter oils like Frank, Helichrysum, Cedarwood and Lavender in a nice little ointment.  Perfect!

I even won this from Mark Wolfert!  Yeah me!!

Once the bandages came off, I started coating the wound.  It kept my skin moist but really helped speed the healing in my opinion.  I still have ant bites on my foot from June that haven't gone away!  

After a week and a half it looked like this.....the black is a where the glue caused my hand to bleed until the Dermabond sealed it up.  What a weird feeling!

About 2 full weeks later

3 weeks

And now....just about completely healed.  There is still nerve sensitivity on the pad of my fingertip so typing is not always fun but my nail bed is in good shape and really the shape of my finger is not terrible like they warned.  I am extremely pleased with my healing.

If I stress one thing with this blog no matter if you are an oil user or not, have some sort of First Aid kit in your home.  Accidents can happen anytime.  In the middle of one is not the time to wish you had some way to treat your friends or family.  I was extremely lucky to not really do some major damage to my hand.  I do highly suggest using a natural approach!  

Be safe!  Take your time with yard work!  

Aspire....to be all that you want to be.

I am back from doTERRA's Aspire Global convention.  It was in one word amazing.  It was my first convention but will not be my last.  Words cannot truly express the excitement I had leading up to the flight westbound....which is partly why I had writer's block.  

I was warned that Utah's weather could be all over the place in September so I packed expecting to be a bit cooler than our Savannah heat and humidity.  Lucky for them, I bought some heat with me...but it was a dry heat.  haha  Record temperatures the first day of 94! Hello, Peppermint oil!

I have been to smaller events so I know the feel of doTERRA well and that deep caring for the people and planet held true thoughout the entire week.  What took me a bit by surprise was how much my emotions stirred and the tears ran down my face.  Seriously...no one warned me to pack tissue!

Hearing the growers tell how they are so pleased to be able to offer jobs to people in their areas where poverty has been so much a part of life, other Wellness Advocates share their success stories, being educated on the products I love, and seeing all the new stuff had me reaching for my Balance and Lavender oils often.

My mother and sister were recogonized for some awesome rank achievements of Gold and Silver!  It was so awesome to see them walk across the stage in front of 18,000 people.  

So what did I learn.....

Arborvitae is an amazing new oil for giving me a bit of a filter.  It allowed me to take a second, formulate the right phrase and say the right thing.  Now, it has lots of other great properties they discussed but for me this was huge.






The new Breathe formula is great for me in dry air and on bad pillows.  My poor roomies!  If you snore, give it a go to help those around you get better rest as well as you.  It has the new Cardamom oil in it.

It was awesome to see myself in doTERRA Living Magazine!

Most importantly, I learned I have readers of this blog which is truly humbling. Honestly, this blog was just my little creative outlet.  Never did I think I would have people approaching me to tell me how much they enjoyed it or wanted to me my sweet boy from "The Spot" (who by the way will be 18 months is a climber!)  I guess I should be careful what I write...haha.  What happens in a blog....no that is just Vegas right?  

I will give you insight to a future blog.....electric hedge trimmers, a pointer finger and CorrectX......just give me a few more weeks.  

Let It Go

Sorry...yes I know the song is probably in your head now.  It is constantly in my head since I live with two girls ages 5 and 3.  The movies is constantly playing. 

Today's blog is about just that though....letting go.  Letting go of whatever is bothering you.  Frustration.  Addictions.  Anger.  And let in the happiness.  I know this all too well since it is a big part of my writer's block lately.  Frustration is the one for me.

Through my journey with doTERRA I have had far more ups than downs.  My family has experienced so many successes with better health, more joyfulness and even a bit of wealth all thanks to our little bottles of oil.  But I have had my share of lows, mainly frustrations.  

I have always been so excited to share my doTERRA with everyone and through that sharing I have been ridiculed by my doctors, called names by "friends" and other "fun" things.  Many have told me they would love to come to my classes then no show.  The most hurtful of all is the "friends" who have called me names thinking they are funny I suppose.  I find it funny they will ask my advice on resturants to schools for their kids, yet the thought of natural alternatives like essential oils evokes calling me a voodoo witch doctor.  hmm....

But, that doesn't stop me.  Why?  I know.  I know the power and change my family has seen and that is all that matters.

It does however wear down my soul a bit and I know that takes a toll on my kindess towards others.  Sharing can become a bit more challenging when you have a touch of fear lurking in the back of your brain hoping you aren't called another name.  Name calling is just so harmful.  Stop it if you do it!

Today, as I am checking out Facebook I find a post by Dr. Susan Lawton.  The "Let It Go" Blend.  She included a quote from Kate Spencer 

"Whatever someone has done to you is going to be attracted right back to them at some point.  You are not involved in this process, its simple law of attraction.

Stop carrying it around and let the universe take care of it - good, bad or indifferent. Their stuff, Their lesson. Let it Go."

And a lovely layering of oils to add....Juniper Berry, Geranium and Peppermint.

I saw the post and thought it was just for me.  Selfish, yeah I know but it hit me.  My frustrations were simmering rapidly today.  I did not want a boil over. I needed to let some things go.  So I got myself ready for the day and layered the three oils on my wrist and down the back of my neck.

By the time I sat down to write this, I laughed at myself thinking, now that I am all chilled out, how am I going to get this in a blog.  It worked!  I feel like a happy woman with a great perspective.  I know I can be kind, helpful and the woman I want to be to others.  Not a grumpy old troll!

So if you have things to let go....

1 drop each per wrist of Juniper Berry, Geranium and Peppermint.  Then down the back of your neck and tell yourself a new story of a positive life!  

Live a life of abundance and happiness!  A little Wild Orange in your water never hurt either.  :)

Catching ZZZ's

As I was watching the news a few mornings ago, I was pleasantly surprised to hear an update to some sleep studies.  Conventional wisdom has ingrained in us "get your 8 hours or else."  I don't know about you but getting 8 hours of sleep a night sounds fabulous but not attainable all the time.  I have kids, a job, friends, stuff to do and while I know sleep is important, sometimes it is just really hard to get 8 hours.

Well, this story was a nice change letting us off the hook of 8 hours and that the sweet spot for sleep might actually be 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep per night.  Even though it is less, I know that for many that still seems like a huge task to accomplish.  

Some of the highlights of the study I thought were interesting said less than 6 hours and your cortisol levels rose causing you to crave foods, store fat and loads of other bad stuff.  Too much sleep on the other hand....more than 8 hours could contribute to diabetes and depression.  The study does emphasize that everyone is different and your perfect amount of sleep might be different than mine.  

There are some options to help you get better sleep.  I still think quality sleep trumps quantity any day.  One of the best combos I love is Cedarwood and Lavender.  

I apply 1-2 drops of each oil per feet at bedtime and sleep it greatly improved.  

This picture was shared with me online.  I found this to be amazing and really great proof that the oils make a huge difference in your sleep.  Her comments are below the picture.  

"This is my fit bit read out if sleep. Top picture is no oils (the little blue lines are times of restlessness, stirring, etc. Bottom picture is with oils (serenity in bath tin and Cedarwood on feet and in diffuser). I'd say oils worked!"

Other great sleeping oils are Vetiver. Frankincense, Clary Sage, and Serenity.  Diffusing these, especially Vetiver and Serenity combined will really help with sleeping.   It fills the whole room and really helps everyone in the room.  

And for anyone who says "I hope you sleep like a baby" I laugh, they must not have been around babies sleeping.  I will wish a happy deep sleep......and your perfect 7 ish hours!

Move from Stick & Rudder to Autoland

Technology is a wonderful thing.  I have always been a huge proponent of technology helping humans have easier lives.  I just want to establish that first because the rest of this post will sound very much like I am someone who uses the phrase, "life was better back in the day."   That is a rare phrase coming from me.  Doing dishes by hand does not build character contrary to my grandmother's popular saying!  :)  Loading a dishwasher properly is a far better talent in my world.

I had the pleasure of listening to Annette, who is a shining Diamond in my up line, teaching about business building.  The discussion was wonderful and got my gears turning.  Much of my thought process was about the mistakes I have made in my doTERRA business and lessons I am learning each time I test out one of the "tried and true techniques".  I wanted to help my team not make my same mistakes.

As I many of you know I started my doTERRA journey in an area I was a relatively new resident.  I heavily relied on technology and social media.  I had a huge fear of talking about the oils I was just learning about to people I barely knew.  Even though I had heard, DON'T do mass emails to contact people, that is what I did.  My rate of return for contact was minimal.  When I did speak, I was made fun of by some.  It was very frustrating.

Fear was my enemy.  Don't make fear your enemy.

Maybe the daily dose of Cassia or Cinnamon

in my coffee has changed me or the training I have been given over the past few months or just life lessons, I will tell you I still email but I don't just rely on technology, emails and social media.

By the way...Cassia is the oil of Self Assurance!  Beat your fear with Cassia.

These days, I will  call, Skype, FaceTime, private message and have lots of one on one contact with people to give them a more personal touch.

It has truly made a huge difference in the response I get from people.  By taking a little time to really listen to their needs, offer support and sometimes solutions with the oils, I give them options but more importantly relationship.

We will call this personal contact the "stick and rudder" technique.  Sorry, sometimes the pilot in me just doesn't leave.  Without that stick and rudder skill to be able to listen to other humans and converse, life really can be hard.  This is not to say, you have to be a true extrovert vs an introvert.  You just have to be someone who cares and respects another person enough to give them your time.  It might be 5 minutes, it might 5 hours or longer.

The pastor at our church always stresses to us to "invest and invite".  This is so true to most of life's journey.  Invest in others and invite them along.  For fun, for healing, for coffee.  Invest first though....make sure that person knows they are special to you because you never know who on this planet has made sure to make them feel the opposite.

If you need an oil to help with connecting with others try Marjoram.  This is the oil of connection.  It helps soften, free those from life's harsh experiences and break the fear of rejection.  

So once you have those "stick and rudder" interpersonal skills you can move on to adding the technology.  A few tips of adding social media to your doTERRA business.  First and foremost, do a business page if you really want to build and talk nonstop about oils.  Nothing is more annoying than those who post about their current business on their personal page as if they suddenly became the product itself.  A post once in a while on your personal page is fine.  Just make sure it shows a great tip or something of real value to your friends.   Remember, your friends still want to be your friend.  Always keep in mind the "stick and rudder". 

Modern airliners have a great functionality called "AUTOLAND".  This function allows the pilots to program the autoflight system to fly the airplane completely through until landing.  It is really a wonderful feature when necessary but not utilized often.  Why?  Because most pilots have a desire to be part of the approach and landing.  The computers that do AUTOLAND have no real finesse. They know their parameters and can get you on the runway technically correct but probably not the smoothest, stylish landing.  Pilots truly take pride in their landings.  

How does this relate?  You are running your own business.  Take pride.  You can rely on technology to mass email, mass invite and show off you have a business but until you talk to people one on one or in smaller groups you will never show your true style and shine!  

Teaching a class? Kick those nerves!

I remember teaching my first few classes for doTERRA.  I was nervous.  For those of you who know me, you might be thinking, why you teach people for a living?  Yes, and when I first started doing that I was nervous too.  By my professional training I am a pilot...like the airline type.  Through family choices and airlines being a crazy world, I have chosen the path to teach the pilots to fly their business jets.  Adult learning is a little different than a childhood education.  In many ways, it can be intimidating for the instructor.  You can have very experienced individuals in a class to more of the "entry level" types.  Sometimes you are older and sometimes you are not.

After 20 plus months with doTERRA and teaching classes, I am finding quite the same thing.  Sometimes, I am teaching very experienced essential oil users and sometimes I am introducing someone for the first time.  Taking some technique from Vince Lombardi, I keep it basic for all.  He had a famous line he used on his professional football players, "Gentlemen, this is a football."  I try to keep it basic until the more complex issues come up.

I would love to say my first few classes were smooth and lit up the world but in all honesty, they were just okay and maybe even bad.  The good news is, I was teaching something I loved...the oils...to people I cared about....my friends.  They were kind and looked past my stammering.  Your friends and family will too!  They love you and will be thrilled you took the time to introduce them.  

To help any of you out there who intend on teaching classes, I thought I would give a few great tips that I have been taught by professionals and lessons I have learned.

  

First, do NOT expect perfection.  Not even after hundreds of classes.  Something is bound to happen.  You are human and humans are imperfectly perfect.  That is truly a hard statement for my little Type A, super perfectionists, always have a good landing with smiling passengers kind of personality to write.  But it is true.  Learn to laugh it off and move on, especially if the "something" is you.  Being human and showing people how they two can use and share doTERRA's oils is best done by imperfect people in my opinion.

If you must boost your sense of security, while teaching diffuse a few blends.  Citrus Bliss is always a hit but for a bigger emotional support.  I suggest two from Dr. Susan Lawton and Rebecca Hintze  In my diffuser, I have been experimenting with a few of these. I typically do 1/2/3 as my ratio of drops in the Lotus diffuser.

"I am Enough"

Vetiver, Geranium, Peppermint

"I know I am loved, important and respected."

Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Tangerine

Speaking of the Lotus diffuser, it makes a great timer.  You don't want to talk more than 1 hour.  45 minutes is best but 1 hour tops.  Guess what, that Lotus Diffuser runs for 1 hour and shuts off.  Start it when you start talking, and wrap up it up when it turns off!.  People stop learning after 50 minutes mostly due to focus issues. By stopping at 45 minutes, it gives you time i to answer questions and have some one on one time leaving the class about 2 hours total.

Here is another thing that is okay...even in the pilot world.  Someone asks you a question that you have no idea the answer.....it is okay to say, "I don't know but I will look see if I can find an answer and get back with you.  What is the best way I can get an answer back to you?"  The key here is to get an answer and follow up with that person.  It again shows you don't have to know everything thing because lets face it, you can't know everything.  And it shows that you do what you say you are going to do.  Find the answer and now you get to talk to that person again and maybe really help them in more ways than you even know.  I call that a huge win.  Your friend will appreciate that you took time to help them.  

Nerves can take over especially if you don't like public speaking.  Put your talking points on note cards.  Add in note cards that tell you to "Breathe" or "Take a sip of water".  It will slow you down and no one else knows what is on those cards but you.  

Practice Practice Practice.  Talk to yourself in the mirror.  Talk yourself through the class as you are cooking dinner.  Just practice.  It will help you to conquer nerves or at least appear that you have confidence when speaking.  

The power of positive thinking is huge as well!  Go into your class knowing that good will always come out of it.  You will introduce someone to a whole new way to look at health and wellness.  You will get to know a friend a little better.  Something good will always happen.  Everything works out for you!

And always remember.....to quote the great Lombardi again....

When Life Gives you Lemons.....

Hope that is doTERRA Lemon Oil!  

Lemon oil is so versatile it is part of the 101 Uses of the Intro Kit.  Some of the great uses for Lemon oil listed at that link:

1. A Cure for Laundry Neglect. Lemon essential oil takes out ALL odor when you forget and leave your load of laundry in the washer way too long! 
2. Tame Oozy, Sappy Trees. Whether the sap is on your carpet, clothes or seeped into your skin, lemon oil is excellent for removing pine gum and tree sap. 
3. Stop Grease in its Tracks. You just fixed your bike. Your hands are black and greasy. Soap alone won’t remove the grease, but lemon oil mixed with your soap will.  Lemon oil is a great de-greaser! 


Grease, you say?  Hmm.....let's put this little tip to the test shall we?  Well, that is what I said to myself today.  Why?  What was so greasy?  My garage floor.  Yes, guys....and I mean that as men....pay attention to this little blog.  The oils aren't just girly stuff.

I will admit that I have been a bit busy and I let my car go a bit long for an oil change.  It is very unlike me as I appreciate an well oiled engine and take care of my car.  My Dad taught me well in this area.  But it was overdue and started leaking on my garage floor.  

Not good at all. 

I also appreciate the fact that we don't want to walk out in the garage and step in this junk.

I decided to try just 10 drops of Lemon oil to see what exactly it would do.  Just 10 drops.  It was a spread out spot that has been baked by the south Georgia heat for about a month so I wasn't too hopeful anything would really make a difference.

But 10 drops of Lemon, a tsp of liquid soap, a bucket of water and a little bit of scrubbing....and I emphasize a little bit of scrubbing....I was really hot from our bike ride....we ended up with this:

It lightened up the spots and I think with some actual elbow grease and another application, it will be gone.  I was impressed.  

So why did it work?  As I teach my classes, I always brag that lemon and all citrus oils break down petrochemicals.  Motor oil is just that so I don't really know why I didn't think it would do much.  By taking Lemon oil internally, you help your body rid itself of petrochemicals as well.

I also warn anyone attending my classes to always use their citrus oils in glass or metal containers.  They will dissolve your stryofoam cup.  There are numerous YouTube videos you can google to see it all happen.  

I use my "jars" to drink my citrus water!

The number one question I get is "I don't drink motor oil or eat plastic, so how am I ingesting petrochemicals?"  Breathing and living in our society today.  It is just a fact of life that we are exposed to so many toxins, many which are petroleum based.

Everyday exposure happens more than we know.  From pesticides during the growing process to the additives in personal care products,  we are bombarded with chemicals.  Lemon oil helps break those down and rid our body...and garage floor of them.  

Cleaning your garage...or your house can be much easier and less toxic by using Lemon oil. Try switching to more of a green cleaning option using doTERRA's lemon oil.  You will still have a clean house or garage without the toxic chemicals.

Next item to tackle with Lemon....crayons on my wall!