How Oils Changed My Life (for the better)
I am a WAHM of 4 amazing kids. I am a web developer and marketer. I completed coursework in French Aromatic Medicine (only need to finalize my certification). I am also a HypnoBirthing + HypnoMothering practitioner, registered yoga teacher and natural products aficionado. I used to mix and sell blends of “therapeutic grade” essential oils many years ago when I managed a popular new age bookshop. But while I always felt they were lovely, and even used them regularly, I never really felt that I got anything “therapeutic” out of them. Although I did see some benefits here and there, I all but forgot about them when the store was sold and I was no longer selling them. Obviously, nothing super impressive.
When my son was born, what was previously an interest in natural living became a way of life. I thoroughly researched every product and every brand that went on or into my baby’s (and mine and my husband’s) body. We shopped pretty much exclusively at the health food store, joined an organic CSA program, used homeopathic remedies, dabbled in herbology, made our own cleaning products, and filtered out our personal care products to a few thoroughly-researched brands. We went the “natural route” for just about everything, only resorting to conventional or mainstream products when absolutely necessary. Our health thrived, but we also learned that the natural way is not always the quickest way.
In the fall of 2013, I saw my friend Carol posting about Young Living essential oils, touting how they were supporting her family’s health and wellbeing in ways I could not believe. I trusted Carol, but I also scoffed because I had USED “therapeutic” essential oils in the past and there was no way they did the things Carol was saying. But then, after a very rough winter season, I caved, ready to try anything. After several weeks (not kidding) of researching every brand of essential oils out there, I decided on Young Living because of their Seed to Seal guarantee. It was a perfect fit with our family’s commitment to not consume any GMOs or pesticides. They were the only company I found that proved where their oils came from (you can actually visit their farms), and the only one that distilled their own oils. The more I learned about this process, the better I understood the reason why I did not see any benefit from the “other” oils I used in the past.
We hardly use ANY homeopathic remedies anymore (and we used to use them a lot). I am no longer a sleep deprived mama. We also save a ton of money previously spent on the health and personal care section of our local natural grocery store.
My Favorite Oil
What’s my favorite oil? Let me ask you something: for those of you with more than one child, who is your favorite child? Yeah. Same answer.
When Essential Oil Addicts like myself tell you that there’s an oil for everything, they aren’t kidding. There’s an oil that will support, optimize and enhance every part of you: physically, mentally and spiritually. I do have “favorites” but they are subject to change at a moment’s notice, based on what I need.
If I HAD to pick just one, then I’ll pick three:
COPIABA: It is a magnifier and gives a turbo boost to any other oil it is paired with. It’s also amazing by itself. It’s main constituent is beta-caryophyllene (Google it), which supports you feeling great in every way.
LAVENDER: It’s often referred to as the Swiss Army knife of essential oils because it’s so versatile. It’s super soothing to both the skin and the mind. Supports great sleep. I could go on…
THIEVES: This blend got its name from a legendary band of grave-robbers in Medieval Europe. They miraculously (thanks to a powerful blend of essential oils) robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. Think about that for a minute. It’s easy to then see why this blend was my “gateway oil.” It’s the reason I started on this amazing oil journey.
First Oil Success
STRESS AWAY!
When I first received my oil kit, it sat (unopened) in the box for over a week. I was busy and didn’t have time to learn how to use them. I finally joined the Hello Essentials Facebook Group and read how someone put a roller ball fitment on their bottle of Stress Away and wore it like a perfume. I opened Stress Away and loved the smell, so I put the roller ball in and threw it into my purse.
The following two weeks ended up being two of the craziest in recent memory. I was in training for a new technical job, while training someone else at my old job, and getting geared up to teach my first HypnoBirthing class, while still taking care of my toddler and preschooler. And, on top of it all, I learned that I was (very unexpectedly) in my first trimester of my third pregnancy.
I should have had a break down. At least one. But I religiously rolled the Stress Away on my wrists, back of my neck and temples. First thing in the morning, at lunch and in the early evening during what I call the “witching hour” (dinner/bath time, where the kids are going crazy and I may or may not be screaming at them). Looking back, when I finally had time to sit and breathe, I realized I did not shed one single tear during those otherwise stressful two weeks. Not one pregnancy-induced hormonal rage. I did not drink one sip of wine. I never once thought about giving up. I just kept moving forward, applied my Stress Away, and everything just fell into place. It almost seems impossible. Thank you Stress Away! I now call it “the wine of essential oils.” Especially useful during those times when you cannot drink actual wine.
Join Me In Hello Essentials
Hello Essentials is a Facebook group that I help admin with nearly 35,000 people who are interested in learning more about Young Living essential oils. No sales, just oil education. If you would like to join the group, send me a Facebook message or contact me to request an invitation to the group. See you there!