The long, cold, winter seemed to last forever! It seemed like it would never leave. I actually laughed when I thought about the official first day of Spring being March 20th! There was still about 3 feel of snow in our yard! The ice was still pretty thick on the lake. People were getting fed up! And then, just when you thought winter was over, it snowed again!!
Now it’s the beginning of May, and I’m fairly optimistic that winter is finally over here in Northern Ontario. I’ve been walking the highway near my home, and the creek is now completely open, and the lake is almost there too! Just a couple of thin floating ice patches left.
Before you know it, we’ll be hearing the float planes taking off in the morning; a sure sign that summer is here!
As much as people here like to complain about the weather, I actually like the fact that we have four distinct seasons here. Sure, winter sometimes lasts a bit longer than we’d like, but even winter can be beautiful. Especially if you get outside and enjoy it!
Now that Spring looks like it’s finally here, I love watching the subtle changes everyday, seeing the leaves appear on the trees, and everything looking so lush and alive! I love seeing the water rushing down the rivers and waterfalls, and sometimes catching a glimpse of wildlife wandering around.
Every season brings its own beauty, and I look forward to every change and what the new season will bring. With Spring, everything is waking up after a long rest, and I feel like people do that too. More people are getting out and about after a winter of hibernation. It’s so nice to see people out walking, enjoying the nicer weather, stopping to chat with their neighbours, sitting outside on their decks.
I’m feeling more energized too! I’ve been a bit lazy lately about getting out for my walks, but now that Spring is in the air, I’ve been feeling more motivated to get outside and get some exercise!
This is actually the perfect time to be outside; you don’t have to walk through slush and snow, the weather warmer, and so far, no bugs! And I live in Northern Ontario, so you know they’ll be out soon! Blackfly season is definitely a thing! Hahaha!
I hope you embrace the changing seasons too, and make the most of every day to take in the beauty that surrounds you.
Here are a few suggestions for keeping your spirits up during the transition to nicer weather:
Mineral Sunscreen - you may not think you need it but you do! Those UV rays are sneaky!
Spring Diffuser Blend - Lemon, Lavender and Eucalyptus Radiata (a couple of drops of each)
It will freshen up your home, and uplift your spirits!
Outdoor Blend - you’re going to need this soon. Blackfly season is coming!
Thieves essential oil blend (and all the Thieves products) Sometimes changes in the seasons lead to more people catching colds and whatnot, so get that Thieves going in your diffuser, or put it on the bottoms of your feet before you go out.
I first started using essential oils back in 2012. At that time, I was a busy, working Mom with one of our kids in university, our oldest still living at home and our youngest was 15 and still in high school. He played hockey in our small community in Northern Ontario, and that means that if you want to play in a league, you have to do a lot of travelling.
It was on one of these hockey road trips that I smelled my first essential oil. We were playing in New Liskeard, which is a 7 hour drive from our hometown. In Northern Ontario, we measure distance by how many hours it takes to get there, not necessarily by how many kms it is.
Anyway, we were staying with a friend of mine who had offered to put us up for the weekend. I was grateful for the offer, since hockey travel is expensive, not matter how much you try cut corners.
My friend’s home was warm, cozy, and so welcoming, but what I noticed immediately was this wonderful aroma as we first entered. It was the smell of Thieves in the diffuser she had in her entryway that I was experiencing. And it was so lovely! I was an instant fan!
Following that visit, I ordered my first Premium Starter Bundle which came with a diffuser and 11 5ml bottles of essential oil as well as a couple of sachets of NingXia Red and a roller cap. I was really excited when it arrived, but other than diffusing the oils, I really didn’t know how to use them. I hadn’t even heard of essential oils until I visited my friend, so I was definitely really new to them, and unaware of their potential to support my health & well-being.
So, even though I had no idea what I was doing, I just started off by putting a couple of drops onto the bottom on my feet every morning. And diffusing them in my home every day.
The whole process of applying the oils took about two minutes every day. That’s it! Just a couple of minutes, and keep in mind, I had no idea what I was doing. I was just putting them on!
But you know what I was doing, that I didn’t even realize at the time? I was taking time for me. I was doing something to support my health, my spirit, my mind, just by prioritizing myself for two minutes every morning. I was training my brain to believe that I was worth taking care of too.
As a busy Mom, wife, and the director of a women’s shelter, I was so used to putting everyone else’s needs before my own. Sometimes, you can forget yourself in the process. You get so busy just doing, just living, just running, that you can forget how important it is to take care of yourself too.
Starting off with this one, seemingly little habit, of applying essential oils onto the bottoms of my feet, I began the process of creating healthy changes in my life. I didn’t realize it at the time, and it didn’t all happen overnight, but it did happen. And it all started with this one small step.
Are you ready to make a shift, to take a small step? It really can lead to big changes!
I love playing around with different essential oil combinations to put into my diffuser. It all just depends on my mood that day, or what kind of mood I would like to be in.
Sometimes a calming blend is nice, especially if I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed or stressed out, or when I just want to chill. I’ll put in a couple of drops of Cedarwood, Eucalyptus Blue, and Idaho Blue Spruce. Or maybe just a couple of drops of Vetiver and Tangerine. Lemongrass and Orange is also such a beautiful combo.
When I want to cheer myself up, I’ll use the citrus oils, like Orange, Lime, Tangerine, Grapefruit and Lemon. Any combo of those is always a great mood booster.
If you’re trying to focus on a project at work, try this great combo: a couple of drops each of Rosemary, Tangerine and Eucalyptus Radiata. My personal favourite combination for when I need to concentrate and get stuff done.
If you want to add a nice, sensory touch to your yoga or meditation practice, diffusing essential oils is the perfect way to do that. Frankincense and Northern Lights Black Spruce is a beautiful and centring combination.
When I’m looking to feel more energized and ready to take on the world, I’ll go for the tree oils, Pine, Cedarwood, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Idaho Blue Spruce, and pair them with one of the citrus oils and maybe one of the Eucalyptus oils just for that added freshness!
Whatever mood you want to create in your space, diffusing essential oils is a simple and beautiful way to do it.
Let me know your personal favourite combination so I can give it a try!
My birthday is in a few days. I’m going to be 63. My first birthday as a retired person. I’m still getting used to my new retired status. It’s a bit weird, to be honest, but I’m starting to settle in to the new routines. It’s nice being able to just ease into my morning, not having to rush off to a meeting, or get calls requiring me to deal with some issue or other.
On one hand, it feels strange to no longer be a part of an organization that I helped build for the last 39 years. On the other hand, it is such a relief to no longer be carrying the burden of that leadership role. Don’t get me wrong, it was a privilege and I am so thankful that I got to do something that I believed in, as a career, for so many years. I just think that now that I no longer have to carry the weight of that responsibility, I’m kind of feeling the strangeness of my new lightened load.
I am so grateful for my health, and mobility. You hear of so many people working all their lives, and then finally getting to retire, but health issues make their lives miserable. I really didn’t want to be in that situation. I wanted to stay healthy, so I could enjoy my retirement. I know some things are beyond your control, but as far as doing the things I could do to stay healthy, I definitely wanted to do that.
I’m trying to stay active, do my stretching every morning, and get out for a walk in the afternoon. Now that winter is here, I’ll go check out the local gym and do some inside walking, and take part in some yoga classes.
One of my all time fav things to do is share my love of Young Living essential oils. And today I’m off to a local vendor fair to set up a table. It’ll be great to see everyone and chat with people about how great these essential oils are! Being part of a community and staying social is an integral part of supporting your emotional and mental wellness, so as much as it is very tempting to hibernate during the cold winter months, I’m making sure I get out and take part in social gatherings as much as possible.
I’m looking forward to another trip around the sun, going on adventures, visiting with old friends, reading some good books. But whatever this new year holds for me, I know that “there’s and oil for that!”
Aaaa...Choo!! Ah, the sounds of Autumn!
Now that the kids are back in school, and people are back to work after summer vacation, we inevitably see more people getting sick with colds and flu. It happens every year, and once one child comes home with a bug, it tends to run rampant through the household, unfortunately.
I’m sitting here this morning with Thieves going in my diffuser. I’ve been diffusing Thieves for a few days in a row now, almost subconsciously. I usually pick different oils to put in my diffuser every day, but it’s been Thieves all day, everyday for the last little while.
I guess I associate the aroma with fall. It’s a beautiful blend of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Radiata and Rosemary.
Let’s break it down.
Cloves
- Young Living’s Clove essential oil is steam distilled from dried clove buds in Madagascar and has a sweet, spicy fragrance that is stimulating and revitalizing.
- It is approved in Canada as a Natural Health Product that can be used topically to help relieve joint or muscle pain associated with sprains, strains & rheumatoid arthritis.
- It can also be inhaled to reduce the symptoms of cough & cold.
Lemon
- Young Living’s Lemon essential oil is cold pressed from the fresh fruit peel of lemons grown in Argentina and the United States.
- Lemon oil has refreshing and cooling properties. It’s fresh, citrus scent is an instant pick-me-up!
- In Aromatherapy it can be used topically
- It is approved in Canada as a Natural Health Product and can be inhaled to reduce the symptoms of cough & cold.
Cinnamon
- Young Living’s Cinnamon Bark essential oil is warm and comforting and combined with Cloves, it gives Thieves itssignature, spicy aroma
- It’s considered a “hot” oil, so always dilute it if using topically
Eucalyptus Radiata
- Young Living’s Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil comes from an evergreen tree native to Australia that is part of the Myrtaceae plant family.
- Steam distilled from the leaves, Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil is loved for its fresh, sharply clean aroma.
- Use it topically for an invigorating massage after physical activity or to relieve joint or muscle pain associated with strains, sprains, and rheumatoid arthritis
- It’s also found in OrthoEase, which is one of my personal favourites
- It’s a Natural Health Product, approved by Health Canada, and can be inhaled to help relieve headaches
- Or inhaled to help relieve colds & colds
Rosemary
- Young Living’s Rosemary has a fresh, herbaceous, sweet, slightly medicinal aroma.
- It’s an energizing essential oil
- In Aromatherapy it can be used topically or inhaled
- It’s a Natural Health Product approved by Health Canada
- To relieve minor skin irritation, cuts, bruises & burns
- To help relieve joint or muscle pain associated with sprains, strains & rheumatoid arthritis
- When experiencing digestive discomfort can act as a carminative and antispasmodic
- To reduce the symptoms of cold & cough
Thieves is a Natural Health Product approved by Health Canada to help relieve cough & cold. Young Living’s line of Thieves products includes a whole range of household and personal care products from household cleaner to toothpaste and mouthwash! And the Thieves Cough & Cold Relief Chest Rub is a great to have on hand if you do end up with a cold bug.
This essential oil blend is definitely a “Must Have” for every household!
