The gift of losing expectations.

The gift of losing expectations.

What a wonderful, yet crazy season this is. The holiday season is at my door step and I find myself caught up in a seemingly endless loop of what I want to do, obligations that I am committed to do, and my own expectations of what I think I should be doing, or at least that was what this time of year used to look like for me. Last year, I gifted myself a year of working at letting go of expectations and it has been the best gift I could ever have given. Most of our stress comes from our own expectations. The expectations of how we think everything ‘should’ be and what we think others want us to be. We have become so focused on those unreal expectations of ourselves and trying to obtaining a Hallmark movie perfect Christmas and life. The truth is we end up looking more like a scene from National Lampoon. Did we buy this, make that, should we do this or that, did we remember to do this or that? It’s our own unobtainable expectations that can suck the joy out of life. In reality, all our family and friends ever really want, is us. Down the road, when all is said and done, all anyone really remembers is whether or not we were there. We don’t remember perfection, it doesn’t exist. All those to-do lists, or rather, the what we think we should do lists, will never compare to us simply showing up. So, gift yourself and your family and let go of the expectations that weigh you down. If you’re lucky there will be spills, tears, lists and dates that you forgot and unexpected mishaps, but it will be wonderfully memorable and full of love. We remember the company, the smells, the dried-out turkey, the tree that fell over, that really ugly sweater, the time we took a wrong turn and got lost, the laughs along the way and how we felt. The only thing anyone wants and needs is you, showing up as you are. Your presence is the gift.

Merry Christmas!!

The wonders of Thieves oil

Ahhh…. Thieves essential oil blend is one of my favorites to use in my diffuser, especially this time of year when the onslaught of colds and flus are upon us! If you don’t know, Thieves blends can vary but, most contain essential oils of Rosemary, Lemon (orange), Clove, Cinnamon and Eucalyptus. Each oil is effective on their own, but together they do pack a powerful punch. It is said that its name comes from the thieves that would use the blend to guard against contracting the bubonic plague whilst robbing the sick and dying. Whatever the reason I, like many people, will add a few drops in a diffuser when the germs start milling around and inhale it’s splendor.  This versatile blend can be used in more than one way during flu season! You can add it to a carrier oil and massage it into your feet, chest and back to ease congestion. Four of the five essential oils are warming and are quite soothing. I will often add a drop or two of pine, or my favorite, Siberian fir. Pine has long been noted with opening up bronchial tubes helping ease spastic coughing. You can also dilute Thieves in a spray bottle and spritz a little on your pillow, car, even on your hands in place of sanitizers. You can add to your bath salts with a little frankincense for a therapeutic soak in the tub. I mean the uses just go on and on and I haven’t started with the cleaning uses! There are a host of studies that show a drastic drop in air borne microorganisms in as little as twelve minutes with Thieves blend in a diffuser! That being said, before you begin dumping it on, always, ALWAYS dilute and use in moderation. Undiluted and over use can cause contact sensitivity and skin irritations. So, try a little Thieves this season and help clear away those germs!

Tell those stories

As I embark on my third Brave Soul Day, a day to celebrate the bravery in all of us, I am reminded of how EVERY person has a story, an inner world that we are unaware of. It’s an amazing thing to be a witness to the healing that happens when people are able to come together, open up and share their stories. We all have shadows, parts of ourselves that we view as unpleasant, and all of us feel that we are the only one, but of course no one is immune to idiosyncrasies of life. The amount of energy that we put into trying to stuff down our unpleasantries, our stories, takes a great toll on our health and our being as a whole. It is the voicing of our stories and working through them, that help us heal. Sharing our stories, our feelings and view helps to lighten the load and gives others permission to do the same. Have you ever been stewing on something that is keeping you up at night and consuming your thoughts, and the moment you actually voice it out loud, it may not be resolved, but you instantly feel lighter? All of a sudden just hearing it out loud gave you a new perspective? That’s what sharing those stories and hurts does. There is something that happens that instantly changes the energy behind it, reducing the charge. I won’t lie, it’s not easy. It takes a whole lot of nurturing, support and patience, from ourselves and others. It’s admittedly uncomfortable, even painful. Every person feels that they are alone in their struggles. Every person has felt that they need to do it on their own and suffer in silence. Well, we are not alone and silence actually perpetuates the suffering. There is always love and support, we need only to be willing to accept it. No one does this life alone and no one is free from the feelings that come with their stories. We all have our dark clouds, but behind those clouds, I know there is magic just waiting to be set free!