Growing up I rode motorcycles, had camper adventures, climbed trees, played soccer, skateboarded, lived in my swimming pool, and I loved my pogo stick! I think these adolescent experiences allowed me the foundation to tap into the gentle but somewhat sassy warrior spirit when life calls for it. Of course, there is a period of time in between these adolescent experiences and the present woman I am today.
Anxiety and depression are part of this in between period of time. It started the last year of high school, into college, and really got my attention in Motherhood.
Today, I am blessed to have a beautiful tribe of women that meet to celebrate our wins together, we cheer and lift one another. Celebrating where we are today and manifest our futures..
Sometimes we forget what was going on 2 years ago, 3 years ago or maybe last month!
What if we took time to reflect and appreciate how we have evolved? If we were to celebrate the transformations both big and small? I recently had the reflection of how normal it is to go through the grocery store line, or sit in the movie theater without fear or having a panic attack. 5 years ago it was difficult to ride in a car, 8 months ago, I flew to Spain, France, and Italy and did it ALONE!! In an airplane! :) Happy dance! I am so grateful. This feels so light and free to think about.. As I take a deep yahoo breath! I celebrate how far I have come and the steps it took to get here and the ongoing steps to manage my anxiety. I don’t know that it will ever leave but the more I allow myself to get uncomfortable and stretch the more I grow. (yes growing pains are real!) It may be corny but I like to think the more we grow the more we glow!
Looking back I realize my anxiety and depression were not a daily part of my life and not consistent. The fun thing about it, I never knew when it was coming to visit. It started after a move to a new area in high school. I was well liked at my old school and people “got me”. This new place was small and not so open to new people or maybe not me, not really sure. I started missing days at school and feeling on the outside of everything. My self esteem was low and I was physically uncomfortable. I was depressed. It got way better in my Senior year, I found my tribe and they are still my friends today. The feelings of anxiety and days of depression were still there but not as often. When I started college, it became consistent and longer days. I dropped classes from missed days. This went on for years. When I became a Mom I realized my kids were witnessing behaviors I did not want them to see as “normal”. I wanted them to know I can care for them.
After having my kiddos new things became a challenge. Sitting in the movie theater next to them. I would often stand on the side close to the door. Getting through the grocery store line. Many baskets have been left full of food at the Safeway! Days of my kids seeing me crying or wanting to sleep. My heart sinks thinking of the “off” days. I felt like I wasn’t a good Mom. It was embarrassing. The hardest part was not knowing when it would creep up. This created more anxiety and feeling depressed and the cycle continued.
What changed?
My seven year old son got sick. He had digestive issues that turned serious. It was over 3 months of not being able to eat without spinning, he lost 7 pounds, his under eyes were purple. Our active boy didn’t want to get off the couch. We went to our Doctor, got referred to other Doctors and this went on with no answers or help. I was a Mom that felt helpless with no answers for my child. The world stopped for a beat. This time allowed me to explore what he and the family were eating, what we were using on our bodies, what we had in our home. Time to be honest here, we were a Glade pluggin’ Febreze spraying, antibiotics for everything, no awareness household. This was the end of one chapter and the beginning of rewriting new ones!
When I made that connection between what we put in our bodies, on our bodies, what we use in our homes and our overall health, the family made subtle and super easy-peasy switches!
I believe I played “THIS VS. THAT”:
A glass spray bottle with immune building, uplifting, pathogen killing essential oil room spray VS. Febreze. Super easy and way cheaper.
A diffuser filled with many combinations of essential oils to manage sleep, stress, emotions, mood, immune health VS. candles. This one gets an extra "Hey Hey!!" I am an admitted former candle addict. I had them all! I had the 3 wick candles, the foot long rectangle, the round short, the round tall, the square, the many, many tealights ….. you get the picture! Cupboards filled with candles! So believe me when I say releasing what no longer serves us IS possible! It was so fun making new scents that were WAY BETTER than any candle scent.
Non-toxic essential oil, yummy smelling cleaning supplies VS. bleach and harmful foul smelling cleaning supplies. Cleaning your home and smelling Wild Orange or Lime. You must try this!
Chemical free, non-hormone disrupting essential oils infused body lotions, shampoos and body wash VS. Chemical filled, hormone disrupting, no idea what is in this stuff. Making your own signature scent for your body products is wonderful.
Not finding answers for my son’s digestive issues led to uncovering a world that changed my life! A dear friend introduced me to essential oils for him that I believe saved his life.
The side benefits of using doTERRA essential oils for him is it that they did a 180 on my anxiety and depression!
This led to the next chapters of empowerment and personal development. I am 100% about the emotions that used to be a sore spot for me “Being too emotional”. Being an empath without boundaries and protection is not a good mixture. Finding the balance (or always balancing) of expressing emotions, and feeling others pain deeply but not taking it in, is key to being able to help others and still feel centered and grounded.
Have you heard of plunging other people’s energy? It is a daily practice for those of us that take on other people’s energy and then we are down for the count! That isn’t good for anyone! I think of it as “energy sprucing”. If you can “spruce” everyday you will let go of the things that truly do not serve you.
doTERRA means "Gift of the Earth" in Latin. These pure plant medicines have been a true gift and treasure for boundary protection, illness, plunging energy, managing emotions, and managing my health, my family's health, and the ripple goes across the planet.
When anxiety and depression came into my life, I slowly lost that sassy girl. Each little event whittled that away. I know that things come into our lives and happen for a divine reason. My son is healthy (thank you thank you) and I have a new way of experiencing life.
I am blessed to do the things I dreamed of. My top strength is connection. I longed for it and was trapped in a body that got overwhelmed by it. It is a gift to have people in my life that believe by lifting one another, we all are lifted. It is a DREAM! Our vibe attracts our tribe. When I was seeing grey I would not have attracted such lovely energy and people.
Not finding answers for my son’s health concerns led to uncovering a world that changed my life. It is my absolute pleasure and honor to pay it forward by educating in an uplifting and fun way. It is my intention to offer holistic possibilities for others experiencing similar situations. The smallest tweaks make a huge difference!! My intention is to uplift, empower and give you an Ah-ha moment of “why didn’t I do this earlier”?
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