Month: August 2017

Cornerstones

by standinlovejen, posted in Ideas, Love, Passion

As I gaze out the kitchen window and fix my eyes on a beautiful Japanese blueberry tree in the distance, I feel summer’s end nearby.  I don’t know about you, but my heart is eagerly anticipating the change of season, bringing with it cooler temps and lively conversations around a circular fire pit out back.   Over the course of 8 weeks this summer, I had the unique opportunity to witness the incredible transformation of our back yard by a team of hard-working landscapers and talented masons.   Not only did they endure sweltering hours of oppressive desert heat removing overgrown Mesquite and African Sumac trees,  they skillfully and artfully arranged combinations of decorative flagstone into functional architectural features to be enjoyed by friends and family this fall.

The unanticipated gift from this experience was contemplating the importance of cornerstones and how their selection and level placement during the construction process affects the overall design and stability.

What is a Cornerstone?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a cornerstone as: (noun) a basic element : foundation. Digging a little further, ( yes, I admit freely I have a bit of an uncanny obsession with language and vocabulary)  I found this definition and enjoyed the depth of explanation:

cornerstone – the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; “the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture” . Synonyms:  fundament, groundwork, basis, foundation, base. 

It’s as though I had discovered this word, cornerstone, for the very first time.  It is likely I have uttered it without fully understanding or assimilating its meaning.   Sometimes it takes an experience to bring a word to light in our lives, and I just love the illuminating feeling that rises up within when that happens.

Who or What is Your Cornerstone?

Cornerstones are used ceremoniously to commemorate people or moments in time we would rather not forget.    They represent firm foundations and solid ground.   The level, the steady, the shaping element, the framework, and the fundamental, whose underlying base of support is perhaps taken inadvertently for granted.

What comes up for you when you think about the word cornerstone?  Is it a particular person or value?  Faith or spirituality?  In what are you placing your hope, your joy, and your trust?  Who is your cornerstone?  Who is your rock,  keeping you on solid ground, providing for you a firm foundation on which to build your hopes and dreams?

Take a moment to think about these cornerstones and appreciate them.   Allow your heart to swell with gladness and overflow into all you do, think, and say.

“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.”

                                                                                                            – Wayne Dyer

What do you truly LOVE in this life?  What are you certain brings you joy, happiness, and a reason to get up and begin a fresh, new day?   What is that ONE thing that you just can’t bear to live without?  Are you feeling it? Living it? Doing it? If the answer is not a resounding YES, ask yourself why?

 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer, speaker, and marketing consultant.  She works as a  Community Partner volunteer for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million women globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host your own BeadforLife marketplace or essential oil party this fall, email deboughjl@gmail.com

 

 

 

4 Back-to-School Tips to Increase Focus

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

Summer is coming to an early close for Las Vegas valley students.   Back-to-school ads fill the airwaves, while anticipation fills the thoughts of eager minds ready to begin a new school year.   As I write this, Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 fills my ears with relaxing melodies steadily soothing my mind.

I am often asked by friends and teachers for advice on how to help children increase focus both in the classroom and at home.   No matter what your age, these easy-to-implement natural solutions help support increased concentration, mental clarity, and alertness when you need it most.

Frankincense

Renowned as one of the most prized and precious essential oils, Frankincense promotes feelings of peace, relaxation, satisfaction, and overall wellness when inhaled or diffused.  In addition to its notoriety in the New Testament, the Babylonians and Assyrians would burn Frankincense in religious ceremonies and the ancient Egyptians used Frankincense resin for everything from perfume to salves for soothing skin.

I love using this highly aromatic essential oil sourced from Somalia because of its inherent ability to awaken feelings of enlightenment, wisdom, discernment, and a connection to the truth.  Rich in sesquiterpenes, this oil has the ability to pass the blood-brain barrier for almost instantaneous transformative effects.  Simply inhale from the bottle, or rub a few drops of this comforting oil directly on your temples or behind the neck for direct access to your brain.

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Peppermint

The peppermint plant is a hybrid of watermint and spearmint and was described by Carl Linneaus in 1753. A high menthol content—like that found in the dōTERRA Peppermint essential oil—distinguishes the best quality Peppermint from other products.

According to a published study by the US National Library of Medicine, “Peppermint aroma caused improvement on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor response. “

USES:

  •  Diffuse with Wild Orange during homework / home study.
  •  Place drops of peppermint in palm of hand, rub hands together and cup hands over nose and inhale deeply.  (avoid direct contact with the eyes!- ouch!)
  • Use during test preparation to promote alertness and active learning.
  • Bonus:  calms upset stomach (think pre-test jitters or classroom bullies)

 

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Rosemary

Rosemary is known as the Oil of Knowledge & Transition.  According to Emotions & Essential Oils, a go-to reference book for the emotional properties of essential oils,

 “Rosemary assists individuals who struggle with learning disabilities.  It brings expansion to the mind, supporting individuals in receiving new information and new experiences.  Rosemary aids in times of transition and change.  When a person is having  a difficult time adjusting to a new house, school, or relationship, this oil can assist. “

USES:

  • Diffuse while studying to maintain concentration.
  • Take internally to help reduce nervous tension and occasional fatigue.
  • use aromatically to support increase memory function.

In Tune-The Focus Blend

In Tune is a proprietary blend of essential oils carefully selected for their ability to enhance and sustain a sense of focus. No matter your age, staying focused on the task at hand is sometimes difficult. This is especially critical during the formative years when learning and growing create habits and a foundation for life.

The carefully selected essential oils in doTERRA’s In Tune Focus Blend work together, supporting efforts of those who have difficulty paying attention and staying on task. Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Lime promote a sense of clarity, while the benefits of Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, and Roman Chamomile are calming and soothing. The pleasing aroma of In Tune makes this essential oil blend an easy and delightful one to use.

USES:

  • Apply to the temples and back of neck when doing tasks that require concentration.
  •  Apply to wrists or back of hands and inhale deeply to promote a sense of clarity.
  • Use In Tune at work to stay on task or when feeling tired mid-afternoon.
  •  Dispense In Tune on a clay pendant and place on a desk or in other key areas in a classroom.

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CHEERS!  to a GREAT start of a new school year for students, teachers, and parents!

P.S.  Wish I had the In Tune Blend during my formative years…. maybe I would not have been tied with ropes into my desk in 2nd grade for wandering around the classroom.  😂

Stand In Love,  Jen

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas based writer, doTERRA wellness advocate, and business coach for global NGO BeadforLife.  Her passions include: Serving people, Inspiring ideas, and Living your purpose.  For more inspiration on beginning your essential oil journey, click here.Â