Category: Essential Oils

5 Ways to QUIET the Mind

by standinlovejen, posted in Brain Health, Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

It’s no secret.  I am, admittedly, a learn-a-holic.  I derive ridiculous amounts of pleasure from the mere absorption of information.  The unknown becomes known.  That may explain my insatiable appetite for Anthony Bourdain’s traveling series, Parts Unknown.  His distinct gift of documenting the lives, flavorful fare, and vibrant cultural traditions of  the world’s unrevealed places bolsters my intense passion for and longing to understand the world and the nearly 7.5 billion people in it.

Inquiring minds ask a lot of questions, and yes, I am without question, a questioner.

This morning while enjoying a quick walk in the outdoor inferno, I listened to an insightful  Kwik Brain podcast.  Jim Kwik is an expert on all things brain-related, particularly accelerated learning.  You may recall his name from the 6-part series I shared on Brain Health and essential oils last spring.   You can find them here, in case you missed them.    I had the pleasure of meeting Jim in Las Vegas at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, thanks to an introduction by a dear friend and behavior design expert, Linda Fogg-Phillips.

In this morning’s bite-sized dose of brain-expanding learning, Jim shared tips for calming the mind by way of the user-friendly acrostic “Q.U.I.E.T.”, (which by the way happens to be an awesome book on the power of introversion by Susan Cain), to help listeners turn off their incessant internal chatter.   He said, “Your brain is not designed to work at full steam all the time.  Regular simmering down with these tips and hacks is a brilliant move for your wellbeing in life and career. ”  

Q: Question

By asking ourselves questions like, “Who am I right now?” and “What do I live for?“, we are able to tap into the present moment and help focus the mind.  Try asking, “What do I really need right now?“, or “What is the most delightful thing I have seen all day?”  Ask yourself better questions. Asking questions, Jim says, directs our focus and helps us concentrate on what’s most important.

U: Unplug

Get into nature. Opt outside.

There is plenty of scientific evidence showing the positive effects of spending time in the great outdoors.  Surrounded by nature, our bodies naturally relax and our brains release feel good chemicals like serotonin.   A tip I picked up on another Kwik Brain podcast suggested using the first and last hour of each day to our advantage.  These are the hours we are typically less distracted, and have the highest ability to control.  (Hint:  avoid grabbing your phone and reacting first thing in the morning as well as responding to work emails late at night when you could be reading/ relaxing in your bed setting your brain up for much needed time recovering).

I: Integrate

By integration, Jim is referring to the integration of our 5 senses: touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell.   He notes, ” Scientists can now show it’s possible to regulate how aroused you are through the five senses, as well as through the vestibular system.”  The vestibular system is our sensory system controlling things like our forward and backward motions, as well as working in tandem with our body awareness sense, proprioception, to provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation.  These are often referred to as our sixth sense.  By activating any one of our senses,  we are able to step out of our minds, and into our bodies.

Here’s where aromatherapy shines!  By activating our olfactory system (sense of smell), we are able to get our of our heads, and into our bodies!  As I write this post and share with you, I am diffusing Cilantro essential oil and am enjoying the steady mist of this fresh, herbaceous, and incredibly cleansing essential oil.  Cilantro essential oil is used to help support the body in detoxing from heavy metals and free radicals, and is especially helpful in reducing anxious feelings.   Here are some other key benefits of using Cilantro essential oil. 

In addition to activating your sense of smell to initiate a quiet mind, you may try integrating other senses by:

  • dimming the lights
  • sitting under a weighted blanket ( this is a ritual for me)
  • listening to nature sounds
  • forward folding postures
  • balancing on 1 leg
  • rocking in a chair
  • deep breathing
  • sipping essential oil flavored water
  • inhaling your favorite essential oils in the palms of your hands
  • and for the guys out there… try fly fishing, or swinging a golf club!

E: Exercise

Movement.  Shakes things up and gets blood flowing!  According to a Harvard Medical School Journal, aerobic exercise may boost the size of the hippocampus- the part of the brain involved with verbal memory and learning.   You can read the full story here.    In addition to supporting your heart and lungs, exercise boosts endorphins and is a form of meditation in motion.   The effort given to a particular motion, whether it’s hiking, cycling, walking, running, fishing, golfing, or playing tennis helps take our minds to a different place and often frees us temporarily of our troubles.   I find that chopping fresh vegetables has a similar relaxing effect on the mind, and of course, so does enjoying my favorite sweet treats at night!

T:  Transcendental Meditation

Jim’s final suggestion in Q.U.I. E.T ing the mind is Transcendental Meditation.  You may be thinking, “What is it? and “How exactly do you do this?”  In a simplified explanation,   TM, as it’s commonly referred to, involves the use of a mantra for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with the eyes closed.   This may be a particular phrase, affirmation, or sequence of words on which you choose to focus.    Close your eyes, and repeat the words or phrasing over and over in your mind and allow them to come into laser focus.  Don’t worry if you don’t get it right or if it feels like it’s just not your thing.

Like most things in life that are good for us, quieting the mind is a habit, and according to my dear friend and behavioral design expert Linda,  habits begin as seedlings and  through practice, consistency, and a favorable environment, they grow into thriving behaviors.

 

Here’s to discovering a little more QUIET in your world.

Stand In Love,

Jen

 

 

 

 

Is Finding Balance Fiction?

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

Do you ever wonder if there is such a thing as achieving balance?   Do you ever feel pulled in so many different directions you doubt balance is possible?   Between family responsibilities, the kids, work deadlines, bills, friendships, exercise, eating right, cleaning, and shopping,  where on Earth is the time to find the elusive sense of balance we are encouraged to locate?

As I sit Indian-style in my office chair tapping away on my laptop, inhaling the gorgeous diffused aroma of patchouli, lime, and frankincense,  I wonder if my body  (physical, emotional, and spiritual) is appropriately balanced?  Yesterday at a luncheon with our local dōTERRA community we listened to Dr. Sarah Johnson, DC and cervical spine specialist,  share tips on the subject of achieving balance naturally.   Her words, and more importantly her questions, linger inside my head and heart today and have created a desire to share with a larger audience.  Do you listen to the silent words spoken by your body each day?

Let’s take a moment together to close our eyes and feel deeply inside of our bodies.  Do you sense pain or discomfort anywhere?  Are you carrying around repressed emotions? Stuffed feelings? Unconfronted numbness?  Is that tension in your neck and shoulders due to carrying around a heavy burden for years that you have just allowed to become the new norm?  How about that nagging discomfort in your lower back or hips?  Is that from lifting inattentively, or is it a conglomeration of unaddressed emotions pooling together in a little circle trying to grab your attention, begging for release?

Our bodies are masters of adaptation.  They are built to respond to stress, and habituate. The risk of this adaptation is that when we keep pushing a new normal on all three levels (mind, body, spirit), the body, out of self-preservation,  keeps going until it no longer can resulting in dis-ease and discomfort.

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die

This week, I have been digging feverishly into Kathy Truman’s insightful book, Feelings Buried Alive Never Die, and have come to some powerful realizations surrounding the  origins of feelings and emotions, as well as the unique space they take up in our bodies.

Put simply, feelings and thoughts are made of energy and energy is matter.   Physics teaches us that matter is never destroyed, but can be altered.  So what happens to our thoughts and feelings since they are virtually indestructible?

Feelings are born moment-to-moment and what we choose to do with them profoundly impacts our overall health and wellness.  Please re-read that sentence.  Let’s think of emotions like grains for a moment.  Is it your tendency to toss feelings into the storehouse of your mind or heart, unconsciously collecting them one-by-one and allowing them to accumulate unaddressed?  Every kernel of hurt, every ragged rejection, every bit of anguish, pain, confidence-snatching humiliation, breath-taking overwhelm, every slicing condescending comment thrown our way, and every grain of grief.  What happens when these storehouses get filled to the roof?  One of two things may happen; We start a second storehouse, or the lid bursts unexpectedly on the overfilled one.

I would like to suggest a third option:  Sift through the grains.  Sort the emotions, one by one.  Take away the prison-like power of negative emotions, break the stronghold by walking straight into them.   Wait, you may be thinking, “Well, that’s painful and will cause heartache Jen. ”  Yes, it will hurt.  Yes, it will sting, often unbearably.  Yes, you may shed oceans of tears.  Yes, you may have to go places (metaphorically speaking) you prefer not to, but what is the alternative?  Allow the undigested emotions to destroy the cells in your body causing symptoms of dis-ease?

Defining Positive and Negative Emotions

In Dr. Joan Borysenko’s book, Minding the Body, Minding the Mind, she describes feelings this way:

“Positive Emotions create bodily sensations of openness and expansiveness.  They invite the world in.  The body feels relaxed, even though some emotions such as joy are very energizing.  In contrast, negative emotions create a tight, contracted feeling.  Everything pulls inward.  The world is pushed away.  Positive feelings invite unity.  Negative feelings invite isolation.  Becoming a skilled observer of your own emotions allows you to make a conscious choice between love and unity, or fear and isolation. ” 

I want to choose love and unity every single time.   I believe we have the capacity to reject fear and isolation.   A line from one of my favorite songs goes like this:

“FEAR is a LIAR.   He will take your breath, stop you in your steps.  He will rob your rest, steal your happiness.   Cast your fear in the fire, cuz fear, he is a liar.” 

Essential Oils for Emotions

The fascinating thing about essential oils is that they have the capacity to support individuals on both a physical and emotional level.   The beauty of nature and creation is such that our bodies receive the chemistry of essential oils on the cellular level via cell receptors.   With a variety of Certified Pure, Therapeutic Grade essential oils to choose from, there are several solutions to meet your emotional needs.

A favorite for emotional support is the Emotional Aromatherapy Kit, containing essential oil blends specifically formulated with balanced chemistry to deliver the desired outcomes.  With names like Peace, Forgive, Cheer, Passion, Motivate, and Console, they are designed to touch right on the epicenter of our emotions.

What if all we had to fear was LOVE?  Would that bring us into balance?

Until next time my cherished friends,

Stand In Love,  Jen

 

To learn more, or to bring these natural treasures into your home today, please start here. 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on Instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To begin your natural health and wellness journey today with essential oils, click here .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Essential Oils Every Woman Needs to Reduce Stress

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

According to recent American Psychology Association research, “women are more likely to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress than men, such as having had a headache (41 percent versus 30 percent), having felt as though they could cry (44 percent versus 15 percent), or having had an upset stomach or indigestion (32 percent versus 21 percent) in the past month. The same survey also reported that women are more likely than men to report that they eat as a way of managing stress (31 percent versus 21 percent).”

Whether you are a naturally high-energy individual, a professional in a high-stress environment, a mother juggling multiple to-do lists, or all of the above, this post is for you.

Turns out, there are two types of stress: positive and negative.  Positive stress, eustress, is produced during heightened states of arousal, and is commonly linked to a specific goal.  Negative stress, distress, is similar to free-floating anxiety, and unlike eustress, which stops cortisol production as soon as the desired goal is complete, sends our body into the proverbial fight-or-flight stress response.  The cortisol has no place to go, and wreaks havoc on our bodies.

If left unchecked, stress can and WILL disrupt the following:

  • memory/ learning
  • endocrine system – mood/ hormones
  • immune system
  • digestive system – gut health
  • cardiovascular system
  • circulatory system- high blood pressure
  • muscular/ skeletal system

Wow, that’s pretty much every inch of our physical bodies, not to mention spilling into  every millimeter of our neurosystem.

Stress Management Protocols

  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Understand stress triggers
  • Social Connection
  •  Laughter/ levity
  • Music
  • Aromatherapy

Yes, eat your fruits and veggies, limit fat and sugar intake, and move your body.   Sounds familiar, right?

Well, what about time spent with friends and loved ones?  According to author and friendship expert Shasta Nelson, lacking intimate relationships with friends is equivalent to smoking several cigarettes a day!  If you are interested in learning more about building awesome friendships, check out this post.  Additionally, I highly recommend reading her book full of mind-blowing research Frientimacy:  How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness.    

So that brings us to my area of expertise- aromatherapy and using essential oils to boost mood and reduce stress and anxious feelings.   As a perpetual learner, this subject has been my central focus for the last 18 months and continues to impress upon me fresh insights that I simply MUST share with the world.  (Isn’t that what we do when we LOVE something so much? )

Why use essential oils? The short answer is this:  THEY WORK.

Which ones you ask?

Let’s start with Jen’s Top 5 Essential Oils for Stress Reduction

  1.  Clary Calm– every woman’s best friend.  This proprietary blend supports raging hormones, hot flashes, and extreme irritability.  (ps. Men benefit from this too!) I have a couple of roller-bottles of this blend and prefer to apply topically to my abdomen, wrists, or over the heart for emotional flare-ups.
  2. Balance–  or the “Grounding Blend” mixes peace, harmony, and tranquility all in one!  As the name suggests, this is a simple way to bring balance into each day.  Start with a drop or two on bottoms of feet each day before beginning the day, and use throughout day as needed on pulse points, and back of the neck.
  3. Elevation–  also known as the “Joyful Blend”, this essential oil blend artfully combines mood-boosting florals like Ylang Ylang, Melissa Leaf, Lavender and Osmanthus with deeply calming oils like Hawaiian Sandalwood and Lemon Myrtle. This essential oil is heavenly diffused in the home!  Try diffusing in the kids’ rooms in the morning to promote positive feelings for the start of each day, or diffuse after a long stressful day to help relax and unwind.    I like to proactively use Elevation in situations that would typically activate a stress response by applying a few drops behind my ears and on my wrists.
  4. Neroli–  this prized essential oil sourced from the blossoms of the bitter orange trees of Egypt is a surefire way to reduce anxious feelings and instantly lift mood.  This essential oil has been extensively researched for its ability to provide users with a calming and positive experience.  Bonus benefit, it is great for the skin and blemishes.   Personally, I wear this beauty as fragrance and often mix with Jasmine.  YUM!
  5. Peace–  called the “Reassuring Blend” for its inherent ability to reassure even the most overwhelmed individual.   As someone who struggled for years with anxious feelings, Peace was like discovering that long-lost friend you have waited for your entire life!  This essential oil blend does exactly what the name suggests:  creates a state of inner peace, composure, and gives you a dose of reassurance in each drop.

For all the times we feel overwhelmed, burdened, burned out, or simply at our wit’s end, there are natural solutions to support you.    Think of essential oils as partners in your wellness journey.  Full of chemistry, completely diverse, and always there when you need them!

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To begin your natural health and wellness journey today with essential oils, click here .

 

 

 

Jen’s Essential Oils for Spring Renewal

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

As we celebrate the first day of Spring today,  let us remember that Spring is a time for renewal and rebirth.  Poet Pablo Neruda said it best, ” You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

The clock is forward, the days are getting longer, and you’re thinking about summer plans and all the changes you’re ready to make!  Springtime is the natural season for cleaning, weeding out, preparing and planning!

Whether you have plans to green clean your home, reorganize your garage, drop that stubborn 10 pounds, or increase the vitality in your interpersonal or professional relationships, the following essential oils will support you naturally in your efforts!

Renewing Oils

I love using Basil, Peppermint, Arborvitae, Serenity, and Motivate to help me with energy and renewal.  Each oil has specific properties that help us renew on 3 levels: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.

Basil

Most of us are familiar with using basil as a dried or fresh herb in salads and recipes, but did you know that basil essential oil helps support you if you are under a great deal of mental strain?  Basil essential oil is used to bring energy rejuvenation after long periods of burnout and exhaustion.   Anyone relate to that?  How about using basil to help you give up those substances you turn to for false support…. like food, alcohol, drugs, or negative behaviors.

basil.jpg

Speaking from experience, I tend to turn to sugar.  It has always been my default comfort support when weak, weary, exhausted, or emotionally spent.  I’ve learned new and improved ways to support myself naturally using essential oils to modify behaviors, and diffusing basil is an intentional habit I’ve created.   Try rubbing a few drops of Basil essential oil on the middle portion of your back- directly over your adrenal glands.

Arborvitae

Grown in the beautiful forests of British Columbia, Canada, this incredibly complex essential oil assists with renewal on many levels.  Arborvitae works on the cellular level to generate vitality and cell turnover and emotionally helps us let go of our forced efforts and the need to control everything in life.  Arborvitae’s Latin name means “to sacrifice”, inviting us to sacrifice our personal will and ambitions for a far more fulfilling way of living.    What a beautiful way to step into spring, letting go and trusting in the flow of life and the divine purpose God has for us all!

dcee6a4e1c7d9f91983be8f3dbee7905--lemon-essential-oils-doterra-oils.jpg

Serenity

We all know how vital sleep is for renewing our bodies, especially the recovery of hard-working muscles, tissues, and cells working 24/7 for our benefit!   While some people are blessed with a genetic mutation affording them the ability to survive on 4 hours of sleep, most (the other 99% without the mutation) of us need 7-9 hours of sleep to allow for proper recovery and renewal.

Serenity essential oil blend is a heavenly mix of Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute, and Hawaiian Sandalwood.

Try this oil in a diffuser at night to promote calm and relaxation, allowing for deep, restful sleep.  Topically,  rub a few drops of Serenity on the bottoms of your feet, the back of your neck, or on pulse points.   This essential oil blend is a TOTAL game-changer and it will quickly have you singing its praises!

How to Start Using Essential Oils

If you are just beginning your journey of natural wellness and interested in learning more about bringing these precious CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) essential oils into your home, please click here.    I LOVE love LOVE sharing my passion for natural wellness and look forward to connecting you and your family with the many diverse benefits for your body, mind, and soul!

Happy First Day of Spring!

xo,

Jen

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host a dōTERRA essential oil workshop with your friends or family,  please email: standinlovejen@gmail.com .  

 

 

 

3 Tips for using Cardamom essential oil

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

In case you haven’t noticed the frenzy on social media with essential oils, it’s BOGO week! That means we are sharing select oils at 1/2 the cost for the entire week!  It’s the perfect time to join the growing global community and begin your path of natural health and wellness!   We LOVE free oils!!!

Today’s BOGO (Buy One, Get One free) features two delightfully herbaceous essential oils:  Cardamom and Cilantro.  Let’s explore the Cardamom together!

CARDAMOM

Native to the Indian subcontinent, this herb is now extensively cultivated in Guatemala, thanks to a German coffee planter who brought it there over 100 years ago!  With its spicy, warm, and inviting aroma, Cardamom is no stranger to coffee houses and bakeries around the world!  Interestingly, cardamom is the third most expensive spice by weight worldwide, surpassed only by vanilla and saffron!

Black_and_green_cardamom.jpg

Top Uses for Cardamom

  • respiratory support – when irritations occur, or seasonal threats become a bother, add 6-8 drops of cardamom to diffuser for aromatic benefits, or rub a few drops directly over the chest with fractionated coconut oil.
  • easing digestive discomforts– apply 2-3 drops directly over abdomen to ease occasional stomach pain or to reduce nervous feelings and tension.
  • bad breath – add 1-2 drops to 4 oz of water and use as a mouthwash!
  • culinary applications– add a toothpick swirl to breads, cookies, or sauces!

Due to its natural ability to soothe, relax, and open airways, cardamom essential oil is a key ingredient in dōTERRA Breathe respiratory blend and Breathe lozenges.   Seriously, if you have not tried these when feeling under the weather, you are doing yourself a massive disservice!  Way better than traditional cough drops!

CO-IMPACT SOURCING of CARDAMOM

What I love most about cardamom is dōTERRA’s commitment to combining sourcing with social responsibility.   dōTERRA deliberately chooses sourcing locations where there is an opportunity to improve individual, social, economic, and environmental well-being, while at the same time, sourcing the world’s finest essential oils.   Location, distillation practices, climate, and time of harvesting all play a role in producing essential oils with maximum potency and the targeted chemistry for our bodies.

Check out this incredible video taken in Guatemala featuring the harvesters of cardamom and highlighting the importance of Co-Impact sourcing as it relates to the long-term partnerships between growers and distillers!

 

This Co-Impact Sourcing initiative is one of the driving forces behind my passion for dōTERRA and sharing essential oils with the world!  Imagine for a moment, that every time we crack open a bottle of these gorgeous aromatic compounds, we not only derive natural health and wellness benefits, but we help bless families around the world living in poverty through job creation, and the promotion of community development initiatives!

JOIN the STAND IN LOVE COMMUNITY

Are you ready to get started on your wellness journey with these incredible  essential oils?

Join in 4 easy steps!

  • CLICK HERE and choose your language and the country you want to ship to.
  • On the next page you choose the WHOLESALE CUSTOMER or WELLNESS ADVOCATE option
  • Fill in your details, then simply add the $35 introductory enrollment packet and type in the names of oils you would like to receive at wholesale prices
  • or select a starter KIT, (smartest and most cost-effective way to begin! I like the Natural Solutions Kit or the Home Essentials Kit because they both contain the most-used essential oils and tools you will need to get going!  (like a diffuser!)

I will then send you a welcome email and link to our private support group.  To connect with me online and to learn a bit more about our community including upcoming education workshops and free online webinars  CLICK HERE  or visit my UPCOMING EVENTS.

Why Becoming a Wholesale Member is by far Your Best Option!

  • Wholesale pricing (25% discount)
  • No monthly order required
  • Option to receive 10-30% of your total purchase back in FREE product points
  • Eligibility to receive dōTERRA’s FREE Product of the Month
  • Ability to earn compensation and bonuses by sharing with others
  • This is the lowest overall product cost & smartest way to buy

This BOGO offer ends tonight at midnight MST, so take advantage of the 1/2 cost and start your essential oil journey today!  Only $26 for BOTH oils!!

Let’s BOGO! xo Jennifer

March 2018 BOGO - Day 3

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host a dōTERRA essential oil workshop with your friends or family,  please email: standinlovejen@gmail.com .  
Stand In Love Jen Healthy Heart essential oils

Essential Oils for Happy & Healthy Hearts

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Female Entrepreneurship, Health & Wellness, Passion

Essential oils are precious natural gifts given to us for physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits.   I like to think of them as pure and potent aromatic kisses in a bottle!

Let’s appreciate our amazing hearts for just a minute!  Our heart is the workhorse of our cardiovascular system, pumping blood to organs, tissues, and trillions of cells in our body.   Now that is a tough job!  Even more astounding is the fact that if we lined up all the vessels in our cardiovascular system end to end, they would extend for about 60,000 miles, which is far enough to circle the planet more than 2 times!

In honor of heart health awareness month, I invite you to learn about a few of my favorite essential oils that promote feelings of relaxation and reduced stress in our busy lives.  The combined benefits of reduced stress along with balanced diet, exercise, and a reduction in our toxic load is great for our hearts and overall vitality!

Cypress

This gorgeous conifer essential oil sourced from the branches of tall evergreen trees has been known to promote proper circulation and blood flow throughout the body*.   I love to use a homemade blend I call no more veins to help promote blood flow and reduce the appearance of spider and varicose veins.  (tip: it’s good for men too!)

Uses:

  • Prior to a long run, apply to feet and legs for an energizing boost.
  • Apply two to three drops to chest before gardening to promote vitality and energy.
  • Diffuse with Lime essential oil for an invigorating scent.
  • Mix together Cypress and Grapefruit essential oil with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil for an invigorating massage.
  • Add one to two drops to toner to help improve the appearance of oily skin.

Ylang Ylang

Ylang Ylang essential oil is derived from the star-shaped flowers of the tropical Ylang Ylang tree and is used extensively in making perfumes and in aromatherapy.  In aromatherapy, Ylang Ylang is used to lessen tension and stress and to promote a positive outlook, and we know that reduced tension and stress helps keep our hearts healthy!

Uses:

  • Put Ylang Ylang into an Epsom Salt bath for relaxation.
  • Refresh your skin with an aromatherapy steam facial using Ylang Ylang essential oil.
  • Put on your wrists for a sweet, floral perfume.
  • Add Ylang Ylang to Fractionated Coconut Oil for a deep hair conditioner.
  • Take internally for antioxidant support.*

Bergamot

Oh Bergamot, I love you so!  This gorgeous citrus plant grown in Italy is known emotionally as the Oil of self-acceptance.  It’s cleansing aroma combines a little bit of citrus, spice, and a hint of floral.  The name Bergamot is derived from the town Bergamo, in Lombardy, Italy where it is extensively cultivated.   I use this oil when doubts creep into my heart and I need to excavate limiting beliefs.  Try rubbing a couple of drops directly on your chest over your heart and take a deep breath of gratitude for all your heart does for you every day.  This oil has the powerful ability to turn our awareness to positive, hopeful thoughts.

Uses

  • Diffuse in the classroom, at work, or at home when stress levels or tension is high.
  • Apply to the skin while showering and inhale deeply to experience its calming aroma while enjoying its purifying skin benefits.
  • Change regular tea to Earl Grey with the addition of Bergamot.
  • Apply to the feet before bedtime or use with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil for a calming and relaxing massage.

Passion- Inspiring Blend

This blend is simply irresistible! A blend of cardamom seed, cinnamon bark, ginger, clove bud, sandalwood, jasmine flower absolute, and vanilla bean absolute makes Passion one of my go-to oils when my heart needs a boost of excitement!  This oil is great for rekindling romance and helps you recover your long-lost mojo to try that next big something new in life!  Try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!

Uses

  • Diffuse in the morning to start the day feeling energized and enthusiastic.
  • Apply to pulse points and heart throughout the day to feel inspired and passionate.
  • Diffuse at work to spark creativity, clarity, and wonder.

 

These are just a few of my favorites of aromatic kisses in a bottle! To get yours, simply head over to www.mydoterra.com/standinlove and click Join & Save to get your wholesale account today! You will receive a welcome email from me with what to do next, along with an invitation to my private online support group with ongoing education, training, and mentoring!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host a dōTERRA essential oil workshop with your friends or family,  please email: standinlovejen@gmail.com .  

 

New Year, New You!

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Health & Wellness

 

“If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one”….  Russian Proverb

Happy New Year!

What do you dream of?  What would you like to create more of this year in your life?  How would you like to feel this year? Can you imagine it?  Can you feel it and touch it in your mind’s eye? I invite you to close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths and see what surfaces as you contemplate these questions.

As we cross the threshold into an abundant new year, may our hearts, minds, and guts- often referred to as our 3 brains– invite us to consider realizing our deeply held dreams in life.  We all begin with the same number of days in the year, and it’s what we choose to do with each and every day that will determine it’s fruitfulness.  How are you intending to spend your 365 days in 2018? How do you want to FEEL each day?  Are you ready to claim those intentions?

Recommitments.

One of my favorite new year re-committments, as I like to call them, is to read more.   Reading is incredibly stimulating to our brains, not to mention empowering, as it instills in us newfound information that helps shape the way we interact daily with ourselves and others.   In Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s, “The One Thing”,  the notion of simultaneously having MORE and LESS is laid on the table for our consideration.  This notion is echoed in the following question repeatedly posed throughout the book:

 What’s the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?

The leading chapter asks us to consider the idea of life with purpose.  Keller pushes us to consider our definitions of happiness, fulfillment, and success, asking us to take a realistic view of our driving force in life.  That ONE question.

What’s the ONE Thing I can do with my life that would mean the most to me and the world, such that by doing it, everything else would be easier or unnecessary? 

What comes up for you when you read this question aloud?

New Beginnings

The beauty of a new year is the feeling within of getting off to a fresh start.   Ah, the joy of a clean slate.  A do-over, or do-differently.   (insert your name) 2.0 , 3.0, or 4.0.   Yes, an opportunity to begin again.  What is it that you would like to do differently this year?  How would you like to feel?  Is this the year that you are ready to uplevel your health and wellness?    Is this the year you are going to push fear aside and choose LOVE in it’s place?  Trust your intuition, knowing you are right where you need to be.

Are you ready for a change? Are you open to learning more about natural health solutions and claiming the gift of emotional wellness? If so, I invite you to do ONE THING: consider attending one of my upcoming two classes this month to create new capacity for change in your life!  I promise, you won’t regret it!

xo, Jennifer

 

 

 

 

Sustaining the Gift of Frankincense

by standinlovejen, posted in Essential Oils, Female Entrepreneurship, Passion, People

 

 

“Sustainability is a process, not an endpoint.  I want to improve the biggest disconnect people have with essential oils- sourcing.” -Dr. Anjanette DeCarlo.

Far away in the northern stretches of the self-declared state of Somaliland lies one of the most biologically diverse forests harboring over 1000 plant species, 200 of which are endemic.  This vast coastal wonderland rests on the edges of the Gulf of Aden, ushering in life-sustaining fog and mists.

Welcome to the Cal Madow, where the Frankincense trees grow.

Translated as Black Mountains, the Cal Madow is home to three of the most prized Boswellia species:  Boswellia carterii,  Boswellia frereana, and Boswellia sacra.  These trees grow in remote rocky outcrops and on sheer cliff faces, making the harvesting dangerous work.   To extract the valuable resins, the trees are first “cut” or “wounded” causing them to exude a viscous, milky-white liquid as a form of self-defense.  This precious material is later collected, dried, sorted by quality, and distilled for numerous health and wellness applications. 

Frankincense History

With a variety of uses, there is no question why Frankincense was highly esteemed by ancient civilizations and used for the most sacred of practices. For some religions, Frankincense is correlated with one of the most prized possessions of ancient biblical times, as it was considered valuable enough to be given as a gift to Christ after his birth. Frankincense was also used during religious ceremonies for salves for soothing skin and perfume. The perfume or aroma that Frankincense emits promotes feelings of satisfaction, peace, relaxation, and overall wellness, which explains its unique value in ancient times.

Generations of Somalis and Somalilanders have harvested Frankincense trees preserving a rich cultural heritage passed down for centuries.  In fact, the harvesting of Frankincense represents an income for over 300,000 people-roughly 10% of the population of Somaliland.  This number continues to increase as the ongoing drought has wiped out 70-80% of the nation’s livestock forcing thousands of nomadic farmers to head north with their families in search of survival opportunities.

Frankincense Sustainability

International demand for Frankincense essential oil is on the rise and according to Dr. Anjanette DeCarlo, scientific researcher and director of Conserve the Cal Madow, the Boswellia trees in the Cal Madow are under threat.  Conserve the Cal Madow is a conservation and research project aiming to protect the Cal Madow forests and the frankincense economy.   DeCarlo shared in a recent phone interview that “she has always had an incredible sensitivity to trees from a very young age, finding comfort and protection among them during uneasy times.”  As fate would have it, Anjanette was approached with an opportunity to combine her talents in Ecological Economics, Sustainable Development, and Environmental Conflict Resolution with her passion for Social Enterprise.  “Frankincense chose me, ” she said.

Anjanette’s first trip to Somaliland took place in 2010 to conduct a supply chain analysis of how and where Frankincense oil comes from and how it gets to market.  CNN recently produced a 3-part documentary highlighting her work, which she says, ” is vital to the entire industry to let people know what’s happening in Somaliland, to educate international buyers and consumers, and to educate harvesters themselves so they understand the value of their product in the world market.”

Recent drone photographs taken by DeCarlo and her team confirm cross sections of the current Cal Madow forest conditions.  Evidence of over-harvesting, double harvesting, bark stripping, as well as environmental threats like drought and wood-boring beetles demonstrate the ongoing need for international intervention to preserve and protect this biologically rich, old-growth forest from increased degradation.

At the heart of this open-source analysis, lies DeCarlo’s passion for partnering with the local chiefs, elders,  landowners, and harvesters as well as international companies involved in the supply chain.  “I want to work with companies who come forward because we need international buyer support.” 

Answering the Call

dōTERRA, the world’s largest essential oil company proactively accepted that call.  On stage this September at an annual convention in front of a crowd of 35,000 Wellness Advocates,  dōTERRA CEO and cofounder, David Stirling, announced the company’s latest sustainability initiatives including a 3.3 million dollar pre-investment into the communities of Somaliland.   “We asked the local elders in Somaliland ‘what do you want?’ Their answer, ‘We want to build schools and we need access to health care.’ ”

Understanding the importance of investing in local communities through mutually beneficial partnerships, dōTERRA plans to open a regional hospital in the Sanaag region of Somaliland in Spring 2018 which will serve 400,000 people, and has already constructed 2 schools which provide much needed education for local youth.

DeCarlo’s heartfelt sentiments were eloquently expressed that same day on stage. “dōTERRA is making a commitment to include sustainability as a pillar to identify ways to protect ecosystems and to amplify ecosystem services.”  She continued educating, “our health is directly related to the health of the Earth, and so we want to make sure that when we’re amplifying our health with essential oils, we ensure the ecosystems where those plants come from are as healthy as the oils that we put on our bodies.” 

Join Us

Simple ways to get involved include:

  • purchase your Frankincense oils from a company like dōTERRA, with a proven track record of developing long-term, mutually beneficial supplier partnerships while creating sustainable jobs and providing reliable income in underdeveloped areas.
  • share this post with friends and family to promote on-going education.
  • follow Dr. Anjanette DeCarlo’s work on Facebook.
  • Visit Conserve the Cal Madow to see photos of these amazing trees and gain more in-depth analysis of the projects and how you can help.
  • Learn more about the vast therapeutic benefits of Frankincense essential oil.

 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, speaker, and marketing consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people 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 holiday, please email:  deboughjl@gmail.com .  

 

 

 

 

Answering the Call of October 17th

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Essential Oils, Female Entrepreneurship, Purpose

On the 17th of October 1987, defenders of human and civil rights from every continent gathered on this plaza. They paid homage to the victims of hunger, ignorance and violence. They affirmed their conviction that human misery is not inevitable. They pledged their solidarity with all people who, throughout the world, strive to eradicate extreme poverty. “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”  – Father Joseph Wresinski

ONE voice matters.

YOUR voice matters.

We all have unique gifts for sharing love and compassion in the world.   As humans, we are wired for connection, and long for a sense of purpose while on the Earth.   We want to matter.  We want to belong.  We long to be part of something larger than ourselves.  What is that mission for you?  What do you want to be part of?  How do you want to make a difference in this life?

Father Joseph Wresinski declared 30 years ago, on the Trocadero Human Rights Plaza in Paris before 100,000 people, that to live in poverty is to be denied basic human rights.  His voice inspired the observance of October 17th around the world, and resulted in the United Nations recognizing this date 5 years later.  Eradicating poverty is now at the helm of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.  

Would you like to help eradicate poverty in our lifetime?  Get involved in one of two ways today!

Host a BeadforLife Marketplace

Want to share the beauty of handmade Ugandan jewelry with your friends and family? This holiday season marks the final chance to order your own Marketplace and raise funds and awareness to end global poverty.  As this international NGO strives ambitiously to lift 1 million people from poverty by 2027, they recognized the importance of re-evaluating their own business model, just as they teach the women in their entrepreneurial training programs.   As a result, their innovative 6-month Street Business School Program is replacing the 18-month Beads to Business model.  They discovered they could reach more women and families at a lower cost per participant teaching the core of the original 18-month model.   This proven and effective program teaches the fundamentals of launching a small business and puts deeply impoverished  women to work faster.

Join dōTERRA’s global community.

dōTERRA, Latin for gift of the Earth, is more than natural health and wellness.  This 2-time Forbes Best Companies award winner wants to help people live lives free of disease and poverty while empowering communities with the tools needed to become self-reliant.

Through the  Healing Hands Foundation, launched in 2012, the company is making unprecedented progress with on-going partnership projects in Bulgaria, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Nepal, Madagascar, and Somaliland.   dōTERRA harnesses nature’s most powerful elements and shares these gifts through a global community of Wellness Advocates.  As a community, we empower people to advocate for their own health, and we contribute to the global mission of helping others live outside of disease, poverty, and dependence.

Want to join me in this deep dive into your life’s purpose? Learn more here.

Sending love to all the heavy and burdened hearts in the world,

Jennifer

P.S.  Bonus video to learn how the oils you use make a difference in the lives of people around the globe!

 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, speaker, and marketing consultant.  She volunteers as a  Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people 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, please 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.

16x9-product-blog-somalia-3-ongoing-work-us-english-web

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)

 

peppermint.jpg

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.