8/22/16

A Glimpse into my Thoughts. . .


When I started nursing school, I always thought I would go on to get my nurse practitioner license.  I liked the idea of having more autonomy in helping someone with their health goals.  But, shortly after I started my nursing career in a pediatric intensive care unit, I soon realized I didn't need to become a nurse practitioner!  I LOVED what I was doing!  Working in a PICU is a stressful place for sure.  God has definitely gifted me with the ability to handle that type of stress and provide quality care to not only the patient but also the family of the patient.  Meeting someone where they are at in such a stressful time while using the gifts God has given me brings me immense joy and satisfaction!  So, I had no desire whatsoever to go back to school to get my master's degree when I didn't need it to keep doing what I was already doing - being a great bedside nurse.  I knew God would have to really get my attention somehow if I was ever going to consider working somewhere other than the PICU.  So, I've kept plugging away at taking care of the sickest of the sick.  As time as gone on, things have changed a little where I work.  The unit has grown from a 15 bed unit to a 41 bed unit.  It's not the close family feel it used to have.  We have made some amazing advances in the quality of care we provide!!!  My skills have grown and I've been able to impact the lives of my coworkers and those I care for and I wouldn't change that for anything.  However, my priorities and passions have started to change just a little.  I still LOVE what I do as a PICU nurse!  The chance to walk alongside someone when their loved one is super sick is a privilege.  However, along with the growth of the unit, I am starting to feel my passion shrinking just a little.  I think part of that is because I don't get to train new nurses as much as I used to.  With the unit being as big as it is and because I'm also an ECMO nurse, I just don't get the opportunity.  I miss that a lot actually!!  I have come to realize how much I enjoy teaching others what I know.  I love to work one on one with someone to teach them, encourage them, and help them be better as a nurse than I am.  I have also found something I've become super passionate about.  That is essential oils.  I know many of you that will read this already know that I love essential oils and will talk about them any chance I can.  But, do you really understand why I love them and why I'm passionate about them?  Some might say I'm just trying to sell something, I've been brain-washed, I'm into snake oils, or I'm just nuts.  Let me set the record straight:  I'm not just trying to sell something.  I truly believe there is a better way to help live a more natural life by ridding our homes of toxic chemicals and using natural, plant-based products and giving our bodies the support they really need to live the life we were meant to live.  I haven't been brain-washed and am not into snake oils.  And, I don't think I'm nuts.  As a PICU nurse, I have to know about the details.  I have to really use my brain to see the whole picture when it comes to caring for someone who is critically ill.  Everything we do or don't do affects their lives.  I have to make sure at work that I'm using the medicines and treatments safely and correctly in order for them to be effective.  The same goes for essential oils.  I want to make sure I educate myself as much as possible about essential oils so that I use them correctly, and can educate others correctly.  Because, even natural, plant-based products and essential oils can be harmful if not used safely and correctly.  So, when I realized that I really did enjoy educating others, I decided I wanted to start pursuing the chance to educate others on the benefits of pure essential oils.  Well, if I'm going to educate others, I must first educate myself.  So, while I said years ago that I would never go back to school, I've done just that.  I have started a program to become a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist.  I want to make sure that I know as much as I can about essential oils so that I'm educating people properly and not just spreading misinformation.  There is a lot of misinformation circulating around the internet about essential oils.  So, I am doing what I can to educate myself appropriately on the safe use of pure essential oils.  This hasn't been an easy decision and it is taking a lot of focus.  But, thankfully my husband is 100% supportive of this as is the rest of my family.
I'm not leaving my current job any time soon as I still love being a PICU nurse.  However, I now have something else that is sparking a lot of interest and passion.  My desire is that I will be able to walk along-side people and find out where they are coming from, learn about their lives, and see if I can help them on their journey towards living a life of Wellness, Purpose, and Abundance!

5/23/16

May Flowers . . .

The saying is usually April showers bring May flowers.  Well, around here lately it's May showers as well.  And right now there are showers of 100% Pure Essential Oils possibly coming your way.  I wanted to remind everyone that there is still time to jump in on an amazing deal!  If there is a specific essential oil you are wanting to try, I would love to order it for you at my cost+shipping.  Some of the most popular oils are lavender, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), frankincense, peace & calming, Thieves, and peppermint.  But, honestly, there are so many of my favorites that it's hard for me to list only a few.  There are still so many people that are maybe somewhat skeptical about starting to use essential oils.  I can understand that as I used to be in the same place.  But, once I started trying one or two and experiencing great results, I tried more.  Now, I am a believer in how well they work to support all the different systems of the body.  If you're interested in trying 1 or 2 oils, please contact me.  You will then be entered in a drawing to win of the 3 free oils I got this month: Cedarwood, Melrose, and Manuka.  Cedarwood has a warm woodsy aroma that creates a comforting, uplifting experience.  It's a great way to enhance your beauty products - it can help to smooth the look of skin and shine hair.  I use it to help me get a great night's sleep.  Melrose is a blend of oils with powerful cleansing properties that support the appearance of skin.  I put a drop of it in my moisturizer before applying it on my face.  Manuka supports the appearance of healthy-looking skin, reduces the appearance of blemishes and can be added to your favorite skin care products.  This is also one I add a drop of to my moisturizer.

Or, maybe you've decided that you're ready to really experience 100% pure essential oils in more depth.  Well, then I have a great deal for you.  I highly encourage you to purchase the premium starter kit.  You will receive 11 essential oils, a diffuser, sample bottles, roller filament, product guide and sample packets of oils, and 2 Ningxia Red samples for only $160 minimum.  This kit alone is worth over $300.  If you purchase a premium starter kit, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free dew drop diffuser valued at $83.  EEK!!  I don't know about you but those are some amazing offers.  I would love to journey with you to help you on your path of health/wellness.  To order the premium starter kit CLICK HERE.



3/11/16

Sweet Dreams!!


       I don't know about you, but I cannot sleep if my hubby is sawing logs.  I would sometimes have to nudge him constantly - he would be quiet for a short time, then start sawing logs again.  So frustrating!!! Well, I've found something that has helped tremendously!!  Valor from Young Living has given me my quiet nights back.  Just a drop on each of my hubby's big toes before bed, and . . . silence. The most sound I hear now is an occasional deep breath.  The other night he forgot to put it on and the noise was unbearable!!  So, I made him get up, put on some Valor and I was able to sleep in quiet. If you are interested in learning more about Valor and it's other uses and any of the other products, Young Living provides, let me know. If you are wanting to order a premium starter kit, click here, to fill out your info and start your journey to health and a better nights' sleep.



Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor.  The information I give here is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure disease.  It is meant solely for educational purposes and to encourage you on your path toward health/wellness.























3/9/16

Striving for . . .



Sometimes (actually a lot of the time), Jesus has a way of speaking right to you.  You often don't expect it, but there it is - TRUTH!  I've known Jesus personally for a long time - since I was about 6 years old.  But, no matter how long I've known Him, He still surprises me and amazes me.  He surprises me in the way He speaks to me - whether it's through a book, devotional, friend, or simply by the sunrise.  He amazes me in that even when I've known Him for so long, He continues to love me and forgive me despite the fact that I'm always messing up, always failing, always turning to other things/people instead of Him.  I often don't give Him the quality time He deserves.  I get so consumed with connecting in some way with people whether through social media or face to face that I often neglect the One I should connect with the most.  When we continually go to the One who made us, that's where our true validation is and not from the world.  The world never validates us for who we truly are and that's where our perpetual discontentment comes from.  The world's standards are vastly different than God's.  We will always feel empty if we try to fill ourselves up from the world.  But, if we seek Christ and to be filled by Him, then, we fill fulfilled.  
Last year I sought to get healthy physically.  I saw the path I was on and sought to change the direction I was headed.  I worked hard and lost a lot of weight.  I feel and look great!  But, how much time and effort did I give to my spiritual health last year?  Did I work hard at losing the weight of what the world's standards have put on me?  Did I strive to fill my heart with His truth, His love?  Did I seek Him to be spiritually cleansed?  By the world's standards, I'm healthy.  But, what really matters is my spiritual health - all else is temporary.  I told myself last Fall that I was going to put more focus on my relationship with Christ.  I long for His closeness.  Yet, I continue to do what I don't want to do - pursue worldly connections.
Then, late Fall, early Winter, I decided to set out on a new adventure - pursuing a business by helping others on their journey to health/wellness by educating them on how Young Living Essential Oils can aid in helping them stay above the wellness line and keep their bodies in balance.  My passion for this endeavor grew and continues to grow.  So, yet again, something is starting to consume my time/thoughts/energy other than Christ.  Now, I don't think my endeavor is wrong by any means.  But, last night as I was doing my devotions, I was convicted by God.  Have I truly sought God in my new business?  Have I talked to Him at length about my heart/passion?  Has He given me His blessing to move forward?  I've prayed about it here and there, but have I truly sought His guidance?  Earlier this year I bought the devotional book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.  I loved the fact the daily devotions were short and written as Christ talking directly to me.  The following is taken directly from the entry for March 8:
              SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKING MY FACE.  I am constantly communicating with you.  To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else.  Anything that you desire more than me becomes an idol.  When you are determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your consciousness.  Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk with Me about it.  Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit so that you can see it from My perspective.  If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it.  If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart.  'Seek Me first' and foremost; then the rest of your life will fall into place, piece by piece.  1 Chronicles 16:11 says, "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
WOW!! Talk about conviction.  My heart's desire is to honor Christ with my life and give Him glory.  I pray that I will take this devotional to heart and truly "SEEK HIS FACE."  The blessings I will receive as a result of pursing Christ, will be immeasurable.  And the blessings may not be material or monetary, but rather eternal.  As I continue to pursue my new business and passion, I pray that I do so in a way that puts God first and His plan for me.  I know God will honor my efforts in a way the brings glory to Him.

3/7/16

A Simple Explanation

Just choose your diffuser, purchase the Premium Starter Kit, and you have a membership to buy future product at a 24% discount.  Click here to purchase kit.



When I talk to people about what I do or am helping them get their first Young Living Essential Oils kit, they often turn their nose up and say, "Distributor?  I don't think I want to do that!"  However, it's not what it seems.  One of the many reasons I love this company is that I don't HAVE to sell anything or "distribute" anything.  All I do is share a passion of mine.  What people choose to do, is just that, "their choice."  A simple way to explain how I buy oils, is to equate it to my Costco membership.  How many of you have a membership to Costco or Sam's Club?  I'm sure a ton of you out there do.  When you buy a membership to one of those stores, you pay a fee to shop the discounts.  Your basic fee allows you into the store to buy whatever you want.  The executive membership allows you to earn a percentage back on what you buy.  So, a membership to Young Living Essential Oils is the same concept.  When you buy a starter kit, that is your "membership" to buy any products Young Living offers at a discount.  If you choose to participate in the Essential Rewards program, that is like buying the executive membership to Costco.  When you purchase items monthly through Essential Rewards, you earn a percentage of what you spend toward future purchases for free.  Pretty amazing deal!!!  That's it!  You never have to sell anything.  However, I will tell you that after you start using the products that Young Living has to offer, you won't be able to stop yourself from telling others about it.  If someone chooses to buy a kit after you shared with them, you make a little money.  The more you share, the more you make.  But, if you choose to not make money, that's OK too.  Each year, you have to "renew" your membership to Costco/Sam's Club by paying the annual membership fee.  Same goes for Young Living.  To keep your membership active and allow you to continue to buy things at a discount, you need to renew your membership by purchasing $50 worth of product before a year goes by of your purchase of the starter kit.  Pretty simple in my opinion!!!  Simply by me sharing my passion of Young Living Essential Oils and the rest of their products and how they've benefited me and my family, I've achieved the next level in my business.  I'm super excited.  I'm also in the process of working with the hospital I work at in bringing the benefit of essential oils to patients and staff in a safe manner.  I'm super excited about what I will learn in the process.

2/3/16

SHARE the LOVE!

Go to www.youngliving.com and enter #1673720 in the enroller and sponsor box

I am so excited the starter kits are on sale this month.  This is such a rarity!!  If you've ever wondered about essential oils, I would love to share what I know with you.  I started my journey with Young Living Essential Oils 2 years ago.  I had no intentions of selling them.  But, when you love something and see the health/wellness benefits for your family, you can't help but share.  The starter kit is already an amazing deal made even more amazing with this discount.  To buy everything separately at retail would be almost $400.  The kit pictured is only $144 on sale.  So, if you have a tax return coming, treat yourself to health and start your wellness journey.  Valentine's Day is coming and what a great way to show the love to yourself and your family!  
Not only will you get the starter kit, but you will get a team of people to support you as you begin your health/wellness journey.  There are so many other products offered by this company that allow your home to become toxin-free.   If you're unsure about buying the whole kit, and want to try an oil or two, I can get those for you.  Or I can send you a sample. Contact me if you have questions!!

1/21/16

Health & Wellness - New Year and New Adventures


I am so excited about what this New Year has to offer.  This last year has brought a lot of positive changes for me.  I set out to get healthy again.  After having two kids and focusing so much on their needs, I decided I needed to get back to focusing on me and my health.  So far I've lost 30 pounds and 27 inches.  I'm having to revamp my entire wardrobe because everything in my closet is too big.  Oh such a horrible problem to have (wink wink)!!  I'm enjoying wearing stuff that I thought would never look good on me. Now I need to stick to my eating plan so I don't go backwards again like I've done so many times before.  However, now, I've really been listening to how my body responds to food.  And, I can certainly tell when I eat something that I shouldn't - my body starts yelling at me.  I haven't been following my plan as much since Christmas and I can certainly tell.  I don't have as much energy, I feel weighted down, have more headaches from tension, and just overall feel blah!  So, I will hit it hard again and challenge myself.

Something I've been wanting to share now for quite a while is how our family has started using Young Living Essential Oils to further assist our health and wellness efforts.  We started using them 2 years ago to help encourage better sleep for Little Bear and Little Cub.  They did help so I started looking into how else they might help our family.  Since starting to use the oils, Papa Bear no longer takes over the counter medicine for reflux and we both rarely use ibuprofen for headaches.  This post would be miles long if I listed all the products I love.  So, far now, I will just stick to a short introduction.

I was rather intimidated at first about all the different oils and still am to an extent.  However, I've come to realize how beneficial they are when used properly that I can't help but tell others about them.  Hence, I am embarking on a business venture.  I've tried other home based businesses before and quit because I am not a salesman and just lacked the oomph about the product.  It's different this time.  I'm becoming rather passionate about getting back to what God gave us - plants, herbs, oils.  He's provided so much in regards to things that will promote health and wellness.  Oils have been around since the Bible times and were used frequently.  I'm excited about learning more.

I am not a doctor, and therefore can't claim to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.  And one should always check with your own doctor and do your own research about any oils or products you use.  What I do claim is that I am very interested as a registered nurse, wife, and mother in how the oils will support our overall wellness and different body systems.  If you have any questions about essential oils or promoting health and wellness, please let me know.  If you would like to try some oils before buying, I'd be happy to share mine with you.  The great thing about this company is that they are committed to quality.  Their SEED TO SEAL program ensures that from the time the seed goes into the ground till it ends up as oil in a bottle, they can verify that it is 100% Pure, Therapeutic Grade essential oil.  The oils are never diluted or adulterated with other harsh chemicals or synthetic additives.  They do multiple testing themselves and have 3rd party testing done to ensure what they sell is 100% pure.

The other thing I like about this company is that there is no monthly minimum to buy, no need to sell.  When you purchase a premium starter kit, that gives you 11 essential oils, a diffuser, some sample packets, and Ningxia Red pouches.

If you purchased each of the pictured items separately, it would cost almost $300.  This is an awesome deal.  To purchase the kit just follow this link .  When you purchase the kit, you not only get the items pictured, but you get my support and the resources available from my team which consists of RNs, licensed massage therapists, chiropractors, physical and occupational therapists, and also medical doctors.  Join me on my journey to health and wellness and see what oils can do for you.