We are expected to be able to do a million things in a week. 

There is not enough time in our days to get everything done. 

We are literally spinning in to do lists and losing out on the ability to calm down, focus, and enjoy precious moments.

We can stop this chaos though.  YOU have the ability within to do this.

Try these FIVE Tips to destress ASAP -

1.  JOURNAL - When the days get crazy and you lose complete sight of your goals, try to regain your focus and clarity by writing things down.  Garb a pen and start writing your worries, to do list items, dreams, goals, or anything else on your mind in that moment.  Get it out of you head and on paper so you can clear mental clutter.

2.  CREATE A SCHEDULE - Write down exactly what you HAVE to do in that very moment, the next hour, and so forth for the rest of the day.  Gain even more clarity by continuing to write down your MUST DO's for the next day as well.  Write anything you would "like" to do if you have time on a separate sticky note.  This allows your mind to be very clear on what NEEDS to get done so you can stay focused.  I also want you to add thirty minutes in between each task on your calendar so you have self care time, catch up time, or extra time if you kiddos need you.  You will be way more likely to stay on schedule by devoting this extra time to YOURSELF.

3.  GET GROUNDED - Look around you and notice three solid objects that are very grounded (they are not moving).  Now plant your feet in the ground and feel grounded too.  Tell yourself you are just like a tree.  You are rooted, strong, and can sway gracefully with the winds.  You have the ability to control your mind and control your reactions.  You have the ability to allow yourself to stop, breathe, and relax.

4.  BREATHE - By now you have cleared the mental clutter by writing it all down.  You know exactly what needs to get done today.  You have stopped to ground yourself.  Now you just need to continue to know that it is okay to take a "me" break.  It is okay to take five, ten, or even thirty minutes to focus on deep breathing and calming tense muscles.  You can allow your body and mind to stop spinning because it is okay to do this.  The high stress response and tension you are feeling is your body telling you that you NEED to be doing this.   You need this time.

5.  LAUGH IT OUT or HUG IT OUT - Better yet, do both!  Find someone you absolutely love and give them a big hug for at least twenty seconds or... find that one person in your life that makes you gut laugh like crazy!  Where are they?  Maybe it is multiple!  Give them a call or a visit and tell them you just need a good laugh!  Hugs and laughter are calming and fulfilling.  You can never have enough of either!

If you are ready to learn how to promote calm, relaxation, focus, and clarity with aromatherapy and herbal products, then click below to Book Your Call!  There are so many natural options that can support your emotional wellbeing and help you keep stress levels at bay!  You can stop the chaos, tension, sleeplessness, anxiety, exhaustion, and over reacting.  You just have to be ready to learn how.

You Got THIS! 🤍 Jamie

Hey there!  Before you jump in!  If you LOVE getting FREE health & wellness tips? I would love to invite you to join my health and wellness loving community who absolutely love getting weekly tips and ideas that promote better and more natural health and wellness for Mom and Child.  Click Here to Sign Up!

Sometimes we look at our kiddos and think "wow, it must be nice to be a kid", but the reality is, kiddos of all ages have worries, stressors, and can get anxiety just like adults.

There are many other reasons kiddos can be stuck lying awake at night too.  Let's explore some of the reasons your child may not be sleeping so well -

• Worried about someone they love or something they love
• Separation anxiety
• Scared
• Consumed too much sugar
• Lack of nutrients in diet (too many processed foods and not enough protein, healthy fat, veggies, & fruits)
• Ate foods with food coloring or artificial dyes
• Uncomfortable (muscle aches, tension, sleeping arrangement, bed, pillow, etc.)
• Room is too light or too dark
• Room is too cold or too hot
• Pajamas are uncomfortable
• Dry, itchy skin
• Stomach upset or discomfort
• Constipation
• Allergies
• Too much Screen Time
• WIFI signals in the room
• Noises (from other family members, pets, neighbors, electronics, etc)
• A build up of negative energy
• Not enough physical activity
• Not enough time with nature to relax and get grounded
• Not enough mental stimulation throughout the day (boredom and lack of creativity)
• Anxiety about the next day
• No sleep schedule

This list could go on, but I think you have a great start to assess what a few causes may be to make positive change.

Some of those positive changes could be -

1. Ask your child what they are worried about and reassure them they are okay.
2. Ask your child if they are missing someone or something.  Maybe they could use you to lay by them for ten minutes or give them an alternative toy or pillow to snuggle.
3. Ask your child if there is something they are afraid of?  Maybe a night light would make them feel better.
4. Assess your child's diet.  It should consist of healthy protein, fat, veggies, and fruits with HUGE limitations on sugar and limited processed foods.  If you feed them the healthy and good when they are hungry and regularly throughout the day, they are less likely to do a sugar or junk food binge.
5. Ditch food coloring, artificial dyes, and pay attention to preservatives in processed foods.  Teach your kids to read labels too. Choose foods with the LEAST amount of ingredients and stay clear of ingredients you can't even pronounce.  Learn to color foods with fruit and vegetable powders instead.
6. Assess if your child is comfortable in their p.j.'s, room, and bed and make necessary changes or try new things.
7. Assess if there skin is dry, itchy, or irritating them.  Always use a fragrance free moisturizer and apply generously right after bath time when their skin's pores are more open.
8. Assess if your child is having stomach upset or issues with constipation.  You may need to make some dietary changes to include more fiber or healthier snacks and foods as stated above.
9. Assess if your kiddo is having allergy symptoms keeping them awake and miserable at times.  The use of a Hepa Air filter or ridding the allergen source may be needed.
10. Ditch screen time before bed and read or sit outside to relax.
11. Turn off WIFI before bed time and be sure there are no sources of WIFI signals in your child's room.
12. Assess if there are noises keeping your child from falling asleep and think about what you can do or how you can rearrange your schedule so they can sleep better.  For instance, doing the dishes after supper instead of at bedtime.  If you cannot rid certain noise, getting a nature sound noise machine can be super relaxing and beneficial.
13. Be sure your child is getting enough physical activity so they aren't holding in built up energy.  Have them play outside after supper time, join sports, or workout inside with you.  Kids need to be active for their physical and mental health, and their ability to get quality sleep.
14. Be sure your child has enough options of things to do throughout the day through activities or play that spark their creativity.  Come up with things to do, build, fix, etc.  Do a scavenger hunt with your child outdoors so they can brainstorm, be creative, explore, and get grounded in nature.
15. Ask them what they have going on the next day to find out if a test or situation is making them anxious.  Listen, Learn, and deep breathe with them.
16. Finally, be sure your child is on a sleep schedule.  If you are stuck in bad habits, adjust the time slowly by 15 minutes every couple of days and to get them on track.

"Is there more you ask?"  YES!  Of course there is! 

​If you have more questions or want to explore natural products, options, and therapies... Book a Call TODAY so we can get your child sleeping better as soon as possible!

P.S.  When your child sleeps better, so will YOU!

When you are feeling overwhelmed, unable to focus, a lack of motivation, decreased energy, and run down, you may not realize that this can also be tied to not getting enough nutrients your body needs, not sleeping well, not having time to find clarity, and so forth.

Finding the root cause is always key to healing, however, what if you don't fully understand the how the body works and how different products and therapies work within the body to promote healing?

That sentence sounds complex!  I understand how hard it can be to connect the dots and after years of working with patients in the medical field and with students and clients teaching natural health and wellness.  I also fully understand that connecting the dots and finding out how to fix symptoms can be very hard to understand!

That is why people like me do what we do - to help YOU and YOUR FAMILY get to optimal health and wellness.  To help others learn how easy it can be.  To help you understand and have clarity.  To help guide you and answer your questions so you don't feel stuck.  We are experts in our own fields.  There is not one single human who can be an expert in it all (every aspect of the body), which is why we all have our own areas we excel in to benefit... YOU.

One of mine happens to be that ability to make understanding the body and how natural remedies, products, and therapies work to heal the body - SIMPLE.  

I SIMPLIFY health and wellness steps personalized to each client and their own needs (for MOM and CHILDREN).

If you are at a starting point and really want to be able to increase your health and wellness in areas like -

• Sleep
• Motivation
• Energy
• Immunity
• Focus
• Clarity
• Emotional Balance

and SIMPLE natural remedies in between, then keep reading.  Yes, I can get really complex with my teaching, but for this blog, we are sticking with SIMPLE.

And here it is -

You can have everything above - SLEEP, MOTIVATION, ENERGY, IMMUNITY, FOCUS, CLARITY, AND EMOTIONAL BALANCE.

You can work on ALL of these things at one time!  Crazy right!

Yes, I just said that!  You can work on a few simple things and make a few simple changes and take steps toward improving ALL of those issues at once.

You don't need a remedy, product, or therapy for each individual area.

You don't need to spend a ton on money and time trying to work on each individual area.

You need to learn how all the dots are connected and the best place to start so you can work on all the areas together.

You need UNDERSTANDING of what your (or your child's) body is telling you it needs.

You need OPTIONS to explore.

You need easy to understand EDUCATION for those options and how they work to improve health and wellness.

You need SIMPLE steps to guide you.

Now doesn't that sound EASY?

I created something for you.

It includes SIMPLE, QUICK, and EFFICIENT problem solving, education, and inspiration to move you forward on your health and wellness journey.

I created this just for you and it will be on the web in the very near future!

Who will get the first sneak peek and limited time offer?

The wonderful wellness loving members in my email community!

Subscribe below to be the first to know so you can get on your way to sleeping better, feeling energized, being productive, and have motivation to keep going!

In the mean time I want you to take a weekly journal and 

• write down any symptoms you are having or how you feel day to day including times of the day
• write down how you would prefer to feel including time of day next to it and highlight that
• write down what you think may be the cause if you know that cause and circle it
• write down what you think may help fix the issue and highlight it
• think about what you can say NO to in your week to clear time to learn or help fix the issue

Once you start journaling, there may be some very clear AHA moments.  You may be able to see a SIMPLE and CLEAR fix to start working on ASAP.

You may also have questions that pop in your mind as well.  Please send your questions my way.  Don't feel like your stuck in quick sand.

Even if you think your question is SILLY, send it!  Don't let you mind tell you it's not worthy of asking, because it IS!

Don't forget to sign up for weekly wellness tips so can be the first to know!

In health and wellness, Jamie :)

Do you ever feel exhausted and lost trying to figure out what else you could be doing to support you child's emotions?

Every child has different triggers that can make emotions tilt off the tracks, and sometimes, we can call it a roller coaster of emotions that wave through and go through the phases.

But what as parents can we actually do to support this?

I am a Mom too and I know how difficult this is.  I have felt exhausted and lost.  I have lost sleep at night trying to think of other ways I could have done things differently or things I can try or do next time.  Here is a good thing to remember when you are feeling alone and lost in the tornado of what if's -

"Just because your child had an emotional moment and you could't solve or calm the problem or emotion sooner, doesn't mean either of you did anything wrong."

Don't beat yourself up about this.  When the time is right, give long hugs and talk about how emotions can sneak up on all of us, no matter what age we are, and then teach or remind them about coping tools they can use for next time.

More food for thought... remind them that emotions don't go away and certain triggers may not go away either.  This does't need to feel like doom every time.  Focus on how to help prepare the child for the next time this may happen and again, teach coping tools to use to have a better reaction.

There are a few things that we can do that will really help our children maintain more balanced emotions -

• Model the behavior
• Use the coping tools you want them to learn how to use
• Do a relaxing activity every day (walks, yoga, stretch, deep breathe, meditate)
• Keep them on a sleep schedule
• Offer nutritious foods starting with breakfast (fruits, veggies, protein, healthy fats)
• Limit screen time
• Limit activities that you know will cause them to have a change in behavior (aggressive play, movies, or video games)
• Ditch food coloring
• Ditch sugar and too many processed foods (fast food, candy, soda, fake juices)
• Learn to use aromatherapy and herbs to assist in keeping emotions balanced
• Inspire them every day to do, learn, or explore something that they think is amazing
• Remind them they are loved
• Tell them when they do a great job at something
• Tell them you trust their decision making because they are super good at ___________
• Tell them about a decision you need to make and ask what they would do
• Get them involved in activities that can boost their self esteem and confidence (for low cost or free activities check with your local library, church, recreational center, schools, join parent groups and create something to do)

We can offer our kiddos support in soooo many ways, we just have to do it.

I also want to add this in, sometimes when we are used to conventional medicine we seem to want to instantly think about "diagnoses".  Google searches can cause nightmares... I know you KNOW what I am talking about.

So what if you started by asking yourself these questions -

• Am I supporting my child to feel loved and safe?
• Am I doing my best to offer my child a solid sleep routine?
• Am I doing my best to remove foods that I have learned can cause over stimulation, headaches, stomach aches, sleepless nights, behavioral changes, inflammation, sugar spikes, etc.?
• Am I modeling the behavior for my children that I want to see them model?
• Am I offering support when they need it by being a good listener?
• Am I letting them make some of their own decisions and do their own acitivies without over parenting so they can learn and boost confidence?
• Am I giving them multiple compliments a day to help boost their self esteem?

Here are more resources you may like -

​Morning Tasks to Boost Kids Positivity

Tips to Overcome Overwhelm

Five Day Wellness Challenge

Essential Oils for Anxiety

Creating Balance

If you are ready to gain your valuable energy, sleep, focus, and time back by learning coping tools to stay emotionally balanced for you and your child, book a call today to get started!

Was this helpful?  Send a girl a thank you cup of coffee for the time spent sharing valuable life changing tips for you!

Does the thought of starting a wellness routine make you cringe? 

Is it exhausting just thinking about trying to squeeze one more thing in your schedule? 

I know it sounds like so much, but I promise with a little practice and starting with baby steps, you can grow into a wellness routine in no time.

Check out this five day wellness challenge that is completely doable for you and your kiddo!  But before you get started reviewing the days, here is how this challenge plays out.

On the first week of starting the challenge, it is okay to do the one task that is listed on that day.  However, moving into the following week after you have tried each activity, I want you to have a plan to do as many as these as possible or all each day for 5 days!  I know it sounds like a lot, but that is why you can do a practice week just to assess how much time it may take you to do the activity and any adjustments in your schedule you may need to make.

You can do the activities alone with a separate time slot for you and another for your child, or complete the activity together.

As you are going though the list, I also want to note that if there is something you absolutely would not consider doing, think about what would be a great alternative.  I will add a few alternative ideas below as well for you.

So let's start a wellness routine!

Day 1 - Take two daily breaks for self care time.  This time slot must be at least ten to fifteen minutes long each.  During this time you can choose to read a book, do a hand or foot scrub, put on face mask, spend time outdoors, go for a walk, stretch, do sound therapy, or any other activity that you can do in the time frame you took out that makes you feel relaxed.

Day 2 - Meditate or get in a good yoga or stretch session.  This time frame should be longer than fifteen minutes.  This is different than your two shorter breaks that help you to recoup your thoughts or rest your mind during your busy day.  This time is to really allow yourself time to focus on clearing your mind or stretching the body and getting your circulatory and lymphatic systems flowing more freely.  This time should be with a goal in mind to increase physical and or mental wellness.

Day 3 - Journal your worries, dreams, & daily goals.  Give yourself at least ten minutes to journal.  If you do not like to journal than write down a few goals and dreams you have (short term or long term).  Hang them up where you can see them every day.

Day 4 - Spend time in nature.  Give yourself at least fifteen minutes to be nature, looking into nature, spending time outdoors or by the window, gardening, planting, caring for household plants, or simply sitting under a tree or at a park bench.  But here is the kicker... pay attention to what you are actually seeing.  Look at the dynamic of the trees and flowers.  Notice the moon and stars.  Watch the sunrise or sunset.  Let you mind get lost in nature and feel free and grounded with earth.  This is extremely helpful to promote calm or prevent anxiety.

Day 5 - Walk, swim, or workout.  Pick up the pace!  Can you do thirty minutes?  If not, at least fifteen minutes would be great.  Increase your energy levels and burn excessive built up negative energy.

Let's break this down and see what this could look like in a real busy Mom's day!

I will use myself for the example and tell you exactly what I would be putting in my calendar.

* I will get up thirty minutes every day and have coffee before the kids wake, check for urgent emails, and check my calendar to plan my day accordingly to everyone's schedules, my work schedule, and my wellness routine.  I will note the exact times I can get my activities in.

* I will give myself thirty minutes before bed to review my day and look ahead at tomorrow.  Then I will sneak in a few minutes of a hallmark movie.  I will go to bed on time so I can wake on time so I do not want to snooze.

* Every day I will stretch in the morning and in the evening.

*. Everyday I will write down thoughts, goals, dreams, worries, or new wellness areas I would like to try that could help me achieve some of my goals.  I will hang my notes up so everyday when I am feeling lost on what to do, I will be reminded of what I could be doing and why.

* I will be sure to allow myself time to take care of my skin every morning and night because that is important to me.

* I will be sure to go outside on nice days with the kids and play, go for a walk, go on an adventure, tend to the garden, etc.

* I will be sure to do cardio at least three times a week to rid excessive energy that does not serve me in healthful way.  The other two days I will go for a walk outside or walk on the treadmill while listening to a podcast or watching a webinar that promotes education or happiness.

What did I take out of my day your ask?

I took out watching TV.  The morning news made me anxious so I quit watching it years ago.  I check the weather on my weather app instead.

I took out cleaning time.  I know, I know... this is a hard one!  But here is the thing, I just simply got sick of doing squats while picking up trying to two things at once.  It didn't work that well and no matter how many things I picked up or how many squats I did, it wasn't the same relaxing feeling as if I would just accomplish one task at a time.  Now I can get my workout in, feel more energized, and clean what needs to be cleaned and leave what can wait.

I took time out trying to be super organized and have every cabinet perfected.  These kids will only be young once and I will have A LOT of time when they are older to organize.  Besides, cleaning and organizing with kids in the house is like trying to vacuum during a tornado!

I started to say NO.  This one is BIG!  Are you living your life or someone else's dream?  Are you doing things because you really want to and going to events or being places you really want to be or just doing it to be nice?  I bet there are things in your day you would love to say NO to that are actually possible to say no to.  Just take a peek at how much time you are spending doing things that cause you anxiety, stress, your children stress, and so forth.

That's a wrap my friend.  I believe in you and know that you can amp up your wellness routine for you and your sweet kiddo.

Oh, and here a list of other wellness and self care ideas you could swap if you wanted for the challenge -

• get a massage
• do a foot detox
• get cupping done
• infrared sauna session
• foot scrub or self pedi
• go for boat ride
• go snowshoeing
• join a swim aerobic class
• sit in a sauna
• make relaxing roller ball blend to use
• take a relaxing epsom salt bath

I would love to hear how it went!  And if you love ideas like this or shorty challenges, then be sure to subscribe to my free wellness emails full of wellness tips and info... and be the first to know about an upcoming shortie wellness class that will be available soon!

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 I was always super busy and always on the go before becoming a Mom.  The busy after becoming a Mom and the stressors were all of a sudden completely different though.  For instance, it is crazy how we can have a day planned out to a T but then have to add in forty-seven Mom call interruptions, bathroom runs, diaper changes, feeding breaks that are off the norm, clean ups in aisles 5, 7, & 9, and the list goes on!

We become robotic in nature just trying to keep up.  Our energy levels become depleted.

Other sources that can literally be burning our energy without us knowing would be our physical, social, and mental functions.

Our mind is running nonstop after having kiddos.  There are more worries all around, the to do list changes each year as they age, and we need to find a new type of balance.  The work/momlife balance.  If we cannot take time to nuture ourselves and create this balance, we will continue to let our minds run 24/7, depleting our valuable energy levels.

Physically if we have become robotic, we are already disconnected from the mind/body balance connection we need in order to sustain energy.  Our bodies are not meant to run 24/7.  Rest and sleep on a regular basis gives our body time to heal, nourish, and recover.  And I am talking good rest.  What is your sleep quality?

Socially we can pulled in different directions by different people including our own family members.  People pleasing and making others happy before our own happiness can deplete energy levels very quickly. 

Finding the courage to say "no" when something is going to cause a crinkle in your schedule is key.  Finding the strength within to be able to stay strong when you do say "no" is also key. 

You will need to learn to stand your ground and only do what is right and functional for you and your family.  After all, you are the leader right?  Good leaders need energy to stay strong. 

How many things are you doing in a week that you don't actually even care to do?  Or, how many things are you doing that cause you anxiety or that you just absolutely dread doing?

Here is a BIG energy user --> Storing old emotions you don't care to deal with or were never taught to deal with.

Emotions are stored in our organs... yes, I said organs.  Our lungs are said to hold onto sadness and grief, our heart carries joy, the spleen stores worries, anger sits in the liver, and fear burrows in the kidneys. 

Have you ever noticed when your are sad your chest feels heavy?  Interesting right? 

How would your body function if you pulled the emotions out of your organs?  How do you think you would feel?  I think most of us would maybe feel like pulling an elephant out of our stomach!  At least that is how I felt after doing the framework I created to create balance and restore energy. 

The point is, we are letting our valuable energy get depleting every single day.  It isn't easy to recognize this because we are too busy to take the time to do so or don't even think that this could be the first step in holding on to precious energy.

The steps to get through this before even talking about natural ways to increase energy levels (I will save that for a different blog) are here -

1.  Take an hour out of every day for the next two weeks to review your days, your mood, your energy levels, and note any patterns you see.
2.  Once you see a pattern, find the root cause of why you are feeling depleted at that time.  It could very well be you aren't exercising, hydrating, or eating healthy enough, but it could also very well be one of the above reasons as well.  What is the real cause?
3.  Now the hard work.  How can you fix it?  What can you do to resolve the issue causing the energy loss? 

Do you need to say "no" to something every single week to free up some "me" time.  

Do you need to create balance in your work/social/motherhood/wife life to function better on a day to day basis?

Do you need to learn ways to forgive, heal, deal with, or move on from certain emotions?

4.  What steps can you take to tackle the root cause?

Do you need to have a massage every other week to help decrease stress?

Do you need to take more time for yourself and your children to really be able to be in the moments and see what everyone is needing emotionally or to stay balanced?

Could using aromatherapy, herbs, tinctures, flower essences, or other natural products help assist you with what you are going through during the process of healing, dealing, feeling, forgiving, etc.?

Do you need someone to help guide you through your energy flows and help you to create a more balanced pattern?

Do you need someone to teach the options of natural therapies and productrs that may work best for you and your children?

Maybe you already know your root cause and are ready to explore natural options to start boosting your energy level asap.  Natural therapies and products that can amp up your mood and motivation to get to that balanced place you want to be at more quickly?

5.  The even harder part.  JUST DO IT!  Take the time and spend the money to have someone help you or get the massages you know would help you relax.  Whatever you think may help, just do it!  Because here is the thing -

• You will not have any more time in a few weeks
• You will not have any more money saved
• You will not stay focused and motivated to continue to do what needs to be done
• You will not learn anything
• You will not get any closer to being balanced
• You will not get closer to a good night's sleep with less worry
• You will not model the tools needed to stay balanced to teach your children so they can use stay balanced
• You will continue in the energy depleting pattern you are currently in

That is NOT what you want.  I know that.  You got this!   Just do the work and do what needs to be done to get you to a place of better balance.  

Your energy is valuable and only YOURS.  You only have so much of it.  Cherish it and use it wisely.  💜  Jamie

As a Mom of three I know there have been so many times I have felt anxious.  It is such a terrible feeling.  I honestly greatly dislike to feel anxious so I knew right away this was one battle I wanted to learn to win.

Essential oils were a huge part of this journey.  But before I started using natural products, I needed to journal what my typical week looked like and when anxiety was sneaking up.  I needed to assess the triggers.  I needed to know time frames and exactly how long and what would help me to prevent having an anxiety attack in the first place, and what I could do to kick it.

I created a framework to use and looked at it daily, then weekly, then biweekly and so forth.  I updated it as needed.  This helped me to stay focused and keep on track with my self care routine to prevent anxiety attacks.  Hey, P.S. - I teach this exact framework to create balance!  It can be used over and over again!  You can book a call here to get started!

I made sure I was doing all of the basics too, like staying hydrated, started a sleep schedule, started waking up an hour before the little's, amped up my diet, and went for walks and stretched more regularly.

I then started to experiment with which essential oils I could use that were safe to use around the little's.  Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) became my go to's. I found that if I diffused Lavender and Mandarin when I felt like things were getting a bit chaotic, I was able to create a calm and uplifting environment which preventing anxiety from sneaking up on me.

I found that if I was already becoming anxious, using Lavender, Frankincense, and either citrus above helped my nervous system calm down faster.

I found that I could use these oils prior to certain occasions or events, or even certain times of the day to help keep us all on a calmer and much more pleasant level!  Win Win!  This wasn't just working for me, it was helping my children stay emotionally balanced as well.  I was creating a more peaceful, fun, happy, and relaxing environment for us.

Now I am not saying that you have to use these exact oils, but I am sharing a few of my first favorites to promote calm, relaxation, and ease anxiety.  You will have to do the research and check precautions of course!  Especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or in regards to your child's age and health profile.

So how did I use these oils... well there are many ways one can use them.  Here are some suggestions that might work for you:

• Add a few drops to a bowl of slightly steamy water (keep away from kiddos to prevent burns) and allow the aromatics to fill the room
• Add a few drops of each e.o. in a diffuser (start out by adding one drop of an e.o., then add another, then another.. this will help you determine how many e.o.'s you would like to use or like to blend and the amount.  If you feel an oil is overpowering, you can calm it with additional drops of a citrus e.o. or your favorite kid safe e.o.)
• Add a few drops to your bath... if you missed my recent insta post with bath time dilutions - check it out here!  Be sure to always make sure e.o.'s are bath safe prior to use.  Just because they are kid safe, doesn't mean they are bath safe too!  Always dilute your e.o.'s in a carrier oil, and again, grab dilution rations for kiddos by age at link above!
• Add a few drops to a tissue and waft in front of your nose or your kiddos.  Take a five minute time out to do some deep breathing and grounding work.   Starting by taking three slow deep breaths.   Slowly inhale being sure to focus on dropping your tense shoulders as you exhale.  Then slowly exhale the anxious thought and inhale a good thought.  Note things around you... talk to yourself "My child is safe.  I am safe.  Inhale, exhale.  We are at home.  We are happy.  Inhale, exhale.  I will only allow myself to be upset about xyz for five minutes and then I am moving on with my day.  Inhale, exhale.  I only have to do this and this today and then I am only focusing on me and my child.  Inhale, exhale.  HUG, SNUGGLE, and FEEL YOUR FEET GROUNDED TO THE FLOOR.  Go outside and deep breathe to really amp up the grounding.
• Use a nasal inhaler instead of a tissue and have access to your favorite calming blend for months!  This saves you a TON of money on drops of e.o.'s.
• Create a roller ball blend to use and carry with you.  If you are unsure how many drops of e.o.'s to use for a blend for your kiddo, grab this FREE GUIDE HERE!  I seriously made it just for you because I was always lost when I first started trying to remember things and figure things out... so please feel free to grab it, have it, use it when you need to, or even print it if you'd like.  Hurry though, it won't be available after while!

SO WHAT IF I DO NOT WANT TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS?

No worries, here are a few quick tips:

1. Use hydrosols instead.  Hydrosols are also called "floral waters" and they are way less concentrated than essential oils, making them a lot safer for use with kids anyways!  They are created during the distillation process of plant matter to obtain the essential oil from the plant matter.  The aroma is more subtle as well.  Hydrosols can be sprayed into the air or even added to the bath.  They still have precautions so you must still check precautions prior to use.
2. Get moving.  Exercise and movement decrease our cortisol levels calming the nervous system down a notch.  Make it a point to walk, swim, or workout daily to keep emotionally balanced.
3. Stick clear of too much caffeine, food coloring, candy, and processed foods.  Eat cleaner.
4. Get some rest.  Try to get on a schedule.
5. Start saying "no" more often and only doing what is necessary so you aren't making your schedule too tight.  Being on the go and in a rush all the time causes anxiety just looking at the calendar!
6. Drink herbal teas known to assist in calming and relaxation, such as lavender, lemon balm, or chamomile tea.
7. Set aside time for the things you love.  Add them to your calendar with an extra hour included.  WHY?  Because you have kids! :)  Things come up.  Work can get in the way of our "me" time.  So if you book out an extra hour and something comes up, you are still golden to get your self care time in!

We are all on a journey for better wellness.  I hope this was helpful!  Don't forget I send out weekly emails with tips every single week!  Click HERE to get your tips so you can stay on track with your wellness!  You got this!

With much love!  Jamie

If this was helpful, consider sending a coffee tip of appreciation! I pour my time into serving you and LOVE seeing your appreciation...I also really like coffee! :)

Have you ever heard about a new product, approach, or therapy and thought "hmmm... that might be for me.  I am going to look into that"?

You write it down in your calendar on a certain day that you plan to google all about it.

You finally reach that day and have run out of time, but can still squeeze in a few minutes to just see what the hype is all about.

Your google search tells you this approach to improve health and wellness is amazing!

But then as you continue to search google... You start to see the negative reviews and the terrifying what if's or why this approach or product is actually terrible for you and not amazing for you.

Which now leads you down a rabbit hole of searching for answers that you don't even have enough time to continue searching for.

So you quit.

That's it.  Done.  Too much.  Overwhelming.  I am out.  Culver's it is!

Haha!  I have done this so many times!!!!  Let me simplify this for you!

DON'T GET CAUGHT IN A RABBIT HOLE.

There are so many things that are known to be good for us that also get a bad rap.  There are also so many people that have different opinions.  Everybody is different so there is always going to be some good and some bad noted.

At the end of the day I want you to keep this in mind.

"Just do better tomorrow than you did today."

That is it my sweet friend!  Keep it simple. Don't get caught going down rabbit holes and researching different Google links.

If you notice that keeps happening to you, reach out to professionals who can give you clear and simple answers.

Always keep the mindset that you will do better tomorrow than you did today.  You don't need to go and bake chicken with seven natural herbs and a side of ten different colored fruits and veggies.  If you are currently eating plain chicken for supper, start tomorrow by adding one veggie and one fruit to the meal.  Baby steps.

If you are using a humidifier for you child and think you need a fancy diffuser with a huge kit of essentials oils because that is what the neighbor does, you don't.  Plain and simple.  Your humidifier is great and serves it purpose.  If you are interested in diffusing essential oils, start with purchasing one child safe essential oil of your interest and add two drops to a bowl of steaming water.  Then you can decide if you like the aroma, how you feel after inhaling the aroma, positive or negative effects it may have, and if buying a diffuser to go with this one essential oil will be for you.

Do you see how simplifying makes things so much... simpler.  If you research everything about diffusers and everything about each oil in a kit when you are new to using and diffusing essential oils, you will get overwhelmed and quit.  You will have basically wasted all that time because now you won't want to even explore the option again.

You can't start at the starting line knowing the basics expecting to finish with the fastest speed when you haven't learned the technique to get there.

Baby steps is all you need.  Keep working on the health and wellness of you and your child.  Don't let things get complicated.

I am rooting for you!  To be honest, here is a great place to start.  Start with this consistent routine -

• Stick with a sleep schedule and bedtime routine
• Start every day with a glass of water and have a glass of water before every meal (helps you to stay hydrated!)
• Stretch, move, yoga it, or walk every day.
• Say no to something and make time for your self every day.
• Add plenty of fruits and veggies to every meal and snack.  Make it a goal not to have a meal or snack without at least one.  Make your plate colorful.
• Spend time with yourself looking into how you feel and how your body is feeling and what you can do to improve that.
• Spend time with your children watching and learning from them.  Note their emotions and reactions and be aware of what their body needs so you can provide it for them.
• Never stop learning.  Make it a goal to learn something new every day, but keep it simple.  Do not fall in a rabbit hole of people's opinions and reviews.  Look for the right resources and right people to answer the question if needed.
• Always check precautions though.  That is important!

You got this!  Jamie

If you are prone to sore throats, then I am sure would try just about anything to make it stop!  Besides, one can only eat so much ice cream right?...

There is a natural waxy and resinous protectant, that also has antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, that bee's produce to build, repair, and protect their hives.  This waxy substance just happens to also be super beneficial for humans to ward off germs and help give the immune system a boost.  It is called bee "propolis". 

Honeybees make propolis from local tree buds and other botanical sources.  Propolis is usually brown (can be other colors though) and is soft when it is above 68℉, otherwise it is hard and brittle. 

There are different types of propolis, depending on the location and the tree or plant sourced from the bee.  

Using bee propolis throat spray can be a very helpful friend in your home apothecary to prevent illness.

Before you run off to spray your child's throat with bee propolis spray, please note the precautions and ask your health care provider if there is any reason NOT to use this spray with your child's specific health profile, allergies, or sensitivities.  Also, never give a child honey under the age of 1 to prevent any chance of infant botulism.

Do not use if there is a possible or known allergy to bees.

If you are all clear to use this spray, you may find it very helpful to use at the start of a sore throat.  Not only can all the beneficial bacteria in bee propolis spray (over 300 beneficial compounds) help to prevent different microbes from housing in the mouth and throat, it can soothe the sore throat too and alleviate some discomfort.

In addition to using bee propolis spray, you can tackle a sore throat with many other helpful natural and simple ways -

• Use a humidifier
• Apply a diluted blend of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) to the sides of the neck and over the tonsil area (blend dilution appropriate).  *Check precautions prior to use and do a spot check (if using a new essential oil, always apply the blend to a child's inner arm below the elbow to check for a reaction... wait at least 30 min, my preference is up to two hours, before even thinking about applying near your throat or your child's... just to be super safe to prevent any possible swelling type reaction near the neck and throat that could cause breathing issues
• Make homemade sorbet to nourish your child and soothe their sore throat
• Rest is key
• Tea with elderberry honey is also very soothing.  If you do not harvest your own herbs, you can browse the options of organic tea at your local nutrition center too.  Some blends include elderberry, lemon balm, slippery elm bark, and marshmallow root which can all be beneficial to the body, immune system, and help soothe a sore throat.  We will save diving into those herbs for another blog!
• Stay hydrated and enjoy organic fruit juice popsicles
• Snack on frozen fruits

I hope this helps a busy Momma out!  Don't forget to boil the tooth brushes, rinse with vinegar, or discard and buy a new one!