Once upon a time, I would rehash the conflict I had with a coworker in an ever-repeating story to my mom, my best friend, another friend...and on and on. That person that cut me off? I'd tell everybody about it. I couldn't see past the anger or hurt that had happened to understand why I never felt better after my "venting" episodes.
Have you ever found yourself obsessing over your own negative experience? Maybe you get more and more upset and find yourself unable to let it go, just like I used to.
That process is called rumination and it's super common. When we ruminate about or rehash the negative things that have happened in our day (or sometime in our lives), we tend to feel more stressed when there may not otherwise be a reason to feel so. We bring up those feelings like hurt or anger without actually working through them and getting to the point of releasing them.
While it may be difficult to resist do it, you can change your habits and re-pattern how you deal with negative events and process your emotions in a healthy way. This isn't about never thinking about your problems or sharing your feelings with others; no, no, no - it's about finding a balance between completely sweeping problems under the rug and getting caught in a loop of obsessive, negative thoughts + feelings.
Essential Oils + Emotions
When we breathe in essential oils, it travels through the nose to be processed by the olfactory nervous system (that's the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling our sense of smell). That aromatic pathway connects to the limbic system, which is the part of the brain where memories and emotions are stored and processed
The limbic system includes these areas of the brain + their functions:
amygdala: processing emotional information and sending that information on to cortical structures. Essential to your ability to feel certain emotions and to perceive them in other people (including anxiety as well as fear and the many changes that it causes in the body).
hippocampus: learning and memory.
thalamus: sensory relay center.
hypothalamus: involved in emotions such as pleasure and rage, while the median part is associated with aversion, displeasure, and a tendency to uncontrollable and loud laughing.
basal ganglia: associated with a variety of functions, including control of voluntary motor movements, procedural learning, habit learning, eye movements, cognition, and emotion.
cingulate gyrus: involved in processing emotions and behavior regulation.
As you can see, connecting to the limbic system through an aromatic pathway using essential oils can be a powerful way to address our emotional needs. As the scent travels the aromatic pathways, memories are triggered, initiating an emotional reaction - whether positive or negative.
Each essential oil has a unique chemical profile that can stimulate a specific emotional response, but because we're all different with unique life experiences and lifestyles, triggers, and memories, our responses to a specific essential oil can be way different from that of your friend or family member.
Where Do I Start?
Fortunately, there's a bundle of oils that takes the guesswork out of what to use and where to apply it making it super easy to know where to start. It's called the Feelings Kit (exclusively available through Young Living) and there's a crazy-simple protocol that walks you through each oil that we share below.
Listen to our founder, Gary Young, talk about the Feelings Kit:
So now that you have your Feelings Kit, let's check out the protocol for you to follow, complete with affirmations to speak as you apply each oil. For the best results, apply each oil - in the order below - twice a day for 30 days. You can also use the Feelings Kit protocol or the individual oils as often as you like! We also have a protocol for kids to follow with affirmations specific for their age needs.
The Feelings Kit Protocol - General Use
Apply Valor on the bottoms of your feet. Valor strengthens inner belief + confidence; offers grounding.
"I am ready to transform my life."
Apply Harmony on the energy points of the body (energy / chakra points: crown of head, brow, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral, and base). Harmony balances energy centers of the body + restores.
"I am open to give and receive love."
Apply Forgiveness clockwise on the navel. Forgiveness enhances the release of hurtful feelings from the past + bypasses emotional barriers for a vibrational uplift.
"I forgive myself and others for past mistakes."
Apply Release over the front and back liver in a circular motion. Release facilitates the release of repressed negative emotions; restores balance + harmony.
"I release all negativity from my body."
Apply Present Time to the wrists and behind your ears. Present Time increases your ability to focus in the present moment; reinforces grounding + anchoring.
"I let go of my past."
Apply Inner Child under your nose. Inner Child facilitates reconnection with your authentic self, releases past childhood hurts, and open you up to child-like wonder.
"My authentic self is enough."
Apply Valor once again on the bottoms of your feet.
"I am ready to transform my life."
The Feelings Kit Protocol - For Kids
For children, use the dilution chart along with your favorite carrier oil as applicable to your child's age and other needs.
For the best results, apply each oil - in the order below - twice a day for 30 days. You can also use the Feelings Kit protocol or the individual oils as often as you like.
Apply Valor on the bottoms of your feet.
"I have confidence in myself." or "I am brave."
Apply Harmony on the energy points of the body (energy / chakra points: crown of head, brow, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral, and base).
"I am open to give and feel love." or "I feel calm."
Apply Forgiveness clockwise on the navel.
"Mistakes are part of learning." or "I am kind."
Apply Release over the front and back liver in a circular motion.
"I release negative feelings from my body." or "I use my words."
Apply Present Time to the wrists and behind your ears.
"I let go of my past." or "I am aware."
Apply Inner Child under your nose.
"I am enough." or "I matter."
Apply Valor once again on the bottoms of your feet.
"I have confidence in myself." or "I am brave."
Bonus Tips to Process Emotions
+ Hop Off the Rumination Hampster Wheel
Processing emotions in a healthy + productive way allows us to learn how to handle uncomfortable feelings and become more resilient. If you're like me, you want the tools to be able to think about a problem + work on a solution without letting it take over your mood or the whole day.
Productive Sharing
Instead of recounting the story over and over, share what you learned from the situation. Ask yourself: What did I gain in personal growth? What do I hope for in the future now that I've had this experience?
Take a Break
Put distance between yourself and your stressors + go do something you already know will make you feel better. If you can, choose an activity that gets you outside doing something active; this amplifies the mood boost of taking a break.
Gratitude Journaling
Write a list of things you're grateful for in the moment you're in RIGHT. NOW. What are you grateful for today? This week? Is it a coworker that you've had a disagreement with? What about your line of work or this particular job are you grateful for?
What are you going to start using right away? What are some other tips that you have had success with? Share with us!
Ready to Get Started?
I'm here to help make it super simple for you. When you use my referal link to get your starter kit, you'll be joining a community of support to walk alongside you on your journey and takes away the guessing game.
Choose the starter kit that's best for you. My recommendations are the Premium Starter Kit with the Desert Mist diffuser (12 oils to get you a great start on head-to-toe wellness + Thieves Hand Sanitizer, Thieves Spray, and 2 full-size NingXia Red samples) or the Thieves Premium Starter Kit (household and personal care products for the bathroom, kitchen, and the only cleaner you'll ever need - all with the power of Thieves). You'll want to click "yes" when it asks if you'd like to use the kit as your first Essential Rewards (ER) order because that will give you free shipping + $10 back in store credit. Curious about how much store credit you can earn with our Essential Rewards program? You only pay for the full-size products YOU choose - no monthly or yearly membership fees. Click here for more info.
Message me with any questions you have as you go through the process; I am happy to give you my number and we can text or chat so I can walk you through the process step-by-step and I can help you set up your next ER order so it targets your specific health and household needs. Once you're done, message or text me confirm that you're all set and I'll share some more of the best recipes for fall and winter. I am so excited for you!
Have a Few Questions?
My research led me to choose Young Living. It was hard for me at first because I wanted to be loyal and support my friend who was with another company, but my research 100% led me to Young Living. I'll admit, I had to pray about it to make sure I was making the best choice for our family; I got my answer immediately upon saying "amen." Crazy! So, I grabbed one of their starter kits and slowly began switching out my old personal care and household products for oil-infused, natural products from Young Living. Ditching the toxins in our household cleaner, laundry soap + dryer sheets, and paying closer attention to what we put in and on our bodies has had a HUGE impact on our wellness.
Doing your own research is paramount in choosing an essential oil company that aligns with truly ditching toxins and supporting your body. Buying something from a local store is likely going to be packed with synthetics and fillers and do little-to-nothing good for your body + mind. You're not the type of person to try and kick toxins out just to waste your money on using more toxins, right? Here are some really great Questions to Ask Your Essential Oil Company to find the company that best fits your needs. It's time for you to do this - for your wellness and your family's!
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