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The Sweet Smells of the Holidays: Cinnamon (part 1)

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nothing evokes holiday memories than that of the aromas of holidays past. This series of blogs will focus on some of the most traditional and comforting essences surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas. We will discuss how you can specifically add these essential oil aromas to your home to produce the warmth and joy of the holidays.

Let’s start with one of the oldest and most well known aromas: Cinnamon. History has it that at one time it was considered a popular aphrodisiac, spice and antiseptic. It was originally used by the people of Ceylon in 1505. To this day it is still a popular aroma used in oriental inspired perfumes and colognes.

Aroma: Sweet, spicy, peppery, comforting, woody, herbaceous, oriental and warm.

Aromatherapy Properties: Restorative, uplifting, comforting, provokes past memories and emotions. Medicinally, cinnamon is used for digestive and intestinal discomfort, wasp stings, sore muscles and stress related conditions. It is a wonderful house-warming scent. Cinnamon is one of the most widely used and accepted aromas because of it’s prominence in culinary practices. The scent of cinnamon will conjure up past comforting memories of “cookies baking at grandma’s house and past holiday gatherings.”

How to use it:

  • Bake and cook with it and the smell will fill your home for hours.
  • Use pure essential oils of cinnamon on a sponge and place in the microwave for 1 minute. You will sanitize your sponge and also diffuse the cinnamon smell.
  • Use pure essential oils of cinnamon in a spritz bottle and spray frequently to keep the essence fresh.

 

 

Filed Under: Aromatherapy, Family Stress Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

New Experiences at a Discount!

November 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

For years my husband and I argued about money, I mean….who doesn’t. Whether you are a young couple just starting out, maybe with a baby on the way, a middle-aged couple with kids in college, or an older couple in retirement, and unless you are independently wealthy, money plays a role in almost everything we do or don’t do!

In today’s economy, it’s especially important to watch the purse-strings and keep them as tight as possible, right? But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. Did you know that as we age, we literally forget how to play, how to have fun and when we do just blow off a day, doing whatever we want, there is usually some sort of guilt that follows.

I’m here to tell you to make time for play. Make time to do some of the things on your bucket list. Make time investing in the relationships that mean the most by creating memories of good times. Make time going on a date with your spouse. Make time to find new interests, see new places and eat new foods. Because there is truth and reality in the old saying, “you can’t take it with you.”

What I really want to talk about are today’s new deep discounts for doing just about anything from sky-diving to zip-line riding to trap shooting to a simple elegant dinner at a Tapas Bar. If you just put in a little effort, using you computer or smart phone, you can hunt for great bargains by using some of the most popular discount sites, such as ScoutMob, Living Social or Groupon. Most of the discounts are 50% or more and the intent is to make it more affordable for people to try new businesses who are having a difficult time getting customers in this really crappy economy.

My husband has surprised me with a sky-diving coupon and yes, at 50+ years old, it was on my “bucket-list,” and I’ve done it. We recently went trap-shooting. We have tried so many new restaurants, that we would have never found otherwise.

So if you’ve been skeptical, don’t be….get out there and live life, create some memories and build some relationships and don’t break the bank!

 

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Adding Color can Lift your Mood.

September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There has been extensive research done in the realm of color and mood. Similarly, different aromas affect the limbic system and mood, as does color. Blue and green hues are thought to be calming, whereas hot pink and red can affect the mood, ranging from exciting to agitating.

But I’m not here to necessarily talk about a specific color in respect to lifting the mood. I’m here to talk about any and all colors during the fall season. Simple decorating with color to add inspiration and energy as we embark upon the next holiday season.

The “kick-off” holiday, in my opinion is Halloween. Full of mystique and fun, Halloween can be any kind of holiday to any individual. This is a holiday of real choice….do I wear a costume or not? What sort of costume? Should I decorate the house full-tilt? Inside? Outside? What kind of treats will I offer the little witches, ghosts and princesses that arrive at my door-step? Or should I bother at all?

First of all, I have to say that Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I used to go full-tilt on decorations, especially when my children were young. Then after a tragic death in my family, I lost my motivation to decorate at all. And although I missed my colorful handiwork, I just could not muster the strength. But I found myself longing for those days again, even on a smaller and simpler scale. I found I was even more depressed without the color of the holidays surrounding me.

This year I added just a bit of Halloween decor to our front yard. It took me just 45 minutes to complete the project and I was so giddy with pride and happiness that I found myself going to the front yard over and over to admire it. I look forward to driving out and in the driveway so I can see the pumpkins from all angles. And at night, I just can’t wait to turn on the orange lights that delicately balance on the limbs of the little Oak tree out front. So you see, a little can go a long way to lift the mood during this holiday season. Just add a little color!

Please feel free to share any decorating ideas you may have by subscribing and commenting here. Happy Holidays!

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Ten Ways to Lessen your Stress in the Morning.

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Not all people are “morning-people,” case-in-point….my husband is not a morning person, he gets up grumbling about how little sleep he got and demanding to know when someone is going to feed the damn cats. My daughter, is not a morning person. I drive her to school every morning and try to have a 20 minute conversation with her, and all she can say to me is “mom, you know I hate the mornings, please don’t talk.” I have always been a “morning-person.” I get up on the right side of the bed, I feel positive and energized. Here are ten tips to help you kick-start YOUR morning so your days can be less stressed, more productive and at the end you will feel more relaxed.

  • Organize your morning routine. Everyone has one, it’s really a process of getting up and getting on with the day. I once learned in a project management class, that “variance is evil to all processes.” This is true.
  • Set your alarm, snooze once, say to yourself…..”I WILL get up on the next alarm, then do it. Sit on the side of the bed for a minute, stretch your arms and back, take a long deep breath, hold it and then breath out slowly.
  • Use affirming thoughts when you first wake up, stop complaining about how early it is or how you hate your job. There are those less fortunate than you, who wish they had a home, a bed to sleep in and a job to pay the bills.
  • Pamper yourself a little in the morning, use a special soap, shampoo or aromatherapy in the shower. Use scents with energizing aromas like eucalyptus, mint or citrus, to “wake up” the senses.
  • If you like coffee in the morning, set the pot the night before so you wake up to the smell of your favorite blend. When you step out of the shower, go get yourself a cup while you shave or do your make-up.
  • Eat something with protein in it to get the brain and metabolism going.
  • Feel prepared for your day. If you need to go to a destination you’ve never been to before, use a navigator or mapping program. Make sure the car is full of gas and you know where your keys are.
  • Expect the unexpected and then don’t be surprised when it happens. If you know traffic is a nightmare, plan alternate routes.
  • Plan for the weather.
  • Make extra copies for your early morning meetings, don’t expect the secretary to do it, because this will be the day she calls out sick.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. The idea is the more you plan and prepare, the better you will feel. More than half of really living is a “mind-set,” if you wake up telling yourself you hate your life and it’s going to be a crappy day, then, guess what? It will.

If you agree, disagree or just want to add a tip or two, feel free to comment.

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