Hello!  I am your host for this class, so I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Heather, and I have been using and loving these products for 6 years. I am a wife of 16 years and mom of 3. Before finding Young Living, I was a completely exhausted mother dealing with extreme fatigue. Raise your hand if you have ever had a baby that NEVER EVERRRRRRR slept!! I hit this jackpot with 2 out of 3 of mine. I was always on the verge of emotional breakdown ... the kind where if you looked at me wrong I would likely burst into tears.

After I began using oils, I stumbled across Ningxia Red. It. Changed. My. Life. You guys, the oils had already turned what I knew upside down. And then this miracle juice helped me break out of the prison of fatigue. I reclaimed my energy, my vitality, and my sanity. Once Ningxia Nitro was added to my routine, I was able to fight the hard fight and get rid of the 60 pounds I had gained with my babies.

Are you busy and stressed? Chances are, "self care" may be the missing link in your life. Self care in essence is the mindful taking time to pay attention to you, not in a narcissistic way, but in a way that ensures that you are being cared for by you.

I am about to get vulnerable and it may be a little uneasy. My dad is terminally ill. It's hard to even type the words. He has been for 7 years and we are out of options, so time is precious. When I need to take a moment to let the emotions release, the shower is my sanctuary. I use the YL Shower Disk, and add pour a LOT of Release oil right into the disk. I crank the hot water up, get that steam going, and release the grief from this journey.

Psychology Today gives a list of 10 ways to take care of yourself. Take a look and then share the idea that would help you most at the moment:

1- Self care means knowing who you are and your limits.

2- Self care means getting the sleep you need and knowing how to rest.

3- Self care means making sure that you're well fed.

4 -Self care means finding a way to decompress throughout your day.

5- Self care means giving some thought to changing a difficult work situation.

6- Self care means taking time to get to know you better.

7- Self care means identifying what you enjoy doing and what's fun for you and make a serious effort to integrate it into your day or, at the very least, your week.

8- Self care means knowing how to debrief from a day's work.

9- Self care means feeding your spiritual self.

10- And finally, self care means taking time to love yourself and appreciating that there's only one you.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/skinny-revisited/201805/self-care-101

Relaxation for many is found in a refreshing or comforting bath experience, and Epsom salts infused with essential oils can provide the ultimate experience. Tell me in the comments what your favorite way to take your spa bath experience to the next level. Is it relaxing music? Maybe a glass of wine (bonus if you tell me your favorite red that I could add to my shopping list)? A fancy lock on the door to keep the minions out?

One Epsom salt recipe for relaxation is with Lavender and Copaiba (or either by themselves, depending on the person). 2-4 drops of each if used together, 5-7 if just using one, with a cup of Epsom salt. Store them in a mason jar with a scoop, adjust the recipe based on how big of a container you want to make ahead of time, but smaller batches allow for more targeted use for the reason or mood you’re in.

I personally love to use an Epsom salt bath not only for relaxation, but for pain relief. I do a combat sport 5 days a week, and an oils bath helps me with tired muscles, and all the bangs and bruises. Some favorite oils I like to add are Lemongrass and Aroma Siez. Follow up with the Cool Azul Sports Gel and it is truly magical!

Getting skin feeling soft and smooth is incredibly refreshing and can make you feel like a new person.

Here’s a Brown Sugar Lemon Scrub recipe:
1 cup brown sugar
1⁄2 cup V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex
1⁄2 tsp. Vitamin E
15 drops Lemon
Mix it all together and store in a glass jar. If you want to replace the brown sugar with regular sugar, that’s fine too. It’s personal preference as to what someone uses!

If you want to take your skin to the next level after using this delicious scrub, make sure to follow up with a velvety body butter.

Fabulous hair and a healthy scalp are a big part of a full spa experience. As a former stylist, I would make sure to teach my clients that getting their hair healthy always starts with getting their scalp healthy. For example, when you shampoo your hair, you should really keep your product and your scrubbing focused on the skin on your scalp. Don't worry so much about the hair as it will rinse clean as you work it all down.

 

Here’s a recipe for a hair treatment spray:
4 oz. distilled water
1 Tbsp. organic witch hazel
10 drops Lavender
8 drops Cedarwood
6 drops Rosemary
5 drops Tea Tree
Add to a glass spray bottle and mix up before each use. Make adjustments to the recipe or oils if you have a personal preference that works for you!

I want to leave you with a simple styling hack for those of us that use heat tools on the daily. You have got to protect your locks before applying heat, and Young Living has got it covered! Grab a bottle of our Mirah Hair Oil. It comes with a handy dropper, so start by getting about 6 drops for thick or medium/course hair (only about 2-3 drops for fine hair) and rub it in your hands. Next, start at the ENDS of the hair and apply the oil. Any leftover can then be pulled through to the mid lengths. After I use this before my flat iron, my hair feels like SILLLLKKK!!

Remember that body scrub we used? Well now that you’re relaxed and your skin is scrubbed and refreshed, nourishing your skin can help support healthy looking skin.

Here’s a recipe for a nourishing body butter:
1⁄2 cup coconut oil
1⁄2 cup shea or cocoa butter
8 drops of Melrose
6 drops Lavender
4 drops Geranium
Mix the coconut oil and shea or cocoa butter together, adding in the essential oils as you get closer to the consistency that you desire. Once it has the right consistency, store it in a glass jar in a cool, dark place. Apply it where you want it. You can also add 1⁄2 tsp. Vitamin E to this recipe if you want.

Make this your own! At the holidays, I have used Peppermint and Citrus Fresh. Valentine's? Throw some Bergamot and Ylang Ylang in for a feminine touch. The possibilities are endless! I have also used this recipe that takes a bit more time, but ends up with the consistency of other commercial products I USED to use. I would double the recipe, and make tons of jars to have for future use and for gifts!

https://wellnessmama.com/6544/whipped-body-butter/

Even better, make it a girls' night. Whip up a big batch and have an oil bar where your gal pals can customize what they want to add.

Did you know that citrus oils (I am ONLY talking about our Seed to Seal citrus oils) are fannnnntastic for skin? They help reduce dark spots and keep a handle on those fine lines too. The thing you want to watch for is photosensitivity. It may make your skin more likely to get a sunburn after applying. Personally, I don't have this issue, so I add Orange oil to my spray bottle with witch hazel and spray morning and night. Most people though feel more comfortable using citrus oils at night to give them time to work while not in the sun.

This recipe is fairly simple - add 2-3 drops of Citrus Fresh to your nightly moisturizer - this helps smooth and tone the appearance of skin.

Diffusing is a must to complete the spa-like experience. We have a few favorite diffusers that we personally use to take our experience to the next level.

But, first, a friendly side note. Can you ignore these gorgeous diffusers and go find a "cheaper" option? Yep. Ya sure could! Here's the deal though. Not only do these offer more functionality, but they are the only ones that are going to be covered by a ONE YEAR warranty. So, this is my PSA about cheap diffusers. You can get them, but buyer beware they will also come with ZERO warranty. To me that says all I need to know.

(Jumps off soap box) Okay, moving on. Here are a few of my favorites and why:

1. The Aria diffuser. I mean, talk about SPA EXPERIENCE!! This baby includes a remote that plays spa sounds, music, lights, the whole 9 yards. Plus it is gorgeous. I have been to highly rated spas that didn't have the kind of atmosphere that this can provide!

2. The Desert Mist diffuser. It's so clean and pretty! It can create a mood with all different colors of light, but is more friendly in a home with small and wild children. It's plastic design will put your heart at ease.

3. The Lantern diffuser. This blends so well with the style of my home, that it looks like a piece of art I bought to mesh with my space. It is also super easy to use, clean, and comes with all the beautiful color light options.

One of the most relaxing and calming blends for a spa-like atmosphere is 6 drops of Valor, and 3 drops of Frankincense. Do you like Orange with this combo? Add a couple drops!

Other relaxing oils I love are Palo Santo, White Angelica and Release.

So, you have all these fun ideas and recipes to try, but you may also be wondering when in the world you have time for that. So, let's go there.

1. Schedule in your free time. We are so good at scheduling in tasks for everyone else, it's important to do this for yourself. Put in a slot each day, or at least a few times a week, that are as solid as a work or family commitment.

2. Learn what you're making time for. Finding specific activities that you're looking forward to. This will not only give you a more clear picture of what you want to do, but a concrete goal of why you're making time for yourself to start with.

3. None of those ideas help? Let me share something that made a big difference in finding time I was needing. I opened my phone settings, and looked at "screen time". I was able to find my time in a handy little report that I had lost, didn't have, and couldn't find more of. Lol!!! Cutting down my screen time has kept my life on task, and given me back the time I need to pursue my goals in self care, family, and work. I realized I used my phone as a way to cope with anxiety, so it was sucking my time away. Having scheduled time for purposeful relaxation has made SUCH a bigger impact on my emotional health than scrolling my phone could ever provide.

Well, now that you know way more about me than you wanted to, here are a few more tips. You can make a fun "smash book" with all your favorite DIY recipes, a cool pinterest board, or notes on your device. Make your appointment with yourself and plan ahead so you have all you need on hand and it's more likely to happen!

I have one last "hack" that I want to share with you for the ultimate relaxation. Yay!!

Before you take a peek at this less than 3 minute video I made just for you, let me just give you a warning. Make sure there is no drink that you could spit out of your mouth. After you watch, you will either be like "she is my people" or you may shake your head in embarrassment on my behalf.

Have you ever discovered an oil hack that set your heart ablaze?

Watch this video for my relaxation hack! --> https://youtu.be/5kQsYHXccVY
 

Most of us already have these ah-mazing oils, so if you are one of the few that don't, we want to let you know to get yours too!

I can remember back to when I heard my girlfriend talking about essential oils and I was wanting to get some too. She made it so easy! I went to the website and used her referral number so that I could get the same discount she did.

I want to make sure you get the discount as well, so make sure to touch base with who invited you and they will give you the simple details! You will wonder how you ever did life without them!

Thanks so much for joining me for this class.

xoxo-Heather  😉