OILIN'

so, it's happening people. i'm in month three of my ride on the oily bandwagon. except, it's not a bandwagon at all. it's a wagon that's been around for hundreds of years that's finally getting the attention it so deserves. 

oils are lit-ra-lee nature's medicine. i've had some *a-ha* moments over the past couple of weeks as to both why and how much i love this oiling journey. so naturally, i wanted to get them out in writing here for my own reference and also because i just love sharing what i love. 

so, here goes:

-i love the positive changes that these oils have brought to some of our daily routines. not all of the oil uses are for health.. you can simply apply because you like the scent and smelling it lifts your spirits. i've gotten in the habit of putting a dab of joy or stress away on ruby's wrists and over her heart when there's time in the morning before school. it's something simple i can do that brings us a moment of calm before we say goodbye and her busy day starts. i truly believe that there's something therapeutic in the oils that helps ground her but, even if i'm crazy and there isn't, there's something undeniably valuable about taking that extra moment to connect with her before she walks out the door. the same goes for our nighttime routine. i have a "sleep" roller bottle that's a mixture of cedarwood, lavender, and fractionated (always liquid) coconut oil. i bring that with me when i go in for stories and prayer with the girls, and i take a second to roll and rub a bit onto the bottoms of their feet before i leave their room for the night. i've genuinely seen a difference in the way they all (ruby especially) fall asleep at night since doing this. i trust that the oils are helping them, but i also value the extra care and attention that applying them gives.

-i love knowing that everything i'm using on myself and my family is verified and safe. young living's processes are so trustworthy, and i value that as a wife and mom. if i'm going to go the extra step and do the work to make natural changes for my family, i'm darn well going to make sure that the products i'm using to do so are legit. young living owns the entire process that their oils go through.. all the way from the "seed" to the "seal". they aren't just bottling oils that they bought from someone else. they own the seeds and the fields, they distill the oils, and then they bottle and ship them. they are the only company who does all of this, and you reap the benefits. you can have confidence that you are using oils that aren't adulterated in any way, and that means so much to me.. especially because i'm spending time and money making these oils a part of our life. 

-although i understand how people may get jaded by the "fad-ish" feeling of oils popping up lately, i've been surprised at some of the hatin' going on when it comes to the use and rising popularity of essential oils. the fact of the matter is, we are all going to need to medicate ourselves in some way at some point in our lives.  if someone told you they had a way for you to get the same results as a modern medication without the use of synthetic and man-made ingredients, wouldn't you be all for it? i know that i 100% would be. enter essential oils. so much relief can be found from something extremely potent and all-natural. i understand that "hater's gonna hate" and all that jazz, but more and more there's a burning desire inside of me to help people understand that they don't have to be chained to their pill bottles. even in the few months of using oils, i have had success at battling and beating many ailments and illnesses for myself and my kiddos. i won't go into specifics here for "fda" related reasons, but i would be oh so happy to share with you privately over a cup of coffee or through email.

-since beginning my research about essential oils around nine months ago, i started noticing just how many "mainstream" products have scents or traces of essential oils in them. i realize that it may be a difficult transition for someone who isn't used to alternative medicine to suddenly take that plunge, but in terms of things like lotions, soaps, and other products it wouldn't be that farfetched of change. i've inexpensively made cleaning, skin, and haircare products using my oils and, on top of the low cost, i also have the confidence that nothing in them is artificial or harmful.  

-i'm excited by the opportunity that young living gives to make one's use and passion for essential oils into a personal business. i totally get people's hesitation when it comes to mlm (multi-level marketing) companies, but i truly believe that people are sharing about their use of oils because they are genuinely seeing a difference in their lives because of them. as one can easily tell from my over 4,000 instagram posts, i thoroughly enjoy sharing about things that i love and am excited about, and oiling has quickly become one of those things. the words of a fellow oiler rang so true for me today.. she said that even if no one ever bought oils and supported the business side of things for her, she would still continue to use and benefit from oils. that is completely my heart behind this! i'm daily seeing both big and small ways that essential oils are improving my family's quality of life, so of course i'll continue to use them regardless of how quickly or slowly the business part of it happens. if i can share those successes and help others experience that same goodness along the way, that's just icing on the cake for me. 

-lastly, i have hope that the changes we're making to our health and well-being will be lasting ones for my family. one of my clearest memories from growing up is of my mom wearing patchouli oil as her perfume. we used to think nothing of it and would only occasionally call her a hippy :), but now it's something that i always connect fondly with her and my childhood. i'd love for our family's use of oils for both health and pleasure to be something that sticks with my kiddos for years to come.

so for now, those are some of my thoughts behind why i oil. if you have any questions, please comment below or reach out to me through social media. i would love to talk with you more about this oily world and help you learn about essential oils in whatever way i can. it really is an interesting and exciting new world for me.