The Ultimate Top 10 Essential Oils for Travel

Travel has become much more common in my life lately.  I've caught a lot of planes over the last few years - some to other countries but most were planes home.  I've also taken a ton of road trips and short weekend getaways.  Most of those trips, though, were with out my trusty essential oils!  It wasn't until about a year & a half ago that I started to use essential oils and now I can't imagine a lot of daily things with out these guys!

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Essential oils can offer a natural emotional & physical support system for us.  For the most part I like to focus on the way essential oils affect my emotional wellness but when I travel I also need some physical wellness support.  We're coming in contact with a lot of germs, we eat things that might not sit well with us, and we're under stress especially if we're on a tight travel schedule - and there are essential oils to counteract all the emotional stuff that goes a long with these physical things!  Here are my top 10 essential oils for travel

doTERRA Balance

The Balance blend is a proprietary blend of spruce, ho wood, frankincense, blue tansy, blue chamomile flower, & osmanthus.  Known as the Grounding Blend, Balance truly does bring me back to balance.  This is one of the first oils I started to work with before joining doTERRA and it brings me into a meditative head space.  I think Zach picked this up at a health food store near us and I started to use it in my daily meditation practice.  Since scent is such a powerful connector to emotion, now when I inhale the scent of this oil I am immediately reminded of calm.

I use this oil in a travel diffuser but I also will just add a drop or two to my hands, rub them together, and inhale.  A few drops on your pillow with some lavender is a great way to drift into a calm sleep.

doTERRA On Guard

This blend is great to help boost your immunity while traveling since we're running into a lot of new to us germs & we're under a lot of travel stress.  I'm pretty sure half the reason we get sick sometimes is that we're just plain exhausted - so we need both physical & emotional support during travel to stay on top!  So I need to grab some of the On Guard sanitizing mist but right now I travel with both the On Guard beadlets (included in the Family Essentials + Beadlets enrollment kit!) and the On Guard touch roller.  

I'll use the beadlets as a daily boost while I'm traveling but I'll also apply the touch roller to my chest if I'm feeling a little tickle coming on.  This oil is a proprietary blend of Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary essential oils so it's going to open your airways and it can help with a sore throat.  Now that it is summer time though, I'm thinking of just throwing a 5 ml bottle in my travel kit - since this blend contains a citrus oil I need to be careful not to apply it and then go in the sun.  Citrus oils are photoreactive and can cause serious burns if treated skin is exposed to UV rays.

Purify

Known as the Purification blend, this blend is great for year round travel.  Firstly, I use this guy to clear out yucky smells.  You can diffuse it to purify the air - like if where you're staying has a musky smell - or you can use this to get rid of odors on clothes.  I usually mix a spray bottle of water, Lavender, & Purify and spray on clothes as a fabric refresher.

Secondly, this guy is great - again with Lavender - to sooth irritations from bug bites!  It does have lemon & lime peel in it though so be sure be careful about sun exposure, might be best to apply this at night after a day of outdoor fun.

Lavender

This is an oil I use for both emotional & physical support.  So Lavender can calm anxious feelings which I totally get before a flight.  Its not that I feel like something horrible is going to happen I just feel stressed about finding my seat, making sure my stuff fits in the over head bin, what if I'm in the wrong seat, what if I have to get back up, what if someone is in my seat....... I just get myself psyched out and that's not good for the nerves.

I travel with the touch roller of Lavender nearly everywhere (I use it on the daily) because of the ease of application.  The prediluted touch rollers make using oils on the go super easy.

Melaleuca

The use of this one is many, many fold!  Firstly, I use this guy in my skin care.  I'll put a few drops in my toner, moisturizer, or even make up remover to sooth my skin.  It has cleansing properties so it's great to use to fight blemishes.  Skin care is the main reason I pack this guy each time I travel.

Secondly, it is also good to treat minor skin irritations - bug bites & small scratches.  This makes it a great replacement for the photoreactive elements of the Purify blend.  Add Melaleuca and Lavender together to sooth and calm any bug bite and treat those small scratches you may get from hiking or having fun in the sun.  

Thirdly, this essential oil is also great to purify the air and remove the stink from clothes.  I don't like how minty this oil smells sometimes, though, so I often choose Purify for this.

Citrus Bliss

This is my happy oil!  Citrus Bliss is the Invigorating blend - meaning its going to boost your mood and just give you the confidence to get going.  If ever I feel a bit down or I want to just get the heck up and actually go, I diffuse this plus a little bit of Peppermint.  Citrus bliss is a blend of all the happy citrus oils so it turns my mood around real quick.  

Past Tense

I use this oil on the daily as well.  Past Tense is in a roller bottle as well, however it isn't diluted with fractionated coconut oil like the Touch rollers are.  I don't separate mine into another roller bottle and dilute because I'm #lazy but you may want to do this especially since there are oils like Wintergreen, Peppermint, and Cilantro in this blend.  These 'hot' oils may cause skin sensitivity so they should be diluted especially on skin that is delicate - children or elderly.  So do as I say and not as I do...

But I use this oil to relieve tension in my head, neck, and shoulders. The cooling sensation also makes it great for hot days.  PastTense is a blend of Wintergreen, Lavender, Peppermint, Frankincense, Cilantro, Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Basil, and Rosemary so it's a good blend for all around wellness!

Peppermint

If ever I want to add pep to a diffuser blend I add a drop of Peppermint.  This oil just brightens any blend you add it to.  Need to get up & go? Citrus + Peppermint.  Need to relieve the stress of a long day? Floral + Peppermint.  Want to relieve tense muscles?  Tree/wood oil + Peppermint.  Digestive issues?  Herb oils + Peppermint.  Is it hot outside and you're hot too? Peppermint.

It's just an all around great oil to have in your arsenal.  Peppermint is one of the top THREE essential oils - along with lavender & lemon - that everyone needs to have!

DigestZen

Remember when I said that I get super nervous before a flight?  Well often that manifests as a tummy that is not very happy!  So I use a blend of Lavender and Digestzen to sooth my nervous stomach.  The Lavender helps me emotionally & the Digestzen helps me physically since a lot of the upset is all in my head!

When I eat something that may or may not sit well - like when we travel places with amazing food but I'm unsure my stomach will agree - I apply Digestzen topically to my stomach.  This blend contains Ginger which is a good way to combat nausea.  The other oils - Anise, Peppermint, Caraway Seed, Coriander Seed, Tarragon, and Fennel aid in digestion.

In a pinch, like if you don't have Lavender, the scent of Digestzen can be calming as well...it's not a great scent but the chemical properties of this blend can promote relaxation.

Frankincense

Last but not least I use Frankincense.  The oils is an amazing oil!  If I need an uplift - Frank.  If I need some emotional support - Frank.  If I'm gonna put on my face moisturizer - Frank.  I have been packing the 5 or 15ml bottles that I have but I'm thinking of adding in the Touch roller for ease of application.

This oil can help with skin irritations, muscle soreness, sleep, and so much more.  It is such a versatile oil!

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Travel is an important & necessary part of my life and I plan to keep on keeping on so it's great to have a support system to bring with me.  When I travel by car, I usually just pack all of these guys together but when I'm flying I sort out the oils I may need while I'm at the terminal or on the plane - Lavender, Digestzen, On Guard, Peppermint or PastTense - and put those in a small plastic bag to comply with the TSA requirements.  The rest I'll pack in a make up bag in my checked luggage.  (ps I always check a bag because I don't want to have to lug it all around in the terminal! That relieves some stress for me!)

Want to learn more about essential oils?  Check out my Top 10 Essential Oils video here & find more oily posts on the blog here.

Ready to get started on your journey with essential oils? Click here to learn how to place your order.

What are your top oils for travel?

xoxo, Moe

My Top 10 Natural & Non Toxic Cleaning Supplies

This year when deciding to go cruelty free I had to take a good hard look at what that exactly meant.  My first intention was to just go cruelty free with my make up collection...it would be easy and it would be a good thing.  But like a lot of different things in life, this decision turned into something deeper.  This cruelty free journey pushed me to re-examine a lot of things in my life and my cleaning routine was one of these areas.

In my search to be authentic this year, I came to realize that there were a lot of things in my cleaning routine that were unhealthy (products, cleaners, etc) and not cruelty free.  A big realization for me was that just because it's not make up doesn't mean it's cruelty free.  Arm & Hammer, for example, tests on animals.  So if I'm making safe, home cleaners to use...shouldn't that align more wholly with my values?  Using a non-cruelty free brand of baking soda doesn't align with my goals.

So, I decided to make more conscious choices - less waste, cruelty free where I could, and more mindfulness in my cleaning routine.  Here are my top 10 favorite natural & non-toxic cleaning supplies.

Microfiber Towels

One of the first, biggest choices I made was to reduce my paper towel and disinfectant wipe reliance.  (That was a big sentence right there!)  I purchased these microfiber towels on Amazon after a recommendation from A Beautiful Mess.  While we still buy paper towels, I've consciously made a decision not to go for these guys first.  When I wash my hands I reach for the dish towels.  When I clean the counters, the mirrors, the toilets, etc I reach for the spray cleaner and the microfiber towels.  My dependence on single use wipes is dwindling!  I've realized there't not much more a paper towel can offer me than a microfiber towel can.  Since this pack comes with different colors I've assigned a certain color to a certain room - kitchen is yellow, upstairs bathroom/laundry room is green, downstairs is blue, downstairs bathroom is orange.  That way it's easier to know which cloth goes where and I'm never short!

DoTERRA Laundry Detergent

I like this for multiple reasons - it's not made from petrochemicals, the overall scent isn't overpowering, and when I forget the laundry in the washer it doesn't get stinky.  Ever since discovering essential oils, I've been on a battle with fragrance.  This laundry detergent, while scented in the bottle doesn't lay too much scent onto the clothes.  While I'm fine with this, Zach really isn't.  If it's not scented, it's not clean I guess!  That's why I picked up the dryer balls (mentioned below in this list).  I have noticed that with Zach's work clothes, stink can linger a bit so I am on the hunt for a stronger, natural detergent to supplement.

The detergent is ultra concentrated and it can go up to 64 washes.  It also works great in high efficiency washers.  With a wholesale membership this bottle will make each load about .43 cents.

Wool Dryer Balls

I never used dryer sheets prior to getting my dryer balls so I didn't have much to change except remember to throw something in the dryer.  My big goal here was two fold - enhance the scent of the laundry when it comes out of the dryer and reduce static.  I have been lazy on the dryer sheets since forever because I don't think that they are necessary and I'd rather not spend the money on them.  Laundry detergent did just fine with the scent and I don't care about the static.  But, Zach doesn't like that his laundry smells like....... nothing. So I want to make it smell fresher when it comes out of the dryer. 

DoTERA Cleaner Concentrate

This is another doterra product that packs a punch.  I use this to clean nearly every surface.  You only need a few tablespoons in a spray bottle and you have an all purpose cleaner for every room in your house.  You can even use this to mop with this solution or do dishes with the cleaner.  I don't buy any spray cleaners any more, this covers everything.  I use it in every room of the house!  You may remember this post about creating a cleaning caddy for various rooms in my house .... I've replaced those harsh cleaners with a spray bottle of this concentrate and microfiber cloths!

Vinegar + Water (and Lemon Essential Oil)

The absolute best window & mirror cleaner is vinegar and water.  A lot of these recipes will tell you to use distilled water but I find plain old tap water works fine and we have hard, well water.  If you add in a bit of lemon essential oil - a de-greaser - it works great to cut any residue on the surface of the glass.  I have a spray bottle of this in each of my cleaning kits as well.  I can't tell you how impressed I was the first time used this concoction...I never thought of going back.  

Castile Soap

This is going to replace any and all soapy stuff I need in my house.  For cleaning I have in a scrub brush in my shower to clean the shower and I've got it on my sink for dishes.  We're still using up some regular dish soap and I think it's going to take some convincing for Zach to realize that the soap in the hand soap thing is also the soap to use to wash the dishes.  

I plan to use castile soap for body wash & my shampoo in the coming months.  I just need to discover something for conditioner.  But seriously if you need soapy lather this stuff is the bomb!

Baking Soda + Citric Acid

So baking soda makes a great scrubbing agent (so does salt!) and when you add citric acid to it and throw it in some water you get a great fizz.  I'm not sure if there is science behind the fizz actually lifting anything but I totally think it does.  I use baking soda & citric acid in my toilet cleaner so I think the citric acid actually does something!

Here's where I want to share another idea - just because you're making it yourself, doesn't mean it's cruelty free.  I've been using other brands of baking soda in previous DIY's but cruelty free is something I'm attempting to think about in many areas of my life including my cleaning supplies.  With that being said, Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda is the baking soda that I've found to be cruelty free.  I haven't come up on much research or information about citric acid brands, however.  But when I know better I will do better.

Essential Oils

I have a whole cleaning video on my YouTube channel as well as another post with the top essential oils for cleaning.  These guys are versatile because I use them in my glass cleaner, in my laundry, as a fabric refresher, and to plain ol' diffuse.  These guys are just the greatest for a lot of things around the home.

Pure Haven Dish Washer Detergent

My cousin is a Pure Haven rep and when I can't find something from doTERRA that I love I generally go over to Pure Haven to purchase.  Of the DIY dishwasher tab recipes I've found, none of them have really worked.  Since I'm not in the habit of reinventing the wheel I went with something I know will work.  I've repurchased this once already and plan to continue to do so.

Glass Spray Bottles

In my Cleaning with Essential Oils video I mention that you can use either PET plastic or dark amber/blue glass bottles to store your DIY cleaning supplies.  I love using these amber bottles from Amazon to store all my cleaning solutions.  The mist can be fine - for like cleaning glass - or more targeted for cleaning your counters or other surfaces.  They feel well made and the weight of the glass bottle isn't too heaving.  The sprayer doesn't seem to clog as long as you close it after your done with it.

Transitioning into a non-toxic, more green cleaning routine doesn't have to be intimidating.  In this post I shared tips about transitioning to cruelty free and you can use the same guidelines when making over your cleaning routine.  It is all a learning process.....I'm still figuring things out as I go.

But the biggest thing is to partner with someone & with a company that you know, love, and trust.  For me DoTERRA and my own Wellness Advocate helped me learn a lot of stuff about natural, non-toxic, and green cleaning...and that is what I'd love to do for you.  I want to be your personal Wellness Advocate.

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If you're looking to get started using essential oils everyday in your own home, there is a perfect starter kit available for you.  When you purchase a starter kit & become a wholesale member you'll have access to me + a whole community dedicated education!  Shoot me an email if you're ready to learn more, or click here to browse the kit options!  Once you've chosen a kit, add it to your cart and proceed to check out.  Click the Become a Wholesale Member in the upper right to join me on your essential oil journey!

How have you made over your cleaning routine?  What supplies do you recommend?

xoxo, Moe

A Beginners Guide to a Stress Free Morning

I've been posting a lot lately about the power of routines and how they help to alleviate stress & prepare us for the day.  Both morning and evening routines are important to building a balanced life, but today I want to share with you more about a morning routine.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Often times, we find posts on routines and think 'that is easier said than done!' and today I'm here to provide you 3 easy ways to make sure you're morning is stress free.  In this post I share a little bit about the importance of routine.  Part of the success of a morning routine involves creating a space where you feel calm, creative, and supported.  This doesn't have to be a dedicated room, in fact is should be all about your whole house inviting you to feel comfortable.  Here are the three pieces to creating a receptive environment for you to blossom.

Sight

When we wake up in the morning the first thing our eyes see is our room, right?  Make sure you're sleeping in a space you love.  Make the bed & sleep on bedding you find warm, comfortable, and relaxing.  Tidy your room, tidy the shelves, tidy the floor the night before so that when you wake up you aren't greeted with clutter.

The same applies to every other room in the house.  Here is where your night time routine can affect your morning routine.  Empty the sink of dishes, make sure the house is tidy, & take care of your AM pet peeves the night before so that when you wake up you're pumped for the day and not worried about unfinished tasks.

You can also lay out your clothes, work or school bag, & lunch so that you're visually prepped in the morning for they tasks in the day ahead.

Smell

We all love the scent of that first cup of coffee in the morning.  Is the scent better than that first sip? I think that may be up for debate.  Greet the morning by diffusing a scent that inspires you to get up and go. DoTERRA's Motivate is a great morning diffuser blend because it's got a little bit of citrus & a little bit of peppermint.

If you're getting ready to meditate in the morning, perhaps diffusing something a little more grounding like doTERRA's Balance will help to root you in and focus your intentions.  Sandalwood, Vetiver, and Lavender are also great oils to mellow you out and relieve stress.

We can use essential oils to tap into different mindsets through the day - peppermint can pep you up and get you going, Balance can ground you and keep you even tempered, Lemon can give a fresh zing to your morning with it's citrus scent.

My favorite resource for using essential oils to align my emotions is this Emotions & Essential Oils book.  There's an index to help identify the best oils plus an overview of each single oil & blend from doTERRA.

Sound

Now that it is warmer out (but not too hot) opening the windows and letting the fresh sounds of nature into your home can be a great way to relieve stress in the morning.  Throw open the windows, let in the light, and revel in the sounds of nature!

If that's not quite your thing, honor yourself by finding sounds that pumps you up.  Put on your favorite playlist, listen to an inspiring podcast, or pop on some calming meditation music.  Sound is a great way to connect in with the emotions we'd like to feel as well.

YouTube is a great resource for guided meditations or even energizing inspiration.  And you're not limited to just these traditional things.  Most mornings I watch planner videos because I like the creative inspiration!

Building a morning routine involves honoring ourselves, so you're morning routine is going to look much different than mine.  The important thing to remember is that you're creating a routine for self care.  If you're sick of rushing around and you're sick of falling apart, a morning (and evening) routine is probably going to help you out!

Don't get caught up in how insta-worthy your morning routine is either.  Do what works for you.  Do what makes you feel the most whole.  I used to want to journal in the morning....but couldn't write anything, then I'd stress that I'm wasting the 20 minutes I'd set aside for journaling, then that would make me stress about not doing what I should be doing.  Once I gave up forcing myself to do what I thought I should be doing and focusing on what really fills my cup, I was able to enjoy my mornings better and I felt more successful during the day!

If you'd like some more creative living inspiration, join the awesome Facebook group where we talk productivity, planning, personal development, and intuitive goal setting!

What makes your morning routine successful?

xoxo, Moe

Why You Need a Morning & Evening Routine

Do you feel boxed in and limited when it comes to setting a routine?  Do you feel like a child again being told what to do when you're a responsible adult whose been paying her own bills and running her own life and hasn't fallen off a cliff yet?  Do you think you don't need a morning or evening routine?

Yeah I didn't either.  But I've got more questions for you -

Are you thinking about your goals more than you are acting on them?  Are you feeling stressed at work or after work or on the weekends knowing that there are looming deadlines but you're too tired to act on them?  Are you hitting the snooze multiple times?  Have you given up on doing somethings that you used to love because either you don't have the time or you wish you could but you just don't want to? 

You may need a routine, honey.

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Now I'm not in the routine of calling people honey but I am here to tell you that you 100% need to set up some sort of morning & evening routine to make sure you're not answering yes to all of those questions in that third paragraph.  Morning and evening routines have changed my life - I feel less stressed, I feel more on top of things, I have a little bit more discipline.....over all I don't feel like a stressed out couch potato coasting through life on lunch time naps navigating laundry mountains & piles of dishes.  The things I want done are getting done and the things that can take a back burner are there, no longer stressing me out.

At the beginning of this year, I shared this post asking the question What does your best self look like?  My best self has showed up for me as long as I've showed up for her.  Creating a morning & evening routine help me to be my best self because it gives me discipline, makes me prepared for the day, and over all reduces the load I'm carrying daily.  

Reasons you need routine in your day:

Set Yourself Up For Success

If you create a routine that fits your life - I'm not here to tell you what to do, I'm just here to help - you'll find you don't have to make unnecessary decisions through the day.  In the morning, the first thing I see as I take Sweetie out to go potty is the kitchen sink.  If it is full of dirty dishes I immediately think 'dang I should put those guys in the dishwasher'.  So now I'm thinking about a chore I need to do and I've shifted my focus from the current day to what I should have done last night.  Then I'll have to make the decision as to whether I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher.  If I had set myself up for success the night before.....I wouldn't be at this crossroads!  We all have something like that which annoys us yet we don't really want to do in that moment and this distracts us from what we need to get done now.  

Part of setting yourself up for success means knowing yourself.  You know your annoyances - like dirty dishes in the sink in the morning - better than anyone so getting those out of the way will keep you on track for your goals.  By setting a specific time to do annoying tasks that we know need to get done lowers procrastination, lowers stress, and prepares us for the day or night ahead.  If you're extremely unmotivated (ahem, me) read this post on three things to do to kick your butt into gear.  Number one though - if it takes two dang minutes to complete....do it now.

Routine Leaves Room for Mindfulness

So we've given up unnecessary decisions and are now doing things with intention & discipline.  This leaves room for us to be mindful.  We're no longer worrying about what to do next because we've set up a routine, we know when the next task will happen, so now it is time to honor ourselves by being present during the tasks. 

First lets talk about mindfulness vs mindlessness.  If you've ever accidentally poured orange juice into your cereal instead of milk or put a box of crackers in the fridge instead of the cabinet, those are examples of mindlessness.  We aren't focusing completely on the task at hand.  Our minds are wandering or counting off the number of tasks we have to do that day.  Instead of being fully present we're hanging out on the edge of what is next - completing each task only to get to the next one, the next one, and so on.

Mindfulness leaves room for meditation, for honoring ourselves, for delineating what is a priority.  When we're fully present in the moment we can realize when something is no longer serving us in our routine.  Perhaps you're not finding joy in the time you've designated to drink your coffee and read.  What might serve you better?  Routine leaves space for mindfulness and mindfulness leaves space for creativity.  Maybe you need to switch up what you're reading or where you're reading.  Maybe you want to move your meditation from sitting on a pillow to sitting on your front porch.  Mindfulness can help us enjoy tasks rather than feel annoying obligation.

A Sense of Security & Preparedness

Because we've reduced stress and are now working towards the things we want to get done in a day, routine can give us the sense of security and preparedness that can rid us of those butterflies we often feel during the day.  If I'm up at the time I need to be up then I can get everything I find important done then I'm already in a 'get going' mindset and I'm more prepared for the actions I need to take at work.  Routine gives us discipline.

I used to think it was the yoga or the meditation that helped me feel more in control at work.  It wasn't just that - it was the mindfulness, the preparedness, the security I felt aligning myself with my goals for the day.  In the evening, my 30 minute clean, dinner making, and hour of blog work means I have delineated time and have a clearer mind when I settle in for family time and then sleep.  I'm not worried, I feel secure, and I feel prepared.  

Room for Self Care

Routines should be personal - we all have different goals, so waking up and immediately exercising may not fit your goal or lifestyle.  I'm not here to tell you what you should do morning and night, I'm just here to tell you that you should figure something out.  We all live different lives with different goals.  Different things serve each of us differently.  By creating a personalized routine, you're honoring yourself and leaving room for you own self care.

I will say maybe you need to make Wednesday nights candle-lit-glass-of-wine-diffuse-all-the-lavender bath nights or Saturday mornings walk-in-the-neighborhood-alone-with-my-coffee-and-leggings mornings because once you have a routine you'll find space for your favorite things.  You'll find the space, the time, and the need to take care of yourself - even if it is just a reward for putting those dishes away.  Through personalization you can find what makes you feel better, feel productive, feel aligned when done morning or night or weekly.

How to Set Up Your Routine

The app I use to manage my day is called Our Home.  This app is really designed for families to assign chores to family members and then each member can amass points towards a reward - but I just like it because it sends me push notifications.  I don't want an alarm I have to turn off I want a simple notification so I know 'hey it's time to make dinner'.  This app keeps me on track - since I'm horrible with habit trackers.  

To get started, I outlined what I thought my perfect day would look like down to the minute:

Morning
5:00 am - wake up, yoga clothes,
5:05 am - wash face/brush teeth
5:10 am - empty dishwasher/load dishwasher if needed
5:20 am - dog out
5:30 am - yoga, meditate, journal
5:50 am - make coffee, grab lunch stuff
6:00 am - quick blog/social media work or make up
6:20 am - get dressed
6:27 am - leave for work

Evening
5:00 pm - 30 minute clean
5:30 pm - make dinner
5:45 pm - throw in a load of laundry/fold if I can
6:00 pm - eat dinner
7:00 pm - work/family time
8:00 pm - dinner clean up
8:30 pm - shower/skincare/night time self care
9:00 pm - in bed (my mom said 9 pm was a good bed time and I've been following that ever since!)

Then I entered the routine in the app telling it to send a notification to me when that task needed to be done.  When I realized I could fit something else in or I needed to do one thing before another thing, I adjusted the routine.  When something stopped serving me, I adjusted the routine.  I don't stick to it all the time but it gives me a sense of security & preparedness and 100% reduced the stress load I carried.

You can try using hourly planner inserts (or like these in the shop) or creating your own customized dashboard like I did to remind me daily.  These physical reminders can also keep us inspired - we're gonna see them everyday so that then we can live them.  We keep a lot in our brains so it is great to have both a physical and digital reminder of the path we're looking to keep.

The bottom line is that they allow us to get more done in our day.  I would even say an evening routine is where you should start your focus so that you set your self up for success in the morning.  If you plan your evening, get everything done and on track for good sleep and for a prepared morning.....then your morning routine will go off with out a hitch!

Want more routine & productivity inspiration?  Join the Five Sixteenths | Live Creatively Facebook group here & check out more productivity posts on the blog here.

What does your routine look like?  How have you set yourself up for success?

xoxo, Moe

Three Ways to Build your Essential Oil Collection with Doterra

Using essential oils has become a daily routine in my life.  I carry a little bag around with me to work, I keep some in the bathroom, I keep some on my desk, and I have roller bottles out the wazoo.  I just can't get enough!  I use these oils for cleaning, for skincare, and for emotional balance.  I use them to freshen the air, to relax sore muscles, to uplift my mood.  I use them because the are effective & because they smell nice.  I use them because they work.

As a Wellness Advocate for Doterra, if you purchase through any of these links I will make a commission.

The oils I use are from doTERRA and I personally believe that these are the best oils out there for quality, purity, & potency because they come from around the world.  DoTERRA has formed amazing relationships with local farmers where certain plants are indigenous which means we're getting healthy and happy energies when we're sourcing from these plants.  Not only are the plants growing where they thrive the best, but communities are thriving too.  I love that the co-impact sourcing not only means I'm getting oil from a happy plant but I'm helping to build happy communities all around the world

DoTERRA also puts their oils through a battery of tests - 7 to be exact - to ensure that they are bottling the best oils.  These tests ensure there are no additives, no heavy metals, and nothing weird packed into the bottle.  Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade or CPTG means that the oils doTERRA offers are of the highest standard - no funny business here!

Build Your Collection Three Ways

So how can you grow your essential oil collection with quality oils?  There are a few ways to get started using doTERRA essential oils that will save you the most money:

Enrollment kit

If you purchase an enrollment kit you'll already be ahead of the game.  You'll get a collection of oils, supplements, and other products depending on the kit you choose plus you'll get an amazing welcome pack from doTERRA all about using the oils safely.  If you choose an enrollment kit, you'll have a collection right there to start with and you're wholesale membership fee will be waived.  There is no monthly order requirement but you'll be able to save 25% on all future orders for one year.

Each oil from DoTERRA has at least 10 uses (most have a ton more) so you'll be able to mix, match, & pair oils for all types of uses.  The most popular kits are the Home Essentials kit and the Family Essentials + beadlets kit.  These come with the top 10 oils in either 15ml or 5ml bottles.  You'll be able to start diffusing, to create your own cleaning supplies, to boost your mood, & to improve physical wellness right away!  This is like an instant collection to dive you right into the world of essential oils.  (Scroll to the bottom to see how to join & save!)

Wholesale Customer + Custom Order

If there isn't an enrollment kit that suits your needs you can join as a wholesale member ($35 membership fee) and then create you own custom order to get started with only the oils you're interested in.  This means you can start down a custom path with just the oils you want.

One great way to get started is to purchase household cleaning supplies.  Throw in the On Guard Cleaner Concentrate, the On Guard Laundry Detergent, the Beginners Trio with Lavender, Peppermint, & Lemon then add a bottle of Purify and you'll have a DIY cleaning kit for your whole house!

Another way to create a custom order is with your emotional needs in mind.  Create a custom order with the Spa Kit + Travel Kit or even the Emotional Aromatherapy Touch kit.  You'll be able to focus on emotional wellness with out all the other fluff.

Creating a custom order means you're only purchasing what you want.  You can even just add single oils...no pressure here!  Plus you'll save 25% on your next orders for that year.  Again, there's no pressure to place a monthly order! (Scroll to the bottom to see how to join & save!)

LRP monthly order

The final way to grow your DoTERRA collection is through an LRP order.  Enrollment in the Loyalty Reward Program means that you will place a monthly order - but you get to choose for what and for how much - and that you'll amass points to use towards free oils.  You can enroll in the LRP program any time when you're a wholesale customer or wellness advocate.  You can also cancel at any time.

The best part about this monthly order is that you can purchase only the things you need.  Over time you can get up to 30% back in points depending on how long you've been enrolled.  An order of 50PV gets you the points and an order of at least 1PV allows you to keep those points.  So there is no pressure to place the same order every month!  If you'd like to start slow & purchase a few oils, then the next month purchase only one, you're totally free to do that!  YOU get to determine your price point.  Its like a customized subscription service!

This is one of the best ways to experience all DoTERRA has to offer on your budget.  Plus you'll be earning points you can use later towards free product.  And any month you want the Free Product of the Month just place a 125PV order!

Grab the Free Ebook! * indicates required Email Address * First Name *

Experiencing quality essential oils doesn't have to be out-of-budget expensive and it can be as customizable as you'd like.  Each of these options saves you money in the long run giving you the opportunity to build your collection easily, efficiently, and affordably!  Since you only need a few drops for effectiveness, building your collection slowly will pay off.  Patience is a virtue!

How to Join

1. Click here to visit my doTERRA website. Select Join & Save in the upper part of the screen. 
2. Enter your country on the next page & select continue
3. Fill out your information & choose whether you'd like to be a Wholesale Customer or a Wellness Advocate. You should also see 4042730 as the referral information. Click continue.
4. Select your starter kit.
5. Choose any other products you'd like to add
6. Review your order, enter your shipping & payment information. Select Process Order
7. Email me at moe.howard@fivesixteenthsblog.com to let me know you've ordered! I'll get your exclusive team freebies ready to ship & add you to the Feel the Inhale team group. Plus we can schedule your one on one consultation to go over your wellness goals!
8. Get ready to fall in love with oily goodness!

If you'd like to learn more about enrollment shoot me a message and if you're ready to get started click here & scroll down to follow the instructions!

xoxo, Moe

Reasons Why I Love This Man

So, if you don't like mushy posts you might want to step away from the computer for this post or go visit some of the links in the sidebar because it's about to get mushy, mushy.

As you know, Zach & I recently moved in together.  We more than moved in together really...I packed up my things & moved up north to him.  We moved into a little yellow house that needed rennovating & now we're working on making it a home.  I don't think I give this man as much credit as he deserves for being such an awesome part of my life.  Being fiercely independent it was hard for me during this transition time, but now I've got a job & we even started our own business venture together: 516VINTAGE!  He is a wonderful guy, he makes my world go round, & I couldn't imagine life without him.  

The big thing is, I can't believe that in less than a year I went from just meeting him to leaving my home & moving up north.  We met October 8th 2011 & closed on the house October 4th 2012.  Can you believe that? It's one of those things where when you know, you know.  In that entire year, I went through so many emotions - and am still going through so many emotions, life I mean what can you do about it?  I guess it's one of those things where you don't believe it til you see it.  I am pretty sure I love him more right now than I did a month ago....we've done so many things together that I'd never imagined being able to do, let alone with someone else.  You know what I mean?  We're building a home together & it's weird.

But enough of the super mushy gushy stuff....here's just regular mushy gushy

When we were both sick at the beginning of the year, he made 3 gallons of soup for the both of us.  I don't really know if it was 3 gallons, but it was a lot of soup.  Zach loves soup and he ate most of it.  But he made sure I had enough to get me better while he was gone the next week for work.

He says "Good job Babe, you're doing great" when I get frustrated working on the house. The bad part of this is I am a complainer, I really am.  I am trying to get better at it cuz no one likes to hear it all the time so when I get frustrated or start to complain he does this to encourage me.  Sometimes I don't need it but it's always sweet.

He may not think it's the best idea but he wants me to be happy & being happy is working on my creative dream.  He bought me a kiln, bought me a wheel, hunts for vintage items with me, let's me crochet during movies.  He invests in me a lot.  I mean a lot, when I don't deserve it, when I'm not the best, just when I'm not investing in myself or in us or in him.  I can't count the times he's come up with wonderful suggestions for the blog, for the shops, etc.  For everything.

He's just there.  I'm having a really tough personal life time right now....and I'm loosing my head.  But Zach is there & I love it.  When I don't know what to do, he's there.  When I annoy him, he's there.  When I need him, he's there.

I've never been in a relationship like this before: it's weird, scary, & stable.  I think the main reason why it's weird is because it's real.  I don't know if you can relate to this but it's not highschool - we're both adults, we both want it to work, we both are dedicated, etc.  I've realized that in order for this to work & the reason why it's been working is because we both want it.  We both know we have to make it last.  I dunno...does that make sense? Is that weird?  There's nothing more than this, in good times & in bad, this is it.

Annnyyyywwwaaayyyy........I don't think Zach gets a lot of credit for being a part of my life.  So I just wanted to put it out there.

xoxo, Moe

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Guest Post // Being your Best

Today I'd like to introduce you to Sarah. She is working on a really inspiring way of life & is here to tell you all about it! Her blog is filled with weekly mantras & plain old awesome stuff. Below you'll find her current goals & how she's working towards them. Her advice for unwinding after work is amazing. Even after she breaks down her day, I don't know how she gets it done!

Hey there – this is a guest post by Sarah from Happy Go Lucky! I blog about DIY projects, Etsy lustings, Mantras and any other things that pop into my head.

Feel free to head over and say hello!

I am very honoured to be providing a guest post for the lovely Moe – I really enjoy guest posts and I find they really make me think – much more so than posting for my own blog in some ways. Every single word is poured over that little bit more, and the perfectionist in me LOVES that!

I have recently been taking part in a project called The 30 Day Reinvention Programme, run by Paige Lysight. It has been an interesting experience and I feel I have learned a lot of things about myself in a lot of different ways. A lot of what I have realised is that in fact I am on track to achieve my goals so far – and the work from the programme served to reinforce that. Some of the things I have learned have been surprisingly small but astonishingly effective and useful. (You can read more about my adventures with the programme here.)

I am keen to explore new ways to help me be my best and achieve the things I want to achieve. I started off my blogging journey and indeed my self improvement journey reading The Secret and trying to apply that mindset to my life. I’d say that this thirst to do more and achieve more has been a by-product of getting involved with these theories and of engaging with lots of projects over the past 4 years. Before that I was very much stuck in a rut and felt that nothing could be changed. Nothing would change. It feels much better to now know that I can change whatever I want. All I have to do is to want it, visualise it, work towards it and it will be mine. (Cue evil genius laugh here).

So – what are my main goals at the moment? Here they are in a nutshell:

• Keep training and get to my goal weight.
• Continue to work on and make a success of my blog and Etsy store.
• Make a success of my Debt-Free ASAP plan.
• Complete my novel “Snapshots of  Sophie” and submit it to agents.
• Crochet blankets for my house.
• Learn to produce digital art work on my new tablet.

I feel as though I am on track to achieve these goals. The top four are my core goals I think. The others are more projects/hobbies to keep my creative juices flowing!

So, what does a typical day in my life look like? How do I fit in all of this working towards goals around a full time job? I’m so glad you asked that – here’s a day in the life:

5:45am – Woken by gradually increasing light and sea sounds from my sunrise alarm clock (much less stressful than a traditional one - I’d recommend one if you haven’t tried them before!)

5:55am – Tony Horton’s Ten Minute Trainer. (Now this man is an evil genius).

6:15am – Shower and dress.

6:35am – Breakfast with MHI (My Handsome Irishman).

7:10am – Leave for work (with a nice big cup of coffee in the car). My journey to work takes roughly an hour, so I have done everything I can to make that time less stressful. I have a tape adaptor plus my MP3 player full to the brim with music, I have sunglasses to preserve my eyes, cereal bars in the glovebox in case I get hungry. I also drive to work via some lovely country roads with really quite special scenery. Every little thing helps when you’re driving such a distance.

8am-3:15pm – I work in a school, which is a pretty hectic way to make a living! If I get chance at lunch times or break I might check up on blogs or even squeeze in some extra writing but to be honest it’s pretty much full on throughout the day.

4:15pm – I arrive home. Cups of tea are drunk. Then I’ll make a start on either my blog post for that day, some writing on my novel (I really do squeeze that in wherever I can – I don’t have long stretches of time to do it in. I just fit in little bursts here and there), crocheting or crafting. At this point MHI is doing his P90X so I have the living room to myself. I also get something ready for our dinner. Usually lots of veggies and meat or a pasta bake. Something with some flavour and goodness.

6:30pm – Dinner has been eaten at this point and then I will go onto doing some of my favourite things. Reading blogs, checking out Pinterest, crocheting – whatever takes my fancy. I spent a lot of time last week in the evenings adding items to my Etsy Store. It really just depends on what is high on the agenda/to do list for that evening.

10pm – This is usually bedtime. I might read for a little (although sometimes my eyes are a little sore and I’m just not up to it).

And then we start again the next day!! So, that’s my day. Fairly full on but worth it I feel. I certainly would never have been able to get up extra early for a workout or carry on working on stuff when I got home four years ago. My self belief just wasn’t there and my energy levels were very low.

You might be forgiven for thinking that I would be totally stressed after all of this and wouldn’t be able to switch off at all. That when it comes to bedtime my brain is all whirry and I can’t possibly sleep. Here are my top tips for making the transition from work to relaxation (and of how to make your out of work activities into your relaxation):

1. Buy two different perfumes. I got mine from Next – lovely but not too expensive. Use one for work, and one for at home. When you first get them only spray your home perfume on when you are just about to get into bed. Do this for a bout a week. Then, when you have associated that smell in your brain with relaxation, spray some of your home perfume on as soon as you get in from work. You’ll be amazed at the feeling of relaxation this creates. After this point, everything I do seems relaxing. My brain is in relaxed mode.

2. Pick activities you love. I really wouldn’t do all of this if I didn’t enjoy it – if it was a chore. Look forward to doing them. See them as your reward. I also find having a nice cup of Earl Grey Tea on the go whilst I work on my blog/writing/crafting works wonders for my relaxation.

3. If you are having trouble sleeping at all – try these tips:

• Drinking Sleep Easy Tea (from Asda)
• Having a bath
• Spraying the bedroom with Avon Sleeptherapy room spray
• If all of those fail I will use a herbal sleeping tablet before bed.

Well, that’s all from me for today’s post. I think I have successfully talked your ear off. Many thanks to Moe for letting me take over her blog for a day – I have really enjoyed it. Don’t forget to check out Happy go Lucky if you would like to read more.

Also, I’d love to hear about your goals and how you achieve them. How do you make the transition from work to home? How do you make sure you are fully rested each day?

Take care people and have a great day wherever in the world you may be.

xo

Sarah
















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