No need for a long introductory paragraph here, let’s just get straight to the point on 3 reasons why you need aromatherapy in your life.
You’ll be balanced AF.
We all know what being balanced means, or at least think we do. It means you can have that margarita & queso once a week if you want to. It means you don’t have to feel guilty about that brownie. You can skip a day at the gym. You’ve probably heard the buzzy term work/life balance a million times. You know how to balance your relationships — well, some of you do. So what does it mean to be emotionally and mentally balanced? Is that even possible? (Asking for a friend.)
Balance is a deeply personal thing and differs for each person. It is the ability of the mind and body to maintain equilibrium and flexibility in the face of challenge and change. Balanced emotions tend to lead to happiness, whether that happiness is long-lasting or fleeting. So, what can we do to try and get emotionally balanced?
Enter aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy can help you to relax and unwind. It can be used to calm your nerves or stabilize your emotions after a hard day. Essential oils, used in the form of aromatherapy, can give you emotional support and even help you cope with certain types of trauma. Now, I’m not saying you should ditch your therapist and replace him/her with essential oils (obviously)…. but, I am saying that your therapist isn’t always sitting in your car to help you out when you start getting road rage. So, who’s really more helpful. (J O K I N G)
Personally, oils have helped me through some major panic attacks. I mean, one minute I’m standing in the Target checkout line *patiently* waiting, and the next I feel like I can barely breathe and I’m going to pass out. This can happen pretty often, so I have oils that I keep on hand that help me when I need it. I inhale these oils deeply, take in my surroundings, and tell myself a list of positive affirmations. This is aromatherapy in action. Maybe you don’t have anxiety. Maybe you are depressed, stressed, tired, or all of the above. There’s an oil for that too. Once you take the time to try out different oils and educate yourself on them, you’ll have a powerful and natural tool at your fingertips that can help you tackle any kind of situation.
Sad spelled backward is das, and das no good.
We live in a day and age where depression and anxiety are the new norms. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18.1% of the population every year. And that’s only counting the people who have been diagnosed. Does it have to be this way? Though we don’t know exactly what causes depression and anxiety (+ all the other hundred social, mental, and emotional disorders), we can probably make a few educated guesses. If I personally had to guess, I would put work and social media at least in the top five contributors.
We are spending 40+ hours a week working our butts off for someone else, meeting their deadlines, and ugggggggg commuting. This doesn’t exactly sound like paradise, even if you love your job. We like to think that we can leave work at work, but we know this stress follows us home. Maybe if you huffed on some essential oils on your way home you’d be less likely to consume an entire bottle of wine and binge watch The Office while you cry out all of your emotionally frustrated and stressed tears. (Let’s be real for a second and say that you don’t have to be emotionally distressed to down a bottle of wine.) I bet those raw & real moments don’t show up on your social media feed….
Ahhhh, speaking of social media — what isn’t wrong with it these days? People are spending, on average, 1.14 hrs/ day on social media. That’s 8.3 hrs/ week. How could you not become even more depressed, angry, or anxious when you are constantly comparing yourself to everyone else’s perfect life- for EIGHT hours a week? How many hours do you spend after that wondering how you got where you are, and worrying if things will ever be that good for you. To make you feel better, it’s just as exhausting to be on the other side of that, maintaining a “perfect” image. Either way, you can’t win.
The good news is that there are so many amazing oils for emotional support — Palo Santo, Patchouli, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Lavender, and Vetiver to name a few. Do you think it’s a coincidence that these are also my favorite, most used oils? No. Because your girl needs emotional balance like a fish needs water- there is no shame in my emotional support oil game. So, the answer to my original question is no. It doesn’t have to be this way, and aromatherapy can help.
Stop hurrying, there’s no time to waste.
As the ultra wise band Alabama once said, “I’m in a hurry to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until life’s no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die, but I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.”
Did you feel that or did you feel that? It’s like, I’m in a hurry to do literally everything in my life. I will be going to Target for no good reason (like everyone else), yet I will be in a hurry to get there. I’m in a hurry to get to yoga class. I’m in a hurry to get my Amazon Prime 2-day delivery package that I don’t even actually need for another week or so. Why do we act as if we are always in a race?
Repeat after me…. LIFE IS NOT A RACE. My incredibly smart and handsome boyfriend once told me, as I was running around like a madwoman trying to grab things and head out the door because I was late getting somewhere *shocker*, — “stop hurrying, there’s no time to waste.”
Do you know how much time we waste by hurrying? All of the things we miss because we were so worried about getting to Point B. All the wildflowers you miss on your drive. The tiny precious moments in your child’s life. Sweet time that could be spent with your partner. Did you know that you are more likely to make mistakes or forget things when you are hurrying? There is a legit thing called hurry sickness. Here’s a fun example of it: you might have hurry sickness if you jump from line to line at the store depending on which seems shorter, or do this in your car during traffic.
You can admit it, we’re all friends here. You probably have hurry sickness every now and then too. So how can you overcome it?
One way is to slow TF down. You do not need to get to Target 3 minutes faster for no reason. You do not need to go 15 miles over the speed limit to get home 1.5 minutes sooner. Tell yourself constantly to SLOW DOWN. Another way is to breathe. No, this is not a joke. Breathe like you mean it. Intentionally and slow. Studies show that breath control actually helps to suppress stress. When you catch yourself getting overwhelmed or going at a pace that is unnecessarily fast, stop rushing & just breathe.
Ok, you get it. Aromatherapy helps you be emotionally balanced, reduce stress, and slow TF down. We’ve also established in this article that most of your stress or anxiety doesn’t come from relaxing in a bubble bath. It’s in the car, at work, or even in large crowds/social situations. So how do you get the help you need, when you are on the go? What can you do to support your emotions and mental state in these outside environments? You can’t just carry your salt lamp around with you or burn some sage in Target.
I’ve got three words for you: essential oil diffuser jewelry. Shoot that’s four. Anyway, simply put a few drops of the most calming oil on your Frank & Stone bracelet or necklace before you leave for the day. When you feel stressed, anxious, or nervous — give it a big whiff. You can also take these oils with you for extra support. Put them directly into your palms and inhale deeply. Honestly, who cares if you look weird — you’ll be balanced AF.
Aromatherapy on the go - it’s a really, really simple solution.