Some of you may remember this same time last year when I introduced our magical Elf Klutz. He is my alternative version of other popular Elves that tend to visit homes at this time of the year! While I absolutely love the magic and fun of traditional holiday elves, I have never loved some of the messaging. So, after being gifted an adorable elf at a holiday party, I decided to make my own version of a daily holiday visitor for Audrey! And so Klutz, the Kindness Elf was born!
Klutz is an amalgamation of all of the different areas in my life and my work that I value and find inspiring. He cultivates mindfulness, awareness and consciousness much like my work as a yoga teacher and doTERRA Wellness Advocate.. He touches on taking action that can make a difference in the same spirit as the work I get to do with Supportful. And he offers the opportunity for us as parents to instill in Audrey what we believe the spirit of this season is really about which is being kind, generous and giving towards others, when it can be especially easy to get caught up in what we will be receiving! My husband and I both love this time of year, and being people who are not in any way religious, we find that this is an excellent way for us to create a spiritual yet incredibly important lesson of how important it is to be a good human to other humans lesson. Not because she will receive gifts in return, but because it is simply the right way to be. So this year, with Audrey being three and having much more awareness than every before, I knew that if I was going to bring on Klutz, I was going to have to be prepared! I have decided that he is going to make his first appearance this Thursday on Thanksgiving, mostly because this year we will have family all around and I think the first finding of Klutz will be fun for all! However, last year I believe I waited until the first of December, which means that by doing it this early, we are going to have a lot more time to spend with our special elf friend. So...I spent the few days writing a letter for each day that Klutz will appear! Instead of cramming it in each night over the next month, I have crammed it all in these last several nights, often staying up much past my bedtime. The notes are brief and nothing too poetic, but each one has a task for her to do that day that will promote kindness and generosity of spirit and other things! Much like his counterparts, Klutz is not allowed to be touched or he will lose his magic and he will reappear each morning in a new spot! He does not go back each night however to report to Santa on Audrey's behavior. Instead he goes back home to hang with his friends Rudolph and Frosty and other North Pole Elves! Perhaps in upcoming years, I will even write out much more about his evenings of adventures! For now though, the notes are completely geared towards Audrey and how she can be of service this Holiday Season! 35 of them to be exact, because even though I only needed 33 days, I wanted to have just a couple extra, both for myself and for YOU! Yeah, so here is the exciting part...recalling what a big response I got from my post last year about this, I decided to go ahead and publish these notes on Google! This way anyone who is interested can use them yourself! Of course, there will have to be a name change unless you brilliantly named your child Audrey, but all 35 notes are there for the taking! You can copy, paste and simply print them out, or even hand write them each night and use them as a reference! I personally may print them on some fun, colorful paper! My hope is that those of you who were inspired by this last year, will perhaps join me in it this year! I am super passionate about raising a conscious, kind-hearted and mindful human. I also believe that she already is all of those things, it is simply our job as her parents to give her the opportunity to nourish it within herself. We could all use more kindness and mindfulness in our world today. Who better to lead that, than our children? I you wish to access the notes of Klutz, the Kindness Elf click on the button below!
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It's BOGO Week!!! AND the First BOGO has already been announced and it's FANTASTIC!!
If you buy a bottle of OnGuard, you will get a bottle of Breathe for free! These are two of the most incredible blends and are PERFECT for this time of year!! So...HERE are the details and "rules" of the week: 1. Each day will be a new Buy One, Get One deal! The offer is good for that day only! 2. Each day I will have 5 wholesale orders available for anyone who does not already have a wholesale account of their own!! 3. I will first post each deal over on my Facebook Group, which you are welcome to join in order to get first dibs! As the day goes on, I will post on broader social media! 4. In order for me to place the order, you must Venmo me or PayPal me by 8pm each day, the price of that days BOGO plus $3 shipping! 5. I will hold a raffle each day for anyone who makes a purchase!! There will be daily drawings and raffles and I will give away other fun doTERRA items! 6. I will hold a larger raffle at the end of the week for all who participated! 7. If you sign up for a wholesale account this week, there will be an extra special BONUS coming your way this week! And that is it! This is the perfect way for you to stock up on the very best essential oils the planet has to offer and take big steps towards empowered health, wellness and care! Email me or comment below with ANY questions! Today I got around to listening to Ange Peter's HOL:FIT talks podcast "The scariest movie you will ever watch".
As my husband can attest, there were several audible affirming responses that came from me as I was organizing my closet and our entire apartment. So much of what Ange talked about was incredible, but the two main points that hit home were as follows... The first is don't give up your authenticity because you are waiting for approval from ANYONE. In years past, I have been guilty of this over and over and over again. Looking for validation and approval for my choices, hemming and hawing over doing things or saying things because I am concerned with how they will be perceived by others. I can honestly say that the thing that broke me out of that habit, was starting doTERRA. For the longest time I looked at any kind of "selling" especially direct sales, as something to roll the eyes at and something that people would judge me for doing. And you know what, there are people that have judged me for doing it. And I am doing it anyways, because for me, it works and is working!! And the biggest part of all of this that I have learned is that someone's judgement is always, 100% of the time about them and has absolutely nothing to do with me. My friends, I cannot tell you how incredible it feels to be free of this burden. This last year, I have made the majority of the choices I have because I feel they are in alignment with my authenticity, period. It's been a practice, and I am not perfect at it, but I am getting better and better and you know what, so is my life. I am doing and creating things every day that excite me and ignite inspiration from the depths of my soul. Most importantly I am growing a confidence that can only come from the inside out, and my state of being is filled with contentment. Of course there are times when it waivers, the other day I wrote about having a small anxiety attack and I get stressed out and angry and sad and all the things that are a part of this beautiful human experience. But the time it takes for me to find my way back to contentment now, is so much smaller than ever before because I know who I am and what I need to do. And it requires no approval or validation. The second is STOP PLAYING SMALL in life! The entire point of Ange's podcast was that when it comes time to die, will the movie that plays back to you on your life be filled with memories of you really going for it? Or will it be memories of wishing you had stepped out and done the things you really wished you could do? The idea being that the scariest movie you could ever watch, would be the one of your life playing before you just before you pass, and not having done the things you wished because you played it small, most likely because of fear. Death is a really big motivator for me. I know, it's a scary thing to think about, but its not the fear of it that drives me. Instead it is accepting the inevitability of it, knowing we have a finite time and therefore really wanting to drink it all in and live to the fullest. Some days that means staying home on a Saturday and cleaning and cuddling with my family. Some days that means setting a huge goal for the week and really going for it, because why not and what is it that I am waiting for?! This is it, my life, your life is happening RIGHT NOW and there is truly no better time than the present. I am so grateful that I have a little human who reminds me of both of these points, every single day by being her most authentic, biggest version of herself. Doesn't look for or need approval and definitely doesn't play small!! So...this week you will hear from me a lot about doTERRA because A. it's BOGO week and B. My highest aim is to help as many people as possible be inspired to live life to the most empowered degree using doTERRA essential oils. I also have another something I am cooking up and trying to get to you by tomorrow eve because, well , I'm going for it! I am excited to share more as to how the week will unfold, but for now, I would just like to implore you, to lovingly encourage you to start right now, in this moment, live the life you have always wanted for yourself. No need for validation or approval. It's your life. And I am over here cheering you on...and ready with essential oils of course, to help guide the way! This was the Newsletter that I shared earlier today:
I am more than halfway through my November Challenge of blogging every day this month! It has been a really wonderful, albeit challenging experience so far! I have covered topics such as Daily Rituals, What I am learning about parenting a 3 year old, Women's Empowerment and Anxiety! There is a free Yoga Class and Essential Oil protocols and tips! There have certainly been days when I don't feel like posting or I have made it just under the wire staying up late to make it happen! But I have done it anyways and I am feeling pretty great! For me, so much of this challenge to myself is about authentic sharing. I truly believe that when we share our human experience with one another, we create connection with each other and with ourselves. It is storytelling, one of the oldest arts we have as human beings and one of the most effective ways in which we can relate to each other. I am simply inviting you, if you haven't already, to go check out what has been happening for me these last 16 days. And if you are so inclined to share your story with me, I am listening! The best part of the work I do in all areas is getting to connect one on one with you. It can be easy to think, "Well she doesn't mean ME" but I promise you that I do! YOU are exactly who I am talking/writing to! xoxo, Sara Every month I like to drop little notes such as this. When YOU sign up for my Newsletter, I will send you a free 5 minute meditation! So you can head to the Facebook Group to watch the Oils for Skincare Class which is now posted! However, I also wanted to have a written reference for you so that you can refer back to my personal routine, should it be something that speaks to you! So Here is goes! First thing is first, HYDRATION!! It is a proven fact that our skin glows when we drink plenty of water. It is hands down the best way to naturally moisturize. Since our skin is our biggest organ, I believe we can use it as a barometer for how our insides are getting along! Chance are, if our skin is dry, there isn't enough internal moisture as well. So water is of course the first step. The second is to add a drop of citrus oil to your water, such as Lemon. This adds a cleansing effect to each sip of water to help your skin find its glow from the inside out! Next is Sunscreen! I was not kind to my skin when I was younger, and went out into the sun unprotected way too much! I cannot change that now, but what I can do is make sure I take diligent care (and teach my daughter how important good sun habits are!). This summer I ventured into making my own sunscreen and I gotta say, I was blown away!! I will share the recipe below, but Helichrysum is the oil of choice for this! All summer long we were protected and glowing and were able to do it using completely natural ingredients! 1/2 Cup of Olive Oil 1/4 Cup of Fractionated Coconut Oil 1/4 Cup of Beeswax 2 tablespoons shea butter 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil 2 tablespoons zinc oxide 12 drops Helichrysum Place all ingredients except zinc oxide and helichrysum essential oil into a glass mixing bowl. Fill saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and turn on medium heat. Place glass bowl in saucepan and stir as ingredients melt. Remove from heat and add the helichrysum essential oil and zinc oxide. Pour into a glass jar and store in a cool place. Apply lotion before sun exposure. Reapply as needed. Dry Skin Brushing! This is one of my favorite practices for overall skin health. It helps to remove dead and dry skin cells as well as promote a healthy lymphatic system! I also put a drop or two of our Metabolic Blend oil to make it even more energizing and invigorating! Simply add the oil and begin at the feet making big brushes up towards the heart. It is the perfect practice to do right before jumping into the shower. Wash your face! I used to be the girl who could use anything to wash my face. Whatever soap was lying around, it wouldn't matter. However as I have gotten older and had a baby, my hormones have changed that. I now need to wash my face every night. Plus is feels great and a perfect ritual to wash away the dirt of the day. I also am in love with my doTERRA Essential Skin Care. I use the Facial Cleanser each night before bed. Some days that is it! In the morning, if my skin is feeling drab, then I also will use the invigorating scrub in the shower. This isn't for every day, probably twice a week at most. It is another great way to wake up! After each shower I always moisturize. Whether or not I am going to wear makeup that day, I make sure to give my face plenty of love to start out. I am in LOVE with this BOOM Cotton moisturizer. I will take a small drop in my hand, add in a drop of Geranium and Frankincense. If my skin is especially volatile I will add in a drop of Melaleuca to help with breakouts. I then apply all over my face and neck. It is amazing and I notice a shine to my skin since using it! Then before I apply any makeup, I like to roll under my eyes either Rose or Jasmine oil. I do this if I feel especially puffy that day. Both are incredible for skin, Rose helps to calm irritation and Jasmine helps reduce dark circles. That's it! I am pretty basic when it comes to my skin, however I am also incredibly proud of the results and have come to the conclusion that it really doesn't take that much. Mainly consistent and mindful awareness of our daily habits of what we put in our bodies, on our skin and in the air!! If you want to purchase any of these oils you can simply click HERE!! TOMORROW!!! Join me over on Facebook for a free class on Oils for Skincare! Class will be at 11am EST Click on the link above and request the join the group so that I can add you! ALSO...tomorrow I will announce the winner of Saturday's giveaway!! And that is that for tonight... Love and Sweet Dreams I had a mild anxiety attack today. I am completely fine now and it was very mild in terms of what it entailed. It actually happened while I was lying down and resting. The past two days I have actually taken time out of my day to do this because the truth is I have been spreading myself just a bit too thin lately. On top of that, my child's new normal in terms of sleep seems to be to wake up around 4:30 or 5am and while I am an early riser myself, this has just been a bit too much. So, the last two days I have given myself some space in the afternoon to lie down when she does. In truth, my amazing husband, while being completely loving about it, has more or less made me. He actually said back to me so many of the things that I am sure he has heard me say and write about when it comes to the importance of self-care....it was annoying and oh so necessary. So there I was lying down, somewhere between awake and sleeping and my heart started to race, my mind began to run and I was overcome with this huge sense of fear and anxiety. It was strange because I had already been lying down for quite a bit so I couldn't figure out why all of a sudden I was having such a hard time settling myself. It wasn't until later when I was on my way to go teach that I really thought about why it occurred that way. When things finally have a chance to slow down, when we finally slow down, sometimes it leaves an opening for what is unsettled within us to arise. It actually makes so much sense to me as to why I often see so many of my students struggle when it comes to the slower, and more still part of a yoga practice. For many of us, it is actually easier to just keep going and keep moving so that we don't have to sit with what is lurking beneath the surface. And of course, this is where I say that that only means stillness and rest is exactly what is needed when this is the case, because in order for things to get out, they must first come up. For me, I had to deal with the reality that I was feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with work, overwhelmed with motherhood, overwhelmed with responsibility, overwhelmed with lack of sleep and just feeling supremely disorganized in my brain. And here is what I did: First, I sat with my breath. I took three deep breaths and I tried to do nothing but just watch my breath. This helps me to get present with what is and out of the persistent train of thought that would take me in a million different directions if I let it. Then I reached for my oil. Thankfully I keep my peace roller right by my bed, I rolled it on my wrists and over my heart. Then I put some in my hands and took some more deep breaths. Then, I talked about it. My husband was thankfully in the other room and so I called him in and told him exactly what I was feeling and he listened. When I was ready we then talked about some ways that I can take action on the things that are really taking up the most space in my brain. If he hadn't of been home, I most likely would have reached over again to my bedside table and grabbed my journal. This is a go to tool for me to get what I need to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. It makes a huge difference, so even if I am not yet ready to articulate it, I can just write and write what comes up. A little while later, I meditated. This shifts everything for me. Through meditating I was able to see clearly that my overwhelm was a state of my unfocused brain more than anything and that I really just need to take one step and one task at a time and continue to offer myself as much care and love as possible while I am doing all that I am doing. These are my tools and they are incredibly effective. I am a yoga teacher and practitioner and I teach about essential oils and yet I still get moments of overwhelm and anxiety. And this is exactly WHY I talk so passionately about all of these amazing tools that help navigate the ways of "Humanhood". It is important that we have tools, because we all face these emotions at one time or another. None of us are immune. And as I was teaching tonight (another great tool for me actually), I also found myself saying to my students, "giving ourselves the space for things to come up,, no matter how hard they can be to feel, is a great act of self-love." This is how we learn to truly love ourselves and not shame ourselves for being human beings. This is the lesson of unconditional love and it will always begin and end with ourselves. I am grateful that over the years I have learned to love myself in this way. It does not mean that the anxiety doesn't happen and I don't fall out of balance from time to time, all it means is that when ultimately these things do happen, I am prepared to love myself out of it rather than shame myself or even distract myself further into it. Because the only way out is through, and I choose to move through as much of life as possible with love. I am part of a group of amazing, gorgeous, wise women who every week check in with each other via a video chat app. We each share a high for the week and a low for the week and we ask each other questions. Questions about motherhood, questions about marriage, questions about womanhood, questions about life. This week, one of the mamas simply asked up to share what our skin care routine was as she was looking for some inspiration for her own. What ensued was glorious. Each one of us had a different routine, different tricks, different perspectives to offer. Some believe wholeheartedly in using botox and retinal and some believe in using all natural products and solutions (I will give you 1 guess as to where I lie!).
The magical part however was not all the lotions and salves and methods we use to take care of our skin, the magic was that we realized how different we all are in our choices and yet those differences made zero difference in how we felt about each other and the support of the group. And as moms, you know that each of us are making different choices than the other would every single day, and yet at the end of the day each of our goal is common, to care for our children, our family and ourselves as best as we can. It also reminded me why I do what I do, or possibly shed a new light on why I choose to share essential oils with all of you. It is not because I want to shame other products or corporations or methods or healthcare. It is simply because I, personally, use and believe in the oils, and because I want to create a space for EMPOWERED choices in all we do in our lives. The definition of Empowered is: to make stronger and more confident; especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights. My friend who uses botox, I know from speaking with her how empowered she feels about using it. It doesn't matter whether or not it is something I would choose to do, because in that moment, when she is sharing what works for her, it's not about me. Just as, when I speak of essential oils, there will always be those who don't stand with me in using them, who would choose differently. I will always be a voice for natural, organic choices, I will always share what I am learning about using essential oils and I will always be a resource for those who wish to know more. There will be those who stand right there with me and there will be those who don't. It is neither of our jobs to convince each other that we are right, because if it works for us, we both are. Ultimately, trying to be "right" weakens us all especially as mothers and women who live in a time when our opportunity to empower and be empowered is on the rise. I am so proud of the women I know right now and I am honored to be among you all. May we all make choices that make ourselves feel stronger and more confident, especially when it comes to controlling our lives and claiming our rights. Today I honor all Veterans, but most especially these two. My Grandfather served 20 years in the Army, fought in the Korean War and received all kinds of medals and commendations that he will never tell you about because he is the most humble man I know. I include my Grandmother as well, because although she didn't wear a uniform, she was right there beside him, living in Panama and Japan, with 5 kids in tow, traveling across the world to serve a country that they both love so dearly. They are both veterans in service and veterans in love. Married 67 years just one week ago and the purest example of what living a life of love and devotion looks like. They are my heros.
Oh...AND they both use essential oils now too, so basically they are the coolest!! |
Sara Packardis a Mama, Wife, Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Coach, Writer and Activist. You can read more about her here. Archives
September 2021
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