How to easily improve everything in your life this year…in ONE step!

The New Year arrives in a flash of optimism and a renewed commitment to my best health.  Suddenly it’s February, I’m clicking “Play Next Episode” and having ice cream for dinner.  Hmm.

What happened?  Why is it so fun to break our own rules?  Why is it so tricky to make Resolutions that stick?

If we combine intentions with habit, we can transform our lives beyond recognition.  Resolutions usually come from a soul-desire to improve our lives, but we express them with thoughts and judgments that come from the mind.  Resolving to lose weight or work out more because we ‘should’ doesn’t bring success.

A weight-loss study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine is very revealing:  Of a group of women ages 30-50, half were asked to focus on the affirmation “I am making these changes for better health.”  The others used the affirmation “I wish I had the body I did when I was 20”,  which is really a negative self-judgment, and the women in this group lost 10-20 lbs less  than the women affirming a message of self-care.

We also LOVE to break our own rules, and will often make a Resolution based on unrealistic expectations simply to sabotage ourselves.  Drastic changes to lifestyle are hard on the system in many ways, from something as basic as being sore after working out a lot after a period of inactivity, all the way to deepening depression when we set ourselves up to fail.  In a study at the University of California at Davis, people who made small, evolutionary changes to their lifestyles experienced 75% greater success than those who made dramatic changes, like completely removing sugar from their diets.  When we deny ourselves comforts (even if those comforts are not great for us), we feel deprived, and this can lead to a feast-or-famine way of thinking and feeling.

What are the top Resolutions?  Weight-loss, better fitness, greater happiness, being ‘greener’,  increased productivity, release from addictions, being kinder to others…these are all worthy goals, so let’s make it simple, and do them all at once with one easy step.  Ready?

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Back to the regular routine of work and school? Here are some helpful tips to keep your spirits high and your shoulders relaxed! Feeling like there’s too much task and not enough day, or struggling with stres. These are my 5  favourite stressbusters!

1)     Top of the list, Peppermint Halo.  This world-famous Saje Remedy is an astonishing blend of Essential Oils which reduce muscular tension and pain. Though traditionally a headache and migraine remedy, it can be applied quickly on shoulders, neck, lower back – any spot that needs a fast-acting pain reliever. As a huge plus, inhaling Peppermint Halo, triggers feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain.  All this naturally with no nasty side effects!

2)    Almost as great as Aromatherapy:  Saying NO.  This one’s tough, especially for all you SuperMoms and awesome Dads out there, however, demonstrating healthy boundaries will help your budding Gretzky or prima ballerina, as well as keep you much saner.  Yes, 5 AM practice is important.  Car pooling can get you some equally-important extra sleep.  In an office?  Do you know why they call it a deadline?  Taking on a healthy workload allows you to really do your best.  Practice saying YES to what you want, and NO to what you don’t want. Deepak Chopra recommends feeling how the choice sits within us.  A healthy, positive choice usually gives the body a feeling of contentment.

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Not getting our dose of Vitamin D’s at this time of year can cause a slew of nasty mood and sleep challenges! Pick up some natural tips on how to boost your inner sunshine on even the grayest of days!

Here in Vancouver, I console myself as the clouds roll in again…maybe next weekend it’ll be sunny. Strange weather has everybody’s systems at odd ends. When the barometer rises or falls suddenly, we are at increased risk for headaches, sleeplessness and mood swings…not to mention we’re all a bit stir-crazy from a long winter!
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Do you find yourself blinking at an unfamiliar light? Are you slightly stunned by the color green? If you find yourself wanting to play hooky from work on any sunny day? You’re probably like me, dealing with the symptoms of Winteritis. When it’s seemed like a particularly long and chilly winter, it’s easy to become almost obsessive about getting out and getting back to our activities.

It’s important to take it easy on our less-than-toned selves and not do too much at once! However if you’ve already become a bit sun-mad and run the Seawall your first day out, or started training for a triathlon, you’re going to be feeling it in your muscles and joints. Here are some easy and super-effective remedies for your inner athlete.

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You are seated comfortably in a serene garden where a gentle light dapples. Inhaling the precious resins and flowers that scent the air, you achieve perfect serenity. You have found the treasure within.

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In this season it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the holiday rush. Feeling grateful for the many wonderful people in our lives, we want to celebrate them with carefully chosen gifts—but where do we find the time?

With simple, natural ingredients and minimal cost, you can create beautiful gifts for everybody on the list in a matter of hours, even minutes. These thoughtful treats might compliment a larger gift basket or they may be used as an ‘emergency’ gift in case of unexpected parties or guest arrivals — “Of course I knew you were coming tonight, Aunt Mildred!”

Have a look at the following ideas and feel free to get creative! And as always, let us know what you think!

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I laugh whenever I catch myself rushing to get to a practice dedicated to mindfulness and stillness. The phone is ringing, I can’t find my yoga mat, I call in late for my massage appointment, “I’m on my way!”

In her article The Yogic Art of Healing (Elephant Journal), Nadine McNeil wisely shares her learning that “…the ability to do absolutely nothing is the key to progression.” Losing track of this truth, we are often caught in the innate conflict between the rushed world we live in and the peaceful, natural world we wish to create. Serenity is real life, and the more time we spend there, the easier the rest of life can be. What I most often hear from people under stress is that there’s no time.

So let’s look at how we can create space for stillness in our busy world…or rather, let’s smell.

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I love blending Essential Oils!  I hope to share with you some tips that will help you make the most of your Essential Oils, and invite you to really play with Aromatherapy.

First, start with good oils. I purchase almost all of my Essential Oils from Saje, and have always been impressed with the quality. What’s most important is that your Essential Oils be fresh, 100% pure and 100% natural. If you are mixing them with base salts or base oils, ensure your bases are also 100% natural (fatty oils like grapeseed, olive or jojoba are ideal bases). Essential Oils cannot work properly when mixed with any synthetic bases like baby oil. It’s also the difference between true Aromatherapy and ‘fragrances’ which are synthetic perfumes linked to many serious health issues. (more…)