Losing My Father

Just when I thought I had fully processed and healed from the tragic death of my father almost 12 years ago, cue tonight's episode of This Is Us.

After months of alluding to Jack's death and showing teaser scenes of how it might've happened, the writers finally revealed all tonight. I knew he died by fire. I knew it was hard on his wife and kids. Still I wasn't prepared for the raw emotion that would wash over me like a torrent of rainfall.

I'm talking heaving sobs. It's the unexpected loss of the jovial soul that glues your family together. The not being able to say goodbye. The sheer shock of it all. I'm not putting grades on grief; death is death and losing a close loved one is tragic, no matter how it happens. But losing someone so suddenly, at such a young age, and with no chance to fully process it...it feels like you were cheated. Randall likened it to acute bursts of lightning that strike without warning.

Tonight's scenes had me sobbing and blowing my nose as it reopened the wounds of watching my father die within a day or so of even knowing he was sick. Turning off the machines and listening to the jarring beep of the heart monitor as it agonizingly slowed to silence. Hearing nothing in that room that had all of a sudden sucked all of the oxygen from even the living souls who kept a helpless vigil. 47 years young, and me a newly engaged 22-year old young woman. My sisters were only 19 and 15. My mom had never had to make it on her own. The death of my father was nothing short of brutal and to date, has been by far the worst thing I've ever lived through.

Twelve years later I find myself sobbing at a television show. You think you'll never recover. That life will never be the same. The former is a lie. The latter is truth. You will never be the same because that person's life can no longer dance and intermingle with yours. You'll always wonder what life would've been like if he had been here for your wedding. For your career failures and wins. For the birth of your children. What would he have thought of the election? What would he think of you? Would you be making him proud?

Eventually just breathing becomes easier and the pain in your chest is gone. Life begins to have color again and you find yourself smiling at memories instead of breaking down. But you're never immune to another bolt of lightning that might hit you out of nowhere. Eleven plus years later, when a television show captures the love of a father for his children, the love of children for their father, and the abrupt unfairness of this meandering journey we call life. 

Heartache is a mother effer. My chest feels split open wide and I had to slather myself with lavender just to feel sane again. But what good is a heart if it is not allowed to rehurt all over again? For on the other side of suffering is joy, and if you're cut open raw for one, there's a good chance you're a willing vessel to receive the good stuff too. Tomorrow I'm sure there will be joy. Some brightly hued sunset. A giggling baby. Some unexpected good news. As for tonight, I will sit with my grief and watch it wash over me and wait for that soothing calm that comes with the ebb and flow of ocean waves.

The Pizza Line

You know how your subconscious mind can invent a million things to distract you from doing something you know you should be doing? And the reason for it distracting you, is that deep down, there is some fear in doing this thing you know you should be doing?

That's been me. With this particular blog post. 

Although I've put off writing this post for months now, luckily the Universe keeps finding ways to inject it right back into my mind. Situations and conversations keep coming up that arouse The Pizza Line back into the front burner of my consciousness. Last night was the last straw. And so here I find myself in front of my laptop, telling the story of The Pizza Line.

***

Growing up, I had a mostly wonderful childhood. My parents loved and doted on me. I was raised with the mentality that I could do anything I put my mind to. My parents made me feel smart. Pretty. Talented. Loved. 

One thing we didn't have a whole lot of, was money. For most of my life, my dad was the main breadwinner and he often worked multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Mom was a housewife and made sure we were fed and taken care of. She also paid the bills, and I remember her yelling at my dad because he would often spend our hard-earned money (the money HE worked hard for) on beer and cigarettes--vices that had a stronghold on my pops.

When you're the firstborn, there's like this unspoken feeling of owning responsibility. And what your parents fight about (especially when your room backs up to theirs and you can hear them screaming about money), you tend to internalize and pair it with a feeling. For me, the feeling was fear. Instability. Wondering if we would come home to the electricity being turned off. Or worse, would my mom finally get so fed up with my dad that she would leave him? Oh the stories a young child comes up with when faced with adult situations they have no business thinking about...

But, by and large, we survived financially. We made it through each month. Usually it meant that dad worked harder and my mom pinched pennies. And my mom always stuck by my dad while he did his best to make sure that our needs were met.

In fifth grade, our family moved to a "more economic" side of town in a well-to-do city. I had no problem making lots of friends at my new school. Fifth grade was a breeze. And then came middle school, where all of the elementary schools combined and I became painfully aware that there were kids from wealthier families, with cooler clothes, and no understanding of what it meant to conserve money. Middle school is the time in a kid's life when fitting in is paramount, and comparison is soooo the thief of joy.

My best friends lived in two-story houses. They had computers. They went on family vacations. I didn't even know that family vacations were a thing. The closest thing my family had to a vacation were the day trips to nearby Galveston Island, when getting candy at the Strand confectionary and a souvenir from the Seawall was a real treat. (Galveston still holds a special place in my heart because it was the closest thing I had to luxury.) And yet, I grew up friends with what I called "the rich kids" and none of them cared what my parents drove or the brand of the clothing I wore.

I, however, was painfully aware of it. The messages I heard surrounding money were:

• We are always fighting to make ends meet.
• We aren't wealthy and will most likely never be.
• We can't have X, because we don't have enough money.
• We buy the off-brands because the name-brands are unaffordable.

From an extremely young age, it was deeply imprinted on me that money was scarce and a source of stress. 

Fast forward 20+ years, and I'm walking the dog with my husband. Over 10 years into our marriage, and we are finally making decent money and pulling out of debt. My business is beginning to take off, and yet, there are still some things holding me back from hitting that next level in my business financially. And I know exactly what it is. It's my relationship with money. It all goes back to my childhood experiences with it.

On this walk, I begin pouring forth my sentiments about money to my always-focused husband. (His listening ears are often my saving grace). And I begin telling him about having to get the Payless version of these chunky black sandals that were all the rage in middle school. Only you could tell I had the knock-offs because the stitching was horrible and they were poorly made. They weren't shiny like the Dillards sandals. I told him about my parents letting me try out for cheerleading and drill team, thinking I probably wouldn't make it because I'd never taken dance or cheer lessons, and then when I did, struggling to find ways to pay for the trips and the uniforms. And how guilty I felt that I put my family in that situation, just because I wanted to be a part of a team. Just because I wanted to dance like the pretty girls.

And then I told him about The Pizza Line.

Let's travel back to middle school. 6th grade, when all the schools converged into one brand new middle school. I made all of these new friends who wore spiffy clothes: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger. And there was a new weird cafeteria arrangement. Ya see, in elementary school we all stood in the same line for the same nasty cafeteria food. We all had the same tickets that we showed to the lunch lady, even though some parents filled those accounts with money, and some parents had the government pay for it. My parents always filled out the application for free and reduced priced lunches and we always got it because of our income, or lack thereof. But no one knew. The tickets looked the same and we were all in the same lunch line.

In middle school, we again had that school lunch line....But there was this new line. A line where they sold slices of Pizza Hut pizza. Or maybe it was Dominoes, I don't remember. But it was clearly outside food and it was CASH ONLY. If you were on free and reduced lunches paid for by the government, you couldn't stand in the pizza line. The pizza line was for kids with cold hard cash. Kids whose parents gave them cash to eat yummy, greasy pizza for lunch instead of what the cafeteria served. The Pizza Line was for the ELITE.

Day after day, I watched the cool kids stand in line for pizza. Sometimes my best friends would buy a slice for me, which was super nice of them, and I'd feel cool for a day. But most days, I ate the cafeteria food and stared at the kids in the pizza line and longed to BE them. But the message in my head was, "you aren't pizza line material". "Money is not your friend." 

Fast forward two decades later and that money-gremlin was still inside of me...telling me that I don't come from the stock to be making thousands of dollars a month. I'm not Pizza Line Material. When I make money, I SPEND it. It's mine and I want to own nice things--things I had to forego as a kid--so I spend it. If I don't spend it, it may not be there for me. This lack mentality has been dictating my financial decisions, since I've been financially on my own in college. Yes, college...when I took out ginormous student loans because my parents didn't have a college fund for me...college, where I worked part time to pay for my rent and gas and food, while maintaining a full-time load of classes.

This scarcity mentality is why I always bristle when the subject of paying bills comes up. I've always been waiting for the axe to fall. As I was telling Erik about this, I felt my voice waver and all of these emotions were welling up in my chest. Was I THAT affected by that middle school pizza line?! Holy shit. Yes, I was.

I had worn this money-mindset for so long, and just putting a voice to it and staring it in the face felt like the first step to taking it off.

Erik looked at me and said, "The Pizza Line is gone, babe. Money is not a symbol of division or unworthiness. Money is our freedom." And do you know what? In that moment, I believed him. I wasn't going to let this Pizza Line mentality hold me back anymore. From that moment on, I decided to choose to believe that making money was my birthright and that was a good thing. Eating pizza didn't make me an elitist. I could share my pizza like my friends sometimes did for me. And having pizza didn't make me a rich snob that treated others like second-class citizens.

I'm not gonna lie...I'm still working through this. The stronghold from certain messages I held onto for so long isn't completely gone, but I SEE it now. I know it's there. And I daily choose to move past any finance-based fears and into creating a new narrative about money. I don't fault my parents one iota. They did the best they could for us girls with limited means, and I've built up a lot of character having lived through some hardships. I don't expect anything to be given to me; I know what it means to EARN.

So what about you? Do you have a Pizza Line story? What was your childhood narrative about money? Does it serve or inhibit you today? If the latter, stare it down and choose to write a new story. 

Love always,

Michelle

To Ingest or Not to Ingest?

The answer? It's up to you. But if it were up to me, YES! ***provided they are Young Living Essential Oils***

Watch the following video to learn:

#1: How to effectively put oil in those little capsules

#2: How to make my Harvey's Daily Wellness Capsule

#3: How else to ingest oils outside of capsules

#4: How to lessen unpleasant side effects when taking oil capsules

#5: What to say to people who tell you to never ingest essential oils.

Enjoy the video --> Ingesting Young Living Essential Oils in Capsules

Feeding Your Child Avocados AT ME

Before I explain WTH I mean by the title of this post, I want to give credit to one of my favorite blogger-turned-authors Glennon Doyle. She's actually where the title of this here post originated. The full line is actually, "I am telling you that I decided right then and there that this woman was feeding her child avocados AT ME." Here is her full post if you would like to read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/quit-pointing-your-avocado-at-me_b_3492304.html

Anywho, that line never left me. When I first read it years ago, I thought it was so hilarious and so-omg-true. Newsflash: it's still true. Never is it more true than today. Let me 'splain.

If you didn't read Glennon's hilarious blog post, I will summarize it for you:  Basically, she's at the food court with her 3 filthy kids, feeding them junk food, and trying to decide how to leave her kids alone to go refill her Coke. Then, she sees another mom with an impeccably dressed child (sitting in a high chair cover to prevent germs) break out an avocado and a spoon and begin to feed her quiet child. Glennon's own sense of lack, feeling of parenting-failure, and generalized mom-shame comes rushing in as she concludes that this woman's actions were directed AT HER.

Do you see where this can apply to some people in your life?! Or **GASP** maybe even YOU?!

These days, everyone is so SEN-SA-TIVE. You can't post something online about living a healthy lifestyle without someone posting a trying-not-to-sound-defensive-but-it-totally-reads-as-defensive response. I get it all the time with my nontoxic home posts--if not on the post, behind my back. GUYS. I am trying to educate the world about the crappola that is in our everyday products that we have been BIOACCUMULATING for years into our tissues. If you are feeling convicted about it, the way I see it, you can do one of two things:

(1) Hide my posts from your newsfeed or unfollow me on Instagram.

or 

(2) DO something about it. Step out of your comfort zone and attend a class. Learn a thing or two. Start replacing your products with cleaner ones. Take that conviction as a sign that it's time to start making changes, no matter how small.

You really do have a choice. You don't have to like my avocados. And I don't have to like yours.

Another example: One time I posted a funny "Adopt/Don't Shop" meme after we adopted my pooch Presley. Batman was slapping Robin in this meme and I thought it was pretty funny! I didn't tag anyone in the caption or even rail against people who buy pure-bred dogs. Heck, lots of people in my family do that. Whatevs.

Or so I thought. A friend of mine got angry at me for an unrelated post and private messaged me that I was "the most judgmental non-judgmental person" she knew. She threw an old blog post that I had written about loving our natural bodies in my face and said that I was shaming her for her tummy tuck. She also said that my funny Batman meme about adopting pets was a stab at the fact that she had just purchased a pure-bred dog. Never mind that I had NO FREAKING CLUE that she had just gotten a tummy tuck or adopted a pure breed; in her mind, I was blogging AT HER. I was thrusting my natural, environmentally-friendly ways AT HER. I was the judgmental one.

Here's a thought:  Live your life. I'll live mine. If you don't like my choices, keep scrolling or hide/unfriend me. Why do people feel the need to think that others are making choices AT THEM and that they need to defend why they did not make that choice? I guess it's all down to freedom of speech. Meaning...they have the right to let everyone know how they feel when they feel it.

Caca. I know I have freedom of speech. But I also have the freedom to not be an A-hole as well. Good God, do you know how many times I had to refrain from posting a response on someone else's post during election season?! My rule was, if it's on their wall, let 'em post it. Let 'em believe it. Let 'em feel it. If it's on MY wall, please extend me the same courtesy. When I post things, I know I'm not going to sway anyone who is vehemently opposed to my belief, political leaning, way of living, etc. My posts are written for those who are genuinely interested and those who are on the fence and would consider opening up a healthy dialogue on the topic at hand. They aren't written to shame anyone else, and if they are ever consistently viewed that way, then I need to change my delivery.

I'll close with this. Just so you know, I'm preaching to my own choir. ME. Avocados have been directed at me, in my own perception. I've gotten riled up at posts that others have written thinking they were passive-aggressively directed at me, with no direct evidence of it. Who is it harming? ME.

I've gotten irritated at Erik for being so damn perfect; thinking he expected the same of me. Come to find out, he's just that way and he loves me JUST AS I AM. All my pissed-offness was for naught and came from my own insecurities. And that's what it boils down to--insecurities. We read and process things through our unique filters and how we respond is a direct reflection of  the shame we feel within. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt: "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent."

So next time you find yourself eyeballing the woman next to you, feeling like her lifestyle/parenting/political/religious choices are avocados that are spears directed in your direction, perhaps stop and take a breather. YOU get to choose how you interpret the world you encounter. You are in charge of your tiny sphere of rippling destiny.

xoxo,
Michelle

Gettin' Real Witcha About My Biz...

Here's the deal; l'm figgin'a get real with you. This is going to be a long post, so if you're reading, thank you for honoring me with your time. This post may sound a bit harsh, but think of it as honest and forthcoming. n regards to my business, I would love to clear up some misconceptions about how I make money as well as to put forth intentions for the kind of people I want to partner with in my Happily Oily After Tribe.

Misconception #1: I make money when I order an oil or two for you, using my wholesale account.

I don't. In fact, many YL reps choose not to do that, even though it's perfectly legal to. I always give it to you at my wholesale price with tax, and choose not to mark it up to retail price. What I do get, is points on the purchases that go on my monthly order. Those points can get me free product. However, the cost of ordering it, keeping track of who ordered what, getting payment, and sometimes tracking down the person to deliver the product far outweighs the points I get when I order it. I have decided to do this for people ONCE (unless it's my mom or something), and then after that, I will ask that you get a wholesale membership so you can order when you like.

Misconception #2: I just want to sell people starter kits.

Please do not order a starter kit from me because you just want to "help me out". And then your oils sit on a shelf, unused because you don't know why you ordered them in the first place. I get approximately $50 every time I refer someone to YL with a starter kit/wholesale account. After that, if you order again, I get 8% or 5% or 4%, depending on where you are "placed". Trust me, not to be rude, but you aren't helping ME out by getting a starter kit. The kind of people I want to get into oils are people who have been wanting to try a lifestyle upgrade. People who want to decrease the amount of toxins they expose themselves to. People who are interested in achieving their wellness goals and intend to use essential oils as a large part of it. Essential oils don't solve all your problems. They are highly effective tools that can't buttress everything else you are already doing, such as a healthy diet, activity level, meditation, mindfulness, spirituality, etc etc. So please do not buy a kit from me because you want to shut me up and then never use your oils. Buy a kit from me because you want to change your lives with nature's purest energy.

Misconception #3: If you get a starter kit, you have to sell the oils.

NO. You don't even have to order monthly (be placed on autoship), although it behooves you to do so, if you find yourself loving the products. You don't have to do what I do (teach classes, post on social media, etc), although most people find that the oils naturally sell themselves and that their friends or relatives will want a kit soon after you get one. If so, give them your member number and when they sign up, YL will send you a $50 check for each new member you refer the following month. It's a no-brainer! A few of you will take to the oils like I did and will want to do this as a side business or even full-time. That is never required, but is very exciting for me if you do! I am happy to mentor you should this become the case.

Misconception #4: Our essential oils are so expensive because people who buy them are paying my salary.

My favorite myth. Nope. Our oils are valuable because they are 100% pure, better than organic, and sustainably sourced. Much of our selection comes from our own farms and distilleries where we can control what touches (and doesn't touch) our oils from seed to bottle. Our business model is such that the money we would be spending on brick and mortar stores and advertising is spent employing people to educate others about the beauty and efficacy of these super potent molecules. So if you're looking for someone to get a kit from, go with someone who will take time to properly educate you on that. Buying a $25 bottle of lavender isn't paying my salary. It's 27 square feet of lavender field in that bottle, and it's choosing not to pay $8 for a bottle twice that size from the grocery store, and wondering what else is inside of it. Because it ain't 54 square feet of lavender, I'll guaran-damn-tee you that.

Now to end things with a higher vibration! Ahhh, thank you for letting me clear up those misconceptions! I would love to end this post with my intentions: I intend to continue to talk about essential oils every day of my life until the day I die. If this bothers you, you have all the power to change that. I intend to continue to offer education to anyone who wants to learn via: books/resources, online articles, youtube videos, Facebook lives, and in person classes. I will continue to invite you until you tell me you aren't interested and then I'll leave you alone. But the door will always be open whenever you change your mind (which happens all the time! It's like green eggs and ham!). I will continue to try to get a starter kit into the hands of those who will use them, and I will continue to follow up with you to make sure you know how to use them. As my tribe grows, following up will not be as frequent, so please know that you can always contact ME! A large part of my marketing is done on social media, and I will continue to use that as a tool to grow my tribe. I will continue to graciously accept your compliments and your recommendations for how I can do things better. I intend to attract high vibrational people into my oily family, and let those go who do not jive with the way I choose to lead my group. I intend to continue to partner with crossline friends in a non-competitive way and encourage their growth and knowledge, as I would my own members. And I intend to use my essential oils when I begin to get down on something I hear said about me or my business, and choose to see it as unintentional ignorance, and then I'll educate the hell out of the internet with posts like these. Thank you for reading, and if you're one of my oily family members, thank you for choosing to partner with me! LOVE YOU!

Thank you for Supporting the Harveys!

First off, thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this letter that I have written.  It's taking a lot of guts for me to write it.  I'm definitely stepping out of my comfort zone, but what did comfort zones ever do for me?  Thank you so much for reading this and knowing that my heart is to serve you, if you ever decide you have the need.

***

Dear everyone,

Y'all know that I'm absolutely gaga over essential oils.  A little bit over a year and a half ago, I made a seemingly lighthearted decision that has forever changed my life.  I can tell you story after story about essential oils but I know you value your time, so let me cut to the chase.

My husband, Erik, has always been supportive of my oily habit.  I mean, he did raise his eyebrows a few times when he saw how much I started spending on them, but he never doubted the efficacy of oils.  He even used a few oils daily and was impressed at how they continued to support his wellness.

Well.  He came to International Grand Convention in Utah and he caught the oil fever!  He soaked everything up like a sponge and is now home reading up on oils and Ningxia Red and all things oily!  He even bought an EO Bros t-shirt and he's ready to teach classes and do this business WITH me.

At the lavender farm in Mona, Utah

Introducing my new business partner:  Erik Harvey!

So now I have a huge favor to ask of YOU.  Young Living has 1.7 million distributors.  You can't walk down the road without meeting somebody on your block who uses and maybe even sells Young Living products.  So if and WHEN you decide to get into essential oils (and the 100% pure living energy kind), you have some choices.  We realize that.  

Young Living is a business of relationships, and family always comes first.  If you have a family member that is building a business out of Young Living, please enroll with that family member.  Same thing with a best friend.  However if you don't know anyone who is actively building a Young Living organization, I would love to have you start your account with me and Erik. 

What do you get when you get started with a Young Living membership in genaral?  Perks of a YL membership include:

• A premium starter kit with 11 oils, a diffuser, samples, and oil literature
• a wholesale membership (24% off retail prices) with no renewal fee (50 PV minimum order in one year required)
• Access to Young Living customer service, accredited with an A+ rating with the BBB
• Access to endless product education and/or business building education, if that interests you

Why should you explore essential oils with us, specifically?  How can we be of VALUE to YOU?

• Continuous product support.  We don't want you to get a kit and then leave it on the shelf.  We want to help you learn how to use it.  We want to assist you in meeting your family's wellness goals.  We are available to partner with you.
• Education.  We offer class of all kinds all throughout the month.  And if the class dates and times don't work for you, we are happy to schedule a 1:1 that works on your schedule!  Classes like Essential Oil Basics, The NonToxic Home, Essential Oil Supplements, Raindrop Technique, Aromas & Emotions, Pets & Essential Oils, and more to come...
• Commitment.  We aren't doing this "on the side" or just because it's the current fad.  We are 100% committed to doing this for the rest of our lives.  That means that we won't leave you hanging if we become bored with oils.  Haha, not possible!
• Passion.  I know so many others have passion too!  I love love love it when people have passion for essential oils and natural-based wellness.  
• Business building support.  Okay most of us do not get into essential oils to sell them or educate about them.  I know we didn't!  It just kinda happened.  But if you should desire to get involved in making a little (or a lot of extra money), we are happy to share ALL of our tools and experiences with you.  When you succeed, we succeed!
• Love.  I know, I know.  Corny.  But it's so true.  I have SUCH A STRONG LOVE for every single person in my organization/team/family.  Family, is what my fellow oily friends feel like to me. 

So anyhow, this is me asking you to join me when you are ready to try these oils out.  Debra Raybern- a Royal Crown Diamond with YL - says, "You don't have because you don't ask."  I'm Dr. Seuss and I'm telling you, "Try it [green eggs and ham = oils] and you may, I say!" 

We know you have umpteen choices out there.  And we appreciate all the support you give to the Harveys!  

Live, love, and Rise Above, with the power of essential oils.  :)

Peppermint: The Chuck Norris of Essential Oils

If you're an oiler, chances are you'll get asked one question pretty often:

"What's your favorite oil of all?"

You may find that question easy to answer, but I don't. My favorite constantly changes! It used to be Peace & Calming.  Then it was Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood. Then it was Valor (still kinda is). Then I became obsessed with Bergamot. And Thieves...well I just cannot live without Thieves. Same with Digize, but I really only tolerate the smell of Digize, so it can't be that one.  

Do you see? It's not so simple! But there is one oil that is so versatile...so effective...so powerful...that I have a bottle by my nightstand, in my office, AND in my purse. I bet you can't guess which one it is!  Oh yeah, it's the title of this blog post.  PEPPERMINT!

God, look how lovely it is. Surprisingly enough, I've never liked peppermint candies. You know the kind you can get at restaurants after you eat? So I was kinda impressed at how quickly I took to peppermint essential oil.

FACTOID: Did you know that it takes 1 POUND of peppermint leaves to make one 15 mL bottle of pure essential oil?! That's a crap-ton of peppermint plant! So this stuff is POTENT. I prefer to think of Peppermint as the Chuck Norris of essential oils. There's nothing it can't beat to a pulp. :D

I digress. So let's get back to some tangible ways you can use peppermint and fall in love with it like I have.  

*Medical disclaimer:  The information contained on this blog is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The information represents what I, an Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family.  Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. *

1) COOLING. Peppermint has a natural cooling effect, wherever it's applied. At first, it might take your breath away or freak you out when you apply it to your temples. It's so cooling, that many have put peppermint on their kiddos feet to help support temperature homeostasis when they baybays get hot. I for one, have made a cooling spray with distilled water, witch hazel, and peppermint oil. Now remember: oil and water don't mix, so make sure you shake it up before you spray. I live in Texas y'all. It's effing hot here. So I never leave home without my peppermint cooling spray to mist my arms and neck when I begin to feel a sweat coming on.

2) CONCENTRATION. Peppermint has a naturally uplifting quality to the smell. It has a way of perking you up when your brain is in a fog and maybe even improving your concentration when you can't seem to focus. I've made a spray with peppermint mixed with orange that I'll put on during that time after lunch when I want to pass out. Diffusing these two together is also divine!

3) DIGESTION. Digestive distress is on my family crest. Just kidding, but seriously. It runs in my family. That coupled with the fact that I don't always eat as cleanly as I know I should. So what can get things moving again? You guessed it. Peppermint oil mixed with carrier oil on my tumtum. It's very soothing and supports the digestion system in many ways!

4) NAUSEA. Speaking of digestion, a related topic is nausea. Back in the day before "modern medicine", native cultures used to chew on peppermint leaves to help with nausea. I think they may have learned a thing or two living surrounded by nature! I do believe that God put something on this planet to help with anything our bodies need. For me, just opening the bottle of peppermint and taking a whiff when nausea washes over me usually does the trick. If not, I'll take a couple of drops  of peppermint vitality in a veggie capsule, sometimes also with ginger vitality.

5) EXERCISE. I don't work out at the gym, but judging by my Facebook feed, many do and are downright proud of it. And should be! Wanna increase your performance at the gym? Studies have shown that a drop of peppermint in water before exercise has boosted performance. Do your own experiment and see what peppermint can do for you!

6) ITCHING. Got a bug bite? Put peppermint on it for some soothing relief. Lavender works too.

7) RESPIRATORY. We all know that lung and nose issues can be utterly annoying. One nostril works, and the other doesn't. Eucalyptus is great for aiding in opening your airways, but guess what? So is peppermint! Diffuse it or put a drop on your hands and inhale. Plus the added benefit that it'll wake you right up!

8) SEASONAL DISCOMFORT. Yeah, you read that right. Right along with the former respiratory comment, peppermint is a key ingredient in a little roll-on I like to make to support me during Pollenocalypse. The ingredients are equal parts lemon, lavender, peppermint, and copaiba in some carrier oil. You can also take a couple of drops of each oil (the Vitality line) in a capsule to do double duty on such days that being outside makes your face less than smiley.

9) HEADACHES - Man. Chronic sufferer here. I can tell you the back story behind it but I don't want to bore you to death. All I know is that peppermint oil on my temples or behind my ears is such a wonderful way to help me cope with my headaches. Sometimes I even add basil EO on top of the peppermint or lavender. But the peppermint is the one that will always be in my purse, without fail.

OBVI, peppermint is one bad-a mofo (if you want a saucier version of that label, use Samuel L. Jackson's voice and read the full dirty wordies). It truly is the Chuck Norris of essential oils. So order some today! If you aren't a member of YL, you can sign up here.

I'll leave you with a cool Chuck Norris-approved infographic: