Nature! - Environmental Year in Review and 2016 Goals

This week is all about looking back on this year and seeing where we have been and where we are at currently, while forecasting what is to come in 2016.  There have been major changes in my family's lifestyle since the start of 2015 and we will be continuing to build on those changes in 2016.  (See the Food! post from Dec 28, 2015 and the Let's Learn! post from Dec 29, 2015.)  Surprisingly, even with my background tied to the environment, I have learned of some new environmental issues which I was not aware of previously.  "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret" has made an impact on my life and is shaping, reinforcing, confirming how I think about the environment and will be a guiding force as I post about nature related topics in 2016.

As I wrote about in previous Nature! posts (Growing Up In Nature, Maturing In Nature, and Living In Nature) I have always enjoyed the great outdoors!  From spending time exploring and playing outside as a child to working to helping reduce our impact on the environment in my professional work, my love and enjoyment of nature continues to grow.  With our children, my husband and I promote outdoor play and exploration.  We pick up trash and recycling on our walks and our children usually recognize recyclable products.  We ID birds and fish and spend a lot of time checking them out at the bird feeders, around the lake and catching fish.  My husband is better at it than I, but we try to minimize the amount of electricity and water we use on a daily basis.  Overall, we have a pretty solid foundation of sustainability and environmental awareness for our children to build on.

Of course there are some areas we need to work on.  For 2016, I would like to set three (3) nature based/environmental goals for my family to achieve.  The first goal is to continue spreading the word of "Cowspiracy".  Animal agriculture is destroying the planet far faster than any individual water, electricity, and fuel saving measures we attempt to implement in order to slow the destruction.  The second goal is to have a more successful garden in 2016.  Our 2015 garden started out promising with starting seeds indoors, but ended up being quite a let down as one thing after another happened and we only harvested a small amount of tomatoes and a few tiny green peppers.  The third goal is to explore more of the natural features close to home.  Every year I want to take the children to nearby nature spots (State Parks, Nature Preserves, Historic Sites, etc.) but usually only make it to one or two.  Now that I am publishing my goals for 2016, I intend to hold myself responsible for them.  Starting with three goals is doable.  Each year I hope to have at least three environmental/nature based goals to work towards.

To start 2016, I will expound on each of the goals and future posts will document our progress.  Of course there will be some Nature! posts not directly related to the goals.  If I seem to not be posting regularly about the goals, please ask about them! I'm looking forward to building off of what I have learned in 2015 and sharing my experiences with my readers in hopes that they will see that if I can do it, so can they!  

What are your nature based/environmental goals for 2016???

Let's Learn! - What I've Learned about Essential Oils in 2015 and What's in Store for 2016!

To put it mildly, 2015 has been a year of changes for my family!  Specifically, I discovered essential oils (not sure why it took me so long!) and watched "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret".  2015 has been an eye-opening year and 2016 looks as though what has been set in motion in 2015 will continue!

I happened upon essential oils mid year.  For quite some time I had been trying to use the "greenest" cleaning products that I could find in the stores, I was using fragrance free detergents and keeping my eyes and ears open for new products that were not potentially harmful for my family but yet were effective.  A friend (and now a business colleague) had been posting about essential oils and when I was approached by another multi-level marketing company about a different product line, it made me reach out to my essential oils friend and I started asking questions.  As I began learning more about essential oils, I began doing my own independent research on them.  Needless to say, I was impressed with what I discovered and could not wait to get my hands on my very own set of essential oils!  (Read my Essential Oils Page to find out what Essential Oils are, why I choose to use Young Living Essential Oils and what the various purchasing options are.)

11 essential oils come in the Young Living Premium Starter Kit with diffuser.  Here is how I use each one of the 11 essential oils every day:

Lavender - I love the smell of a little Lavender EO!  Too much Lavender can be overwhelming!  (It is important to remember that with all essential oils, a little goes a long ways!)  I like to wear it under my arms as a natural deodorant!  When my children or I have a runny nose a little Lavender EO helps slow it down.

Peppermint - Peppermint EO in my water in the afternoons gives me a natural boost, it is especially useful when I'm going to be driving in the car for long stretches and need to stay alert.  I also use it on my children to help open them up so that they breath better before going to bed.  Peppermint EO also repels spiders!  During the warmer weather, I spray Peppermint EO around the doors and windows and spiders stay away.  Such a great alternative to scary pesticides!  I don't have to worry about my children's health when using Peppermint EO around them, like I would with the traditional pesticides.

Lemon - I mix Lemon EO in my homemade cleaning products.  It fights stickiness and grime naturally!  We love cleaning our small fruits and vegetables in a big bowl of water with 1-2 drops of Lemon EO.

Copaiba - Copaiba EO can be added to many of our essential oil blends to enhance/boost the effects of many of the other essential oils.

Frankincense - I have been using Frankincense EO on my children daily to help promote health and wellness, especially since they have a tendency to cough often.

Thieves - I probably use Thieves EO the most!  I have run out of it in the past and everyone ended up sick!  Not a coincidence - I will never run out again!  I diffuse and clean with Thieves to help maintain a healthy environment and to boost wellness.  I made a spray with Thieves EO that I spray in the child sized potty after every use and I use it as an air freshener in the bathroom, garbage cans or anywhere with a funky smell!  Every night before bed I apply Thieves EO to my children's feet.  My homemade toothpaste also has Thieves EO in it!  I love putting Thieves EO in my hot tea when I'm not feeling the greatest and when a sore throat is trying to make one of us uncomfortable, a spoonful of honey with 1 drop of Thieves EO makes us feel so much better! 

Purification - If I feel a blemish growing on my face, I put a tiny bit of Purification EO on it a few times during the day, or if I do mess with the blemish before applying Purification EO, the Purification EO calms it down and helps it go away quickly.  Purification EO is also great on my wool balls in my dryer.  It makes our clothes smell great naturally!

R.C. - As the weather changes and everyone is coming down with a cold, I enjoy diffusing R.C. EO with Lavender EO.  It smells amazing!  It is great for my children at night, as the R.C. blend helps open them up and the Lavender calms them. 

DiGize - For me, if I start to feel sinus pressure, I reach for my DiGize EO and apply it to the flex points on my toes.  Putting it on consistently for a few days, helped relieve the pressure and kept me feeling great!  I'll also keep DiGize EO handy for the times when I may overindulge on food and or drink and my stomach is a mess.  DiGize EO settles my tummy issues quickly!

PanAway - For someone who likes to be active, and for someone who seems to always have a little ache in my neck, I need to keep my PanAway EO close!  I use it as Icy Hot on aches and pains.  It feels great on my neck and shoulders and on my hands where an old softball injury flares up as the weather changes.  

Stress Away - I have three young children and taking them out in the public can occasionally be stressful.  I like to apply Stress Away EO to my wrists and neck and take some deep breaths of the aroma before entering the situation.  I keep Stress Away EO in my purse in case I need to reapply while we are out.  The smell is wonderful! 

As you can see, I use my essential oils throughout the day!  My husband and children picked out a nice plastic case - similar to a tackle box, for me to put my oils in.  Now I will bringing my oils with me EVERYWHERE! They can go upstairs, downstairs, and out of town with us easily and securely!  I can whip up a solution quickly if something comes up while we are gone.  I feel so empowered using the oils!  I can finally take charge of what I am cleaning my house with and I don't have to be as reliant on over the counter medicines and prescription drugs to help my family feel good.  

I am so excited to continue using Young Living Essential Oils in 2016!  I have plans on trying some different essential oils that I have not tried yet and making more products for personal and home use.  Don't worry, I'll keep you updated on my oily journey!

If you are interested in joining me on my journey and would like to find out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!  I'd love to help you and your family take charge of your health and wellness and reduce your dependence on synthetic chemicals!  Please let me know how I can help!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.