Keep It Simple Silly!

 

As the holidays get closer and closer and stress escalates, take time to focus on simple tools for maintaining better balance - body, mind, spirit. Here are a few ideas:

1. Take a 5 minutes break, three times a day to just BREATHE. Notice your muscles relaxing, your brain clearing and your breathing getting deeper with each breath.

2. Water, water, water. Add a lemon or lime for some flavor if necessary.

3. Hourly, walk around in your house or apartment or just move your body.

4. Stay focused on the task at hand. 

5. Tune in frequently to what your body and your "little voice" is telling you. Let it be your guide.

6. Don't forget the benefit of laughing. Release some of that stress.

7. There are at least 5 channels playing Christmas movies 24/7. What better way to drift off to sleep. Spoiler Alert! There is always a happy ending!

8. If possible, go out in nature and leave any troubles with Mother Nature.

9. Keep some Bach Rescue Remedy at hand for those moments when you need a few drops of calm.

10. What are you grateful for this year? Give thanks for the positive in your life.

 

Overwhelm Relief With Eye Exercises

 There are many techniques for reducing stress and overwhelm and this article will focus on your eyes. The act of reading can weaken eye muscles with the back and forth motion. Reading on your phone or tablet can lead to eye strain. Add fatigue, poor lighting, stress, lack of sleep and your vision can become inhibited.

One simple technique to incorporate is to look up periodically and focus on something in the distance. Or, make it a frequent eye exercise of looking close then looking far away.

When you have a lot of mind chatter or overwhelm, the following exercise is extremely helpful.

 Take a deep breath with each step:

• Look diagonally up to the RIGHT
• 
  Look to the RIGHT
• Look DOWN RIGHT
• Look STRAIGHT DOWN
• Look diagonally DOWN LEFT
  
• Look LEFT
• Look diagonally UP LEFT
• Look STRAIGHT UP
• Look STRAIGHT AHEAD

REPEAT WITH EYES CLOSED

 

 

Follow Up on Hydrogen Water

It's been a week since I started drinking hydrogen water -  www.hydrohbottle.com  I want to give an update with my experience.

As I have written before, Lyme and co-infections has been the challenge for me over the past 2 years. Everyone has a different experience and mine has involved brain and gut inflammation. Since drinking hydrogen water, I have lost 2 pounds of fluid. Yah! I feel like the inflammation is releasing rapidly despite all of the other efforts, supplements and treatment that I've been doing. I have more energy and I think my brain is actually more focused. And, it's only been a week. I have my husband drinking hydrogen water, as well, and I am looking forward to seeing what his assessment is.

 

Story #2:

My 12 year old Manx, Nugget Girl, had a stomach bug last week and stopped eating and eventually required a vet visit. Despite not eating, she immediately drank the
hydrogen water I put down for her. Although she needed more hydration at the office visit, she still wanted the hydrogen water when she returned home. I trust animals and their responses to people, environments and food. I am happy to say that Nugget turned the corner today and woke me as usual around 5:30 for food and has been eating small snacks all morning. What a relief!

 

Healthy Holiday Habits

 Happy Holidays!

I love this time of year and it can also be stressful. We've been through a time change which can throw body rhythms off, New England weather is all over the place and then all of sudden the holidays are here. Below are a few ideas to keep this holiday season healthy.

I have been measuring my stress and energy levels, heart rate variability and more with an app called Welltory - www.welltory.com  The numbers are not where I would like them as healing from Lyme and co-infections has been challenging. However, this app is quite thorough and relatively inexpensive and gets to know you and your patterns. It is a tool to increase awareness of how your body is handling a normal day, a workout day or a stressful day.

Cooks Hook-Ups is an energy exercise that has been used for decades. The Cook Method, developed by Dr. Wayne Cook, a chiropractor and expert in electromagnetic energy, is an exercise that helps shift energy from the survival center in the left back brain region to the reasoning center in the mid-brain.
This shift decreases stress, improves reading ability, helps create clear listening and speaking skills, increases attention span and improves overall balance and coordination.

Part 1 

In a sitting position, cross your LEFT FOOT over your RIGHT KNEE.

Place your RIGHT HAND over your LEFT ANKLE BONE.

Wrap your LEFT HAND around the ball of your foot so that your fingers reach around the little toe to cover the top of your foot. 

Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and breathe in through your
nose. As you breathe out, let the tongue relax.

Repeat the breathing 7 times.

Part 2

Release your leg and sit comfortably.

Put your fingertips together and breathe as above 7 times. 

This exercise can be done any time you feel sad, angry, frustrated or
confused. Emotional centering is just one of many wonderful rewards with
Cook Hook-Ups.

 

Water, water, water! Often when we are tired, hungry, irritable, we just need water. Recently I started drinking hydrogen water to increase my overall energy, especially with my brain. I will report back with an assessment when I have used the hydrogen water for a period of time. Meanwhile, if you are interested:

www.hydrohealth.com

 

Releasing Stress with Neurographics

Neurographic art was created by Pavel Piskarev, PhD, professor and founder of the Institute of Creativity. One interpretation of this fascinating process comes from MORA (Ann Morrallee) - www.neurographica.net

 Neurographica Art, founded by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev in 2014, merges the principles of psychology with artistic creation. The fundamental concept behind this art form lies in the interplay between the conscious and subconscious minds. By tapping into the brain's neural network, artists can express their emotions, thoughts, and experiences in visually striking ways.

I have recently been introduced to this modality and have decided to incorporate it into my healing process. I am still a beginner and I look forward each day to creating another drawing. One of the "rules" is to create without interpretation. I love the lesson of flow that I am getting from this process. 

The course I am taking is with www.mindfulline.com . There is so much information on this website and I encourage you to check it out and see if you are ready to change beliefs, fears, patterns, etc. From the website:

BY DRAWING WITH UNIQUE ALGORITHMS, YOU CREATE NEW NEURAL PATHWAYS IN YOUR BRAIN THAT LEAD STRAIGHT TO YOUR ASPIRATIONS.

 

 

Fall Tune Up Time

I love New England in the Fall! I can still wear my flip flops even though I have on jeans and a sweater. Boots are close by and ready, though. I need to add blankets at night because the temperature usually drops, and I feel extra cozy. I get to cook my favorite soups and stews. In fact, I have beef stew smells wafting into my office as it cooks in the crock pot.

Fall is also a great time to bring back some of the simple, energy exercises that support the immune system.

Thymus Spleen Tap and The "Tarzan Tap"

• Get your energy moving

• Boost immune system

• Increase your vitality

The Tarzan Tap can be done with your fist or 4 fingers of one hand, tapping the sternum below the throat, over your thymus gland.

Tap for around 20 seconds several times a day.

 

The Thymus Spleen Tap adds your other hand tapping over your spleen which is on the left side of the body where the ribs stick out and below the nipple line.

Tap over the Thymus Gland and the Spleen at the same time for about 20 seconds, several times a day. If you want, add a tap over the liver on the right side.

ZIP UPS - Strengthening Central Meridian

Central Meridian is an energy pathway in your body that runs from the pubic bone to the lower lip. This meridian energizes your brain and your eyes. This exercise is especially helpful for those who do a great deal of thinking and reading and for children who have learning difficulties.

This exercise also helps protects the body from negative energies.

"Flush" Central Meridian by bringing your hand up the pathway - zipping up - 3 to 4 times.

On the final flush, I like to to twist my hand at the lower lip to lock in the energy. It looks like I am turning a lock on a door.

 

Follow Your Tao

            

 I just got my book, Follow Your Tao - A Simple Guide to Balancing Energy For Inner Harmony, by Stephanie Nosco. I follow her on Instagram and love how she is able to bring many disciplines such as Chinese Medicine, Qiqong, Five Elements and Buddhism, to her understanding of the body.

The chapters are divided by organ pairs:

Knowing Your Truth -  Heart and Small Intestine

Dare to Dream - Liver and Gallbladder

Ground of Intention - Spleen and Stomach

Holding On and Letting Go - Lungs and Large Intestine

From Fear to Faith -  Kidneys and Bladder

"To follow your Tao is to live in accordance with your own meaning, values and energy: to discover your self,, nurture your growth and enjoy a harmonious and healthy life."

Stephanie Nosco

 

Good Energy

 

By now you may have heard about and/or listened to Dr. Casey Means, author of the book Good Energy - The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. Dr. Means did a fascinating interview along with her brother Callie on Tucker Carlson's network - www.tuckercarlson.com  I admit that 40 minutes into the interview, I had to take a break. The statistics that Casey fired off about the poor health of our children was devastating. On the positive side, she and her brother are featured on many cable channels and they are opening up the important discussion of health, not just for the children, but for the country's health, as well. 

Even if you, like me, have devoted much of your time, energy and money into being healthy, you will be surprised at what there is still to do. Some of it is out of our hands at the moment and yet many more choices can be made to be healthier. I believe Dr. Casey, along with many others will be instrumental in making it easier to be healthy. There is so much to do, but I remain optimistic. The good energy is in motion.

I highly recommend getting Casey's newsletter. It contains a wealth of information, links for products that can benefit your family's health and lots of recipes.

www.caseymeans.com  

 

Human Design Chart

 A friend of mine introduced me to her archetype information based on a Human Design Chart. I was so intrigued and that, of course, meant I had to look into it. I love studying the different modalities that are able to give an overview of our purpose, gifts and talents, challenges. And, so often, the valuable information validates much of what we know about ourselves and often disregard.

There are many websites that use this comprehensive system with elements from ancient and modern disciplines to create a life blueprint. Some of these elements come from the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the Hindu-Brahmin Chakra system and quantum physics.

The website I visited and ordered my Human Design chart from is: www.ahumandesign.com Obviously, there are many more places to go and I am not endorsing this site, but the information I received is so accurate!

To get the human design information, I had to include my birth date and time and where I was born. That's it. 

Of the four human design types - Generators, Projectors, Manifestors and Reflectors - I am a Projector. Reading my 200+ page overview was like reading the story of my life. I am happy to say, my chosen career path fits precisely based on my profile. The challenges of the Projector are exactly what I have had to learn and overcome and it was a reminder to continue to keep the challenge/solution pages front and center. The lessons are ongoing.

If you are struggling with finding purpose or have difficulty with decision-making or want deeper insight into your personality and overall life path, give Human Design a chance.

Chaos

Today I pulled the Chaos card from The Empathic Oracle deck by Steve Wilson and Michelle Motuzas. Interesting. There is certainly chaos in the world today and I have to ask myself if I am experiencing inner chaos, as a result. I will be considering this today.

Included in the book is a passage for this card:

"Am I free to experience what is offered in this moment of chaos? Or am I hindered by using my energy to hold back the chaos, which holds  all the parts of its wild and energetic abandon? Does the fear of being wild and unfettered cause me to retract into a colorless state?"

Ponder this along with me.

Trauma Release

Thankfully there is a lot of understanding, information and support for the release of trauma in the body. This hasn't always been the case and functional and holistic doctors and practitioners have been leading the charge in the research and understanding of how to identify and release trauma from the body.

Several summers ago, I was able to participate in The Biology of Trauma Summit put on by www.healthmeans.com and Dr. Aimie Apigian. Since then, many more Biology of Trauma summits have been presented with a wide range of authorities on the subject.

I do find myself overwhelmed at times with all of the information that is out there. I like to keep things simple. I have spent years working with clients who have experienced traumas on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual. When their healing can be both gentle and simple, their progress is often quite significant.

I was introduced to Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, in the Biology of
Trauma summit. She is a wealth of knowledge and has created profound essential oils for healing. My favorite for releasing trauma from the body is her Bladder Support essential oil. It is comprised of: Frankincense, Geranium Rose, Helichrysum italicum, Lavender, Petitgrain Combava, Rose Otto, Sandalwood, Spruce, and Valerian Root in a base of fractured coconut oil.

2 -3 drops of the oil are placed over the bladder, over an area of trauma or abuse or around the outside of the earlobes. Jodie states:

"Vibrant Blue Oils Emotion Support Bladder blend allows us to let go of the
negative past and release the emotional trauma from the body. It assists in
overcoming feelings of despair and the feeling of being pushed over the edge. It also has the ability to balance the right and left brain hemispheres."

Are You Feeling Drained?

" Adulting" can be more challenging than we ever thought it would be. Right now things are feeling rather heavy, chaotic, draining, exhausting. I am hearing from clients and friends - in the 50+ age range - that childhood felt so simple and uncomplicated. Of course, life without cell phones, texts, emails, social media and 24/7 news was indeed simpler and we didn't know any differently.

I always love to discover a flower essence that can change the vibration of our thinking, feeling and perspective.

I recommend Devil's Club flower essence from Tree Frog Farm - www.treefrogfarm.com  This is a flower essence for the times that you feel weighted down and world-weary or feel that you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. The affirmation from the flower:

"I am solace to those who are spiritually wounded and world-weary." 

 

Green Hope Farm - www.greenhopeessences.com - offers Ragged Robin flower essence for the dark night of the soul. The flower offers:

"I AM order amidst chaos, the connective thread of light amidst significant upheaval. I AM one with the light." 

 

The Australian Bush flower essence, Mint Bush, is the recommendation  "when you find yourself in a period of perturbation." (Ian White) The affirmations that Ian
suggests are:

"I am now navigating my spiritual initiation with clarity and smoothness."

"I am now letting go of all confusion and chaos in my life."

ABFE can be found at www.southernherb.com 

Resilience

 resilience /rĭ-zĭl′yəns/

noun

1. The ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune.
   
2. The act of springing back, rebounding or resiling.

 Last week I received many calls and texts from friends and clients who were having a difficult time recovering from overwhelm. I would put myself in that category, too. For many the varying weather conditions has been exhausting. For others: dealing with the exhaustion of caring for elderly family members, having to make a major life decision, needing to express emotions, recovering slowly from illness. These life events have made resilience challenging.

Flower essences to support resilience:

From Tree Frog Farm - www.treefrogfarm.com

Arnica flower essence for the "shocks' of life that often get trapped in the nervous, muscular and endocrine system. The flower affirmation: 

"I am resilience during life's shocks, bumps and scrapes." 

Ruby Hellebore for resilience of the heart when experiencing sorrow, grief, hopelessness. The flower affirmation:

"I am courage and resilience during times of heartache and hopelessness." 

 

From the Australian Bush Flower Essences - www.southernherb.com

Banksia Robur to enhance recuperation back to vitality and full strength again,
especially for those who are normally very dynamic. The flower affirmation:

"I now feel joy, energy and enthusiasm for life." 

 Macrocarpa for physical strength, endurance and stamina. A wonderful support for the adrenal glands and other endocrine glands. The flower affirmation:

"I am now tapping into the unlimited energy source within me." 

 

The Enneagram and Self-Discovery

30 years ago I was introduced to the ancient psychological system of the nine Enneagram personality types. The information fascinated me along with the concept and the application for self-discovery and awareness. As a Behavioral Kinesiologist, I am always looking for ways to help my clients understand their behaviors, their gifts and talents and innate nature. I am not an expert in the Enneagram, as it is a serious study, but I have used the information especially for myself. I'll give an example.

I am an Enneagram number 1 - The Reformer: principled, purposeful, perfectionist. I have always felt a strong mission to help people especially as it relates to conquering adversity. As you can imagine, I have been challenged with the high standards I have set for myself and I have had to learn balance and letting go of my feelings of fixing everything.

I had a wonderful opportunity to address the continuous releasing of perfectionism and learn from this situation. I ordered my Enneagram number 1 necklace from SoulKu - www.soulku.com - and I had been wearing it every day. I took it off one night and somehow the cord got tangled. Since I make jewelry, I thought I had the tools that could untangle the knot. Not so. I started laughing and realized that I was not supposed to fix the knot. This was a lesson for me. Keep the knot and enjoy the necklace and it's imperfection!

Along with the books below, the best place to learn more about the Enneagram is www.enneagraminstitute.com , founded in 1997 by the late Don Riso and Russ Hudson. 

The Wisdom of the Enneagram - The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth For the Nine Personality Types by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson

Understanding the Enneagram - The Practical Guide To Personality Types by Don Richard Riso

Enneagram Transformations - Releases and Affirmations For Healing Your Personality Type by Don Richard Riso

Personality Types - Using the Enneagram For Self-Discovery by Don Richard Riso

 

Can You Be Impartial?

 As a kinesiologist, I have to be impartial when working with a client. Impartial means that I have to be neutral, unbiased, unprejudiced. This is a difficult job if you are testing yourself or a friend or family member. It took me a year following certification to be able to work with friends and family without any expectation of the outcome of the session. I preferred testing a stranger.

If you are a beginner with muscle testing or still feel that you need more confidence in your ability to be impartial, I offer a few Australian Bush flower essences that might help.

Alpine Mint Bush is a support for any caregiver who is exhausted from the job and needs support. At the same time it is effective when you need to keep your issues separate from the person who you are helping. 

Freshwater Mangrove helps suspend your preconceived ideas
so that you can be open to new perceptions or experiences. 

 

Sturt Desert Rose supports you as you decide what is in your best interest away from bias, pressures and expectations. 

 

 

Yellow Cowslip Orchid allows you the ability to stand aside from emotional issues and assess a situation objectively.

Nhat Hanh Inspiration

 "We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don't allow our bodies to heal, and we don't allow our minds and hearts to heal." ~ Nhat Hanh

 

Pain and Emotion

 As a child, I used to hear:

"Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about." 

So, I sulked for days in my room, feeling very alone with the anger, frustration and upset with no tools for releasing the emotions.

As an adult, I was able to ask my dad about his reaction and why he thought that was going to help the situation. His response was that he didn't know what else to do.

You may have experienced something like that, too, and as a result, learned to repress your emotions and automatically push them away. Your brain may have decided that it was not safe to feel a specific emotion and created a fear response when that emotion comes up.

Emotions can become trapped in the body - anywhere - and the result is often feeling physical pain in your body. One way of identifying what you are feeling is to ask yourself how you feel when you are in pain. You may feel lonely, rejected, guilty, discouraged, etc. The answer to the question may be the discovery of the emotion that has been repressed. 

Some resources that may help with understanding what the pain in your body is telling you:

The Secret Language of Your Body by Inna Segal

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol K. Truman

Instant Emotional Healing by Peter Lambrou, Ph.D. & George Pratt, Ph.D.

www.curablehealth.com  

The Emotion Code and The Body Code - Dr. Bradley Nelson

www.discoverhealing.com 

 

A Healing Reminder

You have probably experienced a healing challenge at least once in your life. It could have been acute and may still be chronic. Your recovery and healing is unique to you regardless of what traditional or holistic references say. 

The best advice I can give you (and I continually need to hear this for myself) is:

Healing is not a linear process!

Be kind to yourself as you heal physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually. Backslides are normal. Listen to your wise "little voice" that holds many of the answers. Step away from the noise and find a sacred space that allows you to just listen to your Body Wisdom.

 

A Bach flower essence that is helpful during a healing experience when you are feeling discouraged, skeptical and losing faith, is Gentian. One affirmation that I appreciate for this flower essence is:

"I can cope with problems. I am courageous and grow slowly just as nature does."

More Reasons For a Joy Journal

 On May 25th I wrote about starting a Joy Journal and discovering those things that make your heart sing. I want to add another perspective and reason for keeping a journal that documents those moments of delight.

If you have been challenged with health concerns - acute and chronic, long term stress, trauma, unsafe conditions, or more, you may still be experiencing a state of hyper-vigilance - a state of being highly alert to danger or threats.

Joe Dispenza asks:

"If your health goals come true, how would you feel? Can you feel the feeling?"

Hyper-vigilant people often have the hardest time FEELING JOY. When you are able to feel joy you are open, receptive and expansive. In a hyper-vigilant state you will often be closed off ready for the next shoe to drop. It's hard, then, to FEEL your health goals.

As with most challenges, step-by-step allows the learning to be at a pace that feels safe for you. Joy can be experienced by the small things and this still allows the brain to start the rewiring process.

I understand the experience of living through trauma and trying to repair the hyper-vigilant state. I also know it is hard to stay in that place of joy for extended
periods of time. And, I also know how great it is to laugh with the antics of my grandson, to watch the squirrel try to get the bird food, to enjoy my cat purring as she wakes me up in the morning.Those memories and feelings stay with me.

Something more to consider:

 

SoulKu Jewelry

 

I have been making jewelry for over 10 years. I learned beadweaving techniques and making jewelry became a passion rather quickly. I then taught advanced beadweaving for several years to women who also had a craving for crystals, beads, bracelets, necklaces. That said, I simply love jewelry.

I was introduced to SoulKu jewelry through a friend - www.soulku.com  SoulKu is a women owned business that was founded in 2011. The pieces are hand-made, simple, yet meaningful as they are infused with energy to honor friendship, love, courage, harmony, etc. It's worth a look. A portion of the purchases support non-profits that empower women, children and families. An example is below:

 

 

Essential Oils and Smell

 

 

We have heard the old adage, "stop and smell the roses." There is actually scientific evidence that smelling rose oil can turn off the fear response happening in your body. Credit is given to Nobel Prize researcher named Linda Buck. Her research centered around specific olfactory cells (connected to the sense of smell) in the nervous system and the body's response.

Jodie Cohen, in her book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body, says, 

    "The cells of the olfactory epithelium are in fact brain cells. This olfactory membrane is the only place in your body where your central nervous system is exposed and is in direct contact with the environment."

There are simple ways to use smell with an essential oil. 

• One way is to open the bottle and hold it a few inches below the nose and inhale deeply. 

• You can also place a drop of the oil in your hands, rub them together and then inhale the scent on your hands. 

• You can diffuse the oils into the air.

• You could also place a few drops on a cotton ball near your bed or on your pillowcase and get the benefit of the oil.

Smelling an essential oil has worked well for me as my skin is sensitive to the oils and often results in a rash especially when placing the oils behind my ears to stimulate the vagus nerve.

Everyone's body reacts differently to oils, so having the scientific study behind the benefit of smell and healing is incredibly valuable.

 

It's HOT, HOT, HOT!

 

It's July in New Hampshire and feeling like the oppressive days of August. You can cut the humidity with a knife and it is HOT. Now, New Englanders complain about weather all the time. It's too hot, too cold, too much snow, too much rain, not enough rain... It's kind of funny and we do laugh at ourselves.

Hot weather and temperatures in the 90s is no joke. It affects the body tremendously and can cause serious health concerns. Some people are more vulnerable to the heat than others and need to be even more cautious.

Symptoms to be aware of:

Heat Exhaustion Symptoms:

• Felling faint, dizzy

• Increased sweating

• Cool, pale skin

• Nausea/vomiting

• Rapid, weak pulse

• Muscle cramps

Heat Stroke Symptoms 

• Throbbing headache

• No sweating

• Body temperature above 104 degrees
  

• Red, hot, dry skin

• Nausea/vomiting

• Rapid, strong pulse

• Altered mental state

• Possible loss of consciousness

 

The flower essence I recommend for dealing with the heat is the Australian Bush Flower essence - Mulla Mulla. I just ordered another stock bottle at
www.southernherb.com because I don't want to run out.

This plant grows in the desert of central Australia which is the hottest part of the continent. Ian White says, "This plant prefers the rocky, loamy soil of hot, arid regions. The greater the heat, the better it seems to thrive."

This flower essence will help rejuvenate your body and clear any fear of fire or hot objects or any past traumas associated with fire and heat.

 

 

Essential Oils For the Vagus Nerve

There are many companies that make essential oils such as Young Living and DoTerra. I have become more familiar with Vibrant Blue Oils having participated in many trauma summits with Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, as well as studying with her. 

The following are essential oils from Vibrant Blue Oils that are having a positive impact on those who want to reset and regenerate their Vagus Nerve:

Parasympathetic Oil – Triggers the optimal rest and digest healing state. Includes: Clove and Lime

Bladder Support Essential Oil – Supports releasing trauma, shock, shame, helplessness. Includes: Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Petigrain Combava, Rose, Sandalwood, Spruce, Valerian

Nerve Repair – Supports damaged nerves, relieves pain. Includes: Basil, Peppermint, Helichrysum italicum, Marjorum

Adrenal – Balances the adrenals to support anxiety, stress, low back pain and fatigue. Includes: Thyme, Rosemary, Manuka, Galbanum and Frankincense

Anti-inflammatory – Supports pain and inflammation. Includes: Dill Seed, Ginger, Ylang Ylang, Grapefruit, and Tarragon

Calm – Supports anxiety, calms tension, reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Includes: Tangerine, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Blue Tansy and Patchouli

 

Risk

 A favorite poem of mine:

 

Six Thinking Hats Exercise

Edward DeBono's Six Thinking Hats exercise is an alternative way to look at making decisions and setting goals using information, emotions, logic, creativity, caution and optimism.

Each "hat" represents a different perspective. You can use this technique individually or with a team to consider a problem from different angles.

An Overview of Each Hat:

WHITE HAT is the information hat and fact gathering. This is a neutral position hat.

RED HAT: is the intuitive and feeling hat. What is your gut reaction?

BLUE HAT: the planning and organizing hat.

GREEN HAT: the creative hat for new ideas and solutions.

BLACK HAT: the caution hat looking at risks, problems, pit-falls.

YELLOW HAT: optimism, looking at positive benefits and advantages.

 

Questions that go with each HAT:

WHITE:  Who, what, where? What are the facts?

RED: What is your hunch or intuition? What are your feelings or gut response?

BLUE: What is the main idea? What is action plan? Was the problem solved?

GREEN: What else can be done? What is the value? What might be holding us back?

BLACK: What are the risks? Are there weaknesses? What are the consequences?

YELLOW: Can we make this work? What are the benefits? What are the positive outcomes?

I have used the Six Thinking Hats in a networking group and it was a lot of fun and very informative. If you like working with a spreadsheet or graph, the below is an example of how to pull this together. Have fun with it!