Little Humans, Big Emotions Activity

Little Humans, Big Emotions Activity
Whether it is the busy days of summer or a long school day, you never know when emotions are going to catch up to our kids. Sometimes, as moms, we can see it coming hours before the meltdown occurs or sometimes, it comes out of nowhere and we are left trying to figure out what triggered such a strong response. Either way, we want to do our best to help our kids work through those tough moments.
One thing I have learned through the ups and downs with my own kids is, the time to talk about it is after the emotional moment has passed and things have settled. Otherwise, things we may be saying or suggesting aren’t even being heard because they are working so hard on processing what they are struggling with. In fact, in may cause more stress and frustration for everyone in the moment.
There are three things that have helped my kids in moments of big emotions.
  1. Personal Space
  2. Breath work
  3. Aromatherapy (we associate certain aromas with various feelings)
Today, I want to tell you about a fun tool you can have on hand in those hard moments for our kids.
Feelings Dough
This tool incorporates smell, touch, and sight! I find that tools are more effective when you incorporate the senses. This is a tool you will want to create with your child!  

 
What you will need:
2 cups cornstarch
1 cup lotion (non-scented or lightly scented is best. No fragrance)
Three different essential oils.
One for “happy”- we like an oil blend called “Citrus Fresh”
One for “calm” -we like an oil called “Peace and Calming”
One for “brave”- we like an oil called “Valor”
Food Coloring
 
Combine the cornstarch, lotion, and oil for “happy”. Ask the child what color they associate with being happy. Add the color to the mixture! When combined, place in a jar with lid and label it “happy”.
Repeat this for the “calm” and “brave” jar.
 Explain to the child, when they feel themselves getting frustrated, sad, or discouraged, to grab the desired jar and play with that playdough for a bit. Once, they have settled, they can bring it to you and you can talk through what was bothering the child.
You can also create dough that promotes focus. 

This tool is perfect to have on hand in a classroom, playroom, or therapy bag!

Inspiration before Motivation


I do not know about you, but the changes and events of the past year have left me feeling slightly lost and what I assumed was lack of motivation. I am still trying to shake the effects of being put through the spin cycle of 2020. All the shifts in focus, changes in routine, and navigating different roles we were presented with, left some of us saying “Okay. Now what? What was I doing before all of this chaos?”

The lack of direction has left me feeling like I am in a “slump”. Feeling overwhelmed by possibilities and not knowing where to start, often feels like I have lost motivation to move forward with previous goals. I recently listened to a podcast called the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast. The episode that stuck out to me was the fifth part to a leadership series he was covering. It was called “Think Inspiration Not Motivation”.  My wheels started turning as I shook my head through the entire podcast. I highly recommend the listen!

I quickly learned, if I expected to be motivated, or better yet, motivate others, I needed to lean into inspiration. Inspiration comes from within while motivation has an external force driving it. How can I motivate others if I am struggling to be inspired? Here are a few ways that I have started to find inspiration and move forward with my goals:

  1. Read/listen to book or podcast that relates to a subject you are interested in. It is nice to be reminded of what you love and are passionate about.
  2. Do something you love! I LOVE working in my yard. Since the weather has been nice, I have been getting out more. Clearing my head, doing something I love, has created space in my mind for new ideas and movement forward.
  3. Communicate with others! It is so refreshing to be having more in person conversations. When I can talk with friends that I share common interests with, I am left feeling happy and lighthearted. Even if it is just a phone call, make time for communication!!!

Three ways to inspire others:

  1. Compliment and encourage others. Modeling positivity will encourage them to do the same. When something makes someone feel good, they will want to do the same!
  2. Let them see you working hard. Be proud of what you do! When I see someone thriving, I start to look harder at that person’s actions and feel inspired to do the same.
  3. Speak and act on your passion! Communicate your “why” to others. How did you get to this place where the drive for your passion became so strong? Share it!

After listening to the above podcast, I knew I could not motivate or inspire without fulfilling those same needs for myself. Lean into your passion, your community, and healthy outlets!

There are five essential oils that I reach for on days that I need an extra boost to keep my mindset balanced. Taking 10 seconds of my day to apply and inhale makes a BIG difference when consistently worked into a routine. My go-tos are:

  1. “Magnify Your Purpose” when trying to center my mind.
  2. “Into The Future” to promote positive, uplifting vibes through discouraging moments.
  3. “Valor” to give me courage to step out of my comfort zone.
  4. “Harmony” to provide a balanced state going into my day.
  5. “Release” to assist in releasing any limiting beliefs that I put upon myself and my goals.

What are you favorites to reach for? What are some actions of others that leave you feeling inspired?

Just what this mama needed...

Just what this mama needed...
"Things will slow down after the holidays..." 

Between moving a Christmas travels, I cannot tell you how many times I told myself this throughout the month of December. Well guess what, it is February and things have not slowed. Apparently, this pace of  life is the new normal. With a million tabs open in my brain along with a million different emotions in rotation, I find myself holding things in and going through the motions of our days to keep things running smoothly. 

I am in constant need of stress relief but find it difficult to take the time to really sit and enjoy the stress free moments. Essential oils have helped me catch myself from losing my mind a time or two by simply cracking open a bottle of Stress Away or Valor and taking some deep breaths. I can catch myself, think through my actions, and clear my head for a few moments. An added bonus to these magical bottles of aromatic bliss, is the ability to apply them topically.  I love to apply them to my neck, my ears, chest, ends of hair, wrists, and even my favorite diffuser jewelry so the aroma stays with me longer that just a few moments. I mean, who wouldn't want to wear the aroma of White Angelica throughout the day??? 

My new favorite is Release. This oils is the perfect combination of floral, woodsy, and citrus scents. The aroma is very "perfume-like". While it is serving the purpose of taming those emotions, it is also serving the purpose of acting as my " perfume" for the day. You will literally have to peel yourself away from the bottle and find yourself hovering over the diffuser with this blend. I opened the bottle, immediately reached for a roller fitment, and dropped this baby in my purse. This pleasing aroma was just what this mama needed in this busy and emotionally charged season of life.  

Have you ever developed an instant love for an aroma? Isn't it amazing how aromatics can affect our state of mind.