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Handrafted

Handrafted

Creating the life you dream of, one essential oil at a time. Your complete guide to everything Young Living Essential Oils. Located in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Category: M I N D F U L N E S S

Energy Mindfulness

Becoming mindful of and responsible for your energy and the energies around you will help you navigate every social situation life can throw at you. ✨ Before we jump in…

Becoming mindful of and responsible for your energy and the energies around you will help you navigate every social situation life can throw at you. ✨ Before we jump in let’s evaluate some positive and negative energies so that we are all on the same page.

Positive Energy

There are many different types of positive energies (feelings, vibes, wishes etc.) but to put a label on a few:

  • Encouragement/Support
  • Affirmation/Praise
  • Happiness/Joy
  • Optimism/Confidence

Negative Energy

To all of these positive energies, there are opposite negative energies: 

  • Discouragement/Judgment
  • Deny/Defeat
  • Sadness/Gloom
  • Pessimistic/Anxious

Energy Obligation

Everywhere we go we carry our energy with us, whether it be positive or negative. Learning to be mindful of this energy is important for success in building personal and professional relationships. 

Take for example I am attending a bachelorette party in Las Vegas 👯. The invitation says to expect “booze, boys and blackjack” – honestly not my cup of tea. Upon receipt of the invitation, I have the option to accept or decline. This is the key in social circumstances. Instead of insisting that you have to attend because you were invited – really evaluate if you will add or detract from the event?   

If you decide that you can add to the event/experience it is now time to evaluate your energy toward the list of events. Understood that “booze, boys and blackjack” might not be your favorite – but this trip is about the bride, and it IS her favorite. To enhance her experience and to truly make it the best memory for all involved you will need to get on board and be enthusiastic! By accepting the invitation you are in turn accepting the energy obligation – to stay positive during the experience.

Fake It Till You Become It!

Let’s take this example to a professional setting – let’s say my team at the office has to put together a presentation on onions. Two things I’m not a fan of 1) working on a team and 2) onions. 🤢  Now if you know me personally you know that anytime I see or speak of an onion I call it “poison” (because I’m obviously 13 😆) so this project is quite the stretch. Now in this circumstance, I don’t have an option to accept or deny the project – it’s my job. So here we go into energy obligation. My employer has hired me to collaborate and present an entertaining and informative powerpoint on onions. I cannot walk into that conference room angry about working on a team or disappointed in our given subject. All I can do is encourage the people around me, be enthusiastic about our presentation and spread positive energy throughout the room. Doing all of this is a recipe for success! 

Energy Acceptance

Energy Mindfulness

Energy obligation speaks to the energy we bring into a room or situation while energy acceptance speaks to the energy we ALLOW in our life and/or space. Granted there will always be those passers-by that come in and out of your life; these you cannot control. It’s the constants in your life; your friends, coworkers, acquaintances and even family members. We all can name at least one person in our life that always seems to be on the negative side of the above list (discouraging, defeated and gloomy). Life never seems to go their way and they’re determined it will never get better. 

It is hard to say “avoid these people” – often time these people are important to us. What’s important to learn in this circumstance is:

  • When you are in a vulnerable state (lacking confidence or joy) – choose different friends to call, those that will encourage you in your time of need.
  • When interacting with the negative energies in your life don’t feed their anxiety. Hear them out, always be polite and then move on to a different (more positive) conversation. Misery loves company – work to not join in their negativity. 
  • Don’t let them deplete you. Often times being around negative people can consume your energy, your optimism and your mood. Work to keep the topics moving as to avoid those hot button conversations. 

 

 

Energy Mindfulness

Bottom line in today’s message is, find your inner sunshine and if you can’t find your own stay close to people who feel like sunshine. It’s a beautiful world out there, one that is enhanced by positive energy. 

Disclaimer: Even the most positive people get anxious or down, feeling these emotions makes you human. Feeling these energies and moving through them is where you want to be. You have the ability to feel, process, alter, learn and spread your energy. Remembering that and always being mindful will keep you in check with your surroundings.

How do you alter your energy on a blue day? Leave any tips or tricks in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

C

 

Looking to learn how to reframe negative thoughts and energies? Read More Here

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New Years Intentions

The Power of Intention When you’re clear on your intention, you take inspired action that’s in alignement with your words and truth. You also quickly manifest what you desire because…

The Power of Intention

When you’re clear on your intention, you take inspired action that’s in alignement with your words and truth. You also quickly manifest what you desire because you’re clearly putting out words and actions that are in alignment with the thing you want to attract into your life.

StephenieZamora.com

As we move towards the blank slate, that is presented to us as a new year, I am empowered by the possibilities. 2018 was a wonderful year- a year of new experiences, a year of learning and a year of encouragement. Looking forward I am excited to build on that foundation here on the blog, move forward with new adventures and make time for myself and my family a priority.

As we watch the ball drop on a great year and ring in a new one I want to be perfectly clear with myself and the universe. It is time to set my intentions to create a year worth mention.

#Self-Care

Self-care is a term that got big for me in 2018. To define self-care: The act of taking time for yourself, forging your own path and making yourself a priority. In 2019 I am going to make more effort on me. This intention includes taking care of my physical body and taking care of my emotional body. For the physical body, I intend on increasing my activities levels (finallllllly using the gym membership 🙄😅) and taking the leap into the Keto Diet. This should be fun — stay tuned! 🙃 Next, for my emotional body, time in meditation and time spent doing things I LOVE are high on the list. 

I Can Do Anything NOT Everything

Next is a big one, that seems to be on my list of intentions more and more. However, I believe I have improved over the years, but of course, there is always room for more. Therefore, moving into the new year I intend on using my calendar to be more efficient with time and keep me on schedule. By planning ahead my intention is to avoid over obligation and prioritize my list of opportunities. In keeping the list in front of me and in context, I believe I will better manage my time. 

Handrafted

This blog has been such a great adventure over the past year. I have returned to my crafty soul, I have connected with wonderful people and I have created opportunities for myself. The most exciting announcement of 2019 is that I will be joining the Young Living Family! I have used Essential Oils consistently for about two years and have fallen more and more in faith with them. I have learned so much and am eager to learn more – and of course, share my journey with you!

Throughout the next year on the blog, I intend on widening my network, refining my brand and keeping one foot in front of the other. As a dreamer, it is easy for me to jump to the ‘happily ever after’, as January nears I intend to stay focused and work in the moment. 

Family Time is the BEST Time

2019 is a big year for our family. Our daughter will start her senior year of high school in the fall. With that comes all the emotions, ones I can’t even grasp yet 😭. Looking to 2019 I intend on taking every available opportunity to play together and make memories as a family. We have some fun plans here and there and a whole lot of spontaneity in the middle. Reveling in the moment whether it is big or small is my intention for the year. From soaking in – the belly laughs, the boo-boos that need bandaging and the wonder of her becoming a woman – it is going to be a wondrous year!

 

What are your intentions for the new year? 

Blessing for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year to you and yours.

xo,

C

524 Comments on New Years Intentions

Presence Over Presents This Holiday Season

As we enter November and the holidays arrive quickly I wanted to take a moment to talk about truly putting presence over presents. This year it feels like Thanksgiving is…

As we enter November and the holidays arrive quickly I wanted to take a moment to talk about truly putting presence over presents. This year it feels like Thanksgiving is earlier than ever! Two weeks from today, how did that happen – I feel like we were just taking First Day of School pictures!? In addition to the time going faster, it also feels like we as a population are doing more, constantly running from one thing to another. With the fast pace of life these days and the never-ending to-do list it is hard to believe we take the time to enjoy anything.

Presence

Presence as defined by Urban Dictionary:

presence

Living in the one singular moment. Elimination from the mind obsessed creation of time. No time. Pure consciousness.
One singular moment. Living in the now. What would life look like for you if you just took a moment to live in the now? Would you be hungry? Would you be joyful? Would you be lonely? Taking the time to evaluate the moment and the emotion/feeling you have in it can work to best serve your future self. So often we keep ourselves running, constantly thinking of the next thing as a way to distract ourselves from the needs of the moment.  Perhaps if we listen, we could tend to ourselves the way we often tend to everyone else. 
 
No time. Elimination from the mind obsessed creation of time. This to me is the most profound part of the definition, the creation of time. When I stop and think about the implication of that statement it almost stops me in my tracks. This point is so true I hate to admit it. We constantly create deadlines, schedules and plans based around different timelines that WE CREATE. Perhaps if we took time out of the equation the opportunity to accomplish our task would be less stressful and more enjoyable. If we just let the obsession subside and truly believed that there was more than enough time for it all, perhaps there would be.
 

Presents

As the Wish Lists grow longer and longer, keep in mind that kids won’t remember 80% of Christmas morning six months later. What they will remember is making cinnamon rolls with grammy or playing Rummy with their cousins. 

Pressuring ourselves to cross off their Wish Lists for things they often don’t need or won’t use is killing the spirit of Christmas for many of us. It’s pushing us past the point of Jolly Old Elf and into the category of Scrouge. And the worst part? It is all self-driven and unnecessary!

My Promise

As the holidays approach I am making a promise to myself. A promise to experience the moment to the fullest. To listen to the needs of the moment and work to meet them. To embrace those around me and really listen to what they have to say. To enjoy a cocktail with an old friend. To be silly and do ‘kid stuff’ with the nieces and nephews. To embrace my family in all their dysfunction and glory – because this is now, these are my people and this is our story. 
 
Good luck my wonderful friends! Cheers to the most wonderful time of the year!
 
May your cup always be filled with coffee, your Prime orders always on time and your Target always be open!
 
xo, 
C
 
 
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Raising Productive Adults – The Millennial Struggle

Being a (bonus) mom to a nearly 17-year-old daughter is tough, but not for reasons you would expect. It’s not the mood swings, the overreactions or even the boys that…

Being a (bonus) mom to a nearly 17-year-old daughter is tough, but not for reasons you would expect. It’s not the mood swings, the overreactions or even the boys that give this mama grief. It’s the pressure of raising a self-sufficient adult who is prepared enough to problem solve in the real world. Raising fully functioning adults is hard work and I feel like no one is talking about it. Sure we talk about teaching little ones their ABCs and potty training, but when do we ever talk about teaching our children to make decisions for themselves, take initiative and know what to do if you hear water rushing in your ceiling. 🤷🏻 I mean seriously. 

Over the summer while my husband and I were vacationing in Hawaii our 16-year-old was home by herself. She had a schedule packed with work and drill team practice. She took care of the animals, fed herself multiple times a day and even kept up with her schedule – being on time everywhere. Things were wonderful, her father and I were very proud. On the last day of our trip she had a fender bender. This was her first experience with an accident in Texas, much less an accident where she was the driver. She tried to reach us but with the time difference was unable to wake us… 

Life Lessons

Not having us to fall back on she was forced to problem solve. Before we left I supplied her with a list of 8+ people that were “on call” if she needed anything. In that moment she had to think for herself and work the system. She called 911, exchanged information with the other driver, took photos and was handling the situation pretty well. She made several phone calls until she reached someone. That someone, was able to help her catch her breath, reassure her that it would be alright and track us down. Roughly 45 minutes after the accident the news had made it to Hawaii. Her father and I then sat on the line and waited for the tow truck. She had done it, all without us swooping in to save the day. Although we were riddled with guilt, “What ifs?” and frustration – overall it was a very gratifying moment. It’s easy to imagine your children being ready to leave the nest, it’s a completely different thing to be confident that they will thrive and turn into productive adults.

In today’s parenting culture it is easy to rush in and help your children as a way to keep them a step ahead, but often times that actually lessens the learning opportunity. How do we give our children the space they need to grow and learn while still keeping them safe and maintaining our sanity?

Allow Mistakes

Something that I work with consistently is my reaction to mistakes. As a Virgo I can (sometimes 😉) have a firm grasp on perfection, and mistakes tend to throw a wrench in that. Knowing that mistakes happen and that often the best lessons are learned in those moments keeps me grounded. If you allow your children the freedom to make their own decisions it will give them the confidence they require to become their own person. Being there to pick up the pieces and get them back on track is very important, but be sure to let the chips fall before you do so.

Encourage New Experiences

Encouraging new interactions whether it be clubs at school, volunteer organizations or study groups. Interacting with new groups of people broadens your child’s horizons. By encouraging these interactions your child can learn from the experience and the experiences of their peers. Learning right from wrong, good from bad and productive vs nonproductive are all lessons one learns through experience. Making these distinctions before adulthood can vastly improve a child’s ability to thrive.

Remember They Are Still Kids

This is important. Being a teenager is the time in life where you get to be an adult 40% of the day and a kid 60% of the day. These kids have the rest of their lives to pay bills, cook dinner and take care of themselves – no reason to push them out early. Make the most of these last few years and allow them to be kids. After all, that’s really what we want as parents right? To always be needed?

They will leave the nest, and because of you, they will leave ready to take on the world. Cherish those moments, embrace the learning curve and always be there to pick up the pieces.

This is what parenting is all about, being the person we needed when we were that age.

Do you have any teens? What are some of your tips and tricks to stay sane?

xo,

C

 

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Tips to Stay Organized & On Task

Lately, it feels like life is spinning faster and faster, that there is always something more I should be doing and that there will never be enough time. As I…

Lately, it feels like life is spinning faster and faster, that there is always something more I should be doing and that there will never be enough time. As I work to manage this spinning top I have found some useful organizational tips to keep myself on task.

Step One: Write Everything Down

The first step in processing life as we know it today is to get everything that is swirling around your head down on paper. Many times I will feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of things running through my head. By putting pen to paper often times the list is much LESS daunting than I thought it was.

Step Two: Prioritize The List

Taking the time to empty your thoughts can truly be therapeutic. Once the items are on the list take the time to prioritize them. I have found a very useful tool to help prioritize your tasks. This tool uses the box below and is known as The Eisenhower Matrix (explained beautifully here on BrightonTheDay.com).

Eisenhower Matrix

Step Three: Assess Overall Value & Time Consumption

Review your (now prioritized) list and weigh each 1st Quadrant item based on its overall value and the time it will take to complete. For example, if sending a calendar invite gets the ball rolling for an important meeting choose that over getting your notes and presentation perfected for the said meeting. Choose the items that can be completed the quickest and will get you closer to your goal.

Step Four: Be Flexible

This one is important – for you and those around you. Life is constantly changing, we all know that, and working from a list can sometimes heighten a person’s OCD tendencies. 🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻As you formulate and complete your list be open to new items, new priorities and overall change. The more flexible you are towards these changes the better you will respond and redirect. As these changes come into your life, use the matrix to work it into your plan.

Step Five: Eliminate

Removing items from the list that are not important or urgent is crucial for maximum productivity. Your time is valuable and you need to be sure to spend it in a manner that will get you where you want to go. As you move through your list reevaluate – you might find that items get moved into the 4th Quadrant as you get more done. Don’t be afraid to cut things from the list.

 

How do you stay organized and on task?

Are you a list person? Planner person? I want to know, tell me below!

xo,

C

3,653 Comments on Tips to Stay Organized & On Task

Mindful Screen Time – A lesson in being present

So often in my daily life I feel conflicted about whether to document life toward my blog goals or just be present and experience life first hand. As I build…

So often in my daily life I feel conflicted about whether to document life toward my blog goals or just be present and experience life first hand. As I build my brand, I feel especially torn.

All of these thoughts have circled to a head as the hubster and I head to Hawaii for a dear friend’s wedding. To gram or not to gram, that is the question?

 

As I debate with myself on how much time is too much I found these simple tricks to make my screen time more intentional.

Limit Notifications

All too often I will download a new app and feel pressured into “Allowing Notifications” – I can’t be the only one, right?! Days, weeks and even months later I still have daily notification from apps I used once (hello Wayfair 🤷🏻).

It was amazing to actually see the amount of apps I had allowed notifications for. Before our trip I sat down with the list and really evaluated if notifications were necessary.  On those that I deemed necessary I then went one step further and carefully chose the kind of notification each app would require. Only those apps with the highest priority received access to my lock screen.

My hope is that by reducing the amount of lock screen notifications I will be able to leave my phone unattended for longer periods of time. I often feel addicted to the constant screen glow – it’s a rush!

Be Intentional

Decide before you unlock your device, why you are logging on. Make a mental note of your tasks and stick to it. Work to keep you mind focused and on task.

By being intentional with my time I have created a world where I can allow myself to be both engaged and unplugged. #balance

Budget Screen Time

Decide how much time you need to achieve your list of tasks, be realistic and then set a timer. I prefer to set my timer for 10 minutes prior to my desired budget. For me it’s all about the warning – and choosing how I spend those last few moments. Allowing me to prioritize my final work, I feel more accomplished come that final bell.

On occasion that budgeted time turns out to not be enough, knowing that it is okay is half of the battle. Evaluate what you were unable to do and work it in to another budgeted session later in the day.

I do find it valuable to not run over the time. You have to respect the time limit otherwise this practice will be ineffective. The more you work with time lines the better you will be with handling tasks in an efficient manner.

Moments are Fleeting, Don’t be Wasteful

There are many times I reach for my phone for distraction instead of productivity. Saturday mornings, for example, you can often find me “stuck” in Instagram Story loops for hooouurrrssss. It’s unhealthy and unproductive but I love it! My weekend guilty pleasure – my weekly check in with all the beautiful people that create my Instagram community. Although I believe you should allow yourself these indulgences, timing is everything.

This weekend I have promise myself to put down the phone and not get stuck. In addition, I promise to not scroll aimlessly, a vow to myself in search for new experience and opportunities. There are billions of humans on this planet. This weekend I will work to make connections, to breathe life into strangers and grow from the friends I make along the way.

Be Bored

Last but certainly not least I feel it is important to allow yourself to sit still, be in silence and perhaps even be bored. In today’s world we are constantly bombarded noise. When given the chance don’t be afraid to just be.

There is growth, peace and wonder in silence. Boredom often opens the tool box of creativity. Take these moments to breathe and enjoy the simple pleasures; a hot cup of coffee, the grip of a loved one’s hand or perhaps a smile from a passerby.

See what there is to find in that silence, allow your mind to play. You’ll be glad you did.

 

xo,

C

1,617 Comments on Mindful Screen Time – A lesson in being present

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