Essential Oils

“The sense of smell can be extraordinarily evocative,
bringing back pictures as sharp as photographs of scenes
that had left the conscious mind.”
—Thalassa Cruso

Smelling a rose brings about an instant sense of well-being. It’s part of why we love flowers so much—for those feel-good emotions they stir up. That’s the power of pure scent. What we inhale affects our mood, our clarity of thought, and even has physiological effects.

As a writer and wordsmith, I need to remain alert and stay inspired to do my job. As much as I love what I do, sometimes I start to feel a bit burnt out. So I draw on inspiration from various sources to stimulate all my senses and keep those creative juices flowing. My favorite source of inspiration and motivation of all is scent. That’s probably why I’ve amassed a virtual caseload of pure essential oils on my writing desk—there’s something for every occasion and mood. Here are a few of my go-to oils:

Inhaling peppermint and lemon wakes me right up. This duo works even better than coffee—really. I also use this pair to lift me right out of that hard-to-shake midafternoon slump.

If I start feeling foggy-headed, rosemary helps me become clear-headed, and that’s an essential quality for all creative types.

Bergamot helps me find balance when my creative thoughts are running amok, and I’m not actually creating anything.

When I want to get into the “spirit” of things, I turn to frankincense, which has been used in spiritual rituals for millennia.

If my mind gets stuck on unproductive thoughts, sage is a wonderful way to “clear the air.”

Vetiver is great for grounding and a sense of security, which keeps me on task and helps me avoid distraction.

Chamomile is calming, which is great when distracting thoughts are getting in the way of my creative flow.

When I want to relax after a busy and creative day, lavender is wonderful for imbuing a sense of peace into my environment. It’s great for winding down so I can achieve restful sleep for a more productive day to come.

And then there’s always that dreaded writer’s block—and you know what? All the oils mentioned above work for that too. Honestly, I haven’t had writer’s block for a very long time. The words just keep coming!

There are many great sources of essential oils out there, including doTerra, Plant Therapy, and Aura Cacia. Personally, I’m partial to Young Living oils, so much so that I’ve become a distributor for them. They carry some of the highest quality essential oils in the world.

I’m not an aromatherapist. I just like aromas, and I experience their amazing benefits every single day. If you’re interested in learning more about Young Living oils specifically, visit https://www.youngliving.com/en_US. My distributor ID is 1568470.