Happiness is a choice

I want to share an archive article with you from motivational speaker Art Berg.  Art was hurt in an automobile accident in 1981 which left him a quadraplegic.  This was an amazing man, and I thought his words offer an opportunity for all of us to step back and really look at what we are choosing.

Excessive Happiness

by Art Berg, CSP

 

A few years ago, the hospital where I did my rehab in California contacted me to let me know they were going to be purging their records of any data that was more than ten years old. Because that included my medical records, they gave me the option of paying the postage to have them simply mail the medical data from my four-month stay in their hospital to me. I jumped at the chance.

  A few weeks later a package arrived that was thick and bulging from the reams of paperwork. For several hours I read through the reports. It was fascinating to me. First, it refreshed some old memories for me. Second, it gave me the perspective of the hospital staff, doctors and nurses regarding my rehabilitation and recovery from my spinal cord injury. It included medications, doctor's notes, complications, and my case manager's recommendations.

  For years I had been curious about some things. During much of my hospital stay, my doctor kept sending psychiatrists to see me. At one time, my doctor had me separated from a room I shared with several other SCI patients to my own room-I certainly wasn't complaining, but it did seem odd at the time. Right there, in the middle of this massive medical journal, I found the reason: Excessive Happiness.

  Yeap, that's what it said. My medical condition was excessive happiness. The doctor felt I laughed too much and was in too good of a mood much of the time. Excessive happiness. I never knew there was such a disorder. He noted in my record that he felt my state of "excessive happiness" was keeping me in a state of denial about my condition. He felt that the problem was exacerbated by (in his words) "a loving family." His solution was to do several things:

1. Keep me in psychiatric counseling;
2. Isolate me from other patients;
3. And, limit my exposure to my family and friends.

  Excessive happiness? I didn't know you could be too happy? Because of my "unique medical condition" (one I am gratefully still suffering with today), I think I am qualified to share my own perspective on what causes such a grave (sic) malady.

1. Happiness is a choice; a choice we make every day.
2. Happiness is not a condition of our circumstances or external influences; it is a state of mind and heart.
3. Happiness comes most often when we focus on solving other people's pain and problems as opposed to thinking only of our own.
4. Happiness isn't what we have or who we are. It's feeling valuable and worthy regardless of our station in life.
5. Happiness is within everyone's reach.

March Specials!!! Save over $17

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Okay, so here are the specials for March!  They are a fantastic savings!  You’ll save over $17.00 on the following products.  Below you’ll see the products on special for the month and their benefits and how to use them.  I am so excited that Palmarosa is in the March.  I love this oil and really do believe we all could use a little Palmarosa in our daily lives.  Please just let me know if there is anything I can get for you!  Unfortunately, I do not receive any profit when you order online, but I want you to have these oils in your life, so if you need to order them from the website, do!  If you would like another 10% off, then call me and I’ll order them for you.  I love these oils, they are have been very beneficial to myself and my family in the short time that we have been using them.  They are a true blessing. 20% off Limited Edition Sandalwood African $14.40 Therapeutic Properties  antiseptic, antidepressant, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, emollient, calming, decongestant Application African sandalwood can be worn anywhere on the body.  It can be diffused anywhere and everywhere, lending its relaxing, peaceful scent to all who come in contact with it. Because of the high percentage of sesquiterpenes in sandalwood oil, it readily crosses the blood/brain barrier.  This, in turn, increases the oxygen around the pineal and pituitary glands in the brain, as well as the amygdala.  This elevated oxygen level in the brain can also help us control our fears and alleviate mental confusion. Sandalwood has the ability to unlock the emotional trauma stored in the DNA of our cells.  By unlocking this trauma, it can help us curb our manipulative and controlling tendencies. African sandalwood, like Indian sandalwood, is relaxing and soothing, promoting restful and relaxing sleep. It can sooth the skin, relieving itching and inflammation and is very effective for its anti-aging properties. Other uses of sandalwood include bladder and throat infections, bronchitis, and other respiratory distresses.

...............Buy all six and receive 20% off...............

$ 54.40

^LeDelicate, ^LeTendaCare, ^LeVallee
Eucalyptus Blue Mallee, Lemon, Palmarosa

LeDelicate
Ingredients cypress, lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme

^LeDelicate can be applied by adding 3-4 drops to the shampoo when washing your hair. For hair loss, try placing 3-4 drops of ^LeDelicate in your conditioner. Leave the conditioner / ^LeDelicate blend in your hair and wrap entire head in a warm towel for 10-15 minutes. Afterwards rinse hair gently. This process should be repeated several times a week until the problem has disappeared.

LeTenda Care

Ingredients eucalyptus, gingergrass, juniper, lemongrass, marjoram, peppermint, spikenard, tea tree, thyme, wintergreen Use LeTenda Care by placing a small amount of carrier oil in the palm of your hand. Add a few drops of LeTenda Care. Use this as a massage oil for tired, overworked muscles, or to help you relax at the end of a long day. LeTenda Care can be added to a bath as an excellent muscle relaxant and over-all tonic. LeTenda Care is intended to be used when muscles are tight, strained, or injured. This blend is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and has some excellent nervine properties. Besides sports injuries and muscle relaxation, LeTenda Care can be used for back pain, sciatica, bruising, and charley horses. LeVallee Ingredients carrot seed, helichrysum, parsley, ravensara, spikenard, tagette, vetiver, wintergreen, yarrow blue LeVallee should be diluted well and applied to the area of concern. This blend was created specifically for rebuilding skin and muscle tissue following a severe burn. It is proving useful in other conditions involving deteriorated muscle and skin tissues. LeVallee is an emollient and is soothing to damaged skin and should be used to combat dryness and skin irritation. LeVallee contains oils renowned for the rebuilding of nerve cells and networks.

Eucalyptus Blue Mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea)

Eucalyptus should be applied to the feet, and on areas when anti-inflammatory properties are needed. Eucalyptus, or a blend containing it, can be diluted and applied to the chest for respiratory congestion and infections. If used in small amounts, eucalyptus makes a good addition to massage oils. Eucalyptus applied under and on each side of the nose brings quick relief for clogged sinus cavities.

Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii)

Palmarosa, though a very mild essential oil, should still be diluted before applying to the body. A drop or two, however, may be worn, undiluted, as a perfume.

Palmarosa is used in skin care regimens for all types of skin. This essential oil balances the production of sebum, making it effective for both oily and dry skin types. Palmarosa stimulates new cell growth, making it an effective oil in the treatment of scarring from acne or injury. Palmarosa seems to have a beneficial effect on thyroid hormones and acts as a uterine and vaginal tonic.
This essential oil acts against fungal infections, bacterial infections, and candida.

Roadtrip!!!

I am getting ready today for a college road trip with Steven and Sariah.  She is going to have an over-nighter with the college.  They give the kids a tour, party, college function, she’s going to see a musical, feed them dinner in town (Roy’s Pizza), they sleep over, and in the morning breakfast and a drawing for prizes.  She also gets a t-shirt.  Steven and I are staying at a B&B down the road in the next town, Manti, Utah.

It’s exciting for Sariah to contemplate College, but her fears are starting to materialize and she is procrastinating very important things in order to be successful in school, like scholarship applications, presentations, letters of recommendation, the list is getting longer.

The realization of being at school all by herself is starting to overwhelm her to the point of paralyzing her best efforts.

Are we all like Sariah, yep!  A big yep!  I know I have been a huge procrastinator!   We get bombarded by the voices coming into our heads from without, telling us negative messages to thwart our progress and success.  I have been learning from genius Kirk Duncan, to write down the negative messages as soon as they come into our heads and draw a line down the middle of the paper and flip the negative statements into positive + one more positive making two positives for every negative… i.e.

You are never going to lose weight.                           You are losing weight and are beautiful.

You are not a good mom.                                           You are an awesome mom and a great cook.

See what I mean?  Now when the “YOU” turns into an “I” statement, i.e. I am no good, that message is from you, reinforcing what was said in the “YOU” form.  Emotional death is eminent if these are the messages swirling in your head, the “I” statements.  Get them out of your head immediately.  Remember God doesn’t make junk.  He loves you and is pulling for you.  He believes in you, and if that’s all you can hold on to until you believe in you, hold on with all your might.  Drop to your knees and pray for strength to believe on his words.  Write, write, write!  I keep a negative journal and a positive journal.  I carry them with me, as Kirk advises.  I write the negative as soon as it’s in my head, like about “how stupid this blog is, because no one will ever read it, no one will care about you, stop it’s a waste of time.”  It’s not a waste of time for me, it’s for me.  I can see my own progress, my own dreams, and weaknesses down on computer paper.

I believe in me and I believe in Sariah.  I know that she is going to do great things with music and bless the world with the ability to bring music to preemies, children and the elderly.  She will touch hearts and change them, starting with her own.  She has survived such a traumatic beginning in life; she is so strong and has so much courage, I KNOW she will go far!  She’s also too stubborn not too, she just needs to stop being her own roadblock and believe in her abilities.  I love you Sariah, I love you Trish, I love my blog readers.  Write that in your positive journal, someone out there loves you and believes in you, and Aubree R.,  if you are reading this….I’m one of your biggest fans and I love you!

"Where there is life, there is love"

I want to share with you today two of my favorite oils.  One is a single and one is a blend.  I am falling in love with essential oils and what they have to offer us daily.  Save money on your therapists and buy oil from me.  We have to do the work anyways, might as well go the natural route.  I've spent the last 22 years, paying for some kind of medical help, now I'm moving mountains with 100% theraputic essential oils.  I love them!!!

LeWisdom

Ingredients hinoki, lemon, neroli, orange sweet, spruce, ylang ylangAffinity for emotional balance and stability throat chakra triple warmer meridian sacral chakra kidney meridian crown chakra gall bladder meridian Resonance physical, emotionalApplication LeWisdom should be diluted and applied in a counter clockwise direction over the center of the chest (thymus). To go counter clockwise you start over your heart (like pledging allegiance), moving upward toward the left shoulder, across to the right shoulder, and then back down and around again. It is as though the clock is sitting on your own chest, facing out for others to see.Aromatic Considerations The aroma of LeWisdom is uplifting, centering, and calming to the emotions.Emotional/Spiritual Aspects As we experience adversity and joy in this life, our fears, frustrations, annoyances, and irritabilities should mellow into wisdom. This blend can help us do that by moving away from the negative patterns of our lives. It is of particular use for those who become distraught or discouraged because they continually pressure themselves to do more, be absolutely perfect, or to be ready for any future crisis situation that may happen. This blend is often used in Inner Child work to establish a firm presence in the present time and situation. LeWisdom can help us express and deal with repressed emotions. LeWisdom is a wonderful oil for any grieving stages of our lives. It is one of the best blends for jet lag and fatigue.

Palmarosa

Emotional/Spiritual Aspects
Sometimes, in an attempt to cover insecurities within ourselves or to cover past hurts, we hold onto to situations or people so tightly that they feel they must struggle to be free. Palmarosa helps us to embrace change and let go. Since we live in an ever changing world, there are many times when we must let go of the old way of doing and being in order to move forward and grow. If we are constantly ‘letting go and letting God’ direct our lives for our good, we will not just be changing, we will be growing toward the best we can be. Our success and happiness will be inevitable and assured. Palmarosa can help us enjoy being versatile and adaptable as we move through the changes that life always brings. This strength within oneself reduces stress and tension and eliminates the sort of nervous exhaustion that resisting life creates. If you have already exhausted yourself in the struggle against change, try palmarosa—or blends containing it—to balance and strengthen yourself. The lovely aroma of this essential oil promotes recovery and strengthens resolve. Those who believe that a plant’s shape and environment denote its medicinal value would say that the long stem of this aromatic grass waving with the breeze indicates flexibility and freedom of movement. This adaptability (going with the flow) is yin in nature. But palmarosa is firmly rooted in the earth, giving it both adaptability and a feeling of security. Palmarosa is suited for people who cannot abide change, the frequent absence of loved ones, or who frequently suffer from homesickness. This would be a good oil to try for children who get very upset when their mother must leave them for a few minutes.

I think everyone in America at least, should have these two in their homes!  Wow, what powerful claims!  They work! 
Remember:
"Where there is life, there is love."  Mahatma Ghandi

the footprints in history were not made by sitting down

I am sorry that I have not posted all last week, but I was suffering from sign in problems.  I do believe they are all worked out now, so on we go!

For those who believe that we existed before we were born here on earth, I share the following phrase:  When we made the decision to come to earth, we chose to become involved, but we still have to make the decision to get involved every day.

Now that can have so many meanings, huh?  Now a day, it is so PC to not get involved!  Mind your own business, even when you see wrong happening before your eyes.  So many of us have forgotten that “We are our brothers keeper”, we don’t want that responsibility or the consequences that come with getting involved.

I ask you, instead of getting involved, what about being involved.  When you are just involved, you are moving, evolving, developing, growing, etc…You are able to help, learn and be more.  Think about all the ways to be involved.  Our family, our children, their school, your marriage, your school work, employment, looking for employment, our neighborhood, the list really is endless.

How about in the spiritual realm?  We are responsible for our own eternal destiny.  In order to reach exaltation, we need to be anxiously involved in doing the Lord’s work in our own lives, by serving, proclaiming the gospel, redeeming the dead, and learning, studying, and praying.  Being involved, means not taking a back seat, EVER!  I love this!  We tend to get tired, or lazy and that word, “involved”, sounds so difficult some days, thank heaven for the Savior and the Atonement, it only requires that we run only as fast as we can, we only need do what we are capable of, so I am not saying that we need to be superwoman or man, no, just do what you are able, and that really is enough.

So lastly, are you involved with you?  Do I stay involved in everything else, to NOT be involved with myself?  The way to lasting change is to live in truth, be involved with you, without concentrating solely on yourself.  Focus on serving others helps our involvement in ourselves.  It’s magic!  Want to change your mood, serve someone else.  Want to be less self-centered and selfish?  Serve others.  It’s hard, I know, but it’s worth the effort, change takes effort!  Be involved with yourself and stop ignoring yourself and the problems that are screaming at you through your behaviors, be involved and find solutions, pray for the strength, then go and be involved in life!  What an awakening!

I ate lunch with a group of women my mother’s age.  We were all shocked to hear one in the group, who was not there, suffered a stroke last Saturday night and wasn’t found until Monday night.  She lay there in a mess with her two dogs around her.  She now lay in ICU at the hospital clinging to life.  Being involved is so important, we are our brothers keeper, may we strive everyday to live the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”  I sure haven’t heard or even said that in a while.  My friend Sandra and I went to the hospital after lunch that day, to see a dear friend who may slip from our lives soon.  We knew we better not let the chance pass us by before sharing our love with her one last time.  Remember, you are never too busy to be involved, it’s just a matter of priorities, and most of us have those all screwed up anyway.  Be involved, what a blessing for us!

Another new beginning starting with one step out of the box

So, I totally missed yesterday’s post!  I’m so sorry. I was so busy getting things rolling with Butterfly that I completely forgot.  First things first, I was able to chat with my big bro yesterday morning, and he was safe, and that brought joy into my heart.  I love him so much, and the thought that he’s just over there is so hard to bear, it was so wonderful to know he was safe.  My parents arrived home safe as well from their trip to Cali, so at the moment everyone is safe.  My other big bro fly’s out this morning for a big job interview so I am praying for his safety and his success.

I am so excited to finally get things somewhat organized with Butterfly!  Now I can open for business and help people realize what wonderful alternatives are out there to some expensive prescription medicines.  It is the natural option.  To allow what is already on our earth in its purest form to heal and strengthen us.  I always looked at what was medically wrong by how something hurt physically.  This new approach is blowing my mind.  To look at what is wrong by my actions, behaviors, and emotions, wow that is so foreign to me, but it is amazing at the same time.  To read what an oil or homeopathic is used for and to see myself or one of my children totally pegged, just blows me away!

Take for instance the homeopathic Sepia Succus.  Laxness in organs, tissues and smooth muscles is reflected emotionally as indifference and disconnectedness to family; the demands of the family are viewed as a burden and are met with irritability and anger.  The person then feels guilt about their attitude and becomes tearful and depressed.  This remedy is effective for left-sided headaches that come when fasting or missing a meal, and is often helpful for mental dullness that is associated with blood sugar fluctuations.  The person needing Sepia is always worse for cold air and dampness and is usually grumpy on waking in the mornings and in the evenings when they have a tendency to be more tired than the day’s activities warrant.1

Isn’t that something!  All based on our behaviors, and I just thought my daughter just had to deal with life this way, but this tells me that I can help her with homeopathies and she can be a new person, due to something being off or wrong inside causing this behavior.  I am just blown away!  I have been taking hormone replacement therapy now for fourteen years.  I am replacing my HRT with essential oils, slowly for my mother’s sake.  Most doctors would have had me stop a long time ago, saying fourteen years is entirely too long for the side effect risks.  But the hot flashes, mood swings, etc. have just scared me to stay on them.  Well, slowly, I will be able to stop them completely, as my body adjusts to using the essential oils to help balance my body’s hormonal system. 

I hope that you will look at your world and see how broad your vision on the world is, and if it’s a little too narrow minded, like mine was, start to open yourself up to new possibilities.  It’s an amazing world out there, outside our little box of our own sense of security.  We don’t have to jump head first into shark infested waters to say we are open-minded, but just take a first step out of the box to test the waters.  You might find there is no shark at all, just a wonderful hot tub, warm and inviting.  Just remember to always do your research.  I received a lot of help, and watched my extended family for years take care of their children’s health by natural means, and these are some of the healthiest, strongest kids I know, not to mention the happiest kids I know, and that is not an exaggeration!

1.       Information on Sepia Succus was found in the Grab’N Go Homeopathic kit found on Butterflyexpress.net.

....And thus we begin

I started this blog, to help others, while taking my own journey.  I have issues, just like everyone; however, all the books I’ve read are by people who are “finished”.  So the perspective of every book is “been there done that”.  I wanted and craved after the “during” part, the “ugly” part, where I could read the struggles, the triumphs and lows as it was happening, so that I would know what was happening to me, was what I could expect, or wow, maybe something someone else missed, or just didn’t experience and for support during these times.

I couldn’t find such a book, so I decided to be my own book, that if there were even one person out there that thought the same as me, that they could benefit from my story, my struggles, my highs and lows.

So last weekend were some very difficult days for me.  I was experiencing conflict in the form of a painful knot right in my solar plexus area, the gut!  I turned cranky, then down-right mean as Saturday wore on, to finally a full out temper tantrum towards my kids.  I finally had to humble myself and sit with my daughter and apologize over and over until around midnight.   That knot stayed all weekend and I was on edge still Tuesday evening.  I ended up sleeping on the couch because I wouldn’t see reason with myself or my behavior.

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I had a very spiritual day planned and knew that no benefit would come for me if I did not work out the conflict going on inside.  As I quietly sat meditating on what was going on, the answer started to pour out of me.  I am going against my nature.

How many of us go against our nature?  You know, the bad habits that have just become who we are, and when we try to change for the better, we feel wrong inside and end up reverting back to the way we were, or where we feel comfortable.  We don’t question the ill-at-ease feelings; we just revert back as fast as possible?  I’ve grown very accustomed to this feeling.  It would always end up the same way – me eating cake, bakery items and a lot of it, not at once, just portion sizes, but always finishing everything until I’ve gained back all that I had lost.

Well, like always, I’d tell myself this time is going to be different.  But always I would revert back to old ways of comforting myself, because I would not deal “in” the discomfort.  Fear kept me from working through the discomfort, going into the discomfort and finding out what it wants and not giving in to the adversary, the voices of discouragement filtering into my head, leading me back to the bakery.

Hence this blog, I will document my struggles, my triumphs, my highs and lows, in hopes that some might benefit.  I have a network of wonderful people surrounding me, mentoring me and training me to help others through my experience. 

My ultimate goal is to become a life coach, so that I can help others reach a better place in their lives,  To lift others out of the “pit of despair”.  I know that my life’s work is to help show that clouds really do have silver linings when we are in tune with our Heavenly Father.  I will be honest, for no progress can come without true honesty.  I know it’s not going to easy, but as I have experience the last 20 years of this journey, it’s worth it, but it hasn’t destroyed me.  Faith + knowledge = growth.  Stay with me, grow and experience with me, and together we’ll move mountains!

And enter that lousy feeling knot!  I am sure it’s going to be there for a while.  I will not run from it!  I won’t!