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'I Am a Wild and Free Spirit'

Cardamom - Evocative, Bold, Courageous

She is Fire, the Rebel, the Artist

Today marks the first day of summer for me. Alignment class, massage, aromatherapy, lunch with Gregg, and new baby succulents are today’s happy. What are some things that made you happy today? If you live in the Jackson Mississippi area check my Instagram (littlegrasshopperr) for a health fair schedule at Joyflow yoga this Saturday! FREE!

The radio in my car has been broken for some time now…

                                                                               wikimedia commons

The Mood Factory states that scents have been used for centuries for pleasure and well-being. Ancient Egyptians kept aromatics used for medicine and perfume in beautiful bottles, which have been preserved in their tombs. The writings of ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Hebrews all mention medicinal and aromatic scents. Many of the essences used thousands of years ago are still available today. 

Kathryn Goetzke, the entrepreneur and innovator behind Mood-lites (The Mood Factory), a product aimed at educating consumers on the sense of sight and how colors—and soon, how scents—impact mood. The Chief Mood Officer shares with us the important role scent plays in our mood for overall well-being. 

What is The Mood Factory? 

We make products based on how sensory experiences impact moods, with an overarching mission:  To Improve Moods.  Our first product line, Mood-lites, is based on how colors affect your mood and is sold in Lowes Home Improvement nationwide in the U.S. We have eight moods, including serenity, tranquility, creativity, sassy, happiness, energy, passion, and renewal.

Research suggests the more senses you engage to create the desired mood state, the more present you are and the more positive your experience in life. It’s both an art and a science. Now The Mood Factory is moving onto the next sensory experience, which is teaching people about scents and mood and how scents impact your mood through engaging the sense of smell. We’re launching a new product line of essential oil blends in our eight moods, and infusing them into 100% USDA organic certified scent sticks, body butters, bath crystals, deodorants, massage oils, and candles.

Can you tell me how you became interested in “moods”? 

I’ve always been fascinated with moods and used to look outside myself to change my moods through various addictions and negative behaviors. Through a Psychology undergraduate and International Business degree, I came to understand that our environment and the products we use impact our moods, and started researching what those might be.  My first foray was into color, as I noticed articles popping up about how colors impacted your moods and noticed as I added them through what I wore or how I decorated, it impacted me so the more I researched, the more I learned and wanted to share with others.

I’ve also experienced major depressive disorder, so at times found it harder than most to be engaged and present due to the chemical imbalances in my brain.  While at times I have had to use antidepressants to manage my depression, my goal was to learn how to be present and engaged through whatever life was bringing me.  So I worked extra hard to find out  what we can do to impact and influence our moods. 

My father was a successful retail banker, and so I was brought up around new products and we frequented Bentonville, Arkansas and I was lucky enough to learn from the best in the retail business, Sam Walton.  I later lost my father to suicide, so committed myself to create a shift in the mass market on how we educate and enlighten consumers on overall well-being.  I wanted to create a company and product line that didn’t just add revenues, but actually changed peoples lives.

Can you explain how scents affect mood?

The olfactory system is comprised of neurons called olfactory sensors, which recognize odor molecules and then send signals to the olfactory bulb, located above the eyes.  Signals from different sensors are targeted to different spots that form a sensory map.  From there the signals reach the olfactory area of the cortex, the area of conscious thought.

In addition, the information travels to the limbic system, which is the primitive part of the brain that include areas that control emotions, memory and behavior.  Memories of smells are stored in the hippocampus, and through relational memory certain smells trigger certain memories. Scent is the only one of our five senses that actually has a direct path from the nose to the limbic system, without going through a rational processing, so it has an incredible influence on our feelings.  Researchers continue to use brain-mapping to determine how the olfactory system works. 

Because olfactory information goes to both the primitive and complex parts of the brain it affects our actions in more ways than we think.  The connections between odors and emotions have an obvious survival value for our species.  The smell of good food is appealing, while the smell of rotten food is not.  We recognize either the “yecchh” or the attraction of smells, without cognitive awareness of the actual source of the aroma.  Aromachologists use these emotional ties, as well as scientific studies to substantiate hypothetical effects of scents, when formulating aromas to foster moods. 

Can you give me an example of how we can use scent to better our mood? 

If you want a pick-up before or during a meeting, you can take a whiff of peppermint or orange.  If you are feeling stressed or anxious and are looking for more tranquility, you can take a long inhale through the nose of lavender or chamomile.  We have eight moods we are targeting, and they are going to be available as scent sticks, so you can dab them on or wear them as you go as well. For instance, our happiness blend has lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, and lime. Very uplifting and energizing, and research suggests [these scents] promote feelings of happiness.

The connection between scent and mood in endemic to our species, but we are just beginning to scratch the surface of the intricacies behind this relationship, and also how we can use this interrelationship to improve our quality of life.

Self love is a subject that has been written about many times over and I have no doubt it will continue to be. 

Self love plays one of the most important roles in our lives. When we love ourselves, accept ourselves for who and what we are, we can conquer the world!

Do you constantly beat yourself up, put yourself down, feel guilty for no reason, Blame yourself for things going wrong?

If you answered yes, then it is time to stop and begin your new life of self love now!

I hear you saying, but it isn't that easy... not buts about it. 

It is time to focus on YOU, cherish YOU, Nurture YOU, be kind to YOU, love YOU.

Negative chatter is one of the culprits~when you find yourself doing this, stop and ask yourself ~ How can I turn this into a positive? 

From every negative experience we have, there will always be something to gain and learn. look for that, it is there.

Now I know that this can be a challenge. However it is not impossible. I know because I practice this and have been doing so for 23 years. I began to awaken to my full potential when my daughter was born with a life threatening congenital condition. I know she came to me because I could handle it. She is my greatest gift in life and my greatest teacher. I am on my journey, living my purpose because of the experiences I have lived. I have had many challenges which I embraced and learnt from through Amy and for the better indeed.

I highly recommend this book 'Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers.

This book was passed onto me when I was beginning a new chapter in my life. It was life changing for me, I read this book, and would pick it up randomly and yes every time I did that I would open it up to the perfect page, the one I needed to read at that time. I love how the Universe works!

Aromatherapy and essential oils have played an enormous role in both of our lives emotionally, physically and spiritually. I encourage you to work with essential oils to give you support, strength and the will to carry on and move forward.

Here are some examples of essential oils and what they represent~

Sandalwood and Frankincense are for letting go of obsessive thoughts

Cedarwood gives us the will to hold firm

Basil, Rosemary and Peppermint are very strengthening to the mind, Peppermint calms a racing mind

Cypress assists and supports us with transition and transformation, changing old patterns

Juniper is purifying and cleansing, opening us up to expanding and growing

Rose, Neroli, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Melissa represent LOVE, they are strongly associated to the heart chakra, they work with us to heal our heart

Geranium, Bergamot and Grapefruit are balancing, liberating, supportive and uplifting

Vetiver, Patchouli, Ginger and Black Pepper are very grounding and connecting

Cinnamon, Cardamom and Clove give the gift of encouragement

Lavender, Chamomile, Mandarin and Sweet Orange are nurturing, gentle and happy oils

Everlasting assists with self acceptance, patience and perserverence 

What I have given you here is simply the beginning to support you on your journey to self love.

Here is an exercise to help get you started~

Choose your favourite essential oil, create a sacred space for YOU, have a journal, a pen and get comfy.

Take a moment to ground and connect with yourself by placing your feet firmly on the ground and breathe in and out slowly, deeply purposefully allowing your mind to relax... take your essential oil and gently inhale it, feel it flowing down into your body filling every part of your being... stay with this for a moment take note of how you feel, what you feel .. is your body relaxing? Are you smiling? have any happy memories been evoked?

Now write down your experience in detail.

Each week choose a different essential oil and do this exercise. What you are doing is creating a tool, a tool that you can refer to time and time again to ground and connect, uplift your emotions, find support and so on.

Enjoy the process and enjoy YOU. I wish you love always.

Each week I feature an essential oil to do this exercise Join me each Tuesday on Aromatique Essentials Facebook page and experience the wonderful world of Aromatherapy and begin to take charge of YOU !

Buy your essential oils now

Peppermint arvensis (organic) -  Mentha arvensis

or Japanese mint is the richest natural source of menthol - 72%. Like Mentha x piperita it reduces pain and is cooling in low doses for tired aching legs and feet.