I am going to preface this by say.....I hate pyramid companies, but I think you all know that already. I think I have already spoken on the matter. I also know that I may seem a little hypocritical. And lastly, I'm only mentioning the following because it has been a somewhat happy side affect of my journey.
If you want to know my thoughts on pyramid companies, check out past blogs. It is all in there somewhere. If you want to know why I am on this journey being a part of a pyramid company, also check out past blogs. It is in there too somewhere. :)
This particular post, though, is simply to mention that thing which has made me go hmmmm.....
I've been a part of other pyramid companies. Not mentioning names, because I know others have benefited from them. I'm in this one as part of a personal journal for personal health issues......along the way......about four months in.....I have been pleasantly surprised by mail I receive unannounced in the form of checks.
This makes me go hmmmm..... Why? Cause all I have done is shared my journey. Others wanted to try to. They signed up. They ordered all on their own. If they had questions they asked. I have done very little accept to share my journey and products if people wanted to try them. I haven't sold a thing. I like that. Cause I'm not a sales person. In fact, I loathe sales. Not saying there is anything wrong with someone who loves sales.....it is just not me. So this makes me go hmmmm......because I have received a paycheck for simply sharing my story.
That's not to shabby of a set up. I can wrap my brain around that, because sharing our stories with each other is part of life and if I can receive a pay check for doing so.....well....it's makes me go hmmm.....and I kind of like that :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Digestive Health
Many of you know my story as I have walked through finding solutions and products to support my digestive health. I recently shared my experience with a small group of people a couple weeks ago, but thought I would add my thoughts to this blog for those who were unable to make it and who might benefit from my experience.
Following is a quick and brief run down of what I have discovered:
Digestive Health is benefited by-
1. A healthy diet
There is no way around it. No matter how much we do not like this answer, because it requires work on our part and personal responsibility (if you are like me, you want to have your cake and eat it too!), the truth is our digestive system is benefited best when we have a solid foundation based on a healthy diet. The reason for this is really simple. Our bodies were not made to deal with and process the additives and preservatives, fried foods and fat that we often consume. We put a lot of stress on our bodies when we consume these types of food on a daily basis. Granted, busy lives often lead to eating highly processed foods.....its why my family still eats them sometimes. Believe me, we are not 100% whole foods and organic at our house. Right now in our lives, it is hard for us to sustain that every day. However, neither are busy lives an excuse to eat poorly. We are definitely going to have busy days, busy weeks, and crazy months, but the point is, our focus is to make as many healthy food choices as possible. Sometimes, this change can feel overwhelming and so it is best to begin with small changes. The next time you are at the store, instead of purchasing a container of Oreos to snack on, pick up a few of your favorite fruits....still sweet, but healthy. Or instead of purchasing white rice, try a bag of brown rice. When purchasing meat, buy as organic and hormone free as possible. At a restaurant? Choose a side salad with vinaigrette in place of a French fries and skip the dessert. Building a base of a healthy diet can be done in "bite sizes" and over a period of time. Instead of thinking about making this change for the rest of our life (sometimes overwhelming), think about making these changes one meal at a time. Focus on lean proteins, fruits, and veggies that are as unprocessed as possible. There really are only two rules ;) Have fun exploring with food and when you do have an off day or even an off month (cause they do happen), don't beat yourself up. Just move forward and begin again.
2. Exercise
Ugh! I Know. That word is worse than saying healthy diet, right? It's ok. I understand! We don't like this one either.....it requires us to make time in an already very busy world, not to mention, it makes us move and who wants to do that!? But I can promise you, once you have gotten past the point of lacing up your shoes and stepping outside, you have won the battle of talking yourself out of it. Often the hardest part is convincing yourself to put your shoes on! The benefits of exercise are numerous, but for the sake of this blog, I will focus on the fact that it helps your digestive system function. To try to say this nicely, it keeps things flowing....if you know what I mean. It also releases endorphins which promote more energy and positive, happy feelings....something we can all use. This task of adding exercise into your life, might feel just as insurmountable as changing eating habits, but it can be done in baby steps too. If you have never exercised before, no worries! Keep it simple. Find three days in your week and in those three days find 15 minutes. Put your shoes on. Go for a walk. Go for a bike ride. Go for a swim, if it is warm enough :) Do a rotation of jumping jacks, walking in place, leg lifts, and crunches. It really doesn't matter what you pick as long as you are moving. Just make sure it is something you enjoy doing, because if you hate it, you will not continue with it. As you begin to do this, it won't be long before 15 minutes seems easy, so you bump your 15 minutes up to 20. Before you know it, you might be up to an hour jog :) The point is, it is doable!
3. Digestive Aides
Often, digestive aides is the first thing we want to jump to. Mainly because it is easier to think about popping pills or drinking an energy drink than it is dedicating yourself to making the above life changes. However, digestive aides cannot and will not benefit your body as well on there own if you are not using them in conjunction with the first two steps. They are aides not miracles and they come along side a healthy lifestyle in order to enhance the work you are already doing. There are several products that I have personally found to be very beneficial to supporting my digestive health. You might ask, if you are eating really healthy and exercising then why do you need digestive aides? Good question. The answer is this: in my personal life, no matter my best intentions to eat perfectly healthy, to exercise, to not take in additives and preservatives, to eat whole foods....I can't do it perfectly all the time and even the times I have been very faithful, sometimes my body simply still acts up. So the aides help me fill in the gaps of the off days, the sick days, the days where my hours seem to just disappear and night time falls before I get any exercise in. We all have those days.....weeks....and sometimes even months. The truth is life happens and interrupts our best intentions. Digestive aides fill in those gaps. They help support our best intentions. Digestive Aides can include but are not limited too:
-Digestive Enzymes (they help break down dairy, fat, and protein)
-Daily Vitamins which support cellular health as well as minerals and vitamins and also include Omega 3 oils (these products support overall body health and function and help us to obtain the vitamins and minerals needed for our cells to function properly. The goal is to get these vitamins and minerals through our diet as stated above. Vitamins support that goal.)
-Peppermint Oil (calms occasional stomach upset and discomfort)
-Digestive Blend Oil (calms occasion stomach upset and discomfort as well as aides in healthy elimination of body waste)
The Digestive Enzymes and Vitamins are something I take on a daily basis. The oils are back ups for occasional stomach upset and irregular bowel movements (Sorry, I pondered on how to say that in a nicer way, but there just is not a nicer way of explaining it)
I hope as you read this, if you are dealing with digestive issues, that you have found some encouragement and some answers in how to better support your digestive health. Digestive issues can be very discouraging and overwhelming and it is good to share our journeys with each other.
If you are interested in knowing more specifically which products I personally use, or if you have questions, feel free to contact me at wilson.melody.j@gmail.com.
Have a blessed day!
Following is a quick and brief run down of what I have discovered:
Digestive Health is benefited by-
1. A healthy diet
There is no way around it. No matter how much we do not like this answer, because it requires work on our part and personal responsibility (if you are like me, you want to have your cake and eat it too!), the truth is our digestive system is benefited best when we have a solid foundation based on a healthy diet. The reason for this is really simple. Our bodies were not made to deal with and process the additives and preservatives, fried foods and fat that we often consume. We put a lot of stress on our bodies when we consume these types of food on a daily basis. Granted, busy lives often lead to eating highly processed foods.....its why my family still eats them sometimes. Believe me, we are not 100% whole foods and organic at our house. Right now in our lives, it is hard for us to sustain that every day. However, neither are busy lives an excuse to eat poorly. We are definitely going to have busy days, busy weeks, and crazy months, but the point is, our focus is to make as many healthy food choices as possible. Sometimes, this change can feel overwhelming and so it is best to begin with small changes. The next time you are at the store, instead of purchasing a container of Oreos to snack on, pick up a few of your favorite fruits....still sweet, but healthy. Or instead of purchasing white rice, try a bag of brown rice. When purchasing meat, buy as organic and hormone free as possible. At a restaurant? Choose a side salad with vinaigrette in place of a French fries and skip the dessert. Building a base of a healthy diet can be done in "bite sizes" and over a period of time. Instead of thinking about making this change for the rest of our life (sometimes overwhelming), think about making these changes one meal at a time. Focus on lean proteins, fruits, and veggies that are as unprocessed as possible. There really are only two rules ;) Have fun exploring with food and when you do have an off day or even an off month (cause they do happen), don't beat yourself up. Just move forward and begin again.
2. Exercise
Ugh! I Know. That word is worse than saying healthy diet, right? It's ok. I understand! We don't like this one either.....it requires us to make time in an already very busy world, not to mention, it makes us move and who wants to do that!? But I can promise you, once you have gotten past the point of lacing up your shoes and stepping outside, you have won the battle of talking yourself out of it. Often the hardest part is convincing yourself to put your shoes on! The benefits of exercise are numerous, but for the sake of this blog, I will focus on the fact that it helps your digestive system function. To try to say this nicely, it keeps things flowing....if you know what I mean. It also releases endorphins which promote more energy and positive, happy feelings....something we can all use. This task of adding exercise into your life, might feel just as insurmountable as changing eating habits, but it can be done in baby steps too. If you have never exercised before, no worries! Keep it simple. Find three days in your week and in those three days find 15 minutes. Put your shoes on. Go for a walk. Go for a bike ride. Go for a swim, if it is warm enough :) Do a rotation of jumping jacks, walking in place, leg lifts, and crunches. It really doesn't matter what you pick as long as you are moving. Just make sure it is something you enjoy doing, because if you hate it, you will not continue with it. As you begin to do this, it won't be long before 15 minutes seems easy, so you bump your 15 minutes up to 20. Before you know it, you might be up to an hour jog :) The point is, it is doable!
3. Digestive Aides
Often, digestive aides is the first thing we want to jump to. Mainly because it is easier to think about popping pills or drinking an energy drink than it is dedicating yourself to making the above life changes. However, digestive aides cannot and will not benefit your body as well on there own if you are not using them in conjunction with the first two steps. They are aides not miracles and they come along side a healthy lifestyle in order to enhance the work you are already doing. There are several products that I have personally found to be very beneficial to supporting my digestive health. You might ask, if you are eating really healthy and exercising then why do you need digestive aides? Good question. The answer is this: in my personal life, no matter my best intentions to eat perfectly healthy, to exercise, to not take in additives and preservatives, to eat whole foods....I can't do it perfectly all the time and even the times I have been very faithful, sometimes my body simply still acts up. So the aides help me fill in the gaps of the off days, the sick days, the days where my hours seem to just disappear and night time falls before I get any exercise in. We all have those days.....weeks....and sometimes even months. The truth is life happens and interrupts our best intentions. Digestive aides fill in those gaps. They help support our best intentions. Digestive Aides can include but are not limited too:
-Digestive Enzymes (they help break down dairy, fat, and protein)
-Daily Vitamins which support cellular health as well as minerals and vitamins and also include Omega 3 oils (these products support overall body health and function and help us to obtain the vitamins and minerals needed for our cells to function properly. The goal is to get these vitamins and minerals through our diet as stated above. Vitamins support that goal.)
-Peppermint Oil (calms occasional stomach upset and discomfort)
-Digestive Blend Oil (calms occasion stomach upset and discomfort as well as aides in healthy elimination of body waste)
The Digestive Enzymes and Vitamins are something I take on a daily basis. The oils are back ups for occasional stomach upset and irregular bowel movements (Sorry, I pondered on how to say that in a nicer way, but there just is not a nicer way of explaining it)
I hope as you read this, if you are dealing with digestive issues, that you have found some encouragement and some answers in how to better support your digestive health. Digestive issues can be very discouraging and overwhelming and it is good to share our journeys with each other.
If you are interested in knowing more specifically which products I personally use, or if you have questions, feel free to contact me at wilson.melody.j@gmail.com.
Have a blessed day!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Another Week of Intersting Experiments
As you know, I have found that the skeptic in me has turned into the curious learner. So, when an opportunity arises, I take it. Don't get me wrong. Understand well, that if myself or my family were in need of medical support, I would most definitely go see our family doctor. I like our family doctor. They know A LOT of things I don't know and they are a wealth of information. In fact, I recently visited my endocrinologist at U of M. His name is Tobias. He has a cool German accent and he knows far more about MEN 1 than I do. I had my blood work done and will soon follow up with a CT Scan of my abdomen. Why? Because, I trust my doctor. But in the meantime, I still try some homeopathic ideas as well. Why? Because if they work, than I don't have to pay to go see my friendly doctor as often. And I am all about saving a bit of money and doing things that may support the body in it's process of healing itself. Anywhooooo, now that my disclaimer is done.....
Last week 4/5 of the Wilson's got sick. Yours truly never came down with anything. Just a little on again off again ear ache and that overall feeling like you might be getting sick, but then you don't. Not sure if that makes sense, but that is how I felt. Sore throat and fever were the biggest culprits, though we have had a bit of stomach upset and dizziness as well. Katie and Rob got it the worst. Kara and Colin cleared up within a few days and just struggled more with the sore throat side of things. So, I got out my oils. Why not. Let's see what happens.
My memory is failing a bit, but I believe, for Kara, I started putting a bit of OnGuard on her neck where her sore throat was. She healed up quickly. Colin received the same treatment except, I had him gargle with warm water. I added a small amount of table salt with a drop of OnGuarrd and instructed him to gargle but not to swallow. He cleared up almost immediately, although maybe that has something to do with him not wanted to have to gargle again! LOL! Anyway, the point is, his sore throat went away. Katie and Rob are next, both of them starting to not feel so well around Tuesday evening, right along with the other two. Katie was out of school Wednesday and Thursday due to sore throat and fever. She went back to school on Friday and was great by Saturday and even better by Sunday. Rob is still struggling a bit and it is the following Tuesday now. Those are the facts of the timeline. I share that with you first, because I want you to make your own decisions about this. I'm just telling you our story.
Rob is not that excited about the smells of the oils and so I administered them to him minimally. He took over the counter meds to help fight off what he was dealing with. Katie kind of likes them, so she received them more often, knowing full well that she was free to take ibuprofen whenever she wanted. I have made it very clear to my kids that a mixture of holistic and modern medicine is a great way to support our systems when they are run down. (This is the conclusion I have come to. It is not doctrine :) and I encourage you to make your own conclusions.) For Katie, I had her gargle just like Colin did...that was Tuesday evening. By Wednesday, she had started a fever. I had her continue to gargle every few hours, put a dab of OnGuard on her throat topically where it hurt. I made a mixture of Coconut oil, a drop of Breath, a drop of Peppermint and rubbed that on her chest and feet as well as a dab of peppermint rubbed into the same spot on her throat as the OnGuard. I found it curious, that each time I administered this combination, her temperature would drop and her sore throat would lessen. Mind you, her fever was low grade, and nothing I would have even given her an over the counter medicine for. But never the less, it dropped and her throat felt a bit better. The fever would gradually go back up and her sore throat would get worse again. So, I would do the same routine and her fever would go back down and her sore throat would feel a bit better. By Friday, her fever had been gone long enough that she was able to go back to school and her throat was a bit sore still, but tolerable. She asked for ibuprofen once during this process which I happily gave to her.
I am not going to sit here and make any claims. Maybe, Katie would have gotten better by Friday anyway. Maybe Rob is still struggling because he had a worse case of it. Maybe, Colin's sore throat and Kara's sore throat would have cleared up anyway with just a salt water gargle and no oils involved. Maybe I just didn't get sick. The only difference for me that I know of, is I started putting OnGuard on that past weekend, because I knew we would be in close quarters with a lot of people all weekend long. I did not put it on anybody else until they started complaining of things hurting.
It does make me wonder a bit, though; and it is curious to me that those in our family using the oils more consistently seem to mend quicker and that Katie's temp seemed to fluctuate with the administration of the mixture I made.
It's like this for me. Can oils heal? I don't know and I'm not going to make a claim like that. I'm not a doctor. Just a mom trying some things out. My experience, though, is that they seem to support the bodies natural processes and systems. They seem to support it enough, that I would try this same thing again and see if we get the same results. It's curious to me and interesting. What do you think?
If you have thoughts or questions you would like to share with me, feel free to contact me on Facebook or by email at wilson.melody.j@gmail.com or for more Essential Oil information you can visit my website at http://www.mydoterra.com/melodywilson/
Last week 4/5 of the Wilson's got sick. Yours truly never came down with anything. Just a little on again off again ear ache and that overall feeling like you might be getting sick, but then you don't. Not sure if that makes sense, but that is how I felt. Sore throat and fever were the biggest culprits, though we have had a bit of stomach upset and dizziness as well. Katie and Rob got it the worst. Kara and Colin cleared up within a few days and just struggled more with the sore throat side of things. So, I got out my oils. Why not. Let's see what happens.
My memory is failing a bit, but I believe, for Kara, I started putting a bit of OnGuard on her neck where her sore throat was. She healed up quickly. Colin received the same treatment except, I had him gargle with warm water. I added a small amount of table salt with a drop of OnGuarrd and instructed him to gargle but not to swallow. He cleared up almost immediately, although maybe that has something to do with him not wanted to have to gargle again! LOL! Anyway, the point is, his sore throat went away. Katie and Rob are next, both of them starting to not feel so well around Tuesday evening, right along with the other two. Katie was out of school Wednesday and Thursday due to sore throat and fever. She went back to school on Friday and was great by Saturday and even better by Sunday. Rob is still struggling a bit and it is the following Tuesday now. Those are the facts of the timeline. I share that with you first, because I want you to make your own decisions about this. I'm just telling you our story.
Rob is not that excited about the smells of the oils and so I administered them to him minimally. He took over the counter meds to help fight off what he was dealing with. Katie kind of likes them, so she received them more often, knowing full well that she was free to take ibuprofen whenever she wanted. I have made it very clear to my kids that a mixture of holistic and modern medicine is a great way to support our systems when they are run down. (This is the conclusion I have come to. It is not doctrine :) and I encourage you to make your own conclusions.) For Katie, I had her gargle just like Colin did...that was Tuesday evening. By Wednesday, she had started a fever. I had her continue to gargle every few hours, put a dab of OnGuard on her throat topically where it hurt. I made a mixture of Coconut oil, a drop of Breath, a drop of Peppermint and rubbed that on her chest and feet as well as a dab of peppermint rubbed into the same spot on her throat as the OnGuard. I found it curious, that each time I administered this combination, her temperature would drop and her sore throat would lessen. Mind you, her fever was low grade, and nothing I would have even given her an over the counter medicine for. But never the less, it dropped and her throat felt a bit better. The fever would gradually go back up and her sore throat would get worse again. So, I would do the same routine and her fever would go back down and her sore throat would feel a bit better. By Friday, her fever had been gone long enough that she was able to go back to school and her throat was a bit sore still, but tolerable. She asked for ibuprofen once during this process which I happily gave to her.
I am not going to sit here and make any claims. Maybe, Katie would have gotten better by Friday anyway. Maybe Rob is still struggling because he had a worse case of it. Maybe, Colin's sore throat and Kara's sore throat would have cleared up anyway with just a salt water gargle and no oils involved. Maybe I just didn't get sick. The only difference for me that I know of, is I started putting OnGuard on that past weekend, because I knew we would be in close quarters with a lot of people all weekend long. I did not put it on anybody else until they started complaining of things hurting.
It does make me wonder a bit, though; and it is curious to me that those in our family using the oils more consistently seem to mend quicker and that Katie's temp seemed to fluctuate with the administration of the mixture I made.
It's like this for me. Can oils heal? I don't know and I'm not going to make a claim like that. I'm not a doctor. Just a mom trying some things out. My experience, though, is that they seem to support the bodies natural processes and systems. They seem to support it enough, that I would try this same thing again and see if we get the same results. It's curious to me and interesting. What do you think?
If you have thoughts or questions you would like to share with me, feel free to contact me on Facebook or by email at wilson.melody.j@gmail.com or for more Essential Oil information you can visit my website at http://www.mydoterra.com/melodywilson/
Monday, March 2, 2015
That Nasty Three Letter Word......Multi-Level-Marketing
One of the things I have struggled with the most in being a part of doTerra was the fact that it is an MLM (Multi Level Marketing) Company. I have been a part of these things before. You will make lots of money, they said. It will give you more time with your family, they said. You will live in a MLM bubble, they said.....they said a lot of things that never came true. I did not have lots of money. I had less time with my family. And that MLM bubble....well, it popped. So, why in the world would I want to become a part of another one?
And not to mention, being on the other side of the sales person. The side of all the party invites and the "will you come and help me earn money so I can buy my favorite product" side.
Yeah, it all had left a bad taste in my mouth. In fact, for several years or longer, I have actually all but sworn off all parties. No thanks. If I want what you have, I will contact you. But you don't need to contact me. I'm good.
You can imagine where this left me when once again I was confronted with another MLM in the form of oils. No thanks.
As I found myself getting more involved, I began to struggle. I struggled with feeling like a hypocrite, I actually still struggle with this a bit. All the friends that I said no thanks to about their parties, I now find myself inviting to classes and doTerra events. Yeah, I have struggled hard with that one.
I struggled in general with being a part of something I felt like a really didn't agree with....that just doesn't even make sense. I mean, I had to have a membership which at the time translated to: this is just another way for them to leech more money out of me. I had to order so much money in order to receive bonus points.....another way to take more of my money. And, if I wanted to do really well, I needed to sign people up underneath me....insert a heavy sigh. I've been there. Done that. It doesn't work, at least not for me. And yet, like I have mentioned before, I found myself drawn back over and over again. Cause the products were working. I was finding healing. You can understand my struggle.
As I struggled, my perspective began to change. One day, as I was shopping at my local, large, grocery store, scrolling through my mperks :) and fighting with myself about being a part of an MLM....I noticed myself doing a weird thing. I came across an mperk that said: "purchase $400 this month and earn $12 off of your next visit" I clipped it. Who wouldn't? Sure, sounds good....to....me.....
uh, yeah. I stopped for a second. I smirked. My favorite, large, retail grocery store was doing the same thing that doTerra was doing. And yet, I had never questioned it. It had never crossed my mind that Meijer was trying to leech money out of my wallet. They were, after all, offering me a discount and that was nice of them. Hmmmm.....it made me think for a bit. If I, without question accept offers like this from a retail store, then why would it bother me to accept it from an online MLM?
Something to ponder.
Soon after that, I was browsing through Christian Book Distributors catalog. I was looking for a Bible. They offer good discounts, so I often purchase through them, because my .....ahem....membership allows me to do so. Again. I smirked. Never once did I question CBD's integrity when they asked me to purchase a membership in order to enjoy their discounts. Why would I question the integrity of doTerra when they ask the same thing? For me to be a paid member in order to enjoy their discounts?
Another thing to ponder.
I often find myself sharing my life with others. We all do. We talk to our friends, swap stories, encourage each other. If we find out someone has a need we suggest a product or a solution to them; not because we expect anything in return, but because we desire to help them with their problem. Funny that I have a hard time wrapping my brain around doing that when it comes to the subject of oils that might benefit a friends health...simply because it is a part of a MLM. I struggled with the fact that I would make money off of my suggestion. Somehow it spoils the suggestion. How could I worked through this one?
Well, this one was hard. But it was worked through from this perspective. I will share my life with others...whether or not I receive anything in return, because that is who I am. In other words, my perspective had to change from "how will this benefit me" to "how might this might benefit others". Basically, as I share who I am, whether spiritually or with my time or with how I have learned to cope with health issues, or with my struggles, I do so with the heart of blessing others and not with the heart of making money or receiving anything in return. When it comes to doTerra, I don't care if I make money. I do however, care about whether or not someone is finding healing. Might I make money? I might. But that is not my focus. That is something I have learned in all of this. It's not about the money.
Somehow, all of my biggest MLM concerns were addressed and dealt with. There is nothing wrong with a membership. We pay them all the time without question. Costco, Christian Book Distributors, SAMS Club. The membership offers perks and discounts. Sign me up.
Most companies offer rebate programs. You spend this much money with us and as a thank you, we will gift you back $12. There is nothing wrong with rebate programs. We participate in those, too, a lot, without question. And a lot of companies offer referral programs as well and we never question that either. When we bring them customers, they offer us a gift.
I realized I was struggling with things I did on a daily basis and I was struggling with them because they were attached to a company that had that nasty three letter word tagged onto it.
Silly.
That nasty three letter word doesn't seem so nasty to me anymore. When I began to realize that I have been participating in memberships, rebate programs, and referral programs anyway with other companies on a regular basis. Why, then, was I allowing a business label to trip me up with this company?
Just another part of my journey with all of this I guess :)
And not to mention, being on the other side of the sales person. The side of all the party invites and the "will you come and help me earn money so I can buy my favorite product" side.
Yeah, it all had left a bad taste in my mouth. In fact, for several years or longer, I have actually all but sworn off all parties. No thanks. If I want what you have, I will contact you. But you don't need to contact me. I'm good.
You can imagine where this left me when once again I was confronted with another MLM in the form of oils. No thanks.
As I found myself getting more involved, I began to struggle. I struggled with feeling like a hypocrite, I actually still struggle with this a bit. All the friends that I said no thanks to about their parties, I now find myself inviting to classes and doTerra events. Yeah, I have struggled hard with that one.
I struggled in general with being a part of something I felt like a really didn't agree with....that just doesn't even make sense. I mean, I had to have a membership which at the time translated to: this is just another way for them to leech more money out of me. I had to order so much money in order to receive bonus points.....another way to take more of my money. And, if I wanted to do really well, I needed to sign people up underneath me....insert a heavy sigh. I've been there. Done that. It doesn't work, at least not for me. And yet, like I have mentioned before, I found myself drawn back over and over again. Cause the products were working. I was finding healing. You can understand my struggle.
As I struggled, my perspective began to change. One day, as I was shopping at my local, large, grocery store, scrolling through my mperks :) and fighting with myself about being a part of an MLM....I noticed myself doing a weird thing. I came across an mperk that said: "purchase $400 this month and earn $12 off of your next visit" I clipped it. Who wouldn't? Sure, sounds good....to....me.....
uh, yeah. I stopped for a second. I smirked. My favorite, large, retail grocery store was doing the same thing that doTerra was doing. And yet, I had never questioned it. It had never crossed my mind that Meijer was trying to leech money out of my wallet. They were, after all, offering me a discount and that was nice of them. Hmmmm.....it made me think for a bit. If I, without question accept offers like this from a retail store, then why would it bother me to accept it from an online MLM?
Something to ponder.
Soon after that, I was browsing through Christian Book Distributors catalog. I was looking for a Bible. They offer good discounts, so I often purchase through them, because my .....ahem....membership allows me to do so. Again. I smirked. Never once did I question CBD's integrity when they asked me to purchase a membership in order to enjoy their discounts. Why would I question the integrity of doTerra when they ask the same thing? For me to be a paid member in order to enjoy their discounts?
Another thing to ponder.
I often find myself sharing my life with others. We all do. We talk to our friends, swap stories, encourage each other. If we find out someone has a need we suggest a product or a solution to them; not because we expect anything in return, but because we desire to help them with their problem. Funny that I have a hard time wrapping my brain around doing that when it comes to the subject of oils that might benefit a friends health...simply because it is a part of a MLM. I struggled with the fact that I would make money off of my suggestion. Somehow it spoils the suggestion. How could I worked through this one?
Well, this one was hard. But it was worked through from this perspective. I will share my life with others...whether or not I receive anything in return, because that is who I am. In other words, my perspective had to change from "how will this benefit me" to "how might this might benefit others". Basically, as I share who I am, whether spiritually or with my time or with how I have learned to cope with health issues, or with my struggles, I do so with the heart of blessing others and not with the heart of making money or receiving anything in return. When it comes to doTerra, I don't care if I make money. I do however, care about whether or not someone is finding healing. Might I make money? I might. But that is not my focus. That is something I have learned in all of this. It's not about the money.
Somehow, all of my biggest MLM concerns were addressed and dealt with. There is nothing wrong with a membership. We pay them all the time without question. Costco, Christian Book Distributors, SAMS Club. The membership offers perks and discounts. Sign me up.
Most companies offer rebate programs. You spend this much money with us and as a thank you, we will gift you back $12. There is nothing wrong with rebate programs. We participate in those, too, a lot, without question. And a lot of companies offer referral programs as well and we never question that either. When we bring them customers, they offer us a gift.
I realized I was struggling with things I did on a daily basis and I was struggling with them because they were attached to a company that had that nasty three letter word tagged onto it.
Silly.
That nasty three letter word doesn't seem so nasty to me anymore. When I began to realize that I have been participating in memberships, rebate programs, and referral programs anyway with other companies on a regular basis. Why, then, was I allowing a business label to trip me up with this company?
Just another part of my journey with all of this I guess :)
Sunday, March 1, 2015
More Than Just an Oil
If you had asked me last summer if I would be writing a blog like this, I would have laughed at you....hard. Not just a little giggle, but a gut-jiggling belly laugh that would send me to the floor in fits of hysteria! And I'm not over exaggerating either. I'm not. Seriously, I can't even now really believe that I am writing this. But.....I am.
Here's the deal, never in my wildest imagination, would I have thought I would become sold on this product and company. I will not rehash my concerns.....If you have been following my blog, you know what they are and you know where I have come from in this journey. No matter how many times I scoffed and tried to prove that these products were not for me, something kept me coming back. Researching a bit more. Trying out another product. Reading. Listening. Most of the time with a bit of an attitude. But none the less, I found myself intrigued. I never thought it would be bring me to say what is now my newest saying, "there is more to this than just oils". (At this point in the blog, I give you permission to call my crazy. Not that you need my permission to do so, but well, I understand how you are feeling).
Several months ago or longer, I can't remember how long ago actually, I saw a post of a facebook friend that said something to the affect of how doTerra has changed her. Not just cause of the use of the oils, but that it was a deeper, emotional, almost spiritual sort of change. I thought, "whatever". I don't need a company to be my self-help guru. I have Jesus. I don't need anything else.
And yet, here I am today......standing in agreement with her. In my last post, I think I said something about the more I researched and listened to webinars and trainings, the more I found myself digging out some ugly things about myself. Strange, since the trainings were about business and how to be a better business woman/man. I found myself having to really search out some areas in my life, that quite frankly were a little ugly.
For instance:
I can be fairly selfish and self-centered.
I can't say no.
I am fear driven.
My priorities are all out of whack.
As I began to process these things about myself, I found that I began to change my thought pattern. I don't want to be selfish and self-centered. I want to be giving and caring, generous and loving whether I get anything out of it or not. I want to freely give.....no strings attached. I also decided that because I am a people pleaser, I have a terrible time saying no. So, I over commit myself. Which drains me. I do this because I am fear motivated....I don't want to let anyone down or disappoint them. I don't want to be left behind and forgotten.....so my response to almost everything is yes, YES, and YES! I also discovered the dearest things to my heart are often the things and the people that I put on the back burner.
All of this realization, came out of about 4 hours of listening to some webinars. They were not necessarily about faith, family, relationships....well at least not from the titles and yet these topics were all woven in, and they challenged me in these areas. I hope this is making sense. When I first listened to them, I actually felt kind of angry.....mainly my first response to seeing some things about myself that I did not like admitting to. However, as hours began to pass, I realized how important it is for me to deal with these issues.
To focus on giving of myself.....freely.
To say no to the things which distract me from my purpose and calling in life.
To not allow fear to be my motivator.
And to straighten out my priorities......
This last one really sets the tone for all the others. God, family, church, ministry, work.....I am finding when I keep those five things in the correct order, everything else begins to work itself out.
And you know what? All of this was discovered listening to these silly, little webinars about business and oils. Did I need self-help? Maybe. But more so, I feel God used this as an open door to expose some things in my life. Sure, He could have shown them to me in other ways. I am by no means saying doTerra is some sort of magical company. But what I am saying, is that as I began opening myself up to the idea of this company, I found myself being opened up to some other areas in my life....areas that needed changing.
I have discovered God can use anything to work out His good in our lives......even something as small as a little bit of oil.
(Again, you can call me crazy. I would have done the same thing. But it's ok.....it's my crazy journey to be on ;) )
Here's the deal, never in my wildest imagination, would I have thought I would become sold on this product and company. I will not rehash my concerns.....If you have been following my blog, you know what they are and you know where I have come from in this journey. No matter how many times I scoffed and tried to prove that these products were not for me, something kept me coming back. Researching a bit more. Trying out another product. Reading. Listening. Most of the time with a bit of an attitude. But none the less, I found myself intrigued. I never thought it would be bring me to say what is now my newest saying, "there is more to this than just oils". (At this point in the blog, I give you permission to call my crazy. Not that you need my permission to do so, but well, I understand how you are feeling).
Several months ago or longer, I can't remember how long ago actually, I saw a post of a facebook friend that said something to the affect of how doTerra has changed her. Not just cause of the use of the oils, but that it was a deeper, emotional, almost spiritual sort of change. I thought, "whatever". I don't need a company to be my self-help guru. I have Jesus. I don't need anything else.
And yet, here I am today......standing in agreement with her. In my last post, I think I said something about the more I researched and listened to webinars and trainings, the more I found myself digging out some ugly things about myself. Strange, since the trainings were about business and how to be a better business woman/man. I found myself having to really search out some areas in my life, that quite frankly were a little ugly.
For instance:
I can be fairly selfish and self-centered.
I can't say no.
I am fear driven.
My priorities are all out of whack.
As I began to process these things about myself, I found that I began to change my thought pattern. I don't want to be selfish and self-centered. I want to be giving and caring, generous and loving whether I get anything out of it or not. I want to freely give.....no strings attached. I also decided that because I am a people pleaser, I have a terrible time saying no. So, I over commit myself. Which drains me. I do this because I am fear motivated....I don't want to let anyone down or disappoint them. I don't want to be left behind and forgotten.....so my response to almost everything is yes, YES, and YES! I also discovered the dearest things to my heart are often the things and the people that I put on the back burner.
All of this realization, came out of about 4 hours of listening to some webinars. They were not necessarily about faith, family, relationships....well at least not from the titles and yet these topics were all woven in, and they challenged me in these areas. I hope this is making sense. When I first listened to them, I actually felt kind of angry.....mainly my first response to seeing some things about myself that I did not like admitting to. However, as hours began to pass, I realized how important it is for me to deal with these issues.
To focus on giving of myself.....freely.
To say no to the things which distract me from my purpose and calling in life.
To not allow fear to be my motivator.
And to straighten out my priorities......
This last one really sets the tone for all the others. God, family, church, ministry, work.....I am finding when I keep those five things in the correct order, everything else begins to work itself out.
And you know what? All of this was discovered listening to these silly, little webinars about business and oils. Did I need self-help? Maybe. But more so, I feel God used this as an open door to expose some things in my life. Sure, He could have shown them to me in other ways. I am by no means saying doTerra is some sort of magical company. But what I am saying, is that as I began opening myself up to the idea of this company, I found myself being opened up to some other areas in my life....areas that needed changing.
I have discovered God can use anything to work out His good in our lives......even something as small as a little bit of oil.
(Again, you can call me crazy. I would have done the same thing. But it's ok.....it's my crazy journey to be on ;) )
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Strange and Interesting Things are Happening in DoTerra Land......Things That Make You Go Hmmmmmmmmm
Today I was cleaning my kitchen....no biggie, right? And I thought that I would make up a little spray bottle of water mixed with OnGuard to clean my counters. They say it is good for fighting infection, so why not? I made my little bottle, about 8 oz mixed with 4 or 5 drops, sprayed my counters, wiped them down, and went on with the rest of the day. After lunch, I happened to walk past my spray bottle and noticed a dark ring had formed at the top of the water line. Interesting. So, I thought, maybe it was the oil. I shook the bottle and the line went away. Interesting. I opened the bottle to find little black specks all through the water. Well that is gross. I poured the water out into a glass and looked again. Sure enough, it looked like dirt specks all throughout the water. It seems the oil (I'm no scientist so I don't know for sure....just my best hypothesis), attached itself to dirt and minerals and impurities inside the water and the bottle and made itself a little dirt ring. Hmmmmm.....call me weird, but I think that is kind of cool, and gross, and interesting all at the same time. Cool cause it as a bit of an accidental science experiment, gross because that is my kitchen water that I drink on a daily basis and because I was using that apparently very dirty water and spray bottle to clean my kitchen counters, and interesting because it appears that OnGard attaches itself to impurities and cleans them up. It made me go Hmmmmm.......and I thought it might make you go Hmmmmm too ;)
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
I Have A Lot to Learn
Never before in my life, have I been a part of an organization, outside of the church, that has made me reach down and take a good hard look at myself. This week, I have embarked on a bit of a journey listening to 5 webinars, not out of the motivation to learn, but simply because I could earn about $100 worth of free oils. I mean, who doesn't like free things, right? Yesterday, I found myself actually getting a little mad about the time it was taking for me to sit and listen to each one. However, since I started....I hate not finishing things I start....I decided to move forward, bad attitude and all.
Most of these webinars are supporting and encouraging the growth of your doTerra business, however they have a lot of good practical points in them that can be useful in every day life. Things like being confident, don't be afraid to be different, know your mission and go for it, things like that. As I have worked through the videos, I have come to an honest conclusion about where I am at.....and that is....I am at the very beginning, becoming frustrated because I was trying to be at the end or the finish line, if that makes more sense. It has made me aware that I still have ALOT of hang ups when it comes to companies like these. It has made me aware that before I move to quickly, I need to better educate myself about their mission...maybe it will help me to understand mine better.
Why am I sharing this with you all? Because, I promised myself that I would be open and honest about where I am at for myself, but also for those that are around me AND since this blog is to help me document my journey....well this is a part of it.
So, I have made myself a promise. I am going to go back to the beginning. I have done outside research, which has been quite compelling. I have experimented on myself and on my family with a, I would say, 90% success rate (one must make sure they are using the correct oil for the correct issue. And as I found out yesterday, using Cypress oil NEAT on a hemorrhoid isn't probably the smartest idea I have ever had. Enough said other than that I would more highly recommend combining it with Epson salt in your bath water and just soak) Anywhoooo, moving along.
I believe the next step for me is to begin research inside of the company. To hear the heart of the company and to do it in baby steps. One thing I am learning about myself, is to compare myself with those around me that are spending more time on this than I am, and holding myself up to them as the measure of my success is detrimental to my mental health. In other words, I need to stop comparing myself and move forward at my own pace and without fear of being left behind. (I've always had that fear, so it isn't new in this situation.)
Like I said at the beginning, I have never been a part of an organization, outside of the church and the conviction and work of the Holy Spirit in my life whom of course isn't an organization, but I hope you understand my point, that has made me dig deep into who I am, what I stand for, and find it changing me. That intrigues me a bit. There may be more to this than just oils and I have admit, right now, that is propelling me forward with all of this.
Most of these webinars are supporting and encouraging the growth of your doTerra business, however they have a lot of good practical points in them that can be useful in every day life. Things like being confident, don't be afraid to be different, know your mission and go for it, things like that. As I have worked through the videos, I have come to an honest conclusion about where I am at.....and that is....I am at the very beginning, becoming frustrated because I was trying to be at the end or the finish line, if that makes more sense. It has made me aware that I still have ALOT of hang ups when it comes to companies like these. It has made me aware that before I move to quickly, I need to better educate myself about their mission...maybe it will help me to understand mine better.
Why am I sharing this with you all? Because, I promised myself that I would be open and honest about where I am at for myself, but also for those that are around me AND since this blog is to help me document my journey....well this is a part of it.
So, I have made myself a promise. I am going to go back to the beginning. I have done outside research, which has been quite compelling. I have experimented on myself and on my family with a, I would say, 90% success rate (one must make sure they are using the correct oil for the correct issue. And as I found out yesterday, using Cypress oil NEAT on a hemorrhoid isn't probably the smartest idea I have ever had. Enough said other than that I would more highly recommend combining it with Epson salt in your bath water and just soak) Anywhoooo, moving along.
I believe the next step for me is to begin research inside of the company. To hear the heart of the company and to do it in baby steps. One thing I am learning about myself, is to compare myself with those around me that are spending more time on this than I am, and holding myself up to them as the measure of my success is detrimental to my mental health. In other words, I need to stop comparing myself and move forward at my own pace and without fear of being left behind. (I've always had that fear, so it isn't new in this situation.)
Like I said at the beginning, I have never been a part of an organization, outside of the church and the conviction and work of the Holy Spirit in my life whom of course isn't an organization, but I hope you understand my point, that has made me dig deep into who I am, what I stand for, and find it changing me. That intrigues me a bit. There may be more to this than just oils and I have admit, right now, that is propelling me forward with all of this.
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