Start the day by cultivating your happiness. Honor your feelings and learn positive thinking through expressing gratitude. Essential oils like Sweet Orange, German Chamomile, and Bergamot are fantastic for your Happiness Kit. Oodles of science support using essential oils to reduce anxiety symptoms, bring calm and make space for happiness.
Use the Happiness Kit Inhalation Blends in roller balls, and dropper bottles, turn it into a room spray and use it to instill equilibrium in the home. Discover when to use the inhalation blends for the best effect, like first thing in the morning and last at night.
We show you how you can take the blends and use them to extend the products in your happiness kit to include Scented Candles, Bath Oil or Body Butter. Learn how to choose optimism and make a Happiness Kit with essential oils.
Why is Happiness Important?
Scientists all over the world are finding happiness to be a fundamental factor in our physical wellness. When we are happy and exposed to more positive thinking, we generally feel less anxious and, in turn, experience less stress.
Leading Psychiatrist Dr. Francoise Adant says, "Up to 80% of visits to primary care doctors are due to conditions that are caused or exacerbated by unmanaged stress”. That is a huge factor when you stop to think about it and indicate the scale of the problem.
Being able to cultivate happiness, implement positive thinking and experience gratitude can have profound effects on our physical well-being. Kubansky (2019) made an analysis of 15 different studies encompassing 230,000 people. It linked an optimistic mindset to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke and a lower risk of death.
Food for thought.
Our mindset matters to our emotional, mental and physical well-being.
How Do I Cultivate Happiness?
It sounds silly but CHOOSE it.
When you feel a bit mopey and down, stop and CHOOSE to let those negative feelings and mindset go and try happiness on for size. See how it feels instead.
When it becomes a conscious choice that we can repeat repeatedly, it can reinforce a new, positive habit, and we find ourselves thinking and behaving more positively without thinking about it.
This shift also helps to build emotional intelligence, strength and resilience. Which, in turn, can benefit our self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem.
Consciously starting the habit and continuing with it will eventually bring you to a point where you no longer have to think about it, and it will just come naturally. They say it can take up to 30 days to instill a new habit, so try it for at least a month.
There is a famous 30-day program by Deepak Chopra called ‘The 30-Day Abundance Challenge’. I have done it myself and can highly recommend it for helping you focus on the positivity in your life and to feel happier.
Combine this with a Happiness Kit with essentials, and you have a magical formula!
How Do I Feel Today?
Why not try this?
In a notebook, jot down how you feel upon waking - be honest, don’t filter yourself; it’s pointless otherwise.
If it is a not-so-positive thought, think about reframing it or noting what happens if you want to feel happy instead. For instance, I wake up sometimes unrefreshed, in pain and pretty grumpy. If I stay grumpy and perpetuate it throughout my day, it will affect my interactions with everyone I meet that day. It’s not helpful to have a good day.
If I honor those feelings upon waking, acknowledge them and write them down. I give space for them at that moment, which is vital to the process. Then I choose to feel happy instead. Some days it is easier than others, and you must keep reminding yourself to choose happiness and positive thinking. Persisting is key.
Eventually, you will likely look back upon your journal jottings and find that your feelings may have changed to a more positive outlook over time.
We all have dips in life depending on the severity of the stress we face, so sometimes it needs more effort, and things will fluctuate; it is the nature of life; bring yourself back to the center each day as best you can.
The key is to not give up on the hard days. This is where gratitude can help.
Gratitude
There are no two ways about it; expressing daily gratitude benefits our mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. When they all help, it has a knock-on effect, and so does your physical well-being.
Finding five simple things each day to be grateful for focuses your mind on the positive things in your life, which can be simple things too. Try to find different things daily, but you will always have repeating themes, like gratitude for your partner or a friend.
Here are my five things to be grateful for today:
- My new Fitbit enables me to focus on improving my well-being in many ways.
- My husband - has supported me this week in making difficult decisions.
- My new baby grandson brings utter joy and delights wherever he goes.
- My cats make me smile and bring me to comfort each day.
- My tech know-how - With the launch of a new website in my other work, I’m navigating it fine. All will be well, despite many bugs and gremlins in the system right now.
As you can see, they are varied and easy to change daily. Tomorrow it could be the new book I have, the fab new tv program I just started watching, or my seedlings poking up their little green heads. There is so much to choose from.
Have a go! Jot it down with your daily feelings, and it makes an excellent reference to refer back to gauge how much you feel your attitude and behaviors have changed because of developing this practice and making it a habit in your life.
The American Heart Association has some compelling ideas for cultivating happiness too! Find them here.
Using essential oils to support you through introducing positive thinking, choosing happiness and expressing gratitude can be invaluable and empower you forward.
The Benefits of Using Essential Oils for Happiness
There is much scientific evidence and research out there that supports the use of essential oil to improve our mood. When we can change our mindset for the better, it directly impacts our levels of happiness and reduces our stress and anxiety. We already know that when that happens, our physical well-being benefits too.
Some well-known and widely utilized essential oils are in the following list, including firm favorites like Lavender, German Chamomile and Sweet Orange. For a good reason, too, Fung (2021) concluded that “the inhalation of lavender and chamomile EOs was found to decrease levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in older adults.”
We can use these antidepressant and anxiolytic (reduces anxiety) actions and implement them into our Happiness Kit With Essential Oils. This will lift our spirits and soon have you smiling from ear to ear!
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender essential oil is used the world over to relax, reduce anxiety and calm us. When we can reduce our stress and worries, it leaves space for happiness. The essential oil contains Linalool, and this constituent produces the lovely sedative and calming effects we want here.
If you are worried about feeling sleepy during the day, use it alongside one of the more stimulating essential oils, like Lemon or Sweet Orange for a zesty zing.
Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L)
One of my favorites, and sitting on my desk as I type, ready to inhale that tremendous zingy boost and delicious fragrance.
It is a beautiful oil to relax and boost your mood without sedating you. Fung (2021) reports that D-limonene, a constituent of Sweet Orange essential oil, is thought to be responsible for its antidepressant and mood-boosting effects.
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is another excellent citrus oil that can boost your mood. Watanabe (2019) supports the theory that inhaling Bergamot essential oil has a beneficial effect on altering your mind and spirit.
It is one that I like to add for this purpose, and it blends well with other essential oils, like Lavender and Chamomile, without overpowering them.
German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.)
They are utilized by aromatherapy practitioners and essential oil users everywhere to induce a calmer state of mind and body.
Mao (2014) concluded, “ while there are no published controlled clinical trials of the anxiolytic effect of chamomile in humans, there is substantial literature suggesting that chamomile (and several of its flavonoid components) may have anxiolytic and antidepressant activity.”
It may reduce symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression.
Lemon (Citrus limon L (Burm.) F. )
Lemon is a beautiful oil for inhalation and blends with a fresh, zingy and zesty scent. It is a lovely uplifter and mood booster.
Science also agrees. “We found clear and consistent evidence that lemon oil inhalation enhances positive mood.” Kiecolt-Glaser (2008)
As you can see, with just a handful of well-chosen essential oils, you can create effective blends for your Happiness Kit with essential oils. This can enable and support you to make that conscious choice…to choose happiness.
What is a Happiness Kit With Essential Oils?
A Happiness Kit with essential oils is a kit you can tailor to your happiness needs. We are all different, and we may need support in different ways.
This kit contains a variety of inhalation blends because they are quick and easy to use; you can pop them in your pocket or purse and take them just about anywhere.
Room sprays are fantastic for use in the home. If the kids are a bit tetchy and squabbling, your partner comes home full of moans about work, or your mom is constantly nagging you - a good old spritz of this will raise the energetic vibration of your home, your spirit and your mood!
Essential oil diffusers are a great way to infuse the atmosphere of the home with scents that make you smile and kick back and relax. Find out how How To Use Essential Oils In A Diffuser.
I will give you plenty of ideas on expanding your kit to include scented candles and bath products.
Using a handy Happiness Kit like this can help you make those positive changes and better choices toward cultivating happiness anywhere you happen to be.
How to Make a Happiness Kit with Essential Oils
We will focus on making two products for your Happiness Kits; inhalation blends that you can use either in a dropper bottle or a rollerball and room sprays for use around the home.
Both of these products offer incredible versatility and ease of use. They are simple to use, and you get effective results quickly.
I will give you plenty more ideas later on how to expand your Happiness Kit with essential oils with different products.
Making the Inhalation Essential Oil Blends
Equipment
- Measuring jug
- Funnel
- Rollerball or dropper bottles
- Labels
Ingredients
- Selection of essential oils
- Sweet Almond Carrier Oil
Method
- Firstly measure out your Sweet Almond oil; remember you will need to leave a little extra space in your bottle to add your essential oils.
- Add in the required number of drops of essential oils following your chosen Happiness Kit Inhalation blend recipe.
- Stir to mix thoroughly.
- Decant using a funnel into the bottle or rollerball.
- Lid tightly and store in a dark, cool place at a consistent and ambient temperature.
- Label clearly with all ingredients listed for safety.
- Simple as that!
Making the Happiness Kit Room Spray with Essential Oils
I have given you the details to make one sizeable 100ml spray bottle, but you can divide it into smaller amounts and fit the bottles into your pocket or purse. Make a few and keep them in handy places or gift them to friends and family.
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- 100ml/3.38 fl oz Dark amber glass spray bottle Or 5 x 20ml/0.67 fl oz spray bottles.
- Stainless steel spoon or stirrer.
- Funnel
- Label
Ingredients
- 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz Witch Hazel
- 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz Rose Water
- 19 ml / 0.67 fl oz Vodka or Denatured Alcohol
- Happiness Kit Inhalation blend of choice (always check your safety data if creating your blends)
Optional
- Polysorbate 20 or 80 - as a dispersant for the essential oils
Method
- Measure out 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz Witch Hazel and 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz Rose Water and pour them into the bowl
- Measure out 20 ml / 0.67 fl oz Vodka or Denatured Alcohol, add it to the bowl, and mix thoroughly.
- Put all your Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend into the small measuring jug. Note the final volume of the essential oil blend. It would help if you had the same volume of essential oil blend as Polysorbate. (Say you have 5ml of essential oils. You will need 5ml of Polysorbate).
- Add the same volume of your Polysorbate 20 or 80 and mix carefully into your essential oils.
- Not using Polysorbate? You can use the Witch Hazel to act as a dispersant instead. Stir to mix thoroughly.
- Add into the large bowl and very gently stir to combine well.
- Using a funnel, decant into your dark amber glass spray bottle.
- Remember, the pump straw takes up some of the volume, so only fill it almost to the top, or it will overflow.
- Lid tightly and store in a dark, cool place at a consistent and ambient temperature.
- Label, writing down ALL ingredients used.
- Remember to prime your pump ready - give it a few pumps until it starts to spray.
Happiness Kit Essential Oil Inhalation Blends
These inhalation blends are designed to be interchangeable and quickly shift between different products to make up your tailor-made Happiness Kit.
| Sunny Side Up!- Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend #1 | ||
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This Happiness Kit Inhalation blend is based on following Fung’s (2021) science, this combination was researched and found to reduce anxiety. Making it the perfect way to start your day and leave your troubles behind you for a little while. 12 drops of essential oil based on using 20 ml of carrier oil at a 3% dilution rate for dropper bottles and rollerballs. |
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| 6 drops Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) | 3 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata) | 3 drops Neroli Absolute (Citrus aurantium) |
| Safety: Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy. | ||
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How to Use: Essential Oil Diffuser - Follow your manufacturer guidelines. Dropper bottle or Roller ball - Use for inhalation or to roll onto the skin and gently rub in. Room Spray Spray in the room, not directly upon people, avoid spraying near the face and eyes. |
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Essential Oil swaps - remember to double check your safety data! Swap: Lavender for German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Ylang Ylang for Rose Geranium (Pelargonium asperum var roseum) Neroli for Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) |
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| Soothe and Uplift - Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend #2 | ||
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Another essential oil blend that is backed by the research of Fung (2021) with Lavender and Rose essential oils. 12 drops of essential oil based on using 20 ml of carrier oil at a 3% dilution rate. |
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| 4 drops Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) | 8 drops Rose Essential Oil (Rosa damascena) | |
| Safety: Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy. | ||
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How to Use: Essential Oil Diffuser - Follow your manufacturer guidelines. Dropper bottle or Roller ball - Use for inhalation or to roll onto the skin and rub in. Room Spray - Spray in the room, not directly upon people, avoid spraying near the face and eyes. |
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| Pull Me Out The Mire -Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend #3 | ||
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This is one of my favorite blends, you cannot help but be uplifted by the fragrance alone. I have added the Palo Santo because of the power that I feel it has to raise our energetic vibration and consequently our mood and subsequent behavior. 12 drops of essential oil based on using 20 ml of carrier oil at a 3% dilution rate. |
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| 4 drops Palo Santo Essential Oil (Bursera graveolens) | 3 drops Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon L (Burm.) F. ) | 5 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Citrus sinensis L) |
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Safety: Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. Lemon specific - if you plan to use this topically (on your skin), we recommend the addition of Vitamin E as an antioxidant and using no more than the drops suggested here. |
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How to Use: Essential Oil Diffuser - Follow your manufacturer guidelines. Dropper bottle or Roller ball - Use for inhalation or to roll onto the skin and gently rub in. Room Spray - Spray in the room, not directly upon people, avoid spraying near the face and eyes. |
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| Everyday Smiles - Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend #4 | ||
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This is my go-to blend that you can use throughout the day to clear the way to joy and happiness. 12 drops of essential oil based on using 20 ml of carrier oil at a 3% dilution rate. |
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| 4 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Citrus sinensis L) | 4 drops Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) | 4 drops German Chamomile Essential Oil (Matricaria chamomilla L.) |
| Safety: Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. | ||
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How to Use: Essential Oil Diffuser - Follow your manufacturer guidelines. Dropper bottle or Roller ball - Use for inhalation or to roll onto the skin and rub in. Room Spray Spray in the room, not directly upon people, avoid spraying near the face and eyes. |
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Essential Oil swaps - remember to double check your safety data! You could adjust this blend to align with the Fung (2021) clinical study finding the following “Adults were involved in inhalation treatment combining lavender, sweet orange, and bergamot essential oils for 8 weeks. After the treatment, depressive symptoms decreased”. |
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| Quiet Time! Happiness Kit Inhalation Blend #5 | ||
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This blend is perfect for either bedtime or instilling some peace in the home. Maybe the kids are rowdy or your partner’s a bit grumpy. Introduce this essential blend into a room spray or diffuser and you will have a haven of peace in which to cultivate your happiness. 12 drops of essential oil based on using 20 ml of carrier oil at a 3% dilution rate. |
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| 4 drops German Chamomile Essential Oil (Matricaria chamomilla L.) | 2 drops Bergamot Essential Oil (Citrus bergamia) | 6 drops Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia serrata) |
| Safety: Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. | ||
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How to Use: Essential Oil Diffuser - Follow your manufacturer's guidelines. Dropper bottle or Roller ball - Use for inhalation or to roll onto the skin and rub in. Room Spray Spray in the room, not directly upon people, avoid spraying near the face and eyes. |
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Essential Oil swaps - remember to double check your safety data! Swap: German Chamomile for Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Bergamot for Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L) Frankincense for Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) |
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You will notice that we recommend all of our Happiness Kit essential oil blends for inhalation. Read Liz’s article Exciting New Discoveries Around The Benefits Of Inhaling Essential Oils to discover why and the supporting science behind our recommendations.
How To Use My Happiness Kit With Essential Oils
Upon Waking
Start the day with a quick journal jot, noting how you feel immediately upon waking. Don’t filter yourself, it’s a futile exercise, and you are only conning yourself!
You feel how you feel; give yourself a little space to recognize and honor those feelings and write them down.
Then reach for Sunny Side Up - Inhalation Blend #1 after you have written down how you feel. Close your eyes and inhale the blend. Take five good deep, relaxing breaths right to the bottom of your lungs, inhaling the blend. Then hold for a few seconds and release the breath.
Note down if you feel an immediate change in your journal or notebook. Have you managed to elevate your mood? Are you feeling happier already?
A Simple Breathing Exercise To Use With Inhalation
Use this breathing technique in the morning with your Journal Jots.
Use the Happiness Kit essential oil inhalation blends, as direct inhalation is very effective with this breathing technique.
- Bring your attention to your breath.
- You are aiming to slow your breath down.
- Inhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
- Inhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
- Repeat until you feel your breath slow to 5 - 10 breaths a minute.
Feeling Anxious or Down in the Dumps?
If you are moving through the day and still feel anxious or down, reach for Soothe and Uplift- Inhalation Blend #2. Again, inhale it or use a rollerball and rub some at your temples and inner wrists.
Take time to breathe, center yourself and visualize yourself becoming and feeling calmer. Make that conscious decision to release anxiety and choose happiness and let the essential oils support you emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Having a Corker of a Stressful Day and Anxiety Levels Through the Roof?
Pull Me Out The Mire - Inhalation Blend #3 is your go-to blend in this instance. It works fast to induce calm, and the essential oils and all their lovely chemical constituents get to work to help reduce your feelings of anxiety and stress and bring peace to your body and mind.
Inhalation is highly recommended here because the effects can be virtually immediate. Topical use is acceptable but focus on the pulse points to quickly get it into your body systems.
It is lovely to use in conjunction with a mindful moment or meditation. Palo Santo makes for a powerful meditation companion. It would help if you focused on your breathing; inhalation can help.
Use this blend to instill calm, reduce anxiety, focus your mind more positively and elevate your energy. All these actions combine to make space for happiness again, capitalize upon it and choose it for yourself. Doing this at times of great stress is more important than ever.
Can’t Sleep or Worry? Kids Running Riot?
Quiet Time
Inhalation Blend #5 is perfect for using last thing at night to bring a sense of calm, peace and relaxation. You can also use it when the kids run around like loons, and you feel like you need a bit of peace. Rather than locking them in the shed, grab this instead.
For use as a sleep aid, I recommend inhalation, but using it in a diffuser in your bedroom half an hour before sleep is also an effective way to use this blend. Improved sleep is always conducive to our well-being and overall happiness.
To calm the kids and create a more peaceful ambiance within the home, pop it in the diffuser so you can bring that calm and equilibrium back to all household members. Carve out your time to find peace and happiness in the home using this Happiness Kit blend.
One for every day
Finally, Everyday Smiles - Inhalation Blend #4. This is the one you want to turn to every day and use throughout the day…for a top-up, as it were!
Pop it in your diffuser, and use it to scent your candles and any products you use regularly.
With a tiny tweak of adding Bergamot, you can create a blend that reduces the effects of anxiety and depression, supported by scientific studies and research.
This would be the blend that I recommend you use throughout your day, around the home and office, to decrease your anxiety levels and elevate your happiness.
How to Design My Happiness Kit with Essential Oils
We are all different, and what works for one person might not work for another. This is where designing your Happiness Kit can be a game changer.
You might want a more personal body spray rather than a room spray or bath oil for relaxing in the evening. Creating your own Happiness Kit enables you to include whatever suits you and makes it fit for purpose in your life.
This article on How to Create Aromatherapy Sets with Essential Oils; is full of recipes and links to individual tutorials. Even if you are a beginner, this makes creating your products a doddle. It is jam-packed, as is the VINEVIDA blog, with tips and advice.
Use the Happiness Kit Inhalation Blends as a guide when creating your personalized products. The article above contains a handy guide on following and working out the safety data of the essential oils you are using. It also helps you determine how many drops you need for your volume of product. Don’t struggle to work it out; check the easy-to-use guide!
Take extra care with essential oils like Bergamot and Lemon, especially if you plan to apply them to your skin; they can be phototoxic; if in doubt - leave them out!
The Final Word
Well, we have been on a little journey together, and if it helps, I am practicing what I preach and sitting here inhaling Sweet Orange to give me a bit of happy zing after some distressing family news this morning.
It’s undoubtedly helping move me through the day, feeling less worried and happier.
I use it because it WORKS!
Now that you have learned how happiness is intrinsic to your ‘whole’ or holistic well-being, you can turn that information into a tangible Happiness Kit with essential oils to make positive changes and differences to your well-being.
You can consult the science and deepen your understanding of the relationship between using essential oils to affect your mood and overall well-being.
Explore those early morning feelings upon waking, practice re-framing them and learn the art of journaling. It only has to be a few words each day, nothing onerous.
Rude Awakening
Today, I had a rude awakening and some distressing family news.
This morning, mine might have said, “Worried, concerned, anxious about what might happen next.”
Combined with positive thinking, talking to the family member involved and the wonder of inhaling essential oils, I am calmer, my anxieties are far less, but I remain a little concerned, naturally par for the course. I’m working on it with Sweet Orange and Clary Sage to keep me focused.
Choose Happiness
You can do just the same: think positively, choose happiness, and choose a Happiness Kit that resonates with you the most to support you.
Learn the precious art of gratitude to focus on abundance and cultivate that happiness for yourself. It helps come from within rather than relying on external factors like your partner or income.
We can all be guilty of the “I’ll be happy when ……” speech. Don’t wait, don’t defer.
Maya Angelou Saved My Life
Some of you might think it is naíve or even an incentive for me to say, ‘Just choose happiness.’ You might throw at me all sorts of awful, distressing situations and ask, “How do I choose happiness in the midst of this”?
I hear you. I have lived it too. I feel you.
I shall share with you what saved my life - a quote from the wonderful Maya Angelou. It seems fitting that I am writing this on International Women’s Day, a subject Maya was passionate about.
I may not remember word for word, true to her quote, but this is how I recall it, and it has since been the mantra of my life. It changed everything for me.
“If something causes you pain and you cannot change it, then the only reasonable thing you can do is change the way that you THINK about it.”
There is the opportunity to change your perspective, re-frame your thinking and empower yourself. All there, in just one powerful, life-changing sentence.
No matter how rough life feels or what horrendous challenges it throws you, YOU control your thinking; YOU have ALL the power over that.
Choose to be happy right NOW, at THIS moment.
Start with learning how to make a Happiness Kit with essential oils! Wishing you all every happiness.
