Stress drains our energy.

Our minds get so full and so tired we can hardly think!

I personally know this feeling well.

Running a business with many facets (e.g. manufacturing, retail, wholesale, international) I can literally go from feeling full of energy to suddenly feeling like someone has literally plugged into my power source and drained my energy stores dry!

At times like this, when we need to keep going... we need to find ways to recharge our batteries.

READ BELOW FOR LIFESTYLE TIPS IN THE BLOG

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR SPA RITUALS TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR LIFE:

1. CLEANSE: I clear away anything that I don’t need weighing me down. This is both physically and emotionally.

2. RESTORE: Replenish energy.

• Give yourself the mind space you need to get efficient again. If you have overcommitted, move unnecessary tasks to the next day.
• Say “no” to taking on anything that doesn’t feel like a resounding “YES” (As Derek Sivers famously advises, “If it’s not a 'Hell Yeah!' It’s a 'No!’")
• Listen to your self talk and be mindful of the patterns of sabotaging behaviours. When we are stressed, we often look for reasons which makes us see more things to feel overwhelmed about.

• Give yourself space to breathe: Get organised! Clear clutter and take a moment to clean up around you. Take off heavy earrings or necklaces weighing you down. Tie back your hair.
• If it is an ongoing feeling, think about bringing some energy to a big spring clean of your office or home.
• Mist your face with a cooling and awakening organic face mist and take a few deep breaths.
• Get out into nature for a moment, feel the sun on your back, the wind in your hair and your feet on the ground.
• Bring the outdoors in to you! Open the windows for some fresh air, pick a vase of fresh leaves (bamboo always gives me energy, it’s so full of life and growth)
• Diffuse uplifting essential oils throughout the room.

FOREST BATHING: This study forms part of the Japanese national health system.

Shinrin-yoku, with means “Forest Bathing”.

The research in Japan found that feelings of health & wellbeing increased from the simplest act of immersing oneself in a forest of Pine trees. Studies found the reported benefits of lowered blood pressure, reduced stress levels, increased immunity and energy came not only from the stillness, but from inhaling the essential oil vapours emitted by the pine trees.

It was this research that inspired our recent “Hinoki Pine Limited Edition” candle and diffuser reed. I’ve been so inspired by this concept, I am excited to tell you we are also now releasing this same blend in an essential oil for the diffuser!

We are calling it “Breathe Wellness”.

Our NEW Essential Oil 

“Breathe Wellness”

Will be in our stores from tomorrow!

“Feel the wisdom of forgiveness alive in your body”-

Elena Brower (one of my favourite yoga teachers)

We’ve all heard the saying “don’t waste your breath on it”.

Exercising control over what we give our energy to can protect us from a lot of exhaustion.

Restore: “to build up again, renew, revive”

When we are mentally tired the last thing we often feel like is exercise. But remember, energy attracts energy.

I once received some “pearls of wisdom” from a local Blue Mountains yoga teacher, Diane. It was on a dark winters day, and she talked about how most people when they are cold restrict movement in their bodies by folding their arms around themselves, or putting their hands in pockets.

Her challenge to us was to reverse this instinct, and bring more movement into our body to generate warmth and energy.. it’s amazing the difference it makes! She also described the way people walk when they are feeling flat... their shoulders droop, their arms hang down loosely, it’s almost as if the ground is draining any last remnants of energy they have.

Diane’s lesson was that you can change your mood by creating a spark of energy that ignites into a flame.

Swinging your arms when you walk, and putting a spring in your step is guaranteed to make you feel more energised.

Exercise is one of the greatest ways to restore your soul and get the good endorphins buzzing. 

Even just half an hour everyday will make a big impact on your health and happiness.

Make it a goal to plan your week to include exercise as part of your daily rituals.

I also follow this principle in my home spa rituals. If ever I wake up feeling a little tired, I spend a few minutes enjoying an all-over dry body brush, or jump in the shower and use our "Body Buff" or “Lemon Myrtle Salt Scrub”.

These invigorating rituals stimulate energy and are guaranteed to give me a positive start to my day.

I can relate to the feeling after a stressful day where you feel like “I need a glass of wine!”

But have you ever analysed your energy levels after you drink alcohol compared to the nights you don’t? There’s a reason alcohol has the nickname “grog”.. I’m sure it’s because it makes us groggy LOL!

If you are exhausted and drained after a big day, try switching the habitual glass of wine to a sparkling mineral water infused with fresh flavours like lime and mint.. Then give yourself the gift of an early night with a calming bath ritual as your reward. The next morning will feel very different to the nights you use alcohol to relax. Try it and see!

Food is another area at night where we can either help or harm our energy.

When we are tired, it’s easy to grab takeaway food, or binge on sugar, salt and fat. Our system can be so wired we crave more stimulation or energy hits. “I need a coffee!” Or “I need chocolate”.. We all have our crutch we go back to in times of feeling low.

But thinking of our food as “fuel” can help us choose food that nourishes us, to sustain our stamina and restore our energy.

The wonderful Dr Libby Weaver says in her book “Women’s Wellness Wisdom”: “Food is not ‘healthy’. It is either nutritious, or not. Humans are healthy. Or we are not. Instead of describing foods as ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’, it is more accurate and more beneficial to consider whether they are nutritious or nourishing”.

I absolutely love this concept. I actually think instead of making food feel like a test of strength or weakness, judgement, deprivation and all those negative connections we often have with food, it reminds us that food is the gift we give to our body.

It also reminds us that CONSISTENCY is where the results are.

What we do daily, determines our health. When I am particularly busy I give even MORE attention to my food choices. I know my body needs it to support it through the stress. I often think in colour..

Greens always give me energy. Reds & orange for immunity and protection. And I prepare ahead so I have things on the go and don’t even have to think about it. (Cannot wait to share my book soon “Nourish Your Week”!)

If you would like some really great information that will inspire you to break the patterns of unwinding with alcohol, comfort eating, caffeine habits etc, I highly recommend two books by Dr Libby Weaver:

1. “Exhausted to Energised"

2. “Women’s Wellness Wisdom”

Amongst a variety of really practical and insightful topics, Dr Libby analyses the impact of our liver and stress hormones to our energy and zest for life. When we put things under load it affects far more than we realise. I highly recommend all women read these two books this year!

Scent is a great way to create an instant change in our mood. High note oils, like Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon and Mandarin are uplifting because they act quickly.

When your energy is low, and your mind is foggy, these are the cleansing and restorative blends I would recommend for your Diffuser:

• “BREATHE WELLNESS” (our NEW Pine blend, based on the concept of Forest Bathing)
• “INSPIRE"
• “RESTORE"
• “GROUND & BALANCE” (Our other NEW blend, to get out of your head and into your body)
• “LEMON MYRTLE” (You can also mop your floors with this!)

OUR iKOU Bodycare also incorporates aromatherapy benefits.

Things like our "Lemon Myrtle Hand & Body Wash" and also our “Lemon Myrtle Body Scrub” are a great way to re-energise through the power of essential oils.

And, I also absolutely swear by scalp massage with our Bergamot Deep Conditioner. Bergamot oil helps release pent-up tension, and “let go” of things that build up and cause us stress.

I talk about this more on the new video we’ve just created listing home spa rituals you can do to restore energy.

Write the biggest list you can, then make a commitment to bring a combination of these things into your life on a daily basis.

Here’s some ideas:

• Dry Body Brushing
• Body Scrubs
• Yoga
• Gym
• Bike riding
• Walking early morning or in the evening before dinner
• Meditation
• Preparing nourishing meals
• Organisation of each area of the home

When we get our energy moving again, we’re able to get closer to the core of ourselves and the things that are most important to us.

Ideas for more healthy patterns become bright and alive in our minds.

ENERGY BRINGS ENERGY!!

XX Naomi

Naomi Whitfeld is the Founder & CEO of iKOU. 

Her passion for inspiring others to live a life of Wellness & Joy shines through in everything she does.

As an intuitive Aromatherapist, Naomi incorporates Mind & Body benefits into all she creates, believing we respond best when we treat as a 'whole".

Winner of the Telstra Business Womens Award for "Entrepreneur of the Year", Naomi has a particular interest in supporting busy women to enjoy rituals of self-care on a daily basis.