How to Create Joy in Your Environment with Scent

By Caryn Gehlmann

I like choosing one word as a mantra for my year and my 2020 word is … JOY! Could you use more joy in your life? I think we all can! That’s why I want to share with you how to create joy in your environment and, of course, how aromatherapy can be helpful in that endeavor. I’m also going to reveal a few new exciting products we’re planning at e3 for 2020.

Part of the inspiration for my choice came from a delightful read, Ingrid Fetell Lee’s book, “Joyful”. Lately, we’ve heard a lot about finding “inner” joy and satisfaction, with practices like mindfulness and meditation. While I totally believe these practices have tremendous value, and I’ve blogged about them before, “Joyful” explains that there is another easy way to tap into joy. In her book, she explores the impact of our environment on our mood and sense of well-being. Isn’t it true that some environments make us feel tense and anxious, while others fill us with delight?

The book discusses how changing our surroundings can help us to feel more joy and delight, and it got me thinking about our sense of smell. A study entitled, The Role of Odor-Evoked Memory in Psychological and Physiological Health, said the following, “A review of the literature leads to the conclusion that odors that evoke positive autobiographical memories have the potential to increase positive emotions, decrease negative mood states, disrupt cravings, and reduce physiological indices of stress, including systemic markers of inflammation.”

More simply put, the right smell can make you feel JOY!

How do you know if a scent makes you feel joy? It’s not by just picking an essential oil blend that “sounds” joyful. Why not? Because each of us has a unique sense of smell and distinct memories attached to aromas. You want to find what scent makes you feel good! I describe it as the “Ahhhhhh” moment when your shoulders drop and smile naturally comes to your face.

If you live near e3’s store in Southern Oregon, we invite you to come by and take some time to smell the different essential oils and e3 blends to see which one lights up your day. Together we can create an essential oil blend that says “Joy” for you personally. That way you’ll know how to create joy in a bottle, so you can enjoy it anytime, anywhere! If you don’t live nearby, take advantage of e3’s sample policy which allows you to experiment with different scents. Would you like to learn more about how aromatherapy and your sense of smell works? Grab a copy of our downloadable free ebook, Listen to Your Nose – An Introduction to Aromatherapy.

As we go into the New Year, another thing that fills me with joy is working with a wonderful community of aromatherapists, wellness practitioners, healthcare workers, and people dedicated to natural, healthy living. I deeply appreciate your feedback, you may not realize that many of our products are the result of your suggestions.

We’ve recently been hearing that many of you are looking for aromatherapy products that are ready to use. Life is busy, and some of you just don’t have the time to make your own natural products. We’re listening, so in 2020 you will see beautifully designed, ready-to-use, body lotion, massage lotion, face serum, floral waters, body scrubs, body oils, etc. All will be made with only natural ingredients. Make sure you’re signed up to receive emails from us so we can let you know when these new products are available. I hope you find JOY in the season and throughout the New Year.