Life Transitions Are Easier with Aromatherapy

By Caryn Gehlmann

Life transitions… how do you feel about them? They can be a bit overwhelming at times, can’t they?  And trying to ignore them…well…it only makes things harder.

Sometimes we need to slow down a bit and give ourselves space to move through the transition in a way that works for us personally. Aromatherapy is an easy way to help us create that space.

At times, we go through BIG life transitions, we get married, divorced, lose a loved one, start a new career, etc. However, over the last few years, we’ve been experiencing additional transitions.

It seems like we’re constantly confronting changes on how we go about everyday life. One minute we’re Zooming into work, the next we’re back in the cubicle next to a coworker who swears she “just has allergies.” One day we’re homeschooling our kids, the next we’re seeing them board the school bus and telling ourselves not to worry about monkeypox!

I enjoyed the article, Life Transition Self-Care: 5 Ways to Fill Your Cup, by therapist and life coach Patty Bechtold. she explains that life transitions are difficult because “we enter a foggy in-between place, wrapped in a blanket of ambiguity and uncertainty.” But the good news is your senses carry innate inner wisdom on how to help you. she continues, “You may not understand why you can’t get enough of the scent of lavender or why touching a certain something brings you close to tears. But you don’t need to understand it. You just need to turn towards it and let your senses take over and attach to it, even if just for a moment.”

This concept really resonated with me because it’s the basis of aromatherapy — letting your senses take over. Essential oils influence your mood through the limbic system. Your mood influences you’re thinking, and this outlook influences your ability to make a healthy transition.

Now don’t be surprised if you find that you respond very differently to certain aromas during periods of transition. Listen to that innate wisdom of your body. Look for essential oils or blends that work for you at that moment.

Favorite e3 Blends Helpful During Life Transitions

Each of these blends is very different so listen to how your body responds. (And don’t forget you can request samples with your next e3 order so you can find what works for you and your transition.)

Transition Blend Helps You Ease into Change

Transition is an extraordinary blend with a wide and well-balanced range of scent notes that calms, balances, uplifts, and stabilizes. Read more about how to use it in your daily self-care routine to reset and balance your mood. Whenever you feel a little disoriented or overwhelmed by change, grab Transition Blend instead of biting your nails or eating that quart of ice cream!

Here’s a list of essential oils with therapeutic uses helpful when dealing with life transitions:

Bergamot, FCF: Mild depression, stress, anxiety, nervousness, mood swings, apathy.

Black Spruce: Stress, anxiety, mental fog.

Frankincense: Tense breathing, rapid breathing, anxiety, stress, nervous tension, fear, restless mind.

Geranium: Stress, anxiety, mood swings, mild depression.

Ho Wood: Calms anxiety, tension, stress and promotes feelings of peace.

Hyssop, Decumbens: Tense breathing, anxiety, tension, stress, mild depression, mental fog, inability to concentrate.

Melissa: Rapid breathing, anxiety, mild depression, tension, crisis, fear, shock, anger.

Myrrh: Anxiety, tension, emotional coolness, apathy.

Rose: Mild depression, stress, anxiety, irritability, tension, emotional coolness, sleeplessness, anger, fear.

Sandalwood: Anxiety, tension, stress, sleeplessness, sense of isolation, emotional instability.

Habit Release Blend Empowers You to Make a Change for the Better

Letting go of something you’ve been doing for years, even if deep down you know it’s for the best, can cause emotional, mental, and physical stress. Whatever habit you’re trying to shed, e3’s Habit Release Blend is designed to support you! The blend of essential oils can help minimize stress, empowering you to intentionally change your routine or behavior. Learn more about the different ways to use EOs to break bad habits.

Here’s the list of essential oils in Habit Release Blend with therapeutic uses that are helpful when dealing with this type of change:

Balsam Peru: Emotional weakness, anxiety, tension, stress, mild depression.

Clary Sage: Nervous tension, mild depression, anxiety, stress, sleeplessness, emotional discomfort, lack of sense of well-being.

Frankincense: Restless mind, anxiety, tension, stress.

Adventurous Blend When You Want to Feel Confident about the Future

Maybe you’ve worked through the transition and you’re trying to figure out what’s next. If you’re looking for a little boost, some extra mojo, or a more carefree spirit, the Adventurous blend was created to help you tap into your inner confidence. This deceptively simple blend has a playful yet earthy scent. It can give you the extra boost you need to march (or dance) to the beat of your own drum.

Here’s the list of essential oils in Adventurous Blend to help you feel more confident as you face the future:

Orange, Sweet: Poor circulation, nervous tension, mild depression, worry, mental fatigue.

Patchouli: Nervous exhaustion, stress, lethargy, mood swings, mild depression, low libido.

Ylang Ylang, Extra: Nervous tension, stress, anxiety, mild depression, emotional coolness, low libido.

Using our sense of smell can give us the space we need to ease through transition. If you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, you may want to start with a single essential oil before moving on to a blend. Please feel free to reach out to our team of clinical aromatherapists with your questions.

Do you want to deepen your understanding of scent and explore the world of aromatherapy? Download our free guide, Listen to Your Nose: An Introduction to Aromatherapy.

Thanks Patrick Hendry on unsplash for the image.