Welcome, September! The days have been getting shorter and the temperature is a little cooler; change is imminent. September is a busy month: summer holidays are over, kids are going back to school, and soon all the bills will arrive showing how much we all spent on school supplies or vacation. For some people this marks the first day at a new school or university, and that can make things rather crazy depending on how people deal with change. Some people find it scary, worrisome, or stressful, while others find it very exciting.

If you had your choice, how would you like the back-to-(work, school, etc) routine experience to be? Write out how you would like to feel come the end of September. What would you have liked the very best month of September to have been?  It is a good idea to review this on a daily basis, especially those times when it doesn’t seem to fit your happy picture. Here is an example of a positive experience.

For me, September is the best time of year as it has always signaled a new beginning. New notebooks, pens, classrooms, routines – essentially a clean slate. January 1 has always paled in comparison to the excitement that September brings. Even though I’ve been away from the elementary/high school system for more years that I would care to admit, this energy has remained a constant in my life and I look forward to it every year. Jamie

If your September is unlike Jamie’s, here are some ideas to assist in making September more enjoyable.

1. Take care of yourself first
As parents wanting to be there for your children, it is very important to take care of yourself. Just like on the airplane – you are instructed to put on your own mask first.  You need to be able to take care of yourself first before you can help others. You will be able to stay more calm while others around you are feeling more stressed or out of sync. If you do not take care, you will notice that you have a shorter fuse and will become more irritable and less patient. As you take care of yourself, you will also be acting as a positive role model.

2. Breathe and Hydrate
A couple of easy ways to assist yourself in staying more calm is to make sure you drink water and remember to breathe.  When you notice you are feeling a little rattled, stop, and focus on taking a few deep breaths. Slowly — deep inhales and exhales. Smelling some essential oils that are calming and uplifting that allow you to remember positive experiences will also provide some solace.  Take a few minutes at the end of the day or when you’re home alone to have a lovely, relaxing bath with some essential oils.  This would work wonders for the kids as well. Another way to use the oils is on an absorbent pad, like one used to remove make-up.

3. Use Essential Oils
Essential oils can come in very handy for these times because they help in so many ways. They calm our emotions, give us a feel-good feeling, take us away to some exotic place, aid in memory recall, and help us to feel a little more enthused. Essential Oils can help in many different aspects of our busy lives. Need help choosing the right scent?

4. Diffusing Essential Oils

A few ways to use them is diffusing them in the house. There are a variety of different diffusers available, we have some in stock, like the scentball, which is perfect for the bedroom or bathroom. Another handy one is the car diffuser, great for the drive to school and to work as well as on your way home after a long day.

5. Review your herbs
If you are not doing much for supplements then a review could be in order, because under more stress we need more nutrition. During times of transition some Vitamin B can be very helpful in relieving stress.

6. Expect and act for a positive outcome
My suggestion is to smell the scent and think about your desired result of having a calm, positive routine completing the month with a win. It is possible to be busy and calm at the same time. A perfect blend for this is the smile blend that I have often talked about. It is available in a mister so it is handy for the office, car, or purse.

7. Get everyone on board for a positive outcome
Plan a family meeting and get everyone on board to having a great month with something that benefits the whole family at the end of achieving a great month. It doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to organize. Plus it encourages family time, which in a busy world can be a challenge to have, yet so important.