As if by magic…

My word for this year…

Each year on my birthday (Happy Birthday to Me!) I choose a word for the upcoming year. This word is deeply rooted in how I desire to feel and what I desire to welcome, in the coming year. As I think about the coming year and this year as I turn 50, I am also considering this new season of life and this new decade I am stepping into. How do I want to feel? How do I want to experience the world? How what way do I want my business to show up? How do I desire my clients and customers to experience me? How do I desire my husband and my kids to experience this year with me?

This year there were several contenders. Abundant, Bright, Strong, Glow, Sparkle, Glitter (I deeply believe my 5-year-old self was coming through there), magnetic and luminescent. I also considered pretty seriously, luminous and lustrous. But in the end, there could only be one and honestly, it was the obvious choice the second I wrote it on the paper. I reviewed each word I had written down, and looked up definitions and synonyms. I consider my health – mental, physical and emotional. I thought about my family. I thought about my work and my business. I considered who I want to show up this year for me and others.

The choice was obvious.

My word is MAGIC.

When I consider the definitions of this word, for which there are several, they didn’t resonate. And then I came across this. It was when I read this phrase “As if by magic…” I knew. This is how I want to feel this year. I want to feel the ease, the pleasure and the wonder that comes with magic. I want to be able to experience my business grow “as if by magic”. I desire to feel magic flow through me like energy, inspiring me, motivating me, and guiding me in all that I do. I want to experience magic in the mundane tasks of the day. I desire to tap into my own inner magic. I want to experience magic in my relationships with my family and my friends. I want to create moments of magic for others. I want to create moments of magic for myself.

Magic.

Love,

Steph XOXO

PS. This is a practice I love to teach and share so if you’ve never selected a word of the year and would like to learn more, reach out to me on Instagram. I’d love to share a couple of ways we can do this together. This can be a fun way to start a new year or if you choose, select your word on your birthday as I do.

It’s like sending them off to Kindergarten but so much harder…

I recently recorded a new episode for the podcast about my experience as a mom, sending our oldest son off to University. This will be his first year. He’s a freshman. He was so excited and I was filled with ALL the emotions. I’m sure other mamas can relate. It’s an incredibly exciting time and also so emotional.

Personally, I loved my university experience. The friends I made there, the experiences I had, the adventures. Football games, long nights of studying at the library, living with 5 other girls and only 2 bathrooms! Sorority events and fraternity parties. The good and the bad. I can look back now with reverence and gratitude. I want Jackson to enjoy all the adventure and experiences that await him but at the same time I am so sad that he won’t be home every night. There is a duality in the emotion that I was not prepared for.

As we prepared for move in day, I was struck by a few observations and I thought I would seize the opportunity to share them with you (for the complete experience, grab some Kleenex and listen to the podcast) . If you’re a mom with a kid who’s just left for college or university, I am sure you will be able to resonate with these. it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

First, can we take a moment here to acknowledge that this is a big damn deal! Our kid got in to University! Our kid is going to University! When he was accepted in to university, we celebrated him! We were and are so proud of him. We also celebrated us. We did it. We raised a functioning young adult who not only wants to but has been accepted in to university to pursue the course of their choice. This is huge!

I think I would also be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge what our kids have been through over the last 2.5 years. The kids who have gone off to school these last couple of years – pivoted to online, schools were closed, they missed graduations and proms. They lived through a pandemic and the stress + anxiety that we felt as a collective. These kids should be celebrated! And their accomplishments shouted from the rooftops!

Second, prepping to send our son off to University was a process that can only be described as kindergarten on steroids! Prepping them to go off to kindergarten, do you remember what that felt like? Will he be able to put the straw in the juice box? Will someone help him open the bag of goldfish if he can’t? Will he speak up if he needs something? Will he be safe? Will he have fun?

Sending a kid off to university is like that on steroids? Will he remember how to do laundry? Will he actually remember to do laundry? Will his room-mate be nice? Will they get along? Will he make good choices? Will he make friends? Will he be safe – in a whole other city hours away from us? Will he clean up after himself? Will he eat an occasional vegetable?

The checklists, the shopping, the reminders, the packing. It all felt like a lot. Excitement. Fear. Joy. Eagerness. Delight. Panic. Sadness. Heartbreak. With kindergarten they come home each night to tell you about their day. You get to hug them and love on them. With University, you move them in and drive away. If you’re lucky they text and call. You count the days when they’ll be home for Thanksgiving and fall break. The feelings are deeper than I ever imagined.

Finally, I think we can also acknowledge that this next season of parenthood will be different. They are growing up. Venturing out on their own. Things are going to change. I can look at him now and be so proud of the man he is becoming but still dream of the days when he was our little guy who loved trucks + hockey.

I expect these first weeks he is away I will experience anxious moments – where is he? Who is he with? Is he ok? I also know that with time, love and trust, those moments and thoughts will shift to I wonder what’s he’s up to? Who he’s met? What he’s learning. I’m also filled with gratitude + excitement for this season. It is filled with possibility. For him and for us.

Brene Brown taught us “that there cannot be courage without vulnerability”.

There is vulnerability in admitting how we are feeling and I can share without reservation that I am feeling all the feels. All the emotions. Coming in to this season, getting ready for him to go, I was able to focus on the logistics. Project Management. I created lists, went shopping (a lot!) and made sure he had everything (and more!) that I thought he needed. I read all the what to bring and not bring suggestions from the school and from other moms. story online can make all the difference.

A friend recently shared this advice with me and I am going to share it with you now – embrace it – joy for their new adventures and you heart hurting can co-exist. And it’s 100% ok to cry it out. Thank you, sweet friend!

And for those of you in this season with me, I encourage you today to one take one small step in the direction of your dreams. Our kids are taking a huge leap this week. Let’s follow their lead and bravely step towards our edges and to begin to live the life of our dreams.

 Hang in the mama, we got this!

The Concept of AND…

I declared myself as an entrepreneur. This is what I witnessed from other entrepreneurs in this space. This is what they did. A declaration. “Gone are my corporate days, I am now an entrepreneur.”

As I think about it now, I realize that so much of my identity throughout my life has been tied to my work – what I do and what my title is and in making this declaration I was shifting my identity from burnout corporate workaholic to entrepreneur. I had a belief that I had to choose. I had to one or the other. Perhaps this is why I had always kept my network marketing business hidden from those I worked with in corporate. At the time I believed that the two could not co-exist in the open. I had to choose. It was either or. I was identifying myself by my work and a title.

But what if I no longer want to identify as just one thing, just one title. I’m a woman, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend. I have the capacity to hold all of that. Why is it in our work we feel the need to box ourselves in? I was feeling the desire to bust out of the box, to re-write the narrative.

As a coach one of the things, I love most is working with women who are ready to make a change in their life. Some are on the brink of burnout and they know they need to make changes. They have been pouring from an empty cup for so long and they make the decision to work with me to learn how to live life from overflow. They are desiring more health, more joy and more fulfillment. I love to support my clients. I love to be their kick in the butt accountability partner. I love to guide them and witness their transformation. This is truly one of the gifts of coaching. To witness another woman, recognize her own worth, her own power, her presence and step in to it. Oh! It gives me goosebumps! tell your story online can make all the difference.

So here I am…

• A certified essential oil specialist with a network marketing business I love. Customers who bring me so much joy. A passion project that shifted in to a business and has grown in to an incredible community grounded in support + health. A coach.

• A certified health + life coach. Passionate about serving women desiring more health, fulfillment and joy in their lives.

• And don’t forget, through this professional journey, I never stopped being a mom to our 2 amazing teenagers and a wife to my husband.

And you know what? I still feel like I have the capacity for more. I was and am holding all of this but I have the capacity to explore more. To explore AND…

So, what did I do?

I dipped my toe back in to retail. Back in to corporate. I wanted to see if I could return to what I had loved in retail. Remember, this is where I spent 25+ years as a leader, a coach, a mentor. This is where I enjoyed incredible success. But this is also where I experienced burnout.

It’s two sides of the coin. The joy + the pain. Yes, there is risk. I could hate it. The job could not be what I desired. I could fall back in to old patterns. I could fail.

But I’m different. I’m not the same woman I was 2 years ago. I’ve taken the time to heal and step in to my personal leadership. I understand now what is required for me to feel in alignment and to enjoy health, fulfilment and joy. I know now how to set boundaries, how to say no and how to be an advocate for myself. I know what activities fuel my soul and which ones drain me. I know now how to prioritize my mental, physical and emotional health.

I share all about this experience of returning to retail, being open the more and how I’m putting what I’ve learned in to action everyday, in this week’s episode of the Stepping to The Edge podcast. Head over and have a listen. And don’t forget, if you like what you hear, be sure to follow, leave a 5 star rating and review and share the podcast with someone you know who would love it too!

Calm The Inner Critic

Have you ever considered the power you’ve given your inner critic? You know the one I’m talking about. The room-mate in your head, the one living rent free that squashes creativity and holds you back.

Your inner critic is the manifestation of your limiting beliefs. A limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. We develop limiting beliefs to protect us from future pain. Usually they develop [in our formative years] in response to painful experiences. You may have developed a limiting belief without even realizing because someone said something to you once, you internalized it and now it exists in your subconscious as a limiting belief.

An example of this that hits me hard is “You’re too old.” I do not think of myself as old. Yes, I will turn 50 this year but age has never been an issue for me. I have always felt youthful. That said, I did realize about a year ago that I was carrying a limiting belief that I am too old. As I did the work to uncover where this belief comes from for me, I realized I was told this – the individual did not use those words exactly but their message was clear and my subconscious. At that the time I remember being put off but brushed it away. My subconscious did not. My subconscious took that experience and created a limiting belief to keep me safe. That experience was painful and embarrassing and my subconscious didn’t want me to be in the position again. (If feeling like you are too old is a limiting belief for you, I invite you to listen in to Episode 11 of the Stepping to The Edge podcast. There you will find a juicy conversation on this topic that I know will serve you!)

We develop limiting beliefs to protect us from future pain. Your subconscious wants to protect you, to restrict you from situations in the future that may result in a similar experience or pain.

The inner critic – blames, shames, discourages and criticizes you. This is the voice telling you that you’re not good enough, that you can’t possibly do that (whatever “that” is for you – maybe it’s applying for a new job, investing in a new business, starting a new hobby, applying for a promotion).  Your inner critic may be saying “you’re too fat, too thin, too weak, too old, too young, too tired, not qualified, over qualified, …. fill in the blank. The list goes on and on.

LEARN TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON

YOUR INNER CHEERLEADER

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing the recording from a juicy masterclass I taught recently for our community. In this class, I teach how to turn down the volume on your inner critic and tune in to your inner wisdom.

I share a fun activity to identify + personify your inner critic so you can better recognize and address her when she shows up. Ready to listen? Head over the podcast now and be sure to pop over to my Instagram once you have. I can’t wait to hear all about your inner critics and your inner cheerleaders!

And be sure to join my private Facebook community to receive VIP access to all upcoming masterclasses and events. I can’t wait to connect with you over there!

Stepping to The Edge

So, I did a thing. I launched a podcast. This is a project that has been on my heart for a while now and I am so excited to share my story and the stories of other amazing women with the world!

Why me? Why a podcast?

Where should I start? I suppose the beginning is always a good place. If this is the first time we’re meeting, Hi! I’m Steph. I’m a corporate ladder climber turned health + life coach. As I mentioned, the podcast that has been a dream on my heart for a long time. The podcast is the proof, the example that I set for myself and for you, that if you step to the edge of your life, just outside your comfort zone and bravely consider what else is possible for you, the options may just blow your mind! way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

First, on a personal note, I’m a wife and a mom of teenagers. I love coffee, M&Ms, Disney, listening to podcasts and books on Audible. I am passionate about giving back (you’ll learn more about this in future episodes) and I dream of living by the ocean one day.

For the majority of my adult life, I was a high-level corporate executive. I was working 60 hours a week, travelling across North America for a job I loved. There is an energy in retail and if you’ve never worked in the industry, you may not understand, but my retail peeps out there will attest. There is something incredible about a busy day in retail. Exhausting but energizing, all at the same time.

I have always loved it. The energy of a mall on a peak shopping day. Black Friday? Boxing Day? Bring it on! This is where I excelled. I love to be in conversation with consumers – there is something incredible that happens when you share a moment with a guest. Maybe it’s a great fitting pair of jeans that she never thought she’d be able to fit in to or the grandmother buying her first grandchild a sleeper to come home from the hospital in. I was fortunate to be part of some many deeply personal moments.

I was blessed to work for several incredible global apparel brands, for leaders who invested in me. Who believed in me. And I did the work. I chased the promotions and accolades. Each time I was rewarded, I set my sights on the next. I was driven. I loved it. Until I didn’t. The Summer of 2018 I hit the wall. This is a story for another episode, but for now, the abridged version of the story is, I was diagnosed with cancer, I was burnt out and I realized that the roles, achievements, titles, I had been chasing were not going to deliver the satisfaction and joy I was seeking.

I was missing time with my family and desperately wanted control of my calendar. It was time for a change. I began to focus on my health. Reducing the toxins in my life (literally + figuratively). I fell in love with essential oils.

Fast forward….2020, my corporate role is eliminated and I was in a place of choice. Do I move on to a new company? Start over with a new brand and build again? Commit to continuing the long hours, travel and time away from my family…. Or do I take a break?

I made the decision to take a break. I walked away. Over the last 2 years, I have poured in to myself. I have focused on my health – physically, mentally and spiritually. I have focused on my relationships. I began to build community. I signed up for courses and masterclasses, I read books, learned to rest, learned to breathe, I hired a coach and eventually went back to school.

I became a health + life coach.

Why a coach? Through my experience of hiring a mentor, I have come to realize how incredibly valuable it is to have someone in your corner. Someone who will hold you accountable. Someone who will challenge you. Someone who will hold space for you. I realized that this was something I had been doing for others for years in my corporate career. I loved to coach. I loved being a mentor.

In my network marketing business, I excel at building community and creating connection. I soon realized that the skills I have paired with a desire for more health and happiness in my own life, were all I needed to pivot in to health + life coaching.

My passion is to coach women who are ready to step to the edge of their lives, who are seeking more health, more fulfillment and more joy. I love working with women who have made the decision to pour in themselves, their health, their business or career, their relationships. Our conversations go way beyond the superficial and I am so grateful to be a part of their journey.

So, why a podcast? As I mentioned I love to create connection + community and a podcast feels like the perfect platform. In the coming weeks and months, I will be bringing you juicy conversations with incredible women. I’m so excited to create a platform for amazing women to share their stories. It is my hope that our conversations will serve as a spark to encourage you to take inspired action and go after what you desire.

So, why name it Stepping to the Edge?

You know that feeling when you’re about to do something and you have butterflies in your stomach. You’re feeling the contrast between feeling nervous or anxious and feeling so excited. The energy running through you is electric. To simply step to the edge of your comfort zone, requires you to be brave, event bold, it requires you to dare to desire more for yourself, for your health, for your life. So many will never take that step to the edge and fewer still will take the leap.

I read a quote once, about having faith, taking the leap and trusting that your wings will appear. This is what Stepping to The Edge is about. I’m taking the leap and my wings are spreading.

If you’re ready to step to the edge with me, head over to where you listen to your favourite podcasts. You’ll find Stepping to the Edge with Steph Johnston on Apple, Spotify and Amazon Audible. And then be sure to head over to Instagram. You can find me here I’d love to know what you think of the podcast!

Stay tuned friend! I’m just getting started!

Welcoming a New Year with Intention

Desire Mapping is the revolutionary way to plan your New Year in 2022. My Desire Map 1/2 day retreat is OPEN!

This year, let’s turn traditional New Year’s goal setting on its head. Let this be the end of resolution-ditching by February. Here’s how (and its deceptively simple): instead of talking about external goals, I want you to discover how you want to feel in various parts of your life.

Before you set your resolutions — the things you hope to attain, achieve, and accomplish — first, think about how you want those things to make you feel. When you wake up in the morning, when you get in your car, while you make dinner, while you’re planning your vacations…

Let this be the year you create your life with pure and powerful intention.

My wish for you is that making empowered choices comes easily to you. That’s why I’m inviting you to my special New Year’s Desire Map workshop: Resolutions Out, Revolutions In

This workshop, inspired by the best seller The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte, is a soul-heart-body experience that helps you feel good. Every day. It begins with getting clear on what you already have in your life, reflecting on the previous year, what you want to leave behind, and what you want to bring into the future with you.

You’ll get clear on the root of your desire and create a map of how you desire to feel in five areas of your life. From that place of clarity, you’ll be guided to discover and declare your core desired feelings, all while being supported in a cozy, warm and loving environment of other gorgeous souls. This is the new way to plan your New Year’s Resolutions.

Every activity and exercise supports you in discovering your core desired feelings, because something magical happens when you focus on how you want to feel:

• You remember your light, your true nature, your source — the life source that connects us all.

• You use your preferred feelings as a guidance system for making choices and for being more present and alive. 

• You are able to access comfort and clarity during painful times.

• You accentuate the positive aspects of your life, while still honouring, and not invalidating, the negative parts that you want to change.

Knowing how you want to feel is one of the most important forms of clarity you can have. You’ll feel the way you want to feel more often than not. Decisions will be easier to make. You’ll know when to say “No, thank-you” and “Hell, yes!” You’ll be more optimistic, more openhearted. Your life will ease up on the grinding and and fill up with more…ease. 2022 is yours.

For more details on exactly what we’ll cover at the workshop, dates and investment, click here.

I want to help you design a life that feels good: when you wake up, when you go to work, when you cook dinner, create something. The Desire Map has changed the way I live my life, and I am so thrilled to share this experience with you.

I’d be honoured to support you in doing everything that makes you come alive at my next workshop.

Love, Steph

Resolutions Out, Revolutions In

Resolutions, we all make them. Lose 10 lbs. Go on a family vacation. Expand my business. Get up earlier. It all feels more like a to do list than inspiration. But what if you could do it differently? What if you could step in to 2022 with a crystal clear knowing of how you want to feel and how to achieve those feelings? 

Picture it. A beautiful and inspirational space. Women coming together in community. Comfy clothes and fuzzy socks. A room filled with love and space for you to dream. 

Join me on Saturday, Dec 4th for a half day retreat of connection + community + dreaming.

You will be led through a Desire Map Experience where you’ll identify your core desire feelings (how you want to feel most of the time) and then we’re going to get creative and have some fun with a vision board exercise.

It’s time for us to be together. In person.

It’s time for you to acknowledge how you desire to feel and take action to have the best year yet.

Saturday, Dec 4th from 10-2p

Millworks Creative District, Dundas, ON

Investment: $122

Click here to register today.

There’s a place for you.

Orange you excited for Halloween?

Are you ready to welcome all the little ghosts, ghouls, goblins and every adorable kid wearing a cute costume this weekend? I am so excited! When our boys were small (photo above) we loved all the costumes and the experience of Halloween. Can I let you in on a something? I still dress up every Halloween to hand out candy! What?? You don't?

Tell me…what's your go to candy / treat to hand out to your Trick or Treaters? It's a mixed bag of treats at our place…literally! I love to make up little treat bags with an assortment of chocolates + candy for all the kids (big or small!) What about you? Are you a full size chocolate bar kind of house? I remember as a kid there was a house around the corner from us that always went all out with their decorations and on the big night there would be a line up of kids waiting to get in. They had games to play and in the end you earned a full size chocolate bar. I can still remember the bliss I felt when they handed it over.

As we prep for this fun filled weekend, I thought I'd share some fun Halloween inspired diffuser blends + treats that you may want to try this weekend. 

Time to Get Spooky

Here are a few Halloween inspired diffuser blends to help you set the tone in your home.

Halloween Essential Oil Potions

I even have a few potions up my sleeve for you. The immunity apples and zombie blend are a couple of person favourites.

Have a BREW-tiful Halloween Friend!

Love,

Steph

XOXO

I invite you to join in the conversation over on Instagram.

Follow me @sjohnstonr. Let’s social media BFFs!

A Desire Map Experience for Network Marketers

Have you heard of The Desire Map Experience? Maybe you’ve read the book by Danielle LaPorte?

Desire Mapping is a heart-centred approach to sourcing your true power, clear thinking and joy. As much as we’ve been trained to use our heads, to suck it up and carry on, to get the grades and measure every step and count every dollar and click until we burn out ... Our heart is our power source.

In my corporate career I was always striving for next. Working towards the next promotion, the next award, the next acknowledgement. I was successful. But something was always missing. Then, I was introduced to the Desire Map and everything just clicked! I welcomed in more ease, joy and impact in to my business. I make decisions in alignment with how I most desire to feel and I take action on goals I have set because I am inspired.

So, what is a Desire Map Experience like? During a Desire Map Experience, you will be led to choose your core desired feelings. Your Core Desired Feelings are how you want to feel most of the time - your most preferred states of being. They’re life-affirming feelings - positive and expansive. They’re qualities of the heart––expressions of love and vitality. Your Core Desired Feelings move you toward your Highest Self to JOY. This allows you to create your life with intention. Align with your Core Desired Feelings––every day, in all of your choices, especially the big ones––and you’ll be living and giving, with intention.

It is an honour to share this work with you!

A Desire Map Experience is comprised of a series of activities that you are led through.  Exercises to reframe your perspective and help you identified your CDFs. We investigate your values and 5 life areas…

• LIVELIHOOD & LIFESTYLE: career. money. work. home. space. style. possessions. fashion. travel. gifts. sustainability. resources.                                            

• RELATIONSHIPS & SOCIETY: romance. friendship. family. collaboration. community. causes.                          

• BODY & WELLNESS: healing. fitness. food. rest and relaxation. mental health. sensuality. movement.

• ESSENCE & SPIRITUALITY: soul. inner self. truth. intuition. faith. practices.

• CREATIVITY & LEARNING: artistic and self-expression. interests. education. hobbies.

It is truly a holistic approach.

Once your CDFs are selected, we celebrate! Then we work together on goal setting. Intentional goal setting using your CDFs as your guide.

Who is Desire Mapping for? If you are seeking more joy, ease, harmony or impact, Desire Mapping is for you. If you are a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter who is seeking deeper relationships, Desire Mapping is for you. If you are a leader seeking greater expansion and fulfillment in your business, Desire Mapping is for you.

When to Desire Map? This is uniquely up to you. You may choose to step in to a Desire Map Experience at the beginning of a new year to set beautiful intentions for a year filled with joy + fulfillment. You may choose to step in to a Desire Map Experience at the beginning of a new season – consider that fall is coming. We are all holding on to Summer with a tight grip but fall is coming and with the start of back to school, I personally always feel a sense of refresh. This would be a great time to invest in a Desire Map Experience.

If you are feeling drawn to learn more about Desire Mapping, I am excited to share that I have a couple of options available.

• First, I am launching a Desire Map Workshop for Network Marketers. I am so excited about this experience. As someone who is passionate about the NWM industry, I think that the experience of identifying your CDFs and then using those to set intentions on how you most desire to show up as a leader for your team + community, will be a catalyst for incredible results. You’ll be empowered to show up + create your business with intention. And I think the timing could not be more perfect. Summer is winding down and fall is the perfect time to refresh and renew your passion for your business. Stop chasing your things in your business + begin pursuing your Core Desire Feelings. Workshop Dates: Aug 27&28 (online) Click the button below to learn more.

I am also thrilled to share that I am opening up a few spots for one-on-one clients. An intimate experience to work with me to identify your core desired feelings and learn how you can welcome in more joy, ease + impact in to your life. If you are interested in learning more about how you can work with me in either capacity, please connect with me. I encourage you to set up a discovery call. We can chat about what you’re seeking and determine which option may be best for you. Click the button below to book your free call today.

About Steph…

Steph is a Joy Coach, Desire Map Facilitator and Wellness Advocate whose passion is coaching and connecting women to the tools and solutions they need to live a life filled with joy and fulfillment. In 2018, Steph received a cancer diagnosis that would be the wake-up call she needed to make some dramatic lifestyle changes. She traded in her corporate career, working 60 hours a week, travelling across North America, and the continuous climb up the corporate ladder. She exchanged time away from her family and burn-out for connection to who she is and what lights her up, and now she offers the same for women who are desiring to feel more fulfilled in their everyday life.

Summer Camp

Do you have fond memories from childhood summers spent at camp? Did you go for a week? Or two? Or the whole summer?! I loved Summer Camp. The connection, the outdoors (maybe not the bugs), the campfires and of course the s’mores!

Well, I’m excited to share that Summer Camp isn’t just for kids anymore! I have created an Essential Oils Continuing Education Summer Series! In this 4 week course, customers will learn all about how to use their oils safely + effectively during these beautiful Summer months!

The Summer Series…

Week 1: Safety

Week 2: The Great Outdoors

Week 3: Summer Fun

Week 4: Food + Drinks

Imagine being able to use your essential oils to keep those summer bugs away. Or use your oils to soothe sunburn. Or using your oils to create yummy treats and cocktails this summer to enjoy poolside. I’ll cover off all this and more in this Summer Camp Series!

This exciting new series is my gift to all my wholesale customers. Ensuring you have the information and resources to use your oils during every season is my passion. Use this link to register today! Summer Camp kicks on July 5th!

Not yet a wholesale customer? Interested in getting started with pure + potent essential oils and joining us at camp? Be sure to check out the Oils Page on this site to learn more about our starter kits and then Send me an email. I’d love to help you get started in the right way for you.

See you at camp!

XOXO

A Return to Normal…

We have been in and out of lockdown for the last 15 months. 15 months of restrictions, stay at home orders, wearing masks 😷, working from home, Zoom calls and no one will forget…online school.

Finally, we’re starting to reopen. We’re returning to “normal”. But can I be honest? I hope we never return to what was. This last year has taught me so much and I intend to bring that forward in to this new season.

I choose to bring forward…

♥️ The feeling of love that flowed through me when we joined our neighbours in honouring health care workers by banging pots on the front lawn.

♥️ The feeling of joy that came from playing poker with our boys around the dining room table.

♥️ The feeling of bravery when I taught my first online class.

♥️ The feeling of gratitude when amazing women showed up each night to pour love in to themselves and others during our workshops + challenges.

♥️ The feeling of happiness when we were all so busy laughing I could barely call the BINGO names.

I am not diminishing all the hardships, the loss and the pain that came with these past 15 months for many of us. However, I am choosing to move forward in Love. To move forward in Joy. To reflect on this experience as something that happened for me. I believe that through all experiences we are meant to learn something. Because of the last 15 months I am a better woman, wife, mother, friend and entrepreneur. I’ve learned the true power of gratitude and joy.

Have you considered how this experience has changed you? What will you be bringing in to this new season as we reopen? I invite you to join in the conversation on Instagram.

A Joyous Summer workshop is OPEN!

Would you like to create a Joyous Summer with pure and powerful intention? From your relationships with your family to how your work, what goes into your body, the gifts you give, how you worship, the thoughts you focus on. Clutter is a choice. Anger is a choice. Resentment is a choice. But so are spaciousness, flexibility, laughter, compassion, resilience and JOY.

Empowered choices are the choices that take your body, mind, and spirit into consideration. My wish for you is that making these empowered choices comes easily to you. That’s why I’m inviting you to my Desire Map workshop: Joyous Summer.

JOYOUS Summer

In this introductory workshop, inspired by the best seller The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte, we will go through a soul-heart-body experience that helps you feel good. Every day. Because knowing how you want to feel is one of the most important forms of clarity you can have.

You know what happens when that kind of inner clarity meets outer action? You’ll feel the way you want to feel more often than not. Decisions will be easier to make. You’ll know when to say “No, thank-you” and “Heck, yes!” You’ll be more optimistic, more openhearted. Your life will ease up on the grinding and and fill up with more…ease (after the year we have all had, doesn’t more ease sound amazing??")

For more details on exactly what we’ll cover at the workshop, dates and sign-up fees, click here.

You are here to design a life that feels good: when you wake up, when you go to work, when you spend time with your family, when you cook dinner, everything. The Desire Map is changing the way I live my life, and I am so thrilled to share this experience with you.

I’d be honoured to support you in doing everything that makes you come alive at my next workshop.

Love,

Steph

XOXO

The Pillars of JOY

The last 15 months have been nothing I would have expected. I left my corporate career, started a new business + brand and a global pandemic shut down the world. We’ve had to pivot and adjust and pivot again. Virtual learning for kids. Building community online. Masks, news and so much uncertainty. Does that about sum it up?

Can I let you in on a secret? Throughout this experience I have chosen joy. That’s not to say there haven’t been tough days and tears, there have been. But I realize that I cannot control what is happening but I do control how I respond. So, I choose joy. I choose to embrace the moment for what it is and be present. Here. Now. Breakfasts together. Dinner together. Movie nights and family poker. I choose joy.

How to attract more JOY?

One of the keys to my success in attracting more JOY in to my life this past year has been to identify my Pillars of JOY.

My pillars are Connection/Community, Gratitude, Generosity, Health and Faith.

By identifying each of these pillars, I have created a focused way to attract more JOY in to my life. I now know what is important to me. I am clear on how and where I choose to spend my time. I am intentional in how I live my life.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll share more about each pillar and how a focus on how each may help you to attract more JOY in to your life. You are worthy of so much JOY!

I invite you to join in the conversation over on the ‘gram and be sure to check out the events page for workshops happening online and in person (soon!)

Real Life…

I always like to share how I am using essential oils with our family in real time so here is the latest in the adventure.

This morning I cut my finger on a knife in the kitchen (nothing serious, I'm fine).

It started to bleed so I ran some cold water over it and then you know what I reached for? Helichrysum. Do you have this oil in your collection? Is this an oil you’re familiar with?

What is Helichrysum? It’s a small perennial herb with narrow, silver leaves and flowers that form a cluster of golden yellow, ball-shaped blossoms, used in herbal health practices since ancient Greece. Helichrysum oil is best known for its restorative properties to the skin and has been referred to as the Everlasting or Immortal Flower.

In my opinion, it's a first aid must have (I keep a small bottle in our bathroom and even have one tucked in the first aid kit that we take on vacations and to the cottage). In this instance, when I cut my finger, I applied a drop over the cut and quickly the bleeding subsided, there was no pain and within no time the cut was healing. Simple!

But why did it work? This is a question I always ask myself. I like to know the “why”. So, I did some research. Here’s what I learned….

2 of the constituents in Helichrysum are Curcumene + Alpha-Pinene, both of which having properties that are anti-inflammatory (which can reduce swelling + pain). It's science. Cool, right?

Funny thing was, this wasn't the first time I reached for this oil this morning. When I woke up I noticed a zit had developed on the end of my nose (yep! 48 years old and I still get the occasional zit 😳). And this one hurt! Like really hurt! Immediately I applied some Tea Tree to start to clear it up and then reached for Helichrysum to soothe the pain. It totally worked! Simple!

So...of course I had to share with YOU.

Now, tell me. Do you have this oil in your collection? How do you use it? Join the conversation on Instagram. I’d love from you! And if you’re interested in learning more about how essential oils can support you and your family this summer, pop over to the sample request page and send me your info. I’ll be in touch real soon!

Find Joy in the Journey

It’s time I tell you this…

I had a moment a couple of weeks ago. I was scrolling through my social media feed and a persistent theme kept bubbling up. Stress, nervousness, helplessness, hopelessness and unease. Struggle and frustration. Fatigue. It was all over my feed. I could feel the emotions of those in my community.

Then the guilt set in. Curious. Why guilty? In a moment when others are struggling why was my response guilt. After a lot of consideration and conversation, I came to this realization. I was feeling guilty because I had a secret. A secret that I was being called to share. 

So here it is… during this last year, I have found JOY. Did you just roll your eyes? I wouldn’t blame you if you did. It sounds cracked, I know. But stick with me here. 

In the midst of lockdowns, restrictions, ever changing rules and updates, online school and cancellations, I found JOY. I found it in the moments in the morning when I get to wake the boys up for school. When I get to work out from the comfort of my own home. In the FaceTime conversations with my mom and the phone calls with my BFF. In conversations with women who feel like soul sisters. In the porch drops offs. In the driving lessons with my son. In the hikes along the trail. Even in sharing office space with my love and the dog.

So, I got to work. I created a 5 Day Joy Challenge to share with you what’s working for me and help you find JOY in the journey.

I found JOY and you can too!

Join the 5 Day JOY Challenge (May 10-14).

Let’s find the JOY in your journey!

Complete the JOY survey and register today.

Share this with a friend. Invite them to join you in JOY and then I invite you to come over to Instagram and join in the JOY conversation.

Why do essential oils work?

I'm asked this question often so I thought I would share an example using a popular oil… Deep Blue.

First, let's look at the oils that make up the Deep Blue Blend - Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Ylang Ylang, Helichrysum, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile, and Osmanthus essential oils. All powerful oils in their own right.

Second, it's important to know that essential oils are made up of constituents. Without getting too deep in the science, you can think of these as the superpowers of a plant.

Wintergreen (as noted above) is a key contributor to the efficacy of the Deep Blue blend and methyl salicylate is a key constituent in Wintergreen (>98%).

But what is, methyl salicylate?

Methyl salicylate is an analgesic (pain reliever). It is often found in over-the-counter medicines that temporarily relieve minor body aches and muscle and joint pain associated with backache, arthritis, strains, sprains, and bruises.

The inclusion of Wintergreen essential oil in the Deep Blue blend and its high amount of methyl salicylate is what offers the soothing relief you experience when you use any of the Deep Blue oil or Deep Blue Rub products.

Science! Am I right? It’s pretty amazing when you begin to dig in and do the research what you can learn about the properties of pure + potent essential oils.

Strong…

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I’d like to celebrate and introduce you to my mom. Meet Audi.

Audi is strong, fierce & creative. She is a dragon boat paddler, golfs, bakes, makes a mean perogi, is a celebrated artist and world traveller. During quarantine in 2020 she took up yoga, meditation and is studying essential oils like she’s writing a university thesis on them. Audi can often be found in her kitchen making soup or baking muffins for a neighbour.

Did I mention? She kicked Cancer’s Ass!

⠀⠀

I have been blessed to be surrounded in my life by strong women. My grandmother (the best!), incredible teachers and amazing women who support and raise me up everyday. Women who cheer each other on. Women who will pick you up, dust you off and inspire you to keep going.

This week, let’s celebrate women all around the world. Each woman's story is unique and makes a difference in the world.

Your story matters!

Join the conversation on Instagram and tell me about a woman who has impacted your life. Tag a friend. Let’s celebrate WOMEN together!

Ditch & Switch

It’s March, the sun is shining and I am dreaming of Spring! Are you with me? And you know what comes with Spring? Cleaning! Now, hold on. Don’t make that face. Cleaning doesn’t have to be torture and with a couple of simple swaps, it can actually be a pleasant experience. Stick with me for this one, ok?

Since I’ve been on this journey to health, one of my favourite topics has become toxin free living. Did you know that every day we are exposed to 1000s of chemical substances and studies have shown that 1 in 13 women is exposed to a known carcinogen every day? Hard to believe?

Consider this… Have you ever put on gloves or even a mask to clean? Do you open windows when you pull out your cleaning products because intuitively you know you need to increase fresh air flow? Do you resist asking your children to help because you don’t want them using cleaning products with warnings on the side of the bottle? Yep! That was me too!

Truth is, many traditional cleaners can irritate the eyes and throat, cause headaches, and release dangerous chemicals that we may inhale. Yikes! That’s scary but the good news is, we can take control. By switching to toxin free cleaning products, we can significantly reduce our exposure and dare I say…actually enjoy the experience of cleaning! Did you just roll your eyes? That’s ok! I wasn’t a believer at first either.

Let’s start off with 3 EASY swaps you can make to get the ball rolling…

Let’s DITCH them and SWITCH them!

Whipping up your own toxin free cleaning products does not have to be scary or overwhelming. Here are a few items you’ll need to have to get started…

• 16 oz glass bottle I like these ones

• 8 oz glass jar (you can easily pick this up from the Dollar Store)

• Vinegar - you can choose regular white or cleaning vinegar

• Baking Soda

• Castile Liquid Soap or On Guard Cleaning Concentrate

• Essential Oils - Lemon, Grapefruit, On Guard + Tea Tree are a few of my favourites for cleaning.

Recipes…

All PURPOSE CLEANER: Mix 20 drops of Essential Oils + 1 cup of Vinegar + 1 tsp of liquid soap + water: Shake well. Spray on surfaces. Wipe clean. Oil Suggestions – Lemon, Tea Tree, Grapefruit or On Guard.

Microwave Cleaner: Combine 1 cup of Vinegar + 2 cups of hot water + 15 drops of Lemon essential oil. Spray mixture inside microwave. Scrub and wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Bathroom Scrub: Combine 1 cup of Baking Soda + 2 tbsp of liquid soap + 2 tbsps of baking soda + 10 drops of Essential Oils (my favourite for this is Grapefruit) in a medium bowl. It will foam. Keep mixing. Stir until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to an 8oz jar with lid. Add a small amount of paste to a sponge or cloth and apply to surfaces. Rinse clean.

That wasn’t so scary was it? Swapping out your cleaning products for natural and effective solutions can be easy. Making each of the above will only take a few minutes and mamas, you haven’t heard the best part! Get your teenagers to work helping you clean! No toxins. No reason not to enlist them. See? This just got a whole lot easier for you!

Interested in getting started with essential oils to ditch the toxins from your cleaning routine? Check out this custom green cleaning kit I’ve created just for you! And as always, join me over on Instagram and join in the conversation. I’d love to hear from you!

What almost held me back…

They’ll laugh.

They’ll talk behind my back.

They’ll say I’m crazy.

They’ll say I’ll fail.

These are the thoughts that ran through my mind when I made the decision to build a business in network marketing. You see, I spent the last 20+ years building an identity in retail. I was a leader. I had been recognized for driving results and building teams. I had travelled to amazing places and meet incredible people. I was truly blessed. I loved it.

Then my position was gone and I had to decide what was next. Yes, I could have started over with a new company. But something was pulling me in another direction. I had a growing passion and desire to serve and lead in a new and different way.

“If you accept a limiting belief, it will become truth for you.”

Louise Hay

I was exposed to network marketing in 2016 as a customer. I was invited to sample a product and fell in love with it. That’s it. I had no intention of building a business. I was actually skeptical about the business. I didn’t know how it worked and wasn’t open to learning more about it. Network marketing? What is that? Is it legit?

But over the last 5 years something kept pulling me towards this business. Each time I shared a product with a friend that made a difference for them, I got excited. I felt a spark. I began doing research on the company I wanted to align with. I liked what I was learning and I knew I had the skills. Leadership, exceptional customer service, coaching, teaching and sales. Remember, I had been successful.

You know what almost held me back? ME. I realized that those fears I listed at the beginning of this, the fears of what others would think about my decision to build my own business, a network marketing business, were MY limiting beliefs and I had to let them go. (That’s easier said than done, by they way. These fears still come up every once in a while but as I grow in my business and belief, I’m finding ways to mute them.)

I choose to build a business in network marketing because I want to serve and lead individuals that are passionate and committed to their own growth; because I love the moment when I connect a customer to a product that will impact their health and wellness; because I deeply believe in the community we are building and this movement.

Have you ever considered starting your own network marketing business but held yourself back? Join the conversation on Instagram.

Want to learn more about my business? Let’s chat.

Let’s talk about love…

You are amazing! Did you not know? Did you really not know?? It’s true! You are amazing! You are unique. 1 in 7.6 billion in fact!

You deserve to be loved and I believe that begins within each of us. But why is learning to love ourselves so hard? As women, we are notorious for being hard on ourselves. Our internal dialogue can bully and intimidate.

Well, no more friends! As we embrace this month of LOVE, I encourage you to find space in your heart for you. Embrace what brings you joy and live a life that shines.

Wondering where to start? I got you! Below are 5 tips to help you find space and love for yourself ❤︎

“Your greatest responsibility is to love yourself and know you are enough.”

Affirmations

I love to use affirmations to speak words of love, positivity and kindness to myself. Try repeating one of these (or one you create for yourself) to yourself in the mirror each morning. Look at yourself with love and kindness. Smile. And repeat…

• I am worthy just as I am. I have nothing to prove.

• I am strong. I am smart. I am courageous.

• I love you!

Journaling

The practice of journaling can evoke feelings of gratitude and abundance. Did you know that journaling has been said to help balance emotions? For me, the practice is often cathartic. Need a prompt to help get you started? Try one of these…

• What do you need right now?

• Write about a time you were really proud of yourself?

Music

I love how hearing a song can make us smile. Do you know why that happens? When we listen to music your brain releases a chemical called dopamine, which improves our mood. Let’s get to it! Let’s sing and dance and smile!

• Create a playlist on your phone. Select songs you love. Songs that make you smile. Songs that bring up happy memories. Songs that make you dance. Give your playlist a fun title and have it on hand when you need a boost!

Essential Oils

Pure + potent essential oils have an incredible way of uplifting our mood and supporting our emotions. Consider diffusing while you meditate or journal. It’s a beautiful way to enhance the experience.

Here are a couple of diffuser blends to help you arouse those feelings of self-love…

• I love you - 2 drops each dōTERRA Cheer + Lemon + Citrus Bliss

• Self-Love – 2 drops each dōTERRA Clary Sage + Geranium + Petit Grain

• Rise – 3 drops each of dōTERRA Lemon + Grapefruit + Siberian Fir

Move Your Body

There’s a line in the movie Legally Blonde that often comes to mind when I think about exercise. In the movie, Elle says “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands.” Now this may be over the top, but you get the point. When we move our bodies, we feel better. I know sometimes it can be hard to find the time or motivation to do it, so here are a couple of tips…

• Schedule your workouts. It’s a commitment you’re making to yourself and you are the kind of person who follows through on commitments, right?

• Move your body in a way that makes you happy. Go for hike. Cycle. Run. Practice yoga. Try boxing. Go skating. Whatever activity lights you up, do that!

Soon you’ll be falling in love with yourself ❤︎

The woman you are. Who’s amazing, remember?

AND

The women you are becoming. She’s epic!