Friday, June 29, 2012

Daily Inspiration:"Do one thing everyday that frightens you."                                
Eleanor Roosevelt

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

About Me



My youngest son Jonas
    In my last post I said I would write a more personal post about myself, so everyone could get to know me a bit.  So the basics first; I am 32 years old, although I often joke that I decided to stop aging at 22.  (my youngest son actually thinks I'm 22, we all think it's too cute to correct.)  I've been married to my husband Shaun for almost 11 years and we have three boys.  Royal is the oldest, he is 12, Gage is my middle guy, he is 9, and Jonas, or Jo Jo as everyone calls him is 4.  We live in a small mountain town in California, the town that Shaun and I met in at 16 when I moved here from Washington.
Gage and Me 
 
 I was raised as a Navy kid so I have lived in a few different places; California, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington and Arizona.  I love that I was raised in the military, I was always very proud of my Dad, and I loved the new adventures we would undertake as a family every two to three years when we would move again.  Don't get me wrong I wasn't happy once I grew older...I thought my parents were simply trying to ruin my life, but when I was really young I liked it and now I wouldn't change a thing about my childhood.
My husband Shaun and my eldest son Royal
My doggy-Miss HoneyBee
    I am a big believer in learning from your past and using it to grow as a person and help others.  For this reason I am very forward with others about my past.  I am a recovering drug addict.  I have been clean since 1999 and thank God that he had a plan for my life and that with his help I have been able to move beyond my past and stay clean for such a significant amount of time.
Gage and Jonas in our front yard
    I am also Bipolar, which is something that I will always have to deal with but have found that if I am making good, healthy choices in my life and am keeping the lines of communication open with God then I'm generally pretty good.  I still get manic at times and depressed at times but I have grown to know my body and am aware when I am too far in one direction.  Simply being aware of the issue really makes a huge difference for me personally.  I get panic attacks quite often but I have found that if I stop, slow my breathing and pray, they go away quickly.

    It took me a long time to get to this point.  In my early 20's I couldn't drive on the freeway, eat in a restaurant, go to the movies, grocery shop, etc.  I had a big problem with feel trapped and needing to escape.  I slowly forced myself to take small steps to feel comfortable in those situations and now I am fine in almost every situation.  When I start to feel panic creeping in, I remind myself that the situation isn't really dangerous and that I am strong, with God on my side and then I make myself stay in the situation.
Shaun and I at Nelder Grove
Me and Shaun in Glamis
   
    Maybe hearing a bit of my story will help someone who is going through an issue I have already been through.  If this is the case fell free to contact me, if you'd like.  Often times talking with someone who understands where you are, or just knowing they've been through it and are now happy and healthy, helps you to simply feel normal.  Which let's face it, we all just want to feel "normal".  If you have anything to add or would like to share a bit of your story please comment!

Daily Inspiration:"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."                                                                                Leo Buscaglia

The Next Post Will Be:
 All About Argan Oil 

Monday, June 25, 2012

Eco-Nista's Purpose

Nelder Grove, CA
For my first blog attempt I thought it would be a good idea to let the blogging world know what this blog is going to be about.  I own a company called O.P.i.N. Organics, we sell bath, body and home products that we make in small batches using the highest quality natural and organic ingredients.  Beyond the company; I am one of those people, often called a "Dreamer" who truly wants to make a difference in the world.  I hope that through this blog, tweets, my business and all the other en devours I undertake that I may be able to give others information that can help them to make positive changes in their lives.
For this blog I plan to educate you on different herbs, oils, butters and other natural elements.  I hope to give you ways to use these gifts of the earth, to better your life and the lives around you.  I will also be talking about health and wellness, through topics such as healthy eating, exercise, meditation and positive thinking.  Everyday I hope to post a quote or other inspirational piece that will lift spirits.  I long to be an example of what one person can do with faith, drive and determination.
Tomorrow my post will be more personal, giving you a bit of my background and letting you know a bit more about who I am.

The First Daily Inspiration:
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1