As you know, I’m always curious about things, and love to explore new ideas.

One of my latest ones is Aromatherapy

Did you know that pure essential oils can clean the receptor sites of cells, enabling them to better access the nutrition they need to function well? Did you know they can also repair damaged cells? Even more amazing, they can also repair damaged DNA.

The essential oils of aromatherapy are extracted from aromatic plants and herbs-from the flower, bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rhizome, or leaves-generally through a process of steam distillation. These oils may be inhaled or massaged into the skin, after combining with a vegetable, nut or seed oil.

The olfactory bulb is part of your brain’s limbic system, which is not under conscious control. The limbic system controls digestion, libido, and emotions.

So, it’s not your imagination that scents evoke emotion. Aromas actually trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that create a feeling of well-being. Scientists say your body’s response to an aroma takes just four seconds.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about this, and plan on sharing some of what I’m learning. What’s amazing is that Aromatherapy can not only deal with physical healing, but emotional healing as well.

One of the books I’ve been reading is this one: Heal With Oil: How to Use the Essential Oils of Ancient Scripture by Rebecca Park Totilo. It’s short, easy to understand, and gives an interesting introduction to the oils of ancient scripture.

Check it out! Tell me what you think!

If you’ve used essential oils and have some stories to share, share them below! I’d be interested in hearing about them.

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Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!

So, as part of my 12in12 challenge I wanted to get back out walking starting February 1. Today I just found this cool walking challenge that starts on the 1st and encourages you to walk 1049 minutes (30 minutes a day for 35 days) and the number of minutes is based on the number of miles for the Iditarod Sled race. Here are the details from the site:

The Idita-Walk is an event to promote physical fitness in the spirit of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The Iditarod Sled dog race is 1049 miles long from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. To complete the Idita-Walk, simply walk 30 minutes a day for 35 days between February 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012 for a total of 1049 minutes (any combination of minutes will work – just reach 1049 during the 60 day event!).

Want to join me? It’s only $10 and the money is for charity. You can sign up here: www.idita-walk.com

You can even register your dog!

Post below if you’re going to join in! It will be fun to watch out for each other’s results.

Darlene

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So, on Friday I talked about my journey into the Discipline of Discomfort and my desire to push through the uncomfortable barriers in my life that are keeping me stuck.

Now, if you’re like me, and a bit of a “Type A” personality combined with ADD you will have a list a mile long of things that need to change in your life, or things you want to push through. Tackling them all at once (as we tend to do in the first week of January…) is only going to get you frustrated.

I like to try to add one thing per week, but even that is overwhelming and I burn out too quickly. Right after the New Year I came across Chris Brogan’s blog post “My 3 Words for 2012” and he mentioned a personal trainer named Jackie from Fitarella.com who uses a concept called “12 in 12″. Every month you pick one thing that you’re going to do consistently for 30 days. At the end of the 30 days you decide if you’ll continue or not. Regardless of the decision on that first item, you add a second item to work on in the next 30 days. Check out the blog post to get more detail.

The main area that is frustrating the heck out of me is the weight that refuses to budge, regardless of the diet, exercise, or magic potions I might try. SO unbelievably discouraging. If you can’t lose weight walking 100+km a week, while eating a healthy diet, there really is little hope. Currently I have the cold/cough from hell that refuses to let go, so my options are somewhat limited here as well. However, last month I began a program of supplementation/cleansing that I’m hoping will boost my energy and help me sleep better. I’ve been pretty faithful with that. The first two weeks of January have been about healing this blasted cold/cough, but I’ve also been doing some research into programs that will help me get fit and lose the weight without stressing my daily schedule too much.

Several years ago I found Zna Trainer and found her stuff very interesting and backed by a huge amount of science. It’s pretty weird, though, and is based on some rather odd breathing practices. It’s only 5-10 minutes a day and the results seem pretty astounding. I spent about an hour chatting with her on Facebook and then spent more time exploring her site and some of the success stories, and then 15 minutes working on figuring out the O2 exercises which are unbelievably powerful. Just the O2 Breathing exercises alone gave me a full abdominal and facial workout! I will feel this tomorrow.

So, between now and the end of January I’m going to do her O2 exercises every morning for 5 minutes. In February, my intention is to start back with my walking, which is nearly impossible right now with the combination of this cough and the cold weather. Hopefully by the end of January, the cough will be history!!

Why not join me? Pick one thing you’re going to do between now and the end of January, every day, faithfully, regardless. Post below what that is, and we’ll motivate each other!

Make it a great day!

Darlene

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I just have to admit it. I’m a wuss.

I love being comfy. Snuggling in warm blankets, drinking warm cocoa, sleeping in, curling up with a good book and some tea, doing what I want, when I want…

I’m also spoiled. I have a brilliant family who is always jumping in to give me a hand and make my life less awkward. I deeply appreciate it, but the truth is, I’m getting soft(er) and not in a positive way. I really struggle against anything that makes me push harder or go beyond my comfort zone. “I just can’t be bothered” is becoming a catch phrase in my life.

I think it’s beginning to cost me. Experiences that I could be having are being missed because it’s too much effort. Growth I could be seeing in my life is hindered because it’s too awkward to deal with. I need to take some lessons from Paul, who says in 1 Corinthians 9:27

I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Into this introspection, that’s been going on for a while, comes this fascinating little book, “The Flinch*” Julien Smith. A fascinating, short treatise on forcing ourselves into discomfort in order to move past personal blocks. This isn’t about hair shirts and self-flaggelation. It’s more about looking for an opportunity to lean into uncomfortable situations in order to move forward. Some of his suggestions include taking a cold shower every morning for a week, saying “hello” to people you pass in the street, or saying “yes” to any and every opportunity that comes up over a certain period of time.

In light of my own realizations regarding my discomfort with discomfort, I’m going to be taking on the challenge of doing awkward things. In fact, I’ve already begun by taking on more social engagements involving crowds of people in order to move my business forward. Sounds small, perhaps, but I normally try to avoid situations that require my mingling with groups of people I don’t know well. They are, however, extremely important for my business growth.

There are other things I’m wanting to try, too, but my current battle with a truly nasty, debilitating cold/cough is holding me at bay. While I’m waiting, however, I’m forcing myself to take a regular dose of Buckley’s. Surely that has to count for something! In fact, even their website says: “When it comes to being sick, there are two kinds of people in this world. Those who want comfort, and those who want to get better.” so I figure I’m in good hands.

And the other things I’m going to try? Well, check in on Monday, and I’ll tell you all about it!

Darlene

PS: The book is free. Go get a copy! “The Flinch*” and yes, that’s an Amazon link, but as the book’s free, it’s not really an issue!

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Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!

Last Spring a friend of mine popped in to tell me about an amazing workshop she’d been at about how to write a book. By the end of the conversation we were both pretty revved up and had our book subjects chosen and were ready to write.

I sat down and got my ideas all on paper but they felt a little dry. I’m very pragmatic. I like lists, clear steps, and little filler. However, in a book, that can be boring.

Along comes a friend of mine who is an amazing wordsmith, and she offers to sparkle it up for me. The result is a practical book that’s delightful to read (well, it is possible that I’m biased…)

The book is called “The Nectar Effect: Be Irresistible and Attract What you Want in Your Business” and it’s all about building a business through relationship marketing. There are dozens and dozens of very practical “do it now” things you can do to increase visibility and connect with your market in several different areas of marketing: face to face, online, events, etc.

I’d love to have you take a sneak peek! I’m offering the first four chapters for free to anyone who “likes” the Nectar Effect Facebook page, and votes on one of the three covers we have suggested.

So, head on over there, click “like” and give me your vote!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Darlene

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As I said in my post on Monday, I do love getting fitness gadgets for Christmas! I’ve been in a real slump, fitness-wise, over the past several months. I’m struggling to find the time I need to commit to my fitness goals, and my life, as a result, is getting more and more sedentary. I know the “UP Bracelet“ is going to help with that. However, that wasn’t the only fun gadget I got! Let me tell you about the other one!

The other gadget I got was actually a kit; a Yantra Mat kit with almost 9000 acupressure points in the form of little, prickly discs all over the mat. You lay on it – kind of like a bed of nails! – and the first 5 minutes are quite painful and uncomfortable, but after that there’s a flood of warmth that goes through your body and causes some deep relaxation. The kit comes with a mat, a pillow, two bands that you can tie onto/around any body part that needs a little healing or relaxation, and two rings for stimulating your fingers.

I tried it out last night before bed. Very cool. I’m going to use it for my naps during the day and see how I feel. If nothing else, it will ensure that I am willing to wake up on time when the nap is over!

Have you ever tried the Yantra Mat? If so, share your results below!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

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Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!

Hello all! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that you get a more relaxed week this week to enjoy family and friends!

I had an amazing Christmas! My husband and son are techies. One of their favourite things is to find me some new techno-gadget for Christmas, and this year was no exception.

The first gadget thing was a pair of incredibly warm gloves that allow me to use my iPhone/iPod without needing to take them off. In our cold Calgary winters, this is a real plus. They’re soft, unbulky, and while it sometimes takes a little more effort, they do a great job of communicating with my iPhone. These are going to be very useful for the next few months!

The other unbelievably cool thing I got was an “UP Bracelet” which I wear 24/7 to track my eating habits, activity levels, and sleep patterns. I can create and/or join challenges, create a photo food diary, and just generally keep track of how I’m doing health-wise. It’s very easy to use, and has graphs and charts that make tracking-at-a-glance really easy. I’ve just started to use it, and am still learning the ins and outs, but so far, it’s a riot. It’s comfortable to wear, waterproof, has a long battery life, and works together with an iPhone/iPod app to keep track of everything.

Ahh, nothing like a new gadget to help me get off my butt and get going!

How about you – did you get any fitness gadgets this Christmas? If so, share below! I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

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If you could only do ONE THING to vastly improve your health, what would it be?

Watch this video and see:

I’d love to hear your comments!

Happy Walking (more so now, than ever!)

Darlene

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I thought this article was awesome! I love it when people take the initiative to do something different, adventurous, and a little crazy. It think all of us would be better off if we had the courage to go against the grain a little more.

Hiker eludes bears, hungry skunk on cross-Canada trek

So, once you’ve read that and get yourself inspired, what challenge might you take on in 2012 to break out of your comfort zone and experience something new?

Post below and share!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

Be A Star! Post your comments below and join in the conversation (or get it started!) and then share this post with your friends using the different share buttons on the blog. I'd sure appreciate it! Thanks!

Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!

This is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. How big is God, really?

In the conversations I’ve had with people about my not going to church there seems to be a lot of fear for my spiritual safety, and to be honest, I’ve also felt a little nervous regarding the spiritual growth of my two kids without the church to kind of “back them up”.

When this happens, I’m learning to stop myself and ask “How big is God?”

If my reasons for leaving the church were “right” ones (what appeared to be a call from God asking me to leave) as opposed to my leaving for reasons of anger, rebellion and hurt, and if my purpose is to really and truly know God as He really and truly is, and if I’m pursuing that desire through scripture, open fellowship where I’m encouraging people to speak truth to me, and prayer, and if I see strong growth in my life in confession, repentance, celebration, and fellowship, then what do I have to fear? Is God not big enough to help me? And if my heart is right, and I’m open before Him and before others – including my family – is He not also big enough to watch over my children?

I’ve been surprised by the amount of fear expressed towards me about this – not just from “outside” but also the amount that has surfaced in myself. I cannot believe how much my faith has been motivated by fear. This is NOT the foundation I want to build my relationship with God on. I want to stand solidly on His love, not my fear. Perfect love casts out fear, and that’s how I’m choosing to live.

And what about fellowship? The fellowship I see in the Bible in the New Testament is less about a formal, pre-planned church service with bells and whistles, and more about people coming together to celebrate Jesus because they couldn’t help sharing, each one bringing something to contribute about what they’re learning in the faith. Each one responsible for their own growth, and coming together to know and be known by others. Since leaving the church God has blessed me with several deep, deep friendships with people, conversations that bring tears, hilarious laughter, change, prayer, teaching, support, and great love. THIS is the fellowship I believe God wants us to have. For some, they find that in the church, and I say “Praise God”. For others it’s a little more difficult.

And strangely enough, I’m a huge fan of things like liturgy and spiritual discipline, ancient prayers and the like that is pretty much only found in the church, but I’m learning to find it and use it on my own as well, and I’m thriving in the richness of that heritage, too.

So, to answer my question: is God big enough to keep me and my family safe? I have to answer a resounding “YES”.

And I’m not going to waste any more time worrying about it. Whew!

Be A Star! Post your comments below and join in the conversation (or get it started!) and then share this post with your friends using the different share buttons on the blog. I'd sure appreciate it! Thanks!

Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!