You’re tired each morning, even though you’ve gone to bed at a reasonable time and are getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep.  What’s up?  One of the most common sleep disruptors is the mid-slumber night bathroom break.  According to clinical studies, getting up isn’t the problem, but turning on a bright light to illuminate your trip is.  Bright light affects the body’s clock and pineal gland in the brain.  When light is detected your body shuts off production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, making it hard to fall back to sleep.  To avoid this problem, install a blue-tinted night light along your path to and in the bathroom.

To insure you are relaxed prior to sleep, rub lavender oil on your temples, (avoid the eye area) back of the neck and wrist pulse points.  Lavender oil has been used for thousands of years to relax and heal.

Make it easy to go to sleep and wake rested.  You deserve to feel revitalized every morning.

What were the secrets of the natural beauties of the past?  Can we gain the therapeutic benefits that Ancient Egyptian Queens enjoyed without using today’s chemical-laden formulas that cost a small fortune.  The answer is, “Yes”.

Ancient Egyptian Queens, such as Queen Nefertiti, proclaimed to be the most beautiful woman ever to live on the earth, were renowned for their extensive skin and body preparations.  Plant oils and extracts were used to smooth their skin, create salves for healing skin issues, and provide body perfumes to prepare for the King’s visit.  Many of these recipes have been passed down through history and we still use them today.

One such recipe is skin polish.  Whether thousands of years ago, or today, polishing our skin can help us  feel more attractive and beautiful.  The natural abrasive ingredients in a body polish sloughs away old skin, dirt and oil from the outer skin layers.  This unclogs, blocked pores to expose the skin’s deeper, healthier layers and reveals cleaner, fresher and younger looking skin.

Good Life. Good Earth. has an amazing sugar polish we call Mint To Be Soft.  We put it on special this week so you can see the incredible results when used in the shower on your legs, arms, elbows,  or on your feet when you give yourself that well deserved pedicure.  If you like a salt scrub (never use before or after you shave your legs- ouch!), purchase some epsom salts at the drug store and take 1/4 cup of the salts,  mixed with two tablespoons of either our Lavender Relaxation Oil or our famous Pomegranate Serum and create your own salt scrub at home.   We have also put both the Lavender Oil and the Pomegranate Serum on special this week.  Remember, these scrubs are for the outer body only – legs feet arms and elbows, not to be used on the face.  What a great way to wake up the circulation in your body and increase the blood flow while smoothing out your skin.  Make it part of your weekly beauty routine on the day you DON’T shave your legs.   When we take care of ourselves and feel good about how we look and feel, we can better take care of others and get through the grind of our days.  Go ahead – you deserve to feel like an Egyptian Beauty.

Stop the Spread of Germs by Washing Your Hands

Did you know that hand hygiene is the number one thing you can do to stop the spread of germs? Hand hygiene includes washing your hands with soap.  Staying healthy can be as simple as washing your hands to reduce the number of germs present. Here’s the proper way to clean your hands and prevent illnesses and infection for you and your family.

How to Clean Your hands

In order to prevent the spread of germs wash your hands often—with soap and warm water. Rub your hands together vigorously, scrubbing all surfaces including backs of hands, between fingers, under fingernails and wrists. Wash you hands for at least 30 seconds in warm water and with soap. (Happy Birthday, twice.)  The soap lather combined with the scrubbing helps dislodge and remove germs. The germs get washed down the drain. Pay special attention to your fingernails, between your fingers, and areas that look dirty. Keep your fingertips pointed toward the bottom of the sink, and your hands lower than your elbows. This allows the soap, water, and germs to run down the drain instead of down your arms. Don’t touch anything while washing your hands. Rinse your hands well.  Consider putting a paper towel rack in your bathroom at home so everyone can dry using a disposable  towel that is only used by one person.  You’ll be amazed at how healthy you can stay by taking the way your wash your hands seriously.

Set some time aside this week to do something that makes you really happy, even if it’s just enjoying a good laugh watching a movie or visiting with an entertaining friend.  Did you know a 2000 study at the University of Maryland Medical Center  found that a hearty laugh actually improved the lining of blood vessels and lowered blood pressure and heart rate?

Here’s an idea:   Go through your photos either in print or online and create a fun book.  Whether you are using printed pictures or taking advantage of online photo book opportunities, use pictures to tell a memorable story.  This could feature, family, friends, pets, vacations, travel, anything capturing the memory of a happy feeling.  It doesn’t have to be a long drawn out project.  Just a short, sweet book that every time you are feeling a little down or discouraged, you can pull the book out and get that “oh happy day” feeling.

How about dancing your way into happy?  That’s right, create your very own “happy dance”.  If you need a little pick me up, with or without music, create a dance that will shake off the blues and bring on that joyful feeling.

Another suggestion for feeling blissful, is to bring joy to someone else by visiting a neighbor you haven’t had time for, giving your bus or subway seat to someone else who needs it more, buying the person’s meal behind you in the drive-thru.  The possibilities to make someone happy, and in turn increase your happiness meter,  is endless.

Lesson:  Learn to be the source of your own joy and happiness.

It’s important to release the tensions, worries resentments and disappointments that can pile up during the day, and focus energy on what we feel grateful for, even if the only good thing we can see is that the day is over.  By releasing the day, you will create inner peace and calm that allows you to rest and rejuvenate so you have the energy to take in the next day.

When you’re ready to turn off the lights, take three deep breaths, or breathe until you feel yourself relaxing.  Think about the day as you breathe, and visualize an open window.  Exhale all of those negative feelings and thoughts and visualize them drifting through the window.  Say to yourself:  “I release my day.  Tomorrow is a great gift of mine to own.”  Next, indulge in a mini foot rub, as you rub your feet (use some oil or cream if handy) say, “Thank you for all the beautiful moments that happened today.  I am grateful for the joy and everything I accomplished today.”

Just this simple self care practice will prepare you for a good nights rest and remind us that while life may have its challenges, there is something to be thankful for each day, including our willingness to keep our lives moving forward.

Dryer sheets are a great way to add to your body burden of toxic chemicals.  The active chemical ingredients in many dryer sheets have a strong, pungent odor, so the manufacturers use heavy fragrance to cover up these smells.  Check the label for a listing of chemicals, that with sufficient exposure, could cause headaches, irritate mucous membranes, cause nausea, skin disorders and allergic reactions.  When animals are exposed to dryer sheets, they may develop eye, nose, throat and lung irritation.

You become exposed to the chemicals when you touch the clothes and other fabrics on your skin.  Commercial dryer sheets are actually designed to leave a residue on the clothes in order to reduce static cling.

Our recommendation to alleviate concern is to use Organic Dryer Bags.  If you choose to use this method for softening and providing an anti-cling alternative to your clothes, you’ll find our Lavender Dryer Bags in online store www.goodlifegoodearth.com/store

I wanted to talk about Love in this post since Valentine’s day is right around the corner.  At Good Life. Good Earth. we’re all about living the good life.  And when we speak of living the good life, there are so many things we can do the enjoy the everyday.  Peanut Butter is one of those things that brings me joy in life.  So in this writing I decided to give you three ways to enjoy peanut butter without stressing out about the portion or calories.  (Sorry if you are not a peanut butter lover.)

1.  You just walked in the door from work.  You’re ravenous and need a snack – NOW.  Try spreading a tablespoon of PB on two celery stalks.  Slice each stalk into eight pieces and top with a diced apple. – yummy.  The apple makes all the difference.

2.  You want to pack a portable snack and not worry about keeping it cold.  Spread a tablespoon of  PB on a small whole wheat bun.  Layer on a teaspoon of apricot preserves, top with a thinly sliced pear.  This is more satisfying than a sugar loaded protein bar.

3.  Sunday Brunch in a jiffy.  Preheat broiler.  Spread 1/2 bagel with a tablespoon of PB, 1/2 banana thinly sliced, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and sugar mix, broil for one-two minutes until lightly golden brown.  This sweet, protein-rich quick Sunday Brunch sandwich, will bring joy to your day.

BTW:  PB is the only sticky situation I like in my life. 

Most importantly, during this time of year and always, Spread The Love!

Char

Enjoying each day to the fullest is possible.  Here are some tried and true tips for living a healthier, saner, and more satisfying life.  We’ve  written about a few that you can use to lift off your new year with joy – and help further your quest to “Live The Good Life”.

Feed Your Spirit – You fuel your body, why not your soul?  Feeding your spirit means nurturing your deepest self.  Take 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening just to BE with you.  Keep up this daily routine and don’t be surprised when your life begins to flow more smoothly.

Get Creative – Fall in love with something – anything – when it comes to opening the door of inspiration.  Remind yourself what you love to do and find the time to do it.

Make Fitness Fun – Cancel that gym membership you never use and bump your heart rate with daily chores and activities that require you to “move”.  Like a long walk in the park with Fido, salsa classes,  joining an a.m.  neighborhood walking group, parking your car further from the door, and opting for stairs.  Find more opportunities to stand up and move around throughout the day.

Follow Your Dream – Having a dream is easy.  Making it happen isn’t always that way.  Our answer to starting toward your dream is to multi-task.  Start your business or new career on the side while keeping your day job to pay the bills.  You may be busier, but you’ll be more motivated as you watch your new life take off.  When the right time comes, you can move seamlessly into your new profession.  Start living your passion right now!

Wishing you a very happy and prosperous new year!  And remember, you deserve to live the good life.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is the inspiration for our “Faithful Friends” candle this season.   The lyrics of this song is our wish for you this season.  We appreciate your business.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on your troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on your troubles will be miles away

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

Through the years we all will be together and
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bow
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Happy Holidays from the entire staff at the Good Life. Good Earth. Company

1.  Celebrate with intention.  Let the holidays reflect the shape of your life.

2.  Find new ways to give in the world around you.

3.  Let joy and service inspire the season.

4.  You can connect with technology, but there’s no substitute for Real presence.

5.  The best way to entertain guests is to spend time with them.

6.  Opt for few gifts that mean more.

7.  Holiday nourishment can come in other, less risky forms, than alcohol.

8.  Give yourself 10 minutes morning and evening to recharge.

9.  Be a miracle in someone’s life.  It doesn’t take a herculean effort.

10.  Keep in mind the real meaning for celebration.

Good Life. Good Earth. Company wishes you a happy, healthy, safe, and above all, a joyous Holiday Season.  Thank you for being our valued customer.