Conquering The Holiday Let-Down

Do you feel a little let-down when Christmas is over and company goes home?

That's pretty normal, after you've spent weeks preparing for the big event and looking forward to seeing far-away family. Preparations may have dominated most of your free time lately, and now you're left with a "hole" in your schedule. And you may be feeling a bit lonely if loved ones have been here and now they're gone again.

So what to do? Personally, I take a little Feel5ive just to help me get back on track.Then I make myself busy with cleaning the house - because company always makes a bit of a mess.

Next, I get back to work. In addition to doing what must be done in the week between Christmas and the New Year, I take my "spare time" and set some goals for the coming year. Then I try to put them into a time schedule and write down some suggestions to myself about how I will accomplish them.

Planning for next year takes some focus and concentration, which means I don't have time to feel sorry that I can't keep my kids at home for the rest of their lives.

If your feelings are a little more extreme - as in true distress because you can't be with them and assuring yourself of their safety at all times - you might want to try the Bach Flower Essence Chicory.

First read about how Chicory can help you, then go to Feel Bach! to place your order.

Will You Stop Smoking in 2010?

Now's the time when we're thinking of New Year's resolutions - and thousands of us will decide that now is the time to stop smoking.

It's a very good idea - both for health and financial reasons - but of course it isn't easy. You might need a little help.

Chemical products flood the market, but if you have an aversion to pharmaceuticals and worry as much about their side effects as you do about smoking, I have good news - FeelBach! has a product to help you keep that resolution.

Stop Smoking is the Bach Flower Essences blend that will gently re-balance your energies and allow you to make the break.

A smoking addiction is more than just habit, and it's more than just a craving for nicotine. Smoking is very often a part of "who you are." You identify yourself as a smoker, and changing our own ideas of who we are can be a wrenching emotional experience.

Stop Smoking will help you overcome all three of these reasons why you smoke. And at only $7.95 per bottle - it's much more cost effective than a therapist!

Plan Ahead for Happy Pets this Holiday Season

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and all the other holidays can be stressful times for your pets.

You're busier than ever, possibly not giving them the attention they crave. You're also likely to be a little bit wound up from the extra tasks you've assigned yourself. Since pets do pick up on their human's anxieties, they may be upset just because you're becoming frazzled.

On top of that, two other stressful events can upset their lives:

*Too many strangers in the house, some of whom aren't very smart around pets, and

*Being displaced from home to either accompany you on a holiday visit or to be left in a kennel.

To get ready for these events, now is a good time to make sure you have two important pet remedies on your shelf: "Feel5ive for Pets," and "Home Alone."

The Feel5ive will help them remain calm while they deal with strangers and the hubub that occurs when the house is filled with extra people. It will also help them stay calm in the car while you're traveling.

To alleviate depression and anxiety if you're leaving your pets in a kennel, you need Home Alone. Start giving it a day or two before you leave, and give the kennel operators specific instructions to put it in your pet's water dish every day until you return.

Home Alone is also good to use if shopping and visiting are keeping you away from home for longer periods than normal during the day or evening. (If you have a dog or cat who always suffers from separation anxiety, this should be a part of his or her routine every day.)

FeelBach's other pet product - Thunder Storms - may also be needed, depending upon where you live. Some communities do like to shoot fireworks, especially for New Year's Eve. If your dog will panic when that happens, plan ahead with this Bach Flower Essence blend in the water dish all day.

At only $7.95 each, these products can assure your pets of a happy holiday season - and if you're a pet lover, you know what that's worth to you, as well as to them.

One more thing - don't forget about yourself!

Thanks to Dr. Bach, there's no reason for you to go through this holiday season under stress. Feel5ive may be all you need to stay calm, but if you have other old issues that mar the holidays, do take the FeelBach! questionnaire and get help.

Getting into the holiday spirit

Are you having a tough time this year getting into the spirit of the season?

I sure am - and it's all because of Mother Nature. We have no snow, and I never feel like it's Christmas unless I can see colored lights through a veil of falling snow.

Silly, isn't it?

But, in spite of that, we made the annual trek out into the forest today to find a tree. Now I just have to move furniture and do a little cleaning so it can come in the house. Then the smell of a a fir tree and the colored lights should do something to remind me of the season.

But what if you can't go cut a tree? I checked out the lot in town, and a 7' tree was $49 - plus tax. My guess is that in places farther from the tree farms, they cost even more. That makes it tough for families who have been hit by the economic crisis.

So, maybe they're using artificial trees. They're still spendy, but at least you only purchase them once.

The problem is, they have no aroma of pine or fir to stir the holiday spirit.

We had an email this week from someone who has written a great article on just what to do about that, and so decided to share it with you.

Bach Flower Essences can further your holiday spirit by allowing you to free yourself from hurtful emotional baggage, and then just enjoy the season, but if you need "tree scent" in a treeless home, check out this article.

Feel5ive to the Rescue!

Sometimes we forget the things we know, and that's what happened to me last night.

It was an annoying day. My computer had gone haywire AGAIN and I was trying to make-do with a laptop hooked up to my monitor, mouse and keyboard. That made for a mess around my desk. The cords for everything were in a tangled, confusing mess.

Before I took the computer for repairs earlier in the day I had printed out things I needed to save, so I had papers everywhere.

My office was not a soothing place to be.

I had a lot of work to do, but kept getting interrupted with phone calls that went on for far too long. That always leaves me feeling annoyed and frustrated, and last night it seemed compounded.

Add to that the fact that my big cat was picking on the little one. Every now and then one or both of them would land on the desk, scattering papers. When I chased them off they glared at me and sharpened their claws on the carpet.

Then the dogs joined the fray. They wanted to annoy the cats, except for when they wanted to go outside.

I was at that point where I wanted to either scream or break something. I was way too wound up and upset to do the work I needed to do - and that made me even more upset!

Then, all of a sudden, I remembered that I do have a bottle of Feel5ive in the cupboard upstairs.

An hour later I was back at my desk, actually working. I still wasn't pleased with the inconvenient set-up, but it was no longer turning me into an unpleasant person. And... when I quit being wound up, my dogs and cats settled down too. I guess their misbehavior was just a reflection of the mood I'd allowed myself to get into.

Thank goodness for Feel5ive!

Christmas Season is Officially Started!

Once the Thanksgiving Dinner dishes were done, the Christmas season had begun.

It can be a time of joy, happiness, and good-will - but it can also be a time when your nerves get frayed and your temper short, in spite of your best intentions.

Stores crowded with shoppers, heavy traffic in the parking lots, kids asking for every toy they've seen on TV, cats or dogs who pull the garland back OFF the tree every day, and the hurry-hurry to do every task you've set for yourself can really take a toll.

What to do? Keep your bottle of Feel5ive handy. Take a few drops morning, noon, and night - and in between if you need it. That will help keep you from stressing out. Once you're calm, instead of seeing the pushy shoppers, you'll see the joy on someone's face as they choose the perfect gift for a loved one.

Instead of screaming at the cat or dog, you'll move that garland to a different spot and stop to give your pet a moment of affection.

Instead of losing patience with the kids for wanting everything, you'll be able to sit down and explain that no one gets everything, so they need to really think about what they want most.

You might even regain your equilibrium enough to let the kids help you with that Christmas baking - and start a new family tradition.

When the Past Prevents Happiness in the Now

The holidays often bring melancholy to those who have lost loved ones, or who yearn for the days when their children were small and the family was large and boisterous.

They miss the noisy holiday dinners, with perhaps 20 friends and family members around the table. They mourn for those who have passed on, and wish that their children could be home again, rather than living in some other part of the country - or dining with their in-laws.

If holiday dinners are now the same as dinner every other day - cooking for only one or two - it's easy to feel depressed.

These are natural and normal feelings, but when they destroy enjoyment of the "now," they need to be addressed. The sufferer needs to move forward, accept change, and find enjoyment in today while still retaining and cherishing good memories of the past.

Honeysuckle is the Bach Flower Essence that will help re-balance those energies and allow a person to live well in the present.

It's also natural to have regrets from the past. Everyone has done or said something that he or she wishes could be erased. If those regrets have grown into genuine feelings of guilt, then Pine can be added to the Honeysuckle for a more complete Bach Flower Remedy.

If you or a loved one is having trouble letting go of the past long enough to live in the present, visit FeelBach! to get your personal remedy. Shipping is fast, so in just a few days you'll be on your way to a happier holiday season.

Would you like to know more about what each of the Bach Flower Essences can do to enrich your life? Visit our information site to read about each of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies.

Thanksgiving Insecurities

Thanksgiving brings so many reasons for insecurities to surface...

If you're the one cooking the feast, you naturally want everything to be perfect, and if you're insecure about your culinary skills, you may be worried to the point of feeling ill. For many, this insecurity causes them not to attempt such a thing - but sometimes you just can't get out of it, no matter how worried you are.

If you're seeing family members you haven't seen since last year, and things haven't gone well for you financially in this past season of economic turmoil, you may be worried about what they'll think of you. You may be bracing yourself for cutting comments or criticisms couched in the guise of "suggestions" for ways to get out of a financial mess.

Even if things are going fine, you may dread facing someone who always criticizes your haircut, your clothes, your children, your pets... and on and on.

These feelings all stem from a lack of self-confidence, and there IS something you can do about it.

Get over to FeelBach! and get a bottle of the Bach Flower Remedy Larch.

Larch can help you regain your self confidence, so that you're not afraid of what people think or say. You can let them babble on, trying to make themselves feel important, and realize that it isn't your problem - it's only their own insecurities that make them so obnoxious.

And, if it's the dinner you're worried about, you'll be able to get through it knowing that you DO know how to present a great meal - and if anything goes wrong, it's no big deal.

But hurry up... if your feelings of inferiority have been with you for a long time, you need to start changing those energies now, so that you're ready for Thanksgiving and for the whole holiday season.

Here Comes Holiday Stress Season!

Are you one who loves the holidays and looks forward to all the extra work, socializing, and activities? Or are you one who dreads the whole thing and wishes it could be over before it begins?

If you're dreading all this, there could be many reasons why. The first, of course, is just that your days are already filled to the brim and now you want to add more.

You actually WANT to do all the decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping, and entertaining. And you actually want to write nice letters in each card you send. Then you want to go to all the parties, caroling, parades, and other holiday events.

It's all just too much, unless you have a way to put your other work on hold for a couple of months.

Now might be the perfect time to set aside an hour for yourself and think about it. Think about how many hours are required for each of the things you want to do, and then put them in your schedule. Or think about which activities are your favorites - put them in the schedule and decide not to do the others.

Think about which activities you do because YOU really want to do them, and which you do because you want to please or impress someone else.

Maybe the solution is to spread some of your activities out over more time. You could start addressing those cards and writing those letters this week. You could send them for Thanksgiving rather than Christmas or Hanuka. Or, you could schedule them to do in the week after Christmas. In fact, if you send them at an unusual time, it's more likely that your recipients will have time to enjoy reading them.

Meanwhile, if you begin getting stressed just thinking about all of it, take a lot of deep breaths and keep your bottle of Feel5ive handy. When you feel yourself becoming anxious, take a few drops and settle down.

Holiday stress has too many causes to address in one post, so watch here for more clues on how to make the most of this season - or get over to FeelBach!and fill out the questionnaire. Get your personal remedy now and you'll be ready to actually enjoy the holidays this time!

Celebrate Thanksgiving all Month

The people in "The Secret" will tell you - celebrating Thanksgiving every single day of your life is the best way to attract good things. So why not set aside this month of November to create a new habit?

Even when things are tough, we all have something to be thankful for, so choose a time of day when you can be quiet for a few minutes and give thanks and appreciation.

If your life is too full of people and noise and things you need to do, take an extra minute or two in the shower to just think about the good things in your life. If you can't think of anything else, think about that hot water and how good it feels.

If you can find time, start a notebook and write about the things you're thankful for each day. Start noticing the little things, as well as the big ones. Give thanks for a sticky kiss from your child or grand-child. Give thanks because you happened to look out the window in time to see a Cardinal or a Blue Jay hop across the yard. Give thanks because you turned on the radio in time to catch an old favorite song.

When you start to look for things to appreciate and feel thankful for, you'll find them all around you.

If you're really down - over the economy, over an illness, over a legal or financial problem, or over a loved one's troubles, try using Get Hope Back from FeelBach!

If you're unable to let go of old emotions that block your happiness,try a few drops of Joy throughout the day.

Let this November be the month that you begin to experience the happiness you were born to enjoy.

Start right now, with giving thanks that you can read this message, and that you can get over to FeelBach to get the remedies you need!

When You Want to Stop Smoking...

It seems like nearly everyone who smokes wishes they didn't, but how to quit?

There's a prescription drug called Chantix that many say is the cure. But, prescription drugs come with side-effects, and some of them are pretty awful.

I read about one man who went into such a deep depression that nothing seemed to help. He went to emergency rooms and mental health clinics, but to no avail. His doctor finally put him on an anti-depressant medication, but it wasn't really helping either. This man, who had been happy to quit smoking at last, told his daughter that he didn't think he would ever be happy again.

His doctor didn't want to believe that the prescription caused the depression, but the side-effects are listed for all to see. They include depression, thoughts of suicide, and bizarre behavior. That’s while you’re taking it – and withdrawal symptoms can be just as bad.

The "bizarre behavior" seems to include violence. I've read reports of people becoming extremely violent, even with those they dearly love. This effect is intensified by alcohol, so if you take the drug, beware of drinking.

So what is a better, safer way to quit?

FeelBach! offers a Bach flower essences formula called Quit Smoking.

While nicotine is physically addictive, behaviors can be emotionally addictive.
As a result, strong ties to the past and an image of "who you are" can render prescription remedies useless. If you really want to quit, Quit Smoking will balance your system and help you overcome both the chemical and the emotional sides of addiction.

Anti-stress Cucumber Steam Treatment

We all know that Feel5ive will relieve stress and help us stay on an even keel. But what if you want an activity you can do that will help you focus on unwinding and letting go while it soothes you?

Try a cucumber steam treatment.

Cut up a whole cucumber and put it in a pot of boiling water. Tests have shown this to be effective in reducing anxiety levels in new mothers, and in college students during exam time. And it carries a bonus: The vitamins and minerals from the cucumber steam will give your face a skin-smoothing, beautifying treatment at the same time.

It turns out that cucumber has quite a few more uses than just adding taste to a salad or sandwich, and this is one of them. It's also useful as a soothing treatment for tired eyes, a breath mint, and as a way to avoid a hangover after a night of over indulgence.

For your eyes, cut a couple of slices and place over your eyes while you relax and breathe deeply for a few minutes. As a breath mint, cut a slice and use your tongue to hold it on the roof of your mouth for about 30 seconds, and for hangover avoidance, eat several slices before going to bed.

We all know that cucumbers are low in calories, so are a good snack food for those trying to avoid weight gain. But did you know that they contain most of the vitamins you need every day? A cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

Because cucumbers contain B vitamins and carbohydrates, they can be a quick pick-me-up that lasts for hours and will help you avoid the temptation of calorie-laden sodas or candy bars.

Do You Get Enough Sleep? Do Your Children?

The hours we spend sleeping are vital to our well being... this is when our bodies can turn their attention away from activity and work on repairing themselves.

In kids, sleep is when hormones that help them grow are released and when tissues not only repair themselves, but grow. Without sufficient sleep time, they can suffer serious long term damage.

Studies now show that kids between 5 and 12 years of age need 11 hours of sleep each night and teens need 8 1/2 to 9 hours.

Parents are right to be concerned about kids not getting sufficient rest, but wrong when they think that as adults they don't need to pay attention to their own sleep patterns.

The average adult needs about about 8 hours – and we should take it, no matter how many tasks and obligations demand our time. Our bodies also need time to repair, and without adequate rest, we aren't very efficient at taking care of all those obligations that keep us awake.

But it isn't always demands on our time that rob us of sleep. Sometimes it's our minds and emotions that keep us awake long after we've turned out the lights.

Because this is so common, Feel Bach! has created 4 different Sweet Dreams blends to help you break the "sleepless" pattern and begin getting the rest you need.

Because they're Bach Flower Essences, they won't leave you drugged and groggy in the morning - and you need have no fear of side effects. Unlike pharmaceuticals, they won't cause you to get up and go driving while you're asleep!

Sweet Dreams #1 is for people who can't let go of the day, but instead lay in bed thinking about unfinished work and what needs to be done tomorrow. This one can turn into a chronic habit that's difficult to break - I know, because I did this for years.

In fact, during an especially busy period of my life, I actually stored things away to think about after I went to bed, because I just didn't have enough quiet time earlier in the day. Talk about a wrong approach!

Sweet Dreams #2 is for those who can't relax enough to ignore the little noises of the night, or when you're worried about waking up on time in the morning. The very night when you should get plenty of rest to be sharp for a morning presentation turns into the night when you lay awake until an hour before the alarm rings.

Sweet Dreams #3 helps calm the fears that keep you awake. If you lay there and worry about something that may happen, or re-live something that did happen, this is the blend for you.

Sweet Dreams #4 is for folks who fall asleep easily, but then awaken far earlier than necessary.

If you're not getting enough sleep because you simply aren't going to bed when you should, change your habits. Your health is at stake and it's worth more than that TV show or last chapter of a good book.

If your lack of rest is because you agree to do too many things, begin saying "No" when it means you'll lose out on sleep.

But if the problem is that you just "can't sleep," try one of the Sweet Dreams formulas.

You'll feel better physically and mentally - and you'll probably accomplish more every day as well.

Do You Suffer From Eye Strain?

Working at a computer all day, working in a dusty environment, or living with stress can all put plenty of undue stress on your eyes, but there are natural, healthy ways to relieve the strain and let you see clearly again.

If you have the luxury of coming home to relax a few moments before getting on with evening chores, try a cucumber slice on each eye for soothing, immediate relief. Then, to remove the debris that may be causing irritation, wash your eyes with an ounce of distilled water containing one drop of pure lemon juice.

To protect your eyes and prevent the strain, try adding colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet. The reds, oranges, and yellows provide Lutein & other carotenoids, and protect the eyes from sun and age damage.

The Red and pink fruits and vegetables contain a range of carotenoids and vitamin C, and protect eyes from free radicals.

Dark green vegetables provide potent antioxidants and prevent age-related damage of the eye.

The dark blues and purples contain Anthocyanin, which protects the eyes from cancer.

While you can buy supplements for eye health at your health food store, the vitamins and minerals in colorful fruits and vegetables will add to your whole body health - and they taste good.

But what if all your vision problems come down to stress? You can either choose a bottle of Feel5ive for generalized stress, or you can dig deeper to find the cause and treat it with one or more of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies.

Start with the guide on the FeelBach! website, then go to www.bachflower.org to learn more about the Bach Flower Essences you've chosen.

Does thinking of Holiday spending scare you?

If so, you aren't alone. Especially this year.

The economic crisis has almost everyone cutting back and trying not to spend money. So if your family has always gone in for huge feasts and mounds of presents, you may be feeling stressed at the very idea of the holidays.

Now might be a good time to call a family meeting and discuss how you'll handle it. If you have children, it is a good time to start preparing them for less than the usual "haul" and even get them involved in creating gifts for others with their own two hands.

Even though we have always heard "It's the thought that counts," often only money goes into holiday giving - not much thought at all. And isn't that a shame?

This year why not sit down with your family and talk about the other people on your gift list. Think about them, their hobbies, their work, their "collections," their likes and dislikes. Then, instead of dollars, use your creativity to find something they'll really treasure.

I remember one year when I found a wonderful old lamp in a yard sale. The china body was beautiful, but the metal base below it was rusted and the cord was broken. So I bought it.

First I removed the base, sanded it down, and repainted it with metallic paint. Then I rewired it and purchased a "perfect" lampshade. Then I gave it to my Mother, who happened to love old things. I know that lamp meant more to her than any lamp I could have purchased in a store.

The best part of taking on a project like this is the way you feel. When you're working on creating something wonderful for a specific person, you're thinking about them and anticipating how pleased they'll be. It's a lot better feeling than rushing into a store to grab something and get moving again.

Remember that when you begin to feel stressed - over the holidays or any other situation - you should reach for your bottle of Feel5ive right away. Feel5ive will help you calm down and face the situation with a clear head and a feeling that you will get through it and things will be OK.

Next week we'll talk about the other ways that holidays put us into a tailspin. The holiday season, with so many warm and positive emotions floating in the air, can also dredge up some negative emotions that we keep pretty well under control for most of the year. But the holiday season brings them to the fore.

Right now there's time to take a good look at our feelings and take steps to get our emotions in balance before they get the best of us.

If you already know what to expect from yourself by November, visit FeelBach! today and take the questionnaire. Then get the remedy that will help you gain control. If you aren't quite sure, visit the new information site and read about all 38 Bach Flower Essences.

Poor Puppies - Home Alone

Tonight I listened to my husband discussing tomorrow with his dog, Ralph. (He's the big black haired guy.) He was apologizing because we have to go out of town for the day and Ralph doesn't get to go along, and Ralph is used to going everywhere my husband goes.

I was thinking about how unhappy all three of them would be, because the other two are used to being with me almost all the time. Then I suddenly remembered that I had a bottle of "Home Alone" from FeelBach! I know that will help them deal with tomorrow, so hurried to add a dropper to their water bowl tonight. I'll add more when I put down fresh water in the morning.

They still won't enjoy being left. But they won't feel as upset as they would without it.

While I was at it, I got out my bottle of Feel5ive. This one is for my husband and me. He gets really wound up when he has to drive in heavy traffic, and I get wound up being with him when he's upset! I think a dose for each of us before we leave home, and another during the day will be a very good thing to make the day progress more happily.

All I can say is "Thank goodness for Bach Flower Essences!"

Real Estate Triggering Mental Breakdowns!

The real estate meltdown is doing more than causing people to lose their homes or their money - in some cases they're losing their mental stability and even their families. Divorce is becoming a side-effect of the housing crisis.

New reports are showing that this new, widespread stress is causing a condition that is not unlike post traumatic stress disorder, called PTSD.

Typically, PTSD is believed to be caused from witnessing a life-threatening event. Many veterans suffer from this due to events they witnessed in war time. But it turns out that it can also be brought on by what I refer to as the "What if" syndrome.

People who fear becoming homeless can experience depression and anxiety that is just as debilitating as if the event actually happened. Some psychologists call this "catastrophizing." Sufferers magnify the negative possibilities until they become as traumatized as if the events actually happened.

Of course homeowners aren't the only ones affected. Real estate sales people whose income depends upon selling homes are also suffering today. This is so common that the National Association of Realtors now has a "Field Guide to Stress Management" page on their web site.

What can you do? Do your best to focus on the good things happening in your life, and not on imagining the worst. As Mark Twain said: "Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it."

Work at reducing your stress so you can see things in a realistic light. Along with exercise, meditation, deep breathing, and other activities that let that negative energy go, keep a bottle of Feel5ive handy to settle you down if you start getting tense and upset.

Since each of the Bach Flower Essences addresses a different emotional upset, you may also want to study the Bach Flower Essences guide. Problems which may have been minor before the crisis can become major with this added stress.

Once you've made your choices, come back to FeelBach! for your custom blend.

If you suffer from total exhaustion...

The Olive Bach Flower Essence can bring back your energy...

The olive tree, olives, and olive oil have played an important role in history, going back to Biblical times. Along with its use as a healing agent, the olive tree symbolizes a wish for peace. We've all heard the term: "Extending the olive branch" with regard to someone who wishes to reconcile with another.

Medical properties of olive oil were reported by many ancient Greek writers and philosophers, and are still reported today. Experts claim that Olive oil used in cooking or on salads can improve digestion, lower blood pressure, stop muscle aching, and even cancel out the effects of alcohol. Its antioxidant properties and its beneficial effects as a skin softening lotion and healing salve are also well documented.

The Olive tree also symbolizes health and long life, as the trees are said to grow for hundreds of years. Greek mythology records that Athena, the Goddess of wisdom and peace, struck her magic spear into the Earth, and it turned into an olive tree. The location where the olive tree appeared and grew was named Athens, Greece, in honor of the Goddess, Athena. Local legend says that tree is still living.

Mythology aside, considering the healing properties of the olive and its oil, it's no wonder that Dr. Bach included the flower essence of the Olive blossom in his research and testing.

Today, the Olive flower essence brings peace, regeneration, and restored balance to those who have become completely exhausted at the physical, emotional, and psychological levels.

The negative Olive state can bring about physical illness because the disturbed energy flow affects a person's entire system. Thus treatment with this Bach flower essence and the resultant return to a healthy energy flow can help bring about wellness. Olive is extremely helpful to individuals recovering from serious physical ailments, including alcoholism.

Read more about this Bach Flower essence plus the other 37 at our new Bach Flowers Reference Guide site. Then visit FeelBach! to order your flower essences.

Conquer ADHD Naturally

ADHD can get in the way of a child's ability to learn, and prevent an adult from both social and financial success.

The pharmaceutical industry has "cures," but they involve ingesting dangerous drugs - possibly for a lifetime. In other words, they don't remove the problem, they merely mask the symptoms.

Because the problem is so widesprad, Feel Bach! has developed an Attention Deficit shelf blend to address ADHD and help sufferers re-balance their energies. Many are reporting success using this product alone, but there's even more you can do to help.

Transcendental Meditation is proving to be a benefit to children and parents alike. In a study done over a 3 month period, children were asked to sit still for 10 minutes at a time and concentrate on repeating just one word, over and over. They repeated this exercise 2 or 3 times per day, with impressive results. Teachers and parents both reported an increase in attention span and ability to focus.

Exercise can also benefit. Children especially enjoy the "Standing Figure 8" exercise, in which they are asked to use their whole bodies to swing their arms up and down and side to side in a laying down figure 8 pattern. This movement causes energies to cross over the midpoint of the body and thus helps with re-balancing. It also releases pent-up energies for a child who has trouble sitting still.

This exercise is beneficial for anyone working long and hard at a project that requires focus and concentration. When fatigue or distractions begin to cause a lack of progress, getting up to do this exercise can clear the mind and help you get back on track.

If there's no space for arm swinging, the figure 8 exercise can also be done in a sitting position. Hold your arms in front and palms together in a prayer position, thumbs up. Moving the arms as far to each side as possible, keep your eyes focused on your thumbs, so that your eyes as well as your arms are moving your energies back and forth across your body.

No discussion of ADHD would be complete without mentioning nutrition and allergies. By removing one food or food group at a time, you may discover that all that hyperactivity is merely a reaction to a substance the body doesn't like.

Do remember to include artificial sweeteners in your testing. They are now shown to produce a variety of harmful side-effects and ADHD could be one that just hasn't been proven yet.

Free Yourself From Resentment so You Can Move Forward

Resentment and jealousy are pretty common emotions today, and no one can be blamed for feeling them.

If you or a loved one has been laid off from work or had your salary cut, you no doubt feel resentment toward the company you worked for, along with the the state of the economy and whoever / whatever you feel is to blame for that state.

You might also feel resentment and jealousy toward the people in the news who are receiving million dollar bonuses while you struggle with your own finances. Even if you've only had to cut back on vacation plans or spend a little less on personal entertainment, seeing other people raking in that kind of money can make you see red.

If you've lost your home to this crisis - those feelings could be overwhelming.

Jealousy and resentment are definitely normal reactions at times like this, but if you let them get out of hand, they can be terribly destructive - to you and to the people you love. They can turn into an invisible wall that keeps you from moving forward and enjoying life, and they can cause isolation from family and friends.

If you're suffering from these emotions, you're in a negative Willow state. Everyone experiences it occasionally, but if it's threatening to become a habit - or even a personality trait - it's time to use Bach Flower Essences from FeelBach! to bring them under control.

You can read more about the symptoms of a negative Willow state by visiting our new info site: www.bachflower.org

Then, if that's what you need, visit FeelBach! to get your remedy on its way to you.

While you're visiting www.bachflower.org, take time to read about the other 37 Bach Flower Essences. Then you'll recognize the symptoms of negative states and know when to reach for Bach Flower Remedies to help you through life's rough spots.

Pine personalities suffer if not treated

Do you know or love someone who is a Pine personality and needs help?

Years ago, before I knew that Bach Flower Essences could help such folks, I knew a young boy who was a Pine personality. You could not speak with him for more than a minute or two before he said "I'm sorry."

Most of the time, there was absolutely nothing to be sorry for, but he was sorry anyway. He was a bit of a mischief maker, so there were times when he needed to say these words. He was, after all, the 12-year old you could catch smoking out behind the barn. At the time, I thought his misbehavior was a way to get attention, and of course that could have been part of the problem. Pine personalities long for love and acceptance - and thus attention.

But most of the time he was a sweet and considerate little boy - the only thing he needed to be sorry for was irritating everyone by saying "I'm sorry!"

After researching and studying the Bach Flower Essences, I've learned that people in the severe Pine state do tend to apologize for their very existence. They don't seem to recognize that they deserve to live, and certainly not to live happily.

In extreme cases, the Pine person will even apologize for events that happened long before his or her birth.

Because they lack joy in life, the Pine person is often tired and is prone to illness. And he'll apologize for becoming ill.

If you have a child or another loved one who suffers from this energy imbalance, read the rest of the story about Pine, and then come back to FeelBach! and get him or her started on treatment. You'll be giving your loved one a valuable gift.

Great News for Bach Flower Essence Users

FeelBach! has just made available the complete list of Bach Flower Essences with an explanation of what each is used for.

The new website tells how to recognize symptoms when a person is in need of a specific flower essence, so that those who do not have access to a Bach Flower practitioner can more easily determine which essences will help them the most.

Check out the Bach Flower Reference Guide today!

Be sure to bookmark the pages that apply to you, or take good notes. As I read all the pages I learned what to use in specific situations in my own life as well as how to treat some flowers I had transplanted into my garden.

They were not doing well, but with a little help from Feel5ive and Crab Apple, they're thriving. I guess it stands to reason that energies from healthy flowers might assist other flowers when they were in need. I just added a few drops of each to the watering can each day for about a week, and now I'm enjoying new blooms on healthy, happy plants.

Do You or a Loved One Suffer From "What if?"

"What if" is a terrible ailment, because it prevents the sufferer from enjoying life - and from allowing his or her children and other loved ones from enjoying life.

Sufferers often exhibit irrational fear of illness - being afraid to take their infants out of the house for fear of being exposed to disease, being afraid to let older children play outside on cold days, and being afraid that every sniffle is a sign of debilitating disease.

They also worry endlessly if someone doesn't call when expected, and they try to discourage friends and family from participating in any activity that might carry a hint of danger. "What if" parents never fall asleep at night until their teen-aged children are safely home.

I had an Aunt who suffered most of her life from "What if" and she really did suffer. One event sticks out in my mind - we had a very old, very gentle horse, and one of her children wanted a ride on that horse. Her response was "What if it bucks her off?"

Had we known about the Bach Flower Essence Red Chestnut at that time, my Aunt might have enjoyed life a lot more - and I'm sure her children would have too.

Most people who suffer from a negative Red Chestnut state do so for short periods of time, but those like my Aunt suffer all their lives.

The Red Chestnut state can occur in reaction to an event - such as the birth of a child. It can also be an occupational hazard. Counselors and nurses sometimes fall into this state.

If you feel yourself becoming overly fearful about the health and welfare of your loved ones, you probably need to treat with this Bach Flower Remedy. You'll feel better, and your family and friends will too.

Feel5ive - My Lifeline

FEAR.

That's the only word for it when I even contemplate going to the dentist. And this week I had to go. I'm the person who has probably canceled more dental appointments in her lifetime than anyone you've ever met. I'm terrified.

My kids laugh at me and tell me it's no big deal, but that doesn't help at all.

So, by about 2 days before I had to go I had a terrible headache - just stress. Then I remembered that I had Feel5ive and started taking it. I took a couple of drops every time I walked into my bathroom. Then before bed I put a few drops in the water I keep at my bedside.

And you know what? I still didn't want to go, but I was actually able to breathe on the way there and the whole time I was in that dreaded office.

I'm giving thanks to Dr. Bach for creating this formula - and more thanks for the fact that I had Feel5ive handy when I needed it.

Does Your Child Suffer from Bed Wetting?

He or she may be suffering from a negative Cherry Plum state - which can be dangerous.

In this state, people feel ready to explode because they keep so many feelings pent up inside. They keep themselves under tight control, not letting on to the outside world the turmoil that resides within.

In adults, it can lead to violence when the "dam finally breaks." It also leads to depression, and an inability to stay focused and on track. In children, it can lead to bed wetting. These children exhibit extreme control when awake, and only during sleep do they "let go." Unfortunately, that release of inner anxieties often results in a wet bed.

Not only is the child embarrassed at home, he may deny himself many of the joys of childhood - such as camping trips and sleep-overs with friends. Bed-wetting is a problem no child wants his friends to know about.

The Bach Flower Essence, Cherry Plum, can free your child to share his worries and anxieties with you - and free both of you from the stress and embarrassment of bed wetting.

Visit Feel Bach! today and help your child get on the path to happiness.

A Good Time for Feel5ive

Anxiety? Worry? Frustration?

All of the above when we look at the invasion going on in our neighborhood!

Yesterday my neighbor came over to get me to do an internet search for an answer, but I really didn't find one. We've been invaded by grasshoppers, and outside looks like something out of a bad movie. Alfred Hitchcock perhaps.

The air is filled with their flying bodies and the front porch is covered with bugs sunning themselves. The driveway is also alive - and when you walk through them they rise up, banging into your body, getting caught in your hair, and falling behind your eyeglasses or down your neck.

Of course, everyone is worried that they'll eat all the pasture grass and leave nothing for the cattle. My neighbor and I are both concerned that they'll eat our garden vegetables and our flowers. And none of us is happy about all the dead bodies in and around our homes...

I learned that they live for 6 weeks, but since they reproduce quickly, they could be here until first frost. We don't want to see that very soon, now that the tomatoes are just beginning to ripen!

So, another dose of Feel5ive - stay cool, enjoy everything else because there doesn't seem to be anything to do about the invasion.

(But I am spraying my garden with garlic oil to repel them.)

Do you do too much?

Are you the dynamo in your group? Are you the one who serves on every committee... and then gets the work done while others fool around? Are you the one who provides cookies for every bake sale and tends your neighbor's dog while she goes on vacation?

Are you just unable to say "NO" to any request?

You may be in need of the Bach Flower Essence called Centaury.

As much as you love your family and friends, you may be feeling tired, overworked, and even slightly resentful of the burdens placed upon you. The only way out is to begin saying "no" or "Sorry, not this time." But when you're in the negative Centaury state, those words just don't seem to come. Instead you put on a cheerful face and say "Sure, I can do that."

Often, this "yes" state is caused by a fear of rejection, or a fear of taking charge of your own life. Centaury will help get your energies back in balance and allow you to be free of those fears.

Happily, the end result will not be rejection, but a new respect from friends and family when they realize that you do know how to take care of yourself as well as them.

Try Centaury now, and enjoy summertime along with your friends and family. You really don't have to be the one to get all the work accomplished while others relax on the beach! Just get on over to FeelBach! to place your order - then get ready to start doing some of the things YOU want to do.

Monsters in the Closet?

Does your child fear the "Monsters in the closet?" Maybe they're under the bed instead, or maybe he or she wakes up screaming from a bad dream and can't calm down and go back to sleep.

Plenty of parents have shared this experience and felt helpless to assure their children that all is well.

Overcoming these fears may be as simple as turning off the TV - kids do absorb all that horrible stuff they see. Even some shows geared for children are full of violence and fear-inducing images.

It might also help to stop talking about fearful subjects when the kids are listening.They can pick up on your conversations and translate them into imaginary terrors even more horrifying than the events taking place in the world. If you yourself are fearful, they will of course pick that up. Kids are "tuned in" far more than the average adult.

Meanwhile, a bottle of Rock Rose on the bedside table could let you all get some restful sleep. This is the Bach Flower Essence of courage - the one that helps banish terror.

Rock Rose is one of the ingredients in Feel5ive - the formula that lets you face stressful events with calm assurance. I use it if I have to go to the dentist (a horror from youth that won't go away) or if I have to drive or ride a long way on icy roads. It also helps when preparing to speak in public, go on a job interview, or any of a hundred other things that create a stressful anticipation.

Sleeping pills are not a good idea for children - and could actually cause greater nightmares, along with other harmful side effects. So if your little one needs a dose of courage to chase away that closet monster, get a bottle of Rock Rose.

Keep Your Patience, Enjoy the Summer

The kids are out of school - and now all that freedom they longed for is becoming boring. So, what do kids do? They squabble with each other!

That can turn make the most patient and loving parent into a jumble of ragged nerves - apt to explode at any time. And no parent wants to yell at the kids. It just happens sometimes when the pressure gets to be "too much" and patience flies out the window.

The good news is, Bach Flower Essences has a remedy. The Bach flower "Impatiens" is just the thing - for both the kids and the frazzled parent. A couple of drops under the tongue for each of you, and you'll soon find your nerves, and your patience, returning to normal.

As the name suggests, Impatiens is the essence of patience. It is used most for people who are generally impatient - those who are quick-witted and move at a fast pace. These are the folks that, when forced to supervise others, generally want to just push the other person out of the way and do the job themselves because they can do it faster and better.

Individuals who have the Impatiens personality should not be forced into that position, but instead should work alone - where they can move at their own pace, uninhibited by others who might do a fine job, but not move as quickly. Unfortunately, we sometimes have to do tasks that don't fit our personalities, and in that case this Bach Flower Essence comes to the rescue.

Let yourself enjoy having the kids out of school... with a little help from Impatiens.

Kids and Summer Camp - the Emotional Conflict

Are your children headed off to summer camp this year?

If so, they may experience an emotional conflict that leaves you frustrated. They want to go, they know they'll have fun, but when they get there, homesickness can become the over-riding emotion.

To counteract this emotion and let them fully enjoy their new experiences, start them on the Bach Flower Remedy Honeysuckle several days before their departure, and send it with them to use while they're away. It will help to balance their energies and keep them in the present.

This is also a good remedy to use when children are forced to attend a new school due to the family's relocation, or when they go off to boarding school or college. These events trigger a mild form of the negative Honeysuckle state, which can delay their acceptance of the present and cause a longer adjustment time.

If your child also suffers from other imbalances, such as lack of self-esteem, fill out the Feel Bach! questionnaire and get a blend made especially for him or her.

Honeysuckle is most often used to treat people who can't release the past - either its pleasant memories or its mistakes. It is seen in widows who can't part with their late husband's belongings or become involved in a new relationship, even years later.

It's also seen in those who can't accept the inevitable changes that come with aging - and this resistance can actually accelerate the body's deterioration, showing up in a "defeated" carriage and poor skin quality.

Along with effectively counteracting homesickness, treatment with this Bach Flower Essence results in an ability to learn from the past, integrate its lessons into the present for use in the present and future, and to cherish good memories while releasing the negative feelings of poor ones.

Is the Economy Making You Sick?

Tonight I read a report that said a Stanford University study found that 95% of all illness was caused by stress.

Not by germs floating in the air or some hereditary predisposition, but by stress.

Thus, worry over the economy - even if you're secure in your own employment or other source of income - could be making you sick.

Normally, I'd think that a generalized stress should be treated with Feel5ive, because it has helped me through so many difficult situations. But this ongoing climate of stress could trigger an intensification of other energy imbalances. These should be treated before they lead to illness.

For instance, a person in the negative Aspen state already deals with uneasiness and fears that take no concrete shape. The uncertainty in today's economy could serve to intensify these fears.

The negative Beech state, in which a person disapproves of and blames everything and everyone around him, has a tendency to cause digestive illness. Now, at a time when even formerly tolerant individuals are pointing fingers at everyone from politicians to corporate executives, this kind of illness could become common.

To ward off stress-induced illness during these unsettling times, I think we should all either take the FeelBach! questionnaire, or study the qualities of each of the 38 Bach Flower Essences. Then we should take steps to keep ourselves healthy and stress-free.

After all, we can't individually "fix" the economy - but we can individually care for ourselves and do all in our power to remain healthy.

Pets Tune in to Your Feelings

Last week we were talking about how the economy can make you sick - because according to a Stanford University study, 95% of all illness is caused by stress.

Have you thought about how your stress affects your pets? When you're ill or upset what do they do? A friend told me this evening that when she's sick, one of her dogs hovers - stays right by her side and "fusses" over her. The other one hides.

Both of these animals are reacting to her feelings, each in his or her own way.
And both are feeling stress because the person they love is under the stress of illness.

Pay attention to your pets. Are they behaving differently these days? It could be because they're picking up on your feelings about the economy - or about your illness or your worries about the illness of a loved one.

Keep an eye on them, and if you see behavior changes, consider treating them with Bach Flower Essences before their stress causes a physical ailment as well.

Feel Bach! has a questionnaire designed just for pets - and it will help you choose just the right combination of Bach flower essences to help them through this difficult time.

In addition to the fact that you love your pets and want them to be healthy and happy, having them become ill is a stress you just don't need!

Vitamin D - Your Gift from Sunshine

Unless they work outdoors or have outdoor hobbies, most Americans simply don't get enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in few food sources, and while milk is fortified, most adults don't drink enough of it to make a difference.

That's why doctors recommend supplementing with Vitamin D - and why natural health enthusiasts recommend getting up and out of the house for a while each day. Sunlight is the only natural source of vitamin D that you'll get in any quantity.

This is important for all of us, and especially important for older folks, as Vitamin D is important for maintaining bone health. Along with many other health benefits, it aids in fighting depression, and most surprising of all - cancer!

While over-exposure to sun can lead to cancerous tumors, lack of exposure can also be dangerous. As with so many things in life, we need to strike a balance.

Experts don't seem to be in agreement over how much sunlight is necessary, but all agree that using sunscreen every time you go out is harmful. You need to let those health-giving rays touch your skin. As it turns out, sunscreen doesn't always block the harmful UV rays, but does always block the beneficial rays.

Some say at least 15 minutes per day - and turn your face to the sun. Others say face and hands are not enough - you need to expose a bit more skin.

Exposure to sunlight and nature will also help your mental attitude - so get outside. If all you can manage is 15 minutes, take it, then look for more opportunities throughout the day.

If you're reading this and thinking "No way, I don't have time," you may need the Bach Flower Essence, Oak.

Oak essence is for those individuals who can't allow themselves the time to take care of their own needs - such as rest and rejuvenation. Instead they move forward with feelings of stress, pressure, and tension. This does no good for the individual - or for the family and friends who care for them.

If that's you, get over to FeelBach! and get a bottle of Oak Flower Essence. Better yet, take the questionnaire - just in case other emotional upsets are adding to the problem. The experts at Feel Bach! will formulate a special blend, just for you, so that you can enjoy the wonders of the summer season.

You deserve to enjoy summer without guilt or stress - so start taking care of yourself today.

Are You a Loner?

If you're a loner, and if you'd prefer to make nurturing connections with the people around you, Bach flower essences can help.

Usually, we're loners for one of two reasons:
One is that we're excessively self-reliant and have such high expectations of others than they can never please us.

Water Violet helps to dispel the posture of excessive self-reliance and autonomy, while allowing such individuals to begin bonding with those around them. Vine helps those who are domineering and push others away by demanding too much.

The other reason is shyness - otherwise known as fear. People who feel inferior in some way, or who believe they'll be ridiculed if they make an effort to connect, often retreat into loneliness rather than take the risk of rejection.

Several of the Bach flowers help dispel feelings of insecurity and inferiority. Centaury, Gentian, Larch, and Mimulus each addresses a different underlying issue that can prevent people from connecting with others.

If this is you, study the 38 Bach Flower Essences descriptions at Feel Bach! or take the questionnaire and let our experts create the proper formula for you.

Don't spend another day wishing you could connect with others when the solution is so close at hand.

Are Your Pets Afraid of Thunder?

The last few days have been noisy around here - between the wind, the hail pelting against the windows, and the thunder.

Fortunately, my 3 dogs don't come completely unglued. Ralph just lays there and looks at the others like he can't figure out what's wrong with them, while Suzie and Pepper rush to sit as near my feet as possible.

Sometimes when a storm starts while I'm cooking dinner it's a trial, because every time I take a step I trip over someone. But at least they aren't hiding in a corner, shaking, or trying to run somewhere to get away from it.

Still, when I see them getting nervous like that, I give them a dose of Thunderstorms, from Feel Bach!, because there's no sense in letting them be upset when the cure is so simple.

If your dogs - or cats - get upset over thunderstorms, they need it too. And if other thunder-like noise frightens them, you should be sure to have a bottle on hand before the 4th of July brings the noise of fireworks.

When I worked in animal rescue, the week after the 4th was a nightmare. Some people were calling looking for lost pets while others were calling to report found pets. Sadly, I know a few whose dogs ran so far that they were never found.

If your pet is frightened, be kind, order Thunderstorms today and ease those fears.

Bach flower essences are a remedy you can use without fear, even if your dog is on medication. There are no side effects, no drug interactions, and it's impossible to overdose.

Enjoy Spring and Summer this year, knowing that your precious pets can enjoy it too - even on noisy days.

When stress CAUSES disease!

Stress and worry over falling revenues is everywhere in this economy - except in the medical practices of those who treat stress-related disease.

Dermatologists, for instance. While consumers are pulling back on non-essential services such as liposuction and botox injections, dermatologists are still seeing an increase in business.

Why? Adult acne, eczema, and warts are all becoming more and more common.

These conditions are all caused by glitches in the immune system, because the nervous system and hormone systems work together. Extreme stress causes a rise in cortisol, which in turn causes a breakout. Where once that was a rare occurrence, now many are suffering from those cortisol spikes every day - perhaps more than once.

These skin problems can, of course, be counteracted with prescription drugs and over the counter remedies containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, cortisone, and benzoyl peroxide. A cortisone injection at a dermatologist's office can also help - when you need to look your best for a public appearance or an important interview.

Some doctors, recognizing that drugs are not the only solution, are recommending stress relieving measures such as yoga and meditation or strenuous physical activity like racquetball or weight lifting.

Personally, when I feel stress creeping up, I take a 2-pronged approach. I get outdoors - either to walk or work in the yard. Pulling weeds is definitely a de-stress exercise for me!

But first, when I know I'll be faced with a stressful situation or when everyday happenings start to wear on me, I take Feel5ive - the stress relief remedy from FeelBach!

For a known stress situation, I start the night before, take it again in the morning, and again just before whatever I know is going to try to "attack" me. This works well for me when I will be traveling on icy roads, visiting the dentist, or even going into a meeting whose outcome is important to me.

If something sneaks up on me - like a jolt of unsettling news that I wasn't expecting - I reach for the Feel5ive before I let myself react.

The result - people ask me how I can stay "so cool."

When Stress Intesnsifies Disease...

Stress seems to be the watchword of our times - triggered by everything from health issues to economic woes, to fear over the state of world politics.

And while some react predictably by becoming irritable, snappish, and ultimately suffering from high blood pressure, others react with physical symptoms not immediately attributed to stress.

Take, for instance, the gentleman who, after 2 years, didn't get over his bout with the flu. When the major symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea finally faded, he continued to experience headaches, fatigue, stomach cramps, nausea, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, serious weight loss and more. It didn't feel good to eat, so he quit - then eating irregularly caused more problems - the intestines just don't react well in that situation. So, the problem took on a life of its own.

Because this worried him, he began going to doctors and undergoing one test after another, becoming more and more stressed over the thought that he could have a serious illness. Finally the doctors diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. They did recognize that stress was contributing greatly to this man's ever escalating medical distress, so prescribed anti-anxiety medication. But he won't take it because he fears the side effects of prescription drugs even more than he fears his present condition.

I wish I could talk to this man. I'd suggest Bach Flower Essences, starting with the Feel5ive formula for stress. Had he been taking it two years ago when all this started, his original stomach virus would likely be a distant memory.

Are you an "Angry American?"

Many are angry today - as evidenced by the huge attendance at the April 15 "Tea Parties."

But anger alone won't bring about the changes that citizens seek. In fact, an overload of anger and resentment - and hatred - can immobilize a person and prevent them from taking steps that might be productive.

Holly is the Bach Flower Remedy that helps dispel hatred, envy, resentment, and doubt - all of which can get in the way of positive action.

For many, fear of the future goes hand-in-hand with the anger - especially if the economic downturns have meant job loss or salary reductions. Mimulus is the anti-fear Bach Essence. This flower essence helps us to face challenges with will-power and determination. Used with Honesuckle, which helps us accept things as they happen, rather than live in the past, it can be the ticket to creating a bright future.

Visit FeelBach today and choose the remedy that will keep you on a steady emotional keel while we navigate these troubled economic waters...

Are you feeling "Burned out?" Banish that feeling with Bach Flower Remedies

Do the words "burned out" ring a bell with you?

I used to feel irritated by them - because so often the people who told me they were "burned out" were those who appeared to be doing far less in their personal and professional lives that others who maintained their energy and production levels.

Truthfully, I thought they were just using that as an excuse for laziness.

Now that I know more about how our energies work, and how an imbalance can wreak havoc with even the most ambitious person, I have the compassion I should have had then. I also now know what to do about it!

First, let me say that I know some people do need a change. They've done the same job or been overburdened with responsibility for so long that they need a physical break - a change of scenery and pace. But when those feelings bring on an energy imbalance, they can't even see the physical way out... they're stuck!

The Bach Flower Essence Hornbeam can come to the rescue! Hornbeam removes negative feelings, lifts energy lefts and dissipates the lethargy that creates Monday Morning Blues. It helps bring enthusiasm and passion back so we can do our work well while we seek needed change.

Sometimes other emotional blocks add to the problem. For instance, a person with too many responsibilities may be unable to sort out their thoughts and reach decisions about the future. Elm nurtures a sound mind and decision-making skills.

Others have felt the "burn out" for so long that their performance has suffered - making them label themselves "loser." Gorse will combat that feeling and renew the self-confidence necessary to make positive changes.

If you're suffering from burn out - or from any emotional imbalance that hampers your personal joy or professional success, visit FeelBach! and choose the Bach Flower Remedies that can restore your natural vitality.

You can either read the descriptions and choose your own blend, or take the questionnaire and let the Feel Bach experts create the solution that's right for you.

Do you dislike being the boss?

Two primary personality traits mark those who really don't like being boss: One is impatience.

These folks have trouble tolerating those under their supervision who can't seem to follow directions, work too slowly, make mistakes, talk too much, or any number of other irritants.

If you find yourself in this situation, Impatiens is the Bach flower essence for you. It helps extend patience for those around us, and helps us to stay calm and diplomatic.

Another reason many dislike supervisory jobs is their own insecurity - lack of confidence in making decisions. This trait sends us off to seek advice from others even when we know what should be done.

For that situation, Cerato is the Bach Flower Essence to choose.

If you aren't enjoying your life as you know you could, Bach Flower Remedies can probably help. The first step, of course, is recognizing the emotions that are holding you back. Only then can you choose the flower essences to rebalance your energies and put yourself back on the path to happiness.

Visit Feel Bach! today - read the descriptions of the 38 Bach Flower Essences and what each is used for - and then get your personal blend.

Sometimes too much love is damaging

Do you love your friends and family so much that you could be harming them? If so, you need Red Chestnut.

Red Chestnut is the Bach Flower Essence for those who worry unnecessarily about the health and well being of their loved ones. For instance, the Father who can't go to sleep at night until his children are safely home in bed, the Mother who walks the floor until her adult child, or anyone else she loves, calls to say they have safely made it to a destination, and the Grandmother who tries to discourage her grandchildren from participating in sports because she fears for their safety.

Unfortunately the person needing red chestnut is not the only one who suffers. While the concern is based in love, the over-protectiveness and hovering can be stifling and even emotionally damaging to those they worry about.

Dr. Bach even told about the reactions of his friends when he had suffered an accident - he said he felt their worry as an acute physical pain in his own body.

Visit FeelBach! today and learn how Bach Flower Essences can help you release the fears that keep you from enjoying having people to love.

Use Bach Flower Essences when life demands decisions

Are you being faced with too many decisions today? Many are. And for many of us it's difficult. Even while we know that making no choice really is making a choice, we're unable to make a conscious, deliberate move.

Remember back in school when girls used to be called "fickle" because they kept changing friends? They'd be "best friends" with one girl one week and another the next week. Then they'd do the same with boyfriends. When people talked about them they used the word "fickle" as a put-down and assumed that the girl in question was too self-centered to be loyal to anyone.

But that probably wasn't the case. The poor kid probably just couldn't make up her mind.

That's an emotional state that has more to do with lack of confidence than self-centeredness, but school kids don't look at underlying emotions. They only look at the outward actions.

Right now the state of the economy is forcing people to make tougher choices. And the decisions we're making are far more serious than who to hang out with after school.

In the financial area many need to choose which employment to seek or which new venture to follow to try to become self-employed. Those who would like to purchase a home need to decide if they should act right now or wait and see if prices and interest rates will fall even lower. People who wanted vacations have to decide if they should go forward, or cancel their plans because the economy is uncertain. Those involved in the stock market have to decide if they should buy, sell, or do nothing.

Those are hard decisions for people who have trouble even deciding which movie to see on a Saturday night or which shoes to wear with the blue dress.

If you find yourself paralyzed over making choices, let Bach Flower Remedies help you get over it. By rebalancing your energies, Bach flowers will help you release that paralysis and get moving.

Scleranthus is the Bach Flower Essence that helps people make day-to-day choices, and Wild Oat provides decision-making skills related to career and the kind of life you want to live.

You may have other issues that compound the problem, so read your FeelBach! brochure and identify the feelings that are holding you back. If you aren't quite sure what you need after reading the descriptions, fill out the questionnaire at FeelBach! and let the experts create a blend just for you.

The most important thing in getting the blend that will rebuild your emotional health is to be completely honest about your feelings.

If you don't have the FeelBach! brochure, go to the Feel Bach! website and read the on-site descriptions of the 38 flower essences and what they do.

Feel Good! Feel Bach!

More Timely Help: Wild Rose & Willow

Are you one of the thousands of Americans who has suffered financially from the economic crisis?

If so, you may be experiencing some emotions that can prevent you from going forward and making a new start.

Feelings of helplessness often keep talented individuals from moving forward - as in seeking a new job after a layoff, or in trying a good idea that would lead to self-employment income. Wild Rose can help you regain your direction and purpose - and move forward positively even when faced with huge obstacles.

Along with feelings of helplessness, bitterness, self-pity, and hatred are also common emotions for people who have been "downsized" through no fault of their own.

It's understandable. Right now, no one can blame downsized employees of major corporations for feeling resentment when they pick up the newspaper and read that the directors of those corporations have been handed millions as bonuses while they're wondering how to make the house payment. After all, how many jobs might have been saved with a couple million dollars?

But the fact is, resentment, bitterness, and all those other negative emotions won't solve the problem. The only way to move forward and regain a happy life is to put those emotions behind you and regain your positive outlook. Willow is the Bach Flower Remedy that will help you do just that.

When resentment is replaced with enjoyment and focus turns from what's wrong to what's right, more "right" things follow. In addition, individuals who exhibit a positive attitude are much more likely to find new employment faster. No one wants to be around a sourpuss, but everyone wants to be around a cheerful person. (Well, almost everyone. Some sourpuss people really can't stand cheerful people, but that's just a symptom of their own energy imbalance.)

If you're having a hard time dealing with the crisis, and if negative emotions are weighing you down, consider Willow and Wild Rose. But do read the Feel Bach! brochure to see if you need some other Bach Flower Essences as well.

For instance, if worry is causing you insomnia, you may need White Chestnut, and if you simply can't accept the changes that have occurred in your life, Walnut may be the answer.

If you don't yet have your Bach Flower Essences brochure from Feel Bach!, you can read about the 38 different flower essences on the website - and while you're there you can order your own brochure.

Could Wild Oat help you through the economic crisis?

It just occurred to me that the old folks used to talk about youngsters "Sowing their wild oats..." but that's not what I'm talking about.

In fact - far from it.

I'm talking about Wild Oat - the Bach flower essence - and the very serious subject of your career.

Right now American citizens are faced with making a lot of choices about our financial lives, and we're faced with far more uncertainty than feels comfortable. With many companies cutting back - or downsizing - people are worried about future earnings. Thus, many are thinking of adding some kind of self-employment as a second income.

For many people, the second income has soon replaced the first - and they're happier than ever before.

But - deciding to invest savings to get started is difficult. And when a person has more than one good idea, deciding which to pursue is difficult as well.

Others are trying to decide if they should switch jobs or careers - a big decision when the rule of thumb is usually "Last hired, first fired" when companies have to downsize.

Wild Oat is the Bach flower remedy that focuses on career. It provides decision making skills to help us identify the career we want, the life we want to live, and the paths to take in life.

If you're torn between 2 or more ideas - or can't decide if you even should try to pursue some kind of self employment, or take a new position that's been offered, Wild Oat will help.

Making good decisions is crucial to success - let Wild Oat help. Read all about it in your Feel Bach! Flower Essences brochure, or visit the Feel Bach! website and read the descriptions you'll find there.

Bach Flower Essences for Today's Economic Woes

No, Bach Flower Essences aren't going to make your house worth more or cause the company you work for to stop laying off employees - but they just might lift your attitude enough to assure that YOU won't be one of the people out of a job.

Depression, fear, worry, and sadness over the state of the economy seems to be the dominant feeling everywhere you look these days. You can't pick up a newspaper without seeing more bad news, and that seems to be what everyone is talking about, too.

But, as in every economic crisis, some people will continue to thrive, both financially and emotionally. I think you'll agree that it's a good idea to be part of that group.

We all gravitate toward people who make us feel better - and avoid those who make us feel worse. So not giving in to gloomy thoughts right now and instead keeping an up-beat, can-do attitude will go a long way toward making sure that opportunities come your way.

Gorse is one of the flower essences that can help. According to the FeelBach! brochure, Gorse is for those who lose hope and faith. It insulates us from negative thoughts and gives us confidence to move on with hope and positive feelings.

And, since it's difficult not to feel envious of the corporate executives who have been paid multi-million dollar bonuses while taking billions from the Federal coffers for their failing companies, Holly might be a good choice. It helps release hatred, envy, and resentment.

Hornbeam and Mimulus also help rid us of negative feelings and fear, so could be appropriate today.

Only you know just what feelings this economy is causing in you - so get out your FeelBach! brochure and decide just what help you need. If you don't have one yet, just go to FeelBach! and request it - there's no charge.

Feeling the best you can feel in spite of the bad news around you is the best thing you can do to assure that you come through this crisis healthy, happy, and financially OK.

Feel5ive saved the day

If you do your own internet work, and if you're as technologically disadvantaged as I am, you know just how frustrating it can be.

I spent about 3 days this week just trying to make things work properly. And by Friday afternoon I was ready to snarl at anyone who dared come near me.

That did NOT feel good. And my frustration wasn't making the work go any easier. In fact, it was making it harder by the minute. I felt like I was never going to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it.

Then, about the time my ill humor sent my husband hurrying out of the house to find peace and quiet in his shop, I remembered my bottle of Feel5ive. It took 2 doses about a half hour apart - and then I was calm again and was able to figure out what I needed to do.

The silly part is - why didn't I think of that when I first started getting tense? It's not like I don't know how much good Feel5ive has done me in other stressful situations.

I think the best idea is for me to bring a bottle to my desk - so it's there in plain sight to remind me to use it before I get so wound up that I don't even want to be around me.

If you get as upset as I do over "techie stuff," remember to take your Bach flower remedies before it gets out of hand.

Wishing you a stress-free week...

How Individuals Use Bach Flowers

In our last post I told you about one user's success with Larch. She also highly recommends Centaury, which she says is a blessing from the universe.

Here's what she had to say: "I am not a martyr by any means, nor do I think lowly of myself, but I do have a big heart, & I found that people would take that for granted and I would give to my own detriment. I WOULD ALSO ACCEPT LESS THAN I DESERVED! Centaury has helped me to look out for ME and cherish me and only accept the best (Love, good treatment) for ME!"

You can read her whole story at www.curezone.com/forums.

The formal description of Centaury says it helps overcome feelings of inferiority and provides the courage to say no to unreasonable demands. But as this Bach flower user pointed out, sometimes this inability to say no stems from a true desire to help, even when you don't consciously feel inferior.

After a few years of going along with such a program, most people would then need to seek a remedy to alleviate anger! Holly, perhaps?

It just occurred to me that businesses and organizations would run far more smoothly if everyone had the courage to say no at appropriate times. Then people wouldn't take on far more than they could do well, might not turn in projects either half finished or poorly done, and wouldn't waste days in anger at those who expected too much.

Once again, we invite your stories. We love hearing how Bach Flower Remedies are making lives better - just 4 tiny drops at a time.

If you don't have your own copy of the Bach Flower descriptions brochure, do visit www.feelbach.com and order it. There's no cost - all you have to do is say you want it.

What Bach Flower Users Say...

While the descriptions on the FeelBach! site and in the free brochure give you an accurate outline of which flower essence is needed for specific emotional disturbances, sometimes it's helpful to hear exactly how they affect individual users.

With that in mind, I've excerpted a message found on a curezone.com forum:

"Larch helped me with confidence in speaking, (sharing my ideas), feeling at peace in crowds, and has given me a sense of courage to try new things which I used to feel afraid to try from a "fear of failure". Larch has also helped me not to take other peoples comments personally & recognize that if a person says something unkind that it is THEIR PROBLEM not mine."

Considering that so many problems in life begin with our own insecurities - those insecurities that allow us to emotionally crumble over another's unkind comment - it's good to know that something as simple as a few drops of Bach Flower Essences can allow us to go forward without being crippled by other people's opinions.

The writer's further observation was that BACH remedies cure the issues at the Root. That is, of course, the reason why Bach Flower Essences can bring much greater relief than pharmaceuticals, which only strive to "cure" the symptoms.

We'd love to hear your experiences, too. So please do feel free to leave a comment...

One last note: If you don't have your copy of the Bach Flower Essences brochure, simply visit www.feelbach.com and request a copy. There's no charge!

Anxiety causes other physical symptoms

This week one of the pet forums had a question about a dog who became constipated when upset. The dog's person wrote to ask for advice, because the dog was clearly miserable and the veterinarian had told her not to worry about it.

The answers this woman got were all about diet - what to feed the dog to get her system back on track. All of them completely missed the part about what had caused the problem: anxiety.

Of course I wrote and told her about Fee5ive and the other pet remedies for specific fears - thunderstorms (loud noise) and being left home alone.

But what struck me about the whole discussion was that all of those people, while trying to help, were addressing ways to cure the symptoms - not to alleviate the cause.

I think all of us who experience unusual and annoying physical symptoms should stop and think about the cause.

It's true that too much of a new kind of physical exertion will cause a sore back, knee, or arm - but what if you've had no different physical exertion? Then it's time to ask if something emotional is bothering you.

The same can be said for almost any physical ailment you experience. If you can't see a clear path from cause to effect, look to your emotional state for the cause.

Finding the root of the problem requires complete honesty - but fortunately for all of us, we need only be honest with ourselves. Using either the descriptions of the 38 flower essences at FeelBach! or using the questionaire, we can get the right flower essences to rebalance our energies without having to admit our innermost feelings to another soul.