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.