“If you want to be more powerful in life, educate yourself. It’s that simple.”
Most people will eventually say the same thing: as you get older, you give less fucks.
Why is that? Well, as it turns out, there are a number of reasons. But most of the reasons are based on two things - knowledge and experience. The hardest part about life is just not knowing what the F* is going on. Will it hurt? Will I cry? Will someone else cry? Will someone stop liking me? Will I get fired? What does getting fired feel like? Will I be OK?
Once you realize you're probably not going to die every time something new happens to you, experiencing new things will not only be a lot less scary, but it will be a lot more enjoyable. In fact, you will welcome the process as opposed to anticipating the outcome.
Another amazing thing that happens to you as you get older, is you find it easier to sift through all the bull sh*t. And there is a ton of bull sh*t to sift through. Especially when it comes to products and marketing. Because there really isn't a whole lot of regulation on marketing. Companies can say pretty much whatever they want. So until there's a lawsuit, deceptive marketing is more or less the name of the game. Because to compete in a world where there is a never-ending stream of new products, even the most well-meaning company can resort to saying just about anything to stand out in the crowd.
As a result, nowadays, I just don't indulge in new products all that much. If I've decided to invest my hard-earned money on a new product, it's because I've done my research and have found something pretty special, safe, and not harmful to the planet. Also, if I have to spend more money to support a small business instead of a big corporation, I will. But I don't know if I would have committed to the #ShopSmall movement prior to becoming a small business owner and experiencing the remarkable amount of heart that goes into it (see - the more you know...).
So with an arsenal of knowledge, this year I cleaned house and removed all sorts of toxic products from my life. Best. Decision. Ever. One side effect though, I became really (REALLY) sensitive to artificial smells and chemicals. Basically, the smell of things like commercial cleaning products, candles, and perfumes make me gag. Mind you, I'm half cuban and dumping bleach and smelly things on everything is basically a lifestyle. But I missed perfume! I love a good scent and I just wanted that again. So I was so excited when I happened upon this gem of a product at a local trade show earlier this year.
Ayurveda Apothecary is a plant-derived apothecary line formulated by Aurveda practitioners at Yoke. Their products are hand-blended in America with food-grade oils, seasonal plants, and herbs, with a commitment to not harming the planet in the process. I haven't smelt anything else from their line, but if you like the smell of rose as much as I do, this perfume oil is the only way to go. It doesn't smell like cheap essential oils. It smells like fresh dried roses. They even put dried rose petals in the bottle, which is such a simple yet amazing touch.
Also, they have like insanely good customer service. I didn't buy the perfume oil at the trade show, but instead searched for them a few months later. By that time, I had no idea which product I had fallen in love with at the show but I knew I had to buy it. I e-mailed their team and had a response within the hour. The tiny bottle cost $46 plus shipping, but don't fret - it's potent. I mean, really, this is as good as it gets. Definitely check them out! The product pictured is the Flow Balancing Perfume Oil
XO!
