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Julie Leonard Life Coach

Helping you live to your full potential.

Three Steps To Reduce Stress

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We all know that our ancestors used stress and the fight or flight response to prepare for danger and to survive. And that in the modern world sometimes a little bit of stress is a good thing. It protects us from danger and is perfectly normal in certain situations such a sitting an exam, or your driving test or giving a presentation. But when it happens in everyday life or for prolonged periods of time it can have a detrimental effect on our health and happiness.

Stress is an emotional and physical reaction to a situation and is a state so many of us are very familiar with. The feelings of anxiety, worry and being overwhelmed along with the poor sleeping or oversleeping, butterflies in the stomach, nausea and tension are common symptoms of stress. When stressed, the body thinks it is under attack and switches to ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine to prepare the body for physical action. This causes a number of reactions, from blood being diverted to muscles to shutting down unnecessary bodily functions such as digestion.

Three Steps To Reduce Stress

Through the release of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine, the caveman gained a rush of energy, which prepared him to either fight the tiger or run away. That heart pounding, fat breathing sensation is the adrenaline; as well as a boost of energy, it enables us to focus our attention so we can quickly respond to the situation. And this too is good if we have to suddenly brake when driving or react quickly in a situation, but if we live in this heightened state for too long these elevated levels of hormones and chemicals can lead to elevated levels of sugar and blood pressure.

So how do I Reduce Stress?

First of all you want to recognize your early warning signs. I know when I start to feel stressed, I don’t sleep so well, I feel emotional (more emotional than usual!) and I am more irritable. What are your early warning signs?

Secondly, you want to see if there is any action you can take to reduce the issue that is making you stressed. Can you speak to your boss about delegating some of your workload, can you book a babysitter to give you a break?

And finally, what can you do to reduce the feelings of stress? I have been supporting women for over 25 years to cope with and manage their stress levels. I know for me getting some fresh air every day, going to bed early and making more time for mindfulness practice really helps.

Accessorize Your Winter – Wardrobe Essentials

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Is it just me, or does it feel like one day it’s lovely and warm and the next we are in Autumn and it’s feeling much colder? So don’t get caught out. Be prepared and ready for all kinds of weather. And an important part of being organised is to sort through your accessories.

Here are my tips for Organizing those Wardrobe Essentials:

Wardrobe Essentials

#1 Organise Jumpers and Cardigans
It’s time to declutter and get rid of old and worn woollens. Keep the ones you like and feel good in. Do any need laundered, hand washed or dry cleaned? Now is the time to do that and have them fresh and ready for the cold weather.

#2 Hats, Scarves and Gloves
Find matching pairs of gloves. Wash hats and Scarves. Find matching sets. And get rid of any badly worn or damaged accessories or any that you haven’t worn in years. Have them all in the one place- a drawer, a shelf or in a box so that you can easily find them. And don’t forget to have that umbrella in an easy to grab location.

#3 Boots
Now is the time to make sure you have all the footwear you need for the wet and windy weather. Do any boots need to be thrown away or replaced? Do shoes and boots need cleaned? Or does anything need to be reheeled or repaired? Do that now and be ready for colder days.

#4 Jewellery and Handbags
The colours of our clothing tend to change with the seasons and so looking out jewellery and handbags that match darker and heavier fabrics will mean you always look polished and put together.

Follow these steps and the ones from the past two weeks and you now have a wardrobe deluttered, organised and ready for winter.

For Ideas on how to get organized for autumns check out this article.

For more support with decluttering contact me at julie@potentiacentre.com

Get Ready For Autumn – Declutter your Wardrobre

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The weather is definitely changing and feeling decidedly cooler. So this week I have been going through my Autumn/Winter clothes and decluttering my winter wardrobe. I do this every year so that I feel organized and prepared for the coming cold season and so that I also feel good in all that I am wearing. By only keeping the clothes that fit me and that I feel good in, I am certain that I will be dressed warmly and practically over winter and I will look and feel my best too.

Let me share with you my tips on how to declutter your wardrobe:

Declutter your Wardrobre

#1 Take Everything Out Of Your Wardrobe
Set time aside. Depending on how many clothes you have, this could be an hour or a morning or and afternoon. Remove all your clothes from the wardrobe. You need to visually see how much stuff you have! And you can now work through the pile or piles(!) and put back only those pieces you choose to keep.

#2 Get Rid of Anything Beyond Repair
Start with removing any items of clothing that are so old, ripped, have holes or beyond repair. These can be binned straight away, used as rags or donated to charities who receive money for rags.

#3 Do You LOVE it?
Now go through each piece. Hold it up. Look at it and be honest. Do you love it? Not, did it cost a lot of money? Not, it was a present. Not, I might wear it again in the future. Simply, do you love it?And when you wear it, do you feel fabulous in it? If the answer is no, then put it in a pile to donate or sell.

#4 If You Were Free From Guilt, Would You Keep It?
Perhaps it was a present. Or it cost a lot of money. If you didn’t feel guilty, would you keep it?  If the answer is no, then add it to the pile to go.

#5 Find A Place For Everything
Return the items you are keeping, either hanging up or folded up and make sure there is a place for everything and you can easily find what you want.}

Bonus Tip
If you are not quite ready to get rid of some clothes, hang all your clothes up with the hook of the coat hangers all facing the same way. As you wear clothes, turn the coat hanger round. At the end of the season, you will see the clothes you never wore. And perhaps then you will consider what you can do without.

Taking a little time to sort out your wardrobe will have a huge impact. Not only will you feel less stressed and more organised but it will save you time and you will look and feel fabulous.

For tips on how to get organized for winter check out this article.

Get Organised for Autumn -Goodbye Summer Wardrobe

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I am just back from my summer holidays and emptying my suitcase. I’m sorting through my clothes and deciding what I can put away until next year and what I may still need. And with the unpredictable weather this week, I’m  thinking about organising some Autumn clothes just in case.

September is the perfect time to go through your wardrobe, declutter and get it organised for the season ahead. Over the next few weeks, I’d love to share with you my tips for getting organised.

So, this week let’s start with sorting your summer wardrobe.

Summer Wardrobe

I am just back from my summer holidays and emptying my suitcase. I’m sorting through my clothes and deciding what I can put away until next year and what I may still need. And with the unpredictable weather this week, I’m  thinking about organising some Autumn clothes just in case.

September is the perfect time to go through your wardrobe, declutter and get it organised for the season ahead. Over the next few weeks, I’d love to share with you my tips for getting organised.

So, this week let’s start with sorting your summer wardrobe

#1 Clear Space In Your wardrobe
Do you have summer clothes that you didn’t wear this Summer at all? Are there any clothes you don’t love how they look on you or how they make you feel? Did you buy new clothes to replace old ones? Then now is the time to go through all of your summer clothes and be ruthless. Do you love it? Do you feel fabulous wearing it? If not, donate or sell them. Get rid of the clothes your aren’t wearing.

#2 Repair
Go through your clothes that you wish to keep. Do any need laundered, dry cleaned or repaired? Do that now before you pack them away so that they are in tip top condition when the weather warms up next year.

#3 Pack Away Your Beachwear
I treated myself to a few new bikini’s this holiday but I’m not going to need them until next summer. I have a swimsuit for the swimming pool so the rest can be packed away. Along with flip flops, beach cover-ups and shorts.

#4 Vacuum Pack Your Dresses And T-Shirts
I love vacuum bags for storing clothes and keeping them clean and fresh. Invest in a couple and keep all your clothes neat and tidy in one place. And it will be easy to find all your summer stuff next year.

#5 Clean And Pack Away Sandals
Clean and repair your summer shoes and sandals and put away in shoe dust bags. Take care of your footwear to enjoy wearing them for many years to come.

More decluttering tips on getting ready for autumn in this article.

We Are What We Eat – Nutritional Advice

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As an Aromatherapist, I feel strongly about using natural products on my skin. But it also matters to me what I put into my body too.

As you know, I believe self care is essential both as a busy mum and an entrepreneur. And during summer feels like a good time to practice self care. It is easier to be outdoors, to eat fresh food and to exercise. This month I made time for two spa days and a massage that left me feeling relaxed, healthy and focussed. And by making time for self care I not only feel the benefit but so do those around me. I am a better mum, partner, daughter, friend and colleague.

Nutritional Advice

Also over the past couple of months I have been taking my self care further by working with the fantastic and extremely knowledgable Nutritionist Monika Bock http://www.nourish-alo.com/. I have always thought of myself as a healthy eater, especially coming from the west of Scotland! However, after pregnancy I had gained a little more weight and developed and addiction to sugar that I had never had before. And I was also feeling that I was lacking in energy which in turn was increasing my desire for sugar.

I can’t recommend Monika highly enough. Our sessions were relaxed, professional and thorough. I felt completely trusting of her and felt no judgement from her. Only support and encouragement. It was really great to have time to sit down and talk about how I feel and take a closer look at what I am eating and how I would like to eat. After our initial session, I felt so hopeful and excited.

Monika followed up with a report, meal plan and recipes which made implementing the changes so easy. After one month I had lost some weight but most of all I had curbed my sugar dependency. And I definitely feel that I have more energy.

I am now motivated to eat more healthily and can’t wait for my next appointment. If it is something that is of interest for you then checkout her link.

What can you prioritise for your own self care this Summer?

Turn Heads With these Best Summer Scents

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Best Summer Scents

I am delighted to be a guest writer for City Starlings this month. In my article, I share my ideas for summer scents.

If you haven’t already heard of them, then please take some time to check out their beautiful site which brings Munich alive through the voices of those of us who live here.

Here are the Best Summer Scents for me

To learn about The Best Summer Scents, check out my full article here.

Create a Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

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Summer is here! And along with sunshine, longer days and more energy come insects, heat and pollen. Essential oils are wonderful natural healers and I’d love to share with you what’s in my Natural Summer First Aid Kit.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

Here in Munich, a regular question is how to repel ticks. We want to enjoy being outdoors but I know many of you moms are worried about ticks and Lyme Disease. From all my research, the best oil is Rose Geranium (specifically Pelargonium Capitatum x Radens). It has to be this particular one and not the common Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens). It’s not readily available here but I have sourced some from the US (feel free to contact me to buy some). Placing 1 drop on your wrists and ankles will repel the ticks. On babies and young children, please dilute in a carrier oil first (1 drop per 10mls sweet almond oil). You can even put a drop on your dog too!

If like me you attract mosquitos then the essential oils of  Lemon Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Thyme and Citronella are excellent not just against mosquitos but most other insects too. Citronella is a cheap and effective insect repellent. Add some to an oil burner to keep those insects away. Also Lemon Eucalyptus has been proven to be effective too and is recommended by The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a natural bio-pesticide repellent.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

But if you do get some bites and stings apply Lavender or Tea Tree to reduce pain, swelling and redness. These are the only 2 that you can apply directly to the bite or sting.

From February until September I really suffer badly from hayfever. Eucalyptus, Chamomile and  Lemon essential oils used in a  dry inhalation, massage or nose balm will help ease your suffering. My symptoms are greatly reduced by using my Hayfever Balm.

And it’s easy to get too much sun sometimes. I use Lavender and Chamomile essential oils to soothe any hot skin or sunburn. Add a few drops of both to some fragrance free lotion (15 drops in total to 50mls lotion) and apply. It instantly calms and smells beautiful.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

Lavender, Tea tree, Chamomile, Citronella, Rose Geranium, Eucalyptus and Lemon Eucalyptus

And finally, please remember that some essential oils are photosensitive so don’t apply them before sunbathing. Avoid Bergamot, citrus oils: Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, etc and  Verbena.

It’s so easy to create your own natural summer first aid kit. Or I’d be most happy to make one for you. I never go on holiday without mine! Have a wonderful  summer!

This article originally featured in the Munich Über Moms July 17 newsletter.

Natural Insect Repellent – Eco Friendly Living

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With our summer holidays coming up soon, I have been looking into making my own natural insect repellent. There are some essential oils that are proven to be effective against bugs and bites.

Natural Insect Repellent

Unfortunately, mosquitos love the taste of me and therefore I want an effective repellent so that I don’t end up with large itchy bites that spoil my enjoyment of the sunshine.  I will be diffusing Citronella essential oil to keep the insects away as well as mixing it with Lemon Eucalyptus to make a natural bug spray. If you don’t have either of those, Lavender and Tea Tree are also good insect repellents.

I have also been sourcing from the US a particular essential oil – Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Capitatum x Radens) known to be an effective tick repellent. Not only are ticks hard to remove they also carry Lyme disease. 1 drop on your ankles and wrists will keep them away. You can order yours here.

And finally, I will be packing my Lavender and Tea Tree oils just in case I do need to treat any bites.