Transcript*

Hello Dear Friends.

As we start the new year, many people are making resolutions to better their life moving forward. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that these plans will likely not stick. The Forbes Health/One Poll survey reported that most resolutions last just over 3 months. Specifically, “Only 8% of respondents tend to stick with their goals for one month, while 22% last two months, 22% last three months and 13% last four months.”

I believe this is because most resolutions come from societal expectations. In fact, that’s just what the Forbes survey of 1,000 people found. 62% of respondents stated they felt pressured to set a new year’s resolution.

These “shoulds” are not in alignment with many people’s own values. This may be why a 2024 Pew Research survey found that 70% of Americans say they don’t make resolutions anymore, they just don’t like them.

Ego-based outcomes are fleeting. They are not soul fulfilling. It is only through self-care and nurturing ourselves can we tune-into our inner wisdom. This leads to more meaningful transformations, because we can allow for opening ourselves up to discovering where there are blocks in our own healing.

Instead of restricting, giving something up, or forcing yourself into a “healthy habit,” I invite you to instead focus on reflecting and empowering yourself with resources to help you truly transform, heal, and rejuvenate.

In this video, I will explore with you two powerful processes. I use them myself and recommend them to clients to help them reflect and feel empowered to change.

As always, all the resources, links, and references will be available in the accompanying blog transcript to the video.

So, let’s get started.

Two Resources to Transform Your Life in 2025

1. An Aroma Reset: The Aroma Freedom Technique by Dr. Ben Perkus, PhD

The Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT) combines aromatherapy, psychology, and neuroscience. This process is based on the concept of neuroplasticity, which is rewiring neural pathways in the brain using the sense of smell.

This method is multi-step and sequential method. First, one is asked to access an old memory of distress to activate the connected neural pathways. Next, essential oils are introduced to calm the mind-body and to begin shifting the associated memory with a different brain pattern. This is known as deconsolidation. Finally, one creates new brain “routes,” a form of memory reconsolidation. This is through inhaling different, specific essential oils while simultaneously focusing on their new goal or intention, You can learn more about the science of this here.

This application of essential oils accelerates our innate capacity to heal not just our minds, but also reprograms our subconscious and non-nurturing emotional patterns and behaviors. This in turn can also support the body! The result is the ability to heal from past wounds in an effective, safe, and relatively quick way.

The Aroma Boost is a shorter application of AFT that allows one to shift in the moment. I will often suggest this method to clients to do themselves when they want to reset due to issues that come up during the day. It is an easy way to refocus on their desired outcomes and release emotional issues quickly.

Here are the steps to the Aroma Boost Technique:

1. ID the situation that is bothering you.
2. Name the feeling, it should be one word. It must be a feeling, not a thought.
3. Locate where it is body.
4. Identify the negative thought or belief contributing to feeling.
5. Smell oils- examples include lavender, frankincense, and stress away. You can use any oil that is calming in this process. Allow a shift of calm to occur.
6. After you feel a shift, decide what to do next – You may have released it completely and can move forward. If a core issue got ignited, you may want to follow through with the full Aroma Freedom technique. Either way, the charge will be less.

If one needs to go deeper to change an old pattern, I will often suggest they reach out to an AFT therapist and/or grab the book, Aroma Freedom: Break Through to Your New Life with Aroma and Neuroscience, by Dr. Perkus.

If you’d like to learn more about how powerful this technique is, please tune-into my interview with Dr. Perkus on the Essential Oil Revolution podcast.

2. Reflect, Dream and Grow by Jenn Pressimone, Clinical Phyto-Aromatherapist, Herbalist, & Scentpreneur

I have followed the work of Jenn Pressimone for years. She is an amazing clinical aromatherapist who has her own technique to shift emotional and physical using aromatherapy, which is also based on neuroplasticity.

She recently sent out her Reflect, Dream & Grow Guide to her email subscribers. This guide comprises of a series of questions designed to help one uncover their undiscovered truths and desires. The worksheet helps one to explore their accomplishments, clarify their goals, and help one visualize how to manifest their dreams.

This method also elevates the experience by incorporating essential oils to connect the body, mind, and soul. Jenn provides a chart that displays which oils will transform “negative” emotions, which are stored in specific locations in the body, into constructive ones to move forward.

She states, “Reflecting and dreaming about your future is crucial to setting clear intentions for 2025.” I agree.

Click here to download your Reflect, Dream & Grow Worksheet and start this transformational process today. Check out her free Aromatherapy Minicourse here.

Bonus: Reflective Questionnaire (AromaGnosis)

AromaGnosis offers an additional reflective tool incorporating essential oils. If you are more of a detailed-oriented person and want to dig in more, here is a simple questionnaire called “Looking Backwards at 2024 and Envisioning 2025.”?

Summarizing on Creating True Transformation in the New Year

Rather than setting resolutions which don’t last, we can create lasting transformation by focusing on releasing emotional blocks and tuning into our own truths. Using techniques that incorporate aromatherapy can transform old emotional and behavioral responses by creating new neural pathways and associations in the brain.

I hope you find these resources helpful to creating a better future for yourself. I also hope you stay gentle with yourself and remain curious, rather than critical, of your process. This invites you into a much warmer and comforting space to truly change.

Wishing you a very nourishing and happy New Year. ?

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Resources

• New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2024 (Forbes Health)
• New Year’s Resolutions: Who Makes Them and Why (Pew Research)
• A Calmer, Serene New Year: Three Nurturing and Nourishing Self Care Resources using Essential Oils for Inner Transformation (My video blog with references)
• The Aroma Freedom Revolution – Using Essential Oils to Rewire your Brain and Live the Life of Your Dreams with Dr. Ben Perkus, PhD (Episode 380 of the Essential Oil Revolution)
• Boost Your Mood, Release Limiting Beliefs, and Enhance Motivation with Aromatic Techniques (My article with references)
• Reflect, Dream, and Grow Worksheet: Your Guided Holiday Reflection & Planning Worksheet (Jennifer Pressimone, JennScents Aromaversity)
• Jenn Pressimone’s Free Aromatherapy Mini Course
• Looking Backward 2024 and Envisioning 2025? (AromaGnosis)

*Transcript has been edited for grammar and ease of reading.