A question was posed by a woman in a group I’m in about what flower essences to use to have the willpower to get up earlier in the morning. Which, of course, would also mean going to bed earlier, I would assume. The discussion was weird. Several men took the questioner at her word and focused on flower essences for learning from past mistakes instead of repeating them, breaking old habits, and tired resistance to change. (Chestnut Bud, Walnut, Hornbeam, some others, too.) All appropriate on the surface. The women, on the other hand (myself included) had a VERY different take.
The women wanted her to stop beating herself up. (Crab Apple) And they asked questions like “are you getting your creative and/or spiritual needs met early enough in the day to be ready to go to bed early?” “Are you spending all your time doing what needs to be done and don’t want to go to bed because you finally got to have a little time for you?” “What benefit will getting up earlier bring?” She mentioned not being able to get herself to exercise as well so the question I had inside was whether she wanted to force herself to get up to do something else she wasn’t looking forward to doing. All the women were on some version of the same page: how to bring more enjoyment of life and emotional well-being into the solution.
I, personally, have been working on going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. The problem I have is about not being able to sleep because as soon as my head hits the pillow all I can think about are the issues I put aside in order to get things done all day. Or the things I really want to be able to do that I used to think I was too tired after work to take on.
I say “used to” because progress has been made. Little bit by little bit—sometimes with the use of flower essences but not always—I discovered that going to bed earlier often helped me sleep better but only if I did something I really wanted to be doing early in the evening or even during the day when on breaks from work. Things like printing an art piece or adding a layer of varnish can easily be done on a 15 minute break. Doing my Etsy orders are best done early in the evening with a “looking forward to it” attitude earlier in the day. Going for a walk at night with my best friend / life partner Paul is a way to get exercise that acts like a reward after that.
Doing art gives me energy. Looking forward to something gives me energy. Using that energy makes it easier to sleep. And getting up earlier with the reward of getting to hang out with Paul eating breakfast outside on our apartment balcony is really great. The weather is cool (an important thing to find ways to enjoy in hot Chico summers), the birds are singing, and I can enjoy some “me” time without being rushed to go to work right away. Reward, reward, reward.
Before these rewards were prioritized, willpower was just another way of beating myself up with a stick.
So are there flower essences to help the women reading this article right now?
Pomegranate comes to mind. That’s for women who feel pulled in too many different directions (especially if they have children) and need help focussing on what they want to use their creative energy for.
A flower essence formula I call “Putting Your Needs First” was specifically designed to help women with the problem of taking care of themselves better.
Plus there are a few flower essences for helping yourself return to a healthier natural rhythm that can help if you feel like your internal clock is out of synch: Morning Glory, Green Nicotiana.
And a couple for working with tiredness and rebuilding your strength by addressing your need for rest first: Olive, Aloe Vera.
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A Legal Note:
Mama Love products are intended to add to a person’s sense of well-being. They all have worked for me and many of my customers. But nothing I make is a one size fits all magic pill; neither are they drugs of any sort. In other words, flower essences may not be effective for everyone. Individual results may vary. Claims made by me are my opinions based on personal experiences and the evidence of years of case notes and writings by Dr. Edward Bach as well as Healing Herbs and Flower Essence Services (the companies who make the ingredients I use in my products). This is not, however, accepted “medical” evidence. I am not a medical doctor or licensed healthcare practitioner.
Statements made have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided on my blog, websites or by this company are not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a health care provider, and should not be construed as individual medical or mental health advice. Consulting with a health care provider is a must for anyone taking medications or working with a medical or mental health condition, and highly recommended before using any herbal product. Please consult your doctor or health care provider for any possible contraindications and/or interactions with current medications. I trust you to seek the medical guidance you need to use my products healthily at your own risk.