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How I ended up committing to spend $$$ on THRIVE

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This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, you won’t pay extra, but I’ll receive a bit of commission if you shop through my link(s).

I decided to do an 8-week Thrive challenge.  I’m so not into MLMs and network marketing companies.  I’m so so so over it all.  I’ve sold at one time or another:

Usborne Books
doTERRA
Jamberry Nails
Paparazzi
Keep Collective
Legging Army and Buskins Leggings
Senegence Cosmetics

When I bowed out of my latest tries (Senegence and Paparazzi) I swore to myself and the universe that I would. never. EVER. sign. up. for. anything. EVER. again.

I’m not a salesperson.  And I’m also on a non-essential spending freezer.  Or TRYING to be.  I feel like I owe the blog-i-verse and explanation as to why I decided to make this expenditure, at least over the next couple months.

So how in the world did I sign up for Thrive?  I’m currently only signed up as a Customer, not a Promoter.   I’m not saying I won’t ever decide to become a Promoter, but I’m going to use it longer before I make that decision.

It all started for me when a family friend tried it.  This guy has a lot in common with me, two of those things being very overweight, and also type 2 diabetic.  He struggled with sluggishness, insomnia, aches and pains, irritability, etc. much like me.  He tried Thrive a couple months ago and found it life-changing.  He isn’t the MLM/salesperson type at all, and everyone thought someone had hacked his Facebook when he started posting about his Thrive experience.  He was compelled to share because he was so amazed.  He started losing weight, which usually is so hard for him.  I spent about six weeks avoiding this guy, because he always asked me, “Why aren’t you Thriving yet?” and I didn’t want to get sucked in.  I am, after all, trying to not spend money on non-essentials.

Finally, I felt my heart softening and something was telling me to at least give it a try, because I really had nothing to lose ~ he was willing to give me a three day trial (which I could have stretched to six days, but I wanted the full dose and I’m a larger girl, so felt it was safe to start off at the top).   Le-Vel has a money-back guarantee if you use the product and aren’t satisfied.  Really, nothing to lose.  His wife (someone I admire and trust) gave me the trial pack after we spent time packing food together for Feed My Starving Children.   I tried it.  It blew my mind.  I used it for two days and I felt better than I have in years.  I was alert, I stopped wanting to eat everything in sight, I was not irritable to the point of my husband thinking I no longer love him (truth, I’ve been so irritated with him for NO REASON) and I had fewer aches and pains (I have psoriatic arthritis) and I had actual energy.

Near the end of day 2, I got a rash on my arm.  Damn it.  Just MY luck, right?  I finally found something that makes me feel great without having to take 20 pills a day, and I’m allergic?  The rash didn’t go away with Benadryl and cortisone cream, so the next day, I reluctantly skipped Thrive, to see if it was behind the rash (and it wasn’t hives…and not right where I used the patches…so I suspected it was not the Thrive).

Those days without Thrive were a nightmare.  I went back to feeling how I’ve felt for months now.  I was just dragging, annoyed with everything, hating myself and wanting to eat everything in sight.  I couldn’t even compose a blog post without getting pissed off and quitting.  And that’s how my life has been for months and years…and it’s why I never really make headway on things, and rarely follow through and get things done!

The rash didn’t go away after stopping Thrive.   Apparently it was a coincidence.  I went back on Thrive and started using the patch on my legs instead of my arms, to see if I’d get a rash on a leg…and have NOT.  It most likely is a contact reaction to another product I’m using (I recently bought scented fabric softener and several new scented body mistsm even though I’m often allergic to such things) and I truly don’t see any logical connection to Thrive.

I’m back on it and the difference is amazing.  I actually fall asleep without the TV and stay asleep all night…another huge perk.   Truly life altering…and I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner.  I bit the bullet and ordered a month’s supply, and also picked up an interim supply from another happy user.

Less pain.
Better sleep.
Mental clarity.
More patience.
Irritability GONE.
Boundless physical and mental energy.
Reduced appetite.
Cravings GONE.
Less anxiety.

I’ve committed to 8 weeks, and I’ll update weekly.  Since I started and stopped and started again, I’m counting my start date as when I started back up after taking that three day break.  I’m told the positive effects get better over time, so I’m so excited to see where the next few weeks take me!

Essential Oils: Tension Blend

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Since I always have been somewhat of a mess physically AND emotionally, I have a lot to say about how essential oils have changed my life for the better.  Since childhood I’ve suffered from an array of maladies…anxiety, panic attacks, asthma, frequent bronchitis and pneumonia, knee pain, lower back pain, joint pain, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus issues, etc.  As I got older, I added more things to the list, such as PCOS, insulin resistance, weight gain that’s nearly possible to reverse, depression, more anxiety and panic attacks, subclinical hypothyroidism, early onset type 2 diabetes…and the list goes on.  At one point I had high blood pressure and was on medication from 35-37 years of age.  That one I was able to reverse by losing some weight, but I’m sure it has plans to be back someday!

This week, I want to share my experience with a tension blend with the hope that it might help someone else.  🙂  This is one that I never would have thought of trying but a local friend recommended it to me when I mentioned my frequent headaches.  At first I felt like it helped, at least a little, but it wasn’t the miracle I’d hoped it would be.  I also am not crazy about the scent–it’s very strong and would sting my eyes if I used it on my forehead and temples.  I didn’t try it on the back of my head or neck because I didn’t want it in my hair, which I now realize was silly.

One thing I’ve learned about EOs in the past few months is that if I try something and it doesn’t give me the result I’d hoped for, I just need to try again in a different way.  I’ve been familiar with EOs for years (I would use them when I’d make bath products almost 20 years ago) and have used this brand of oils since the summer of 2012, but only in the past few months have I really begun to (1) remember to reach for oils before conventional treatments and (2) put some effort into using oils correctly and persistently.

I didn’t reach for the tension blend for several weeks, but during a particularly bad migraine that didn’t respond to my usual drug cocktail, I decided I needed to give it another try.  There are two spots on the back of the head, at the base of the skull, directly above the hairline.  These muscles often will be sore during tension headaches and migraines.  Sometimes rubbing these muscles extremely vigorously (as in, asking my husband to rub those spots as hard as he can) will help with the headache–but then that leaves the muscles *really* sore.  Occasionally I will wake up with these muscles very sore and bruised-feeling, headache or not.  Definitely not pleasant!

I found that applying the tension blend directly to these two spots offers nearly instant relief for me!  I also apply it to the back of my neck, and all along the hairline at the base of my skull.  I also inhale some of the Past Tense after applying it.  I top it off with taking a few Peppermint Beadlets and it really works well!  EOs are a bit like homeopathics in my experience; sometimes it’s necessary to repeat the process a few times over a few hours.  Adding a little gentle massage after applying the oils is also very helpful for the most persistent tension headaches.

I haven’t used Motrin, Tylenol or Excedrin for a headache in weeks at this point, and I used to take something nearly daily.  And as far as getting the blend in my hair, it’s no big deal.  It evaporates quickly and doesn’t leave a noticeable residue.