Mind-Body Connection

The Body Keeps Score: How Stress, Grief, and Everyday Habits Show Up in Our Health

07/06/2025 04:00 AM Central
AJ Flanagan
Coping with Grief, Emotional Wellness, Grief & Healing, Healthy Habits, Mind-Body Connection, personal growth, Progress Over Perfection, Self-Care Practices, Simplified Living
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We often think of our bodies as separate from our emotions—until they remind us they’re not. Whether it’s stress, grief, or years of go-go-go living, our bodies quietly keep track of everything we don’t deal with. This mind-body connection can show up in subtle but powerful ways. Here’s what I’ve been learning about that unspoken tally...

Unlocking Emotional Wellness: The Impact of Essential Oils on the Limbic System

Nov 24, 2023 07:15 AM Central
AJ Flanagan
aromatherapy, Emotional Health, essential oils, Holistic Wellness, Mind-Body Connection
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Discover the profound impact of essential oils on our limbic system, the emotional control center of the brain, in our latest blog post. Dive into the world of aromatherapy and explore how subtle scents like lavender and chamomile can promote relaxation and sleep support by influencing our limbic system. Discover how essential oils like cedarwood and frankincense can offer emotional stability and support during times of unrest. Customize your emotional well-being journey by creating personalized blends that cater to your specific emotional needs. Learn how essential oils like rosemary and peppermint can enhance cognitive function and memory recall while uplifting your mood and invigorating your mind. Integrate these powerful tools into your daily routine for a more balanced and harmonious subconscious state, and embrace the aromatic journey towards emotional well-being. Join me on this holistic and personalized quest towards a more harmonious and balanced psychological state through the power of essential oils.

Empowering Hormonal Health with Natural Solutions: Michelle's Story

Jul 20, 2023 01:51 PM Central
AJ Flanagan
essential oils, Hormonal Health, Menopause, Mind-Body Connection, Natural solutions, Toxin-Free Living, Women's Health
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Discover the power of natural solutions for supporting hormonal health during menopause in this inspiring blog post. Follow Michelle's journey as she embraces Young Living's essential oils and toxin-free personal care products to find relief from discomfort and improve her overall well-being. By incorporating essential oils like Clary Sage, Geranium, and Frankincense into her daily routine, Michelle found emotional balance, eased occasional discomfort, and promoted better sleep. She also learned about the hormone-disrupting effects of synthetic chemicals commonly found in personal care products and turned to Young Living's natural skincare, haircare, and cleaning products to eliminate toxins from her daily routine. Through her experience, Michelle hopes to inspire other women to explore the tremendous benefits of natural solutions during menopause and experience a renewed sense of vigor in their daily lives. Join her on this journey towards a healthier, happier you by signing up to be notified when new blog entries are released.

✨ My blog exists because I know what it feels like to keep everything jumbled in your head — like a messy pile of clothes you can’t sort through.

Writing it all down brings clarity, calm, and sometimes even healing answers I didn’t know I was looking for.

Honestly, that’s why I keep showing up to write — it helps me make sense of things.

Even if you have no intentions of ever publishing your work, I highly recommend writing stuff down. It doesn't have to be a literary masterpiece or even full, grammatically correct sentences... just dump those random thoughts onto paper... you'll see what I mean.

*This blog centers the GenX experience, simply because that’s the lens I live through—but anyone looking for connection, natural wellness, grief support, or a little real-talk in this messy stage of life is more than welcome.

Hi! I'm AJ Flanagan.

Hey there — I’m AJ.

I’m an empty-nester and a widow who had a wake-up call about the hidden toxins in everyday products most of us grew up using. Our parents didn’t know. We didn’t know either. But once you start paying attention, it’s hard to ignore.

Life shifted in 2018 when my husband, Eric, was diagnosed with leukemia — and again in 2023 when we faced a second cancer diagnosis. Supporting him through treatment changed how we looked at just about everything, including how we cared for our home, our bodies, and our day-to-day routines.

We didn’t aim for perfection or extremes. We focused on simple, meaningful changes — reducing toxic load in our home, choosing better ingredients, prioritizing nourishing food, and building calmer rhythms into daily life. Tools like aromatherapy, music, meditation, and intentional rest became part of how we coped and stayed grounded.

Caring for Eric deepened my commitment to living well — not as a trend, but as a way of showing up with intention and grace, even in the hard seasons.

Now I share our story, the lessons we learned, the small changes that made a big difference, and how I'm moving forward. My hope is to make wellness feel more approachable, less overwhelming, and rooted in real life — especially for anyone who wants healthier options without pressure or perfection.

If you’re here to find what actually works for you, you’re in the right place.

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