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Updated October 19
As a kid I was fearless....
Today I am afraid of heights and driving over bridges over water.
This post is going to highlight the driving over bridges issues.
These bridges are currently in the Little to No panic mode:
35W over the Minnesota River between Bloomington and Burnsville
494 over the Minnesota River between Bloomington and Eagan
55 over Mississippi River by Fort Snelling
This bridge is currently in the Little panic to Big panic mode:
169 over Minnesota River between Bloomington and Shakopee
These bridges are currently in the Big panic and to Avoid at all costs mode:
77 (Cedar) over the Minnesota River between Bloomington and Apple Valley
94 over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and St. Paul
62 over the Minnesota River otherwise known as the Mendota Bridge
FYI - I will take the long way to a destination to avoid the latter two modes.
Why am I bringing this up? We have a show in Jordan this weekend. Yes, I can take 35W but I would really like to save 10 minutes and take 169. (And, we have a show in Apple Valley in November and I would really like to take 77 / Cedar Ave bridge to get there.)
Now seems like the perfect time to try all my essential oil tricks to relieve my anxiety and take on the 169 bridge. I am putting it in writing to push myself to make and keep the plan.
It seems like it is time for ‘Lose Yourself In The Music’ blend to help me take charge and get prepared.
The blend is made up of:
Clary Sage (salvia sclarea)
Therapeutic / chemical properties: Eases anxiety and emotional tension, relaxing and antidepressant actions and reduces stress related digestive discomfort
Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia)
Therapeutic / chemical properties: Relaxes muscles, reduces anxiety, helps calm and control panic attacks
Palmarosa (cymbopogon martini)
Therapeutic / chemical properties: Anxiety relief, ‘calms the mind’, reduces heart palpitations
Ylang Ylang (cananga odorata)
Therapeutic / chemical properties: Decreases blood pressure and heart rate, induces feeling of calm
Sandalwood (santalum album)
Therapeutic / chemical properties: Relaxes muscles, calming properties, heavy / base note means slow to evaporate
The aroma of the blend is floral with an instant enlightening tone.
Plan of attack:
Create a personal inhaler with the above blend. Make sure to choose a ‘powerful’ color for the inhaler. Keep handy in the car that morning and use while driving. Very important to use a few miles before the bridge and while driving over it.
Create a lotion using 3-4% dilution of the above blend. This is a higher dilution and only to be used for acute purposes. Apply after showering that morning all over body. Apply one more time prior to getting into car on arms and hands.
Download Eminem ‘Lose Yourself’ song on phone. Start playing it prior to getting to bridge. (The lyrics are listed at the bottom of this post)
I promise to follow-up on the next day to let you know how it went.
Happy Blending! Jeanne a.k.a. JAK
Updated October 19 - Post Follow-up
It worked! I survived the 169 bridge on my way to Jordan!
I could leave the update there but feel maybe I should elaborate just a tad bit.
First thing I noticed was the ‘Lose Yourself’ Lotion product with the higher dilution ratio was extremely noticeable. The aroma seemed to overwhelm me at first……however when I was driving to pick up my mom it reminded me to take a deep breath and relax. I felt like I could conquer the anything at that point. Eventually I caught myself relaxing on my own because of the aroma.
Success!!
The inhaler and playing the song sort of went hand-in-hand as far as timing. However, I realized that it was hard to take a deep breath and sing and tap to the beat of the song at the same time. In the future the lotion and the song just might do the trick.
I am not cured, let me repeat that….I am not cured. I still had the rush of panic come over me when I hit that double joint as the bridge started. It took all my brain power to not pull over and make my mom drive the rest of the way across the bridge. (Realistically I would never had gotten out of the car on the bridge to do this but logic was not a factor at this point)
All of the items help me through a stressful situation which was the true test. I made it over that bridge and I can do it again. No more out of the way when it comes to that bridge.
Next up is the Cedar / 77 bridge. And the use of ‘Lose Yourself In The Music’ blend is going to help!
Lose Yourself by Eminem
Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted. In one moment
Would you capture it, or just let it slip?
Yo
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready to drop bombs,
But he keeps on forgetting what he wrote down,
The whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's choking how, everybody's joking now
The clock's run out, time's up, over, blaow!
Snap back to reality. Oh, there goes gravity
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked