What stinks? We have strong reactions via the nose. When something stinks, we have a strong reaction – an overflowing sewer hole, nasty garbage cans, a filthy cat liter box, a dead mouse. Augh.
We have another strong reaction when something has an aroma that is pleasing. French lavender, sweet honeysuckle, gardenias, freshly picked vegetables, an apple right off the tree, our favorite shampoo. Memories — Mom’s peach cobbler, Dad’s Swedish glögg, Gramma’s chicken soup brewing on the stove top, Uncle George’s logs burning in the fireplace – all smells of familiarity and memories that are so very pleasant.
Research tells us what our intuitive sense tells us – we can influence 
our mood through aroma. If you go for a massage, or any sort of a spa treatment, they will introduce your nose to an array of smells designed to relax you and then invigorate you. Very effective.
When I am in need of comfort, I turn to several techniques to lift my spirits – freshly squeezed lemon in a cup of hot tea, a spritz of Emeraude perfume like my mother used to wear, a puff of baby powder in my shoes. These simple things capture my attention and take my mind to a place where I recall – I recall pleasantries. I keep them all within reach.
We each have an inner strength that is filled with memories designed to empower us, designed to relax us, we simply need to tap them. This morning, as I find my keyboard beckon me for blog time and many additional assignments, the aroma of Starbuck’s freshly ground coffee beans and hot brewed java fill my office and keep me happily productive.
Take control, influence your world through that adorable appendage on the front of your face.
