Scent tells me who I am right now

When I was busy,
it was natural for me to put myself last.
I had so much to do,
there was my family to take care of,
there was work,
and before I knew it, the day was over.
That was how I spent every day.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with that.
But looking back now,
I feel like I was always looking outward.
I could notice things around me,
but I wasn't really listening to the voice of my own heart and body.

"I'm fine" was my catchphrase.

Even when I was tired, I'd say, "I'm fine."
Even when I pushed myself a little too hard, I'd say, "I'm fine."
Even on days when I really wanted to rest, I'd say, "I can still keep going."
That is how I lived.
But as I reached menopause,
the signs from my heart and body that I had overlooked until then
became clearer than ever before.
The body is honest.
If you keep pushing it, it will send you a sign.
The heart is the same.
Even if you pretend not to notice,
it will try its best to make its voice heard.

A scent that has been by my side for 27 years

My encounter with aroma was 27 years ago.
At first, it was purely,
"What a lovely scent."
That is where it started.
As I enjoyed it in my daily life,
before I knew it, I had spent many years with it.
And as I grew older,
the way I approached scent also changed little by little.
There is something I realized at one point.
Even with the same scent,
there are days when it feels pleasant,
and days when it doesn't.
There are days when a scent I thought I liked feels heavy.
Conversely, there are days when I am drawn to scents I wouldn't normally choose.
What is the reason for that difference...
I began to wonder.

Scent is a mirror that reflects who I am now

At some point, I began to use
the time I spent choosing a scent
as time to face myself.
What kind of scent am I drawn to today?
What is my mood?
Is my body tired?
What is my heart seeking?
I ask myself these questions while choosing a scent.
Then, strangely enough,
I sometimes see emotions I don't usually notice.
I was actually tired.
I was actually lonely.
I was actually pushing myself a little too hard.
I sometimes realize feelings like that.
Menopause was a major trigger for me to re-examine myself,
but even then, it was the scent I had been familiar with for years that stayed by my side.
I think the scent was quietly asking me,
"How are you feeling right now?"

To be in balance is to treat yourself with care

In the past,
I thought that being in balance was something special.
I thought I had to learn something,
I thought I had to change something.
But now it is different.
To be in balance means
to treat yourself with care,
to know your own state,
and to give yourself the necessary rest and healing.
I think it is as simple as that.
Scent provides the trigger for that.

The courage to choose comfort

For a long time, we have lived
prioritizing "things we should do."
But in the second half of our lives,
shouldn't we also value "things that are comfortable"?
Enjoying your favorite scent,
drinking tea slowly,
looking up at the sky,
listening to your favorite music.
Such small moments
help us find our balance.

Toward a life where you don't put yourself last

Menopause is also a time
to re-examine yourself.
For us who have worked hard for the sake of others until now,
this is the time to be kind to ourselves.
In my 27 years of walking with aroma,
I learned that scent is a presence that tells me about the changes in my heart and body.
Scent is not magic.
It doesn't have any special power to change your life dramatically.
But,
it reminds me of the question,
"How am I feeling right now?"
And that question
becomes the first step toward valuing yourself.
The beginning of a life reboot
might just start from such a small realization.