I sat to her right and back two seats in a high school religion class. I don’t recall the name of the class or the teacher, but I remember her. I admired my classmate’s smile, her friendliness, and her confidence. To me, she seemed well-adjusted.
I wanted to be well-adjusted too. I wanted to be confident, not painfully self-conscious.
Looking back, I realize what I wanted was to feel comfortable in my own skin—to know who I was and to have a purpose.
I wanted health and wellness in mind, body, and spirit.
I wanted to believe that the world is a place of abundance.
As an adult, I unpacked the primary cause of damage to my self-worth, wellness, and outlook on life: being molested as a child and its aftermath.
For much of my life, I did not believe that healing from that damage was possible. However, over time, and with the guidance of several trusted people, God gently and lovingly assisted me in growing in freedom from this woundedness.
I reached a point of thriving, not being crushed by my past. Sharing my story on my blog released some of my fears and shame, leaving me feeling more empowered. As others confided their similar stories, I grew in compassion. I sensed God was calling me to minister in this area, but how?
Was He asking me to become a speaker? A group facilitator? An art therapist? What more did God have in store?
The fall of 2013 hit with big lifestyle changes for my family. Having taken the homeschooling of our four children as far as we could, my husband and I began the process of transitioning them into the public school system. Perhaps this was God calling me to something new personally. I began searching for employment to supplement my husband’s teaching salary.
God entered in and shifted my life dramatically.
A bit of background may help: I studied Art and English in college, took a job as a kindergarten teacher immediately after graduation, and taught until the birth of my first child.
I’d now been out of the workforce for 10 years. And besides, I had found nearly every paid position I’d held since high school to be soul-sucking.
I was not enthused to look for a job. Some people surrounding me doubted my process, but I knew I needed something different. Non-traditional. I determined not to swap one set of stressful routines for another. Polish my resume, interview, wait for an answer? No, thank you.
God drew on the lessons in identity He’d been teaching me. Led by intuition, I waited. He nudged my online friend, Jennifer, to invite me…into the health and wellness arena. Jennifer knew both my wellness and financial needs. She offered hope for my health first, and then she invited me to join her wellness team.
I attended her essential oils class, something I had been quite interested in but had not yet pursued.
I ordered an essential oils starter kit and learned how to support my health in mind, body, and spirit.
My first whiff of the vanilla-lime Stress Away hooked me and chilled. me. out. I applied it all over the back of my neck when my four-year-old son decided to stuff a whole loaf of bread in a large cup while I was on the phone. A little drop of Joy’s geranium-rose aroma over my heart boosted my emotions.
Jennifer offered to share the business side of the company with me, and I learned that their mission is wellness, purpose, and abundance. Puzzle pieces of God’s direction for my life began to fall into place.
I feel healthier than I ever have because I now know how to support my physical and emotional body systems. I know how much toxicity I had allowed into my body - whether it is a chemical-laden cleaning product or a destructive relationship - and how to reduce that toxicity.
I have life-giving purpose now that I’m sharing wellness with others. << Click to Tweet
I teach people how to grow in vibrant health. Through classes and one-on-one meetings, both in-person and online, I identify toxins that are damaging people’s health. I then educate them on reducing those toxins and illustrate ways to support any aspect of their mental, physical, and spiritual health using Young Living essential oils. Once they begin their journey, I offer continued support and education.
I am part of a Young Living team who trains and supports me, and I lead a team of people whom I train to support others in their wellness. These teams foster incredible community by nurturing new friendships and resurrecting old ones as we pursue greater health.
I’m blessed to create a business experience in which my team members feel heard, valued, and recognized for their achievements.
I’m awed that I get to witness people grow. I’m able to contribute to the financial stability of many people and help their dreams come true…all things I’d been paralyzed from executing and enjoying prior to my healing. The daily work of building relationships in my business, along with the practical business tasks, challenge me to apply the skills and lessons learned along my healing journey.
My eyes are opened to the abundance that God offers. I see now that I’d been stuck living with a scarcity mentality. That frugality can be a trap and an idol. I also see that I can contribute to my family’s finances in a significant and fulfilling way. That God uses the relationships on my team to model His patience, generosity, and encouragement.
After running my own essential oils business for a year, I see incredible potential for a future beyond anything I’ve imagined. My goal is to match my husband’s salary in the next six months. That equates to many lives changed as people meet their health goals. The thought of being able to give financially to others as my business grows excites me too!
What’s next? I’m in the process of preparing classes on the essential oils of ancient scripture and oils for emotional health. These will equip people to deepen their prayer lives and walk in greater emotional freedom.
I’m smiling a lot these days. My confidence grows with each step of my journey.
And that journey? It’s a thrilling one in which God continually expands my understanding of wellness, purpose, and abundance.
To learn more about the power of essential oils, connect with me, or attend one of my upcoming classes, visit my website, or email me at mandy.mianecki@gmail.com.
Mandy Mianecki is a wife and mom of 4. She is passionate about encouraging others in their healing journeys from brokenness to wholeness; in uncovering their unique kind of God-breathed brilliance; and in living in the freedom won by Christ. A God-sized dreamer, art-maker, lover of the color turquoise, avid oiler and Nutella-eater, Mandy is also a contributing writer at God-sized Dreams.