Did y’all know that the sense of smell is one of the most powerful memory triggers there is? It has something to do with where the scent receptors are in our brains—it’s tied in with memory.

OK, whatever with all the scientific mumbo-jumbo, but that explains why certain smells can actually make us emotional: happy, sad and even angry! If you think about it, most new smells are encountered when we’re kids. So, whatever was happening when you experienced a certain smell, that memory stays with you for life. And that explains also why not everyone likes the same smells; we all have different memories for different scents!

Amy and I are in the process of launching three new perfumes (starting Nov. 1!) for Gypsy Soule: Freedom®, Rebel® and Wild Child®. Freedom® is fruity and as bold as the American Buffalo roaming the open range. Rebel® is as courageous as a soaring bird. Wild Child® is a mixture of sweet and dangerous, expressed by the scent’s gentle floral nature and wicked sugar skull bottle.

Because we’ve spent so much time talking about the new fragrance line, Amy and I have also talked a ton about certain scents and the memories they evoke for us. We thought it would be fun to share them with y’all!

Smells I love, let’s see…I love the smell of a clean house! Who doesn’t love a tidy house?

The barn, wow. That smell represents so much to me: growing up on a ranch, my love of horses and their salty scent, saddles, hay and feed, all rolled into one, that’s of my favorite smells. I bet my heart rate drops 10 points when I encounter that smell. Sadly, I’ve never found a candle called “Barn.” LOL!

Something about the smell of Irish Spring soap, mmmmmm. I also like the smell of gardenias, fresh ones are fantastic, but it’s a hard smell to get right in perfumes and candles.

Also, pear scented candles, that’s kind of a happy, peaceful thing for me. I really like fresh smells!

Ummmm, let’s see…One of the first and strongest scent memories I think about is my Granny’s perfume. I swear, when I am stressed or sad, I get a whiff of it like she’s right there. It seems crazy, I know, but her memory and that scent are so powerful. She was my favorite and y’all might remember her because I wrote a blog on her once. She was kind, gentle and funny and most of all, she understood me better than anybody. An amazing lady!

Even though we haven’t had enough in Texas for the past few years, I’ll always love the smell of rain. It takes me back to being a little girl on the ranch where I grew up—watching smoke-grey clouds darken on the horizon, the wind swept a rush of the scent of the approaching rain: love! That’s a smell no candle can capture.

The ocean is one of my happy places, that smell always sets my heart at ease.

The smell of a steak sizzling on the grill, total comfort!

Oh! Bread baking, yum! Though I think it always smells better than it tastes.

Something else that’s a big memory/scent trigger for me is the perfume I wore in high school “RED.” I would never wear it again, but reminds me of fun, innocent times.

So, that’s that for our favorite smells. Go see if you can “smell” any memories of your own!

The Disney movie “Frozen” was an iceberg-sized hit last year. I loved Olaf the snowman, but I also love the theme song “Let It Go!” I don’t listen to it in the shower or in my car or anything like that, but I like the lyrics because it speaks to a belief I’ve long held, and that’s about letting GO.

There are seasons for everything. Why do we feel compelled to hold onto some relationships or traditions out of obligation or guilt? I guess maybe it’s just how us girls are brought up. We’re expected to always be polite and sweet, but sometimes, man, ya just gotta admit when something is over.

“Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know”
Lyrics to “Let it Go”

Ahhh, I’m not good at holding things in—nobody should be. It’s not healthy. Because, sometimes, in relationships or life situations, we stay too long. You know that old saying: Always leave a party when you’re having a good time? Well, there’s some truth to that! I’m not advocating ditching solid old friendships or things you love to do, I’m just saying, it’s a good thing to clean out your psyche of stuff that’s broken or no longer serves a purpose—the trash in our minds.

That fractured friendship that you’ve had since you were 16? Going places with people you aren’t comfortable with, doing things you don’t really like, because you just don’t want to or can’t say no? That client who’s a pain in the butt, that job that’s stealing your soul. I’m talking about that thing that no longer fits—it’s like that pair of old boots that pinches and rubs blisters, but you’re still holding onto for no good reason: they’ve gotta go.

Sometimes the person we need to please is ourselves. And often, it’s less about pleasing ourselves than it is about maintaining a healthy mental outlook on life.

I’m in the same boat as everyone else. I often ask myself, “Is letting go OK?”

The answer is often, “Yes!”  There’s a time for all things, and nothing lasts forever…nothing. And once you’ve “taken out the trash,” and you forgive yourself for doing what needed to be done, you’ll experience such peace. Because even though I’m referring to the lyrics of a Disney song, the words are powerful and a great reminder that it is ok to LET IT GO!

“It’s funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can’t get to me at all…
I’m never going back,
The past is in the past!”
Lyrics to “Let it Go”

–Lorinda