Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruby Leano.
Ruby, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hello everyone! My journey in the health and wellness field started when I became a mother, although, from a very young age, I was very interested in mental health, functioning of human society and our general well-being. As a teenager, I did suffer from mild anxiety and at that time it definitely was not something that was talked about. In our Latinx culture, it was more about, “you’re ok.” or “stop worrying”. So, I became very intentional with becoming aware of how to deal with my emotions, in my case, worry. I was also suffering from some physical health concern, ovarian cyst, causing me to turn to OTC and soon after intense pain killers. At one point, I was on Vicodin and had no clue how strong that medication really was and the addiction behind it. Honestly, I was young and I didn’t even question anything, I just followed protocol. As time went on I went to college to receive my Bachelor’s in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. I was amazed at how society and our experiences affect the person and their life choices. That led me to continue my education to become a teacher and received my Masters in Education & Cross-Cultural Teaching. I desired to educate At-risk kids to find their true potential and be a light to those when they may not have anyone else who believed in them. That was my purpose and I knew I would be able to make a difference.
Soon after, I was married and became pregnant with a beautiful baby boy. That part of my life was, to say the least, life-changing. My hopes and dreams to have a career were placed on hold. I had a little boy to care for and I knew no one else would care for him the way I would so we decided I would become a SAHM. During this time the worry in me came back and I started to become aware of the dangers of whatever I was putting into my body and how it was going to affect my baby. Like any mother-to-be, you start to read books about motherhood, eat healthier foods and cut back or remove things that would not be best for baby. For me, that meant all the prescribed meds and OTC meds. That was not the easiest thing to do, but I knew in my heart that I was already regretting all the past damage I had caused to my body.
Years passed and we added two beautiful girls to our Leano family. As our family was growing so was my anxiety. When baby number three came, my anxiety was full-blown, and on top of that, I had postpartum depression. I had no clue I could have that with baby #3, especially when I didn’t have it with the previous pregnancies. I was living a life of mommy and nursing babies that were all two years apart. My kiddos were always getting sick, they were on a breathing treatment, antibiotics often and so much more. I was never taking mommy time-outs and I was feeling depleted, and that postpartum, well it turned into depression. It was such a hard time in my life, and sharing this with everyone makes me scared and nervous out of my mind, but I know there is a mommy out there who needs to hear that they are not alone. So one day, I was at my lowest and I told my husband, “for the first time ever, I think I need to see a doctor and need medication because my anxiety is skyrocketing and I just don’t feel myself”. I didn’t even tell him about the depression. I didn’t want to feel judged, although he would never, it was my own insecurity. During this time, while I was waiting for my doctor’s appointment a friend who I confided in shared a bottle of doTERRA Serenity oil. My life was changed forever. She shared with me how to use it when I was feeling overwhelmed. Most importantly, she showed me how to use these oils to keep my kiddos healthy. It was so eye-opening and truly transformed my life, that I became obsessed and had to share them with everyone. I had a good month before my doctor’s appointment and within that month I had learned to find healthy coping skills for my anxiety and my depression lifted as I started to find answers to take care of my kids. My stress was causing a spiral effect physically and emotionally, but I was learning to be proactive, not reactive. I was missing the self-care piece in my life and I had to embrace the courage to love myself first. It changed my life and I knew I wasn’t alone, so I started sharing my journey on social media and three years later, I have created a beautiful community of women who inspire, motivate, support each other and most importantly are thriving, not just surviving.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely was not a smooth journey for me, but I’ve learned a lot along the way. I love that the conversation is finally happening, normalizing mental health, I love that our generation is breaking the mold of perfection and allowing self-care to take priority, and I love that women are changing the look of health care in their home and the way they care for their bodies and their family. We are empowering our future to live healthier lives by our example now.
Once I realized I was able to create a life that I wanted, I was unstoppable. I am in control and no one else. I started to realize self-care is vital to my health. I was lacking nutrition, supplementing my body, and sleep was non-existent. Yes, I was a mom of three littles under four and that was a crazy time in my life, but I wasn’t taking care of myself and learning that the brain and gut feed off each other I had to start nourishing both. When I feel my anxiety creeping up, I turn to my oils, I work on my affirmations, I move my body and I journal my feelings. It’s a process, but it’s a healthy one. What I love most is that I’m a healthy example for my babies. They only know this life of self-care, working through our emotions, and caring about the foods we eat. Is it perfect? No, but I’m changing the story and my kids will grow up to be empowered, resilient humans.
Learn to care for your physical and emotional well-being early on. Create healthy habits to nourish your mind, body and soul. No matter how busy your schedule is, even the smallest changes can make a big difference in helping to achieve a happy and healthy life. I find it sad that it takes courage to love ourselves and take time for ourselves. Many of us, especially because of culture, have been programmed that being “selfless’ is being good and that being loving to ourselves is selfish. Anyone who has been selfless knows that it eventually leads to feeling depleted and depressed because when you are giving to others without also giving to yourself you end up feeling empty inside. When you learn to fill your own cup, then you can share your true gifts with others. Learn to do these things early on so that when you start to add more to your plate, it will be a much easier transition. A woman who heals herself heals her mother, heals her daughter, and heals every woman around her. Start now, choose you now. If you’re not sure where to start, that’s where I can help you. It’s about having someone on your side, cheering you on, and helping you create these habits. It’s one step at a time and you can do this!
Please tell us about Essential Serenity.
I once read the following quote and fell in love with the process of finding my purpose. “Having a purpose in life encourages self-determination. It all starts with a belief, an idea that can create a powerful destiny. The seed of hope is planted deep within you. If you water that seed, energy will be created. Energy creates motion, motion creates action, action creates results, results create achievement, achievement creates self-confidence, and self-confidence creates the mindset that you can and will achieve anything you desire.”
I am so in love with the work I do daily. I had a purpose to be a high school teacher and educate our youth, but life experience has brought me here and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. I’m still in the education field, it just looks a little different and that is okay with me. My purpose: To help our generation of women to learn to love themselves and decide that they are worthy of good things, that they are strong, powerful, resilient and they deserve to care for themselves, putting their well-being first. My mission is to help women create goals moving them into a life that they desire. I love to work with women to empower them to think for themselves, to create healthy habits, and live a life they love because life was meant to be lived. I share a lot of free content over on my Instagram page where I share daily tips, recipes, life hacks and more. I teach weekly online classes and I also have a FREE lifestyle eBook available to you on my website.
I am also a doTERRA advocate, but that’s only the foundation of the work I do. This is bigger than oils for me and it’s the reason I continue to show up every single day. These oils are a tool, they are a guide to the changes you want to make in your life. I love the work I do and I hope it’s evident in the daily education I give and in the personal attention you get as an individual. I would love to help you start your journey to better health. Whether you are a woman who needs a little guidance and direction to have a happier/healthier lifestyle or the mama who needs a helping hand from someone who understands her, I’m here to partner with you and walk with you. Let me show you how to build a daily routine, cut what doesn’t serve you and reach your goals. Let’s transform your life with essential oils and holistic health!
Topics: Mental health, stress, sleep, immune support, overall health, removing toxins from your home, skincare, and so much more.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
I love to read a lot of mindset books and most importantly, love having a daily gratitude journal. Look for a podcast that interests you and will keep you motivated to keep showing up as your best self.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rubyleano.com
- Email: Ruby.Leano@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/essential_serenity
- Facebook: @essentialserenity.me
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