Aroma and mindfulness are a powerful combination when it comes to breaking unwanted habits and establishing and maintaining new ones. Habits are automatic behaviours that occur without much conscious thought, so as a starting point, by simply adopting a more mindful approach, and becoming more aware of our behaviour, we stand a better chance of making a positive change and breaking the cycle. Habits generally tend to consist of a cue or trigger, followed by the behaviour and a reward. Aroma can be used as a potent cue or trigger for a new desired habit, linking directly to the limbic part of the brain, and with repetition creating new neural pathways linking to the behaviour or new habit, according to the experts at aromatherapy specialists Scentered.
And it's not just behaviour that aroma has been shown to positively influence. It may also have the capacity to change our mood. “Scent has the power to transport us away from our busy lives, to a moment of calm, where we can be one with ourselves and one with nature” says Lenor Perfumer Rafael Trujillo. Freshly laundered clothes, the great outdoors and days out at the seaside are what happiness smells like, according to their new research. The beach, our garden and our home were also ranked among our happy places, with 68 per cent of us linking fresh smelling clothes to happiness.