READING TO EMPOWER THE HEALTHY STYLISH & BEAUTIFUL YOU
 Sometimes we don’t feel the way we want to feel or the way we think we should feel. Maybe we are in a place we don’t like, we don’t feel movement in our life, or things aren’t turning out the way we want. We all want to be happy and feel aliveness. The path to that place is not fighting or resisting your feelings in this moment.
Yet, how do I get rid of a feeling I don’t like? I say to you, you do not need to get rid of the feeling. If you feel, for example, guilty sometimes, simply acknowledge there is part of you that feels this way. The best way to change is to not push against what you don’t want. But to be accepting of who you are at the moment It is you. It is right to say to yourself, “I just don’t feel good. I feel bad right now. I feel guilty right now. I feel a mixture of emotions. I feel love, but I also feel dislike and I feel dis-ease and I feel discomfort with my own emotions, AND I can accept myself for the moment.” This is not to say you must stay in a situation, but you can accept that you don’t feel good at the moment. And, you choose to love yourself anyway. When we push away our negative feelings or chastise ourselves for them it creates a sense of self flagellation. We engage in self talk or actions which say: I am not worthy, everything I do is wrong. But, that is not really a good way to approach life because actually by accepting this part of you where it is now, it can come into cooperation with you to make the changes in your life you want. It is like with any other person, if you want to make change together, you cannot just keep beating them up. You cannot say to them “You should know better. You’re so stupid. You never learn. I just don’t like you.” If you treat another person like that, you would very much be aware that they are not going to like you and they are not going to cooperate with you. That makes logical sense when we frame it in relation to others. However, what happens is that we do this to ourselves. If we feel a kind of guilt, disappointment, or shame, we may very often self flagellate ourselves through variety of means. Here goes again the negative self talk or doing something on the outside to sabotage or punish ourselves. We treat ourselves like this and expect happiness and cooperation which isn’t possible when we are beating ourselves up. So, pause. Whatever method you use to self flagellate, be aware that you are doing it. This awareness combined with the accepting of yourself described earlier, puts you in a place where your ego will slowly loosen its grip on you because it will no longer be under attack. Making peace within, in this way, will allow you to feel a little bit more free to shift and change. The changes will not happen overnight, but little by little as you accept and love yourself in whatever feeling you’re in, one little bit at a time you will see changes in your behavior and life. Love, Julia xo P.S. Begin a dynamic relationship with your own life by acceptance and cooperation within you.  Welcome to April!
The theme of awakening keeps coming to me in my own life, spring, friends, and clients. I am going to devote April to this. Before we begin, I want you to know you don’t need to do anything nor to you lack anything. Think of a seed. It is perfect - it is not better or worse than the plant. The plant is not better or worse than its flower. The fruit is not better or worse than the flower. In whatever stage you are in, you are perfect, just like a seed. And, like a seed with attention, water, food, and sunlight you naturally grow or evolve. So, awakening is going to follow that paradigm. You are perfect now as you were yesterday and will be tomorrow. How you decide or don’t decide to grow or evolve is based on how much water, attention, sun, and nourishment you have. So let’s dig in. The first practice I offer is as you awaken each morning and do not look at your phone first. Instead, take a moment to focus on your heart space. Focus your attention on the physical place where your heart is. Then ask yourself: what do you need today? How can I be of the greatest service to myself and others today? Throughout the month I will ask you to focus on your heart because it is where you give and receive love to others and yourself. The heart will tell you the truth from the perspective of love. Love, however, is not always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes love is angry or boundary pushing or self protective or found in other forms. I ask as we begin, you accept what your heart is telling you without judgement. There is no pressure for action, that will come when you are ready. But, releasing self judgement is essential. With light, Julia xo  How do you know you need a detox? But, more than that, do you even need to do a detox in the first place?
Detoxification is something that your body naturally does through the liver, skin, breath, pee, and poop. It is a constant process that never ends and is quite efficient on its own. It is necessary to clear out the remains from all the millions of chemical reactions which allow you to live. It also clears out very natural environmental toxins like too much sun exposure, fumes, smoke from cooking fires, plant and animal toxins. In its ideal state, the body does not need you to do a “detox.” Problems arise when it doesn't have the necessary nutrients to use in the process or is overloaded with environmental and agricultural toxins. Then, we need to detox. A gradual acceleration of detoxification will happen as you eat more plants; to kickstart or deepen the process do a detox. I experienced this after switching to a plant based diet (for the curious, I do eat meat). I could feel the increased energy, clarity, and glow that came as my body was able to function better and detoxify faster. However, at some point I reached a state where the need for deeper detoxification arose - think of weekly cleaning versus spring cleaning. So I decided to do a three day juice cleanse every month. I detoxed in this way for about 3-4 months, then one day a month for another 3-4 months. Each time I felt better and better. But, after the 6th or 7th one, I knew I didn’t need to keep “detoxing.” The deep cleansing was complete and my diet gave my body what it needed from there. I recommend detoxes to clients that are experiencing intestinal issues, mood instability, decreased energy, skin eruptions, and accelerated aging. Do a 1-3 day detox for a few months, then a 1-2 day detox until you feel your body clean - trust the body, it knows when to stop. Soup cleanses, low sugar juice cleanses, broth cleanses, and carefully designed food cleanses can all be used as detoxes. For our cleanses, click here. If you need help designing a detox for your particular needs, I am happy to give you some guidance. Please reach out. Love, Julia xo P.S. Sleep and water are essential for detoxification always. Their benefits are immense and you can start today with 7 hours of rest and more hydration. Jolie | Blue Mill, Morristown, NJ 07960 Unsubscribe {recipient's email} Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by julia@thejolielife.com in collaboration with  A rose quartz meditation is a wonderful way to increase the love you have for yourself and others.
To do one:
For the best benefit, repeat daily for 14 days. Let me know how you grow with this meditation. Love, Julia xo  Honoring your boundaries is a huge act of self love. It’s an action which takes attention, trust in your internal GPS, and a deep commitment to you. Realizing that your well being is more important than meeting the expectations or standards of another.
This year I want to cultivate a mindful relationship with money. Money is essentially energy. An energy that can be used for validation, control, nurturing, and expansion. My desire is to use it in ways that nourish, cultivate, and expand. As soon as you establish a boundary the universe often sends a situation to teach you more about your boundaries. My daughter’s birthday was mine - her gift expectations exceeded mine. I did not want to disappoint her and I recognize gifts are her love language, but also wanted honor myself. First, I made space for me to consider her request. I said maybe, but said I needed time and asked her if it was okay with her to receive her gift post-birthday. She said yes and did not ask about it at all. Many times during contemplation I almost said fuck it I will get the Chanel for her. It will make her happy. Each time I stopped short - it did not align with me. Then I decided I would not spend that much and asked the universe to bring the perfect gift that honored me and her. The same day I found a beautiful Roger Vivier clutch at 85% off retail. I gave it to her that evening and she was delighted. When we honor ourselves, our boundaries, the universe meets us. Not only that, but it’s a wonderful lesson and principle that your love for others does not need to come at the cost of compromising yourself. I invite you to deepen your own awareness of your boundaries. It will make you freer and happier. Love, Julia xo  I love facial masks. As winter fades and spring is slow in coming my skin reaches its apex of dryness. Awaken winter skin with an at home mask. My favorite hydrator and reviver is Manuka honey. Try mixing it with one of the following to create a nutrient mask:
with light, Julia  Try this meditation to clear out the cobwebs of winter. Find yourself in a comfortable position. Imagine yourself a pipe. As you do so, visualize pure, radiant, life source water flowing through you. As it flows through you, see yourself releasing whatever may be obstructing the pipe. Release and feel more space and clarity open within you. Do this meditation for as long as you have and repeat often.
To use meditation to improve your life and achieve your goals sign up for a private meditation session. With light, Julia  Cacao is a magical ingredient that awakens the spirit and improves health. Try adding raw cacao powder or cacao nibs into your morning smoothie, a salad, yogurt, coffee, a bowl of fruit. It elevates the dish and nourishes you at the same time.
with light, Julia  Morning stretch is a great way to awaken the body in the morning. Before you get out of bed:
with light, Julia  Today let there be no ceiling on your joy. Think of the most exuberant person you know in real life or through a novel, movie, or show. Imitate that person today, bringing your joy up a few notches. Observe how it makes you feel.
with light, Julia xo  It may not feel like it, but winter is ending. The day is getting longer. The snowdrops are out and the witchhazels are blooming. This month we turn our attention to awakening our body, spirit, and mind. Letting go of winter, shedding the layers, and coming up anew. Please join me.
with light, Julia xo  A rose quartz meditation is a wonderful way to increase the love you have for yourself and others.
To do one:
For the best benefit, repeat daily for 14 days. Let me know how you grow with this meditation. Love, Julia xo  The newest jolieLife soup was inspired by a soup I had at Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant Marcus B & P. It is a wonderful, creamy cauliflower soup (no dairy) which is enlivened by golden raisins, green olives, pumpkin seeds, and peppery olive oil.
One of my favorite aspects of eating at great restaurants is the flavor combinations inspire. JolieLife recreated a lighter version of the soup. Cauliflower is a great vegetable which gets better in the cold. It contains many anti-cancer compounds and supports healthy thyroid and hormone function. The cruciferous vegetable family is a necessary daily addition to heal autoimmune disease, protect against cancer, and to keep your metabolism stoked. Enjoy! Love, Julia xo  Say the word cleanse and most often you think of a juice cleanse. But, in the winter our bodies need to be warmed and nourished. To work with the natural needs of your body, a soup cleanse is the perfect winter reset. A soup cleanse combines the power of vegetables and magic of broth. Soups have a vegan or bone broth base to boost immunity and improve winter skin. They also are filled with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to energize you and help beat the winter blues.
With soup cleansing during winter you will emerge from winter bright, light, and vibrant. I began soup cleansing last year - every Friday was cleanse day. This ritual gave me break each Friday to reboot and take important time to care for myself. Enjoy a jolieLife soup cleanse this winter. You can order here. One of my favorite soups to cleanse with that requires no cooking is an Avocado Arugula Soup (this can be served cold in summer). Blend 1 ripe avocado 4 cups arugula 1 1/2 cups coconut water 1/2 teaspoon sea salt juice of one lemon Blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth. Add more coconut water or salt if needed. Gently heat and enjoy. Makes 2 servings. love, Julia xo  This is a super versatile way to have a nutritious, non dairy latte. I use this as a morning breakfast, post workout supplement, or quick lunch. I like it both hot and cold. This makes two servings. I usually drink on and save the other for the next day. Blend in a blender: 2 cups almond milk 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 scoops of protein powder - I prefer Vital Proteins with collagen 1-2 shots of espresso or strong coffee To upgrade this to a true beauty potion add one of the following: 2 tablespoons of maca - hormone balancing ½ teaspoon ashwagandha - stress dissolver 1 tablespoon mucuna pruriens - mood booster To make your own almond milk: Soak 1 cup of raw almonds in water for 4-6 hours. Drain and rinse. Then blend this with 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt in a high power blender - Vitamix - until you have a milk. The milk can be strained or used as is. to your health, Julia xo  When I first started eating clean I was astounded by how many green leafy vegetables I needed to eat for optimal health. The reality is that most Americans are undernourished - even if overweight. In the jolieLife foods you will eat 6-8 cups of green leafy vegetables a day.
Why? Green leafy vegetables feed your gut biome. Maintaining a healthy gut requires you feed the good organisms that live there - they eat compounds found in green leafy vegetables. A healthy gut improves your nutrient absorption and restricts antigens and pathogens from crossing through the gut into the blood where they wreck havoc on a healthy immune system. They help you hydrate from the inside out. Greens are mostly water which can slowly be absorbed into the body as the greens are broken down. Antioxidants galore. If you want glowing, clear, healthy skin you have to eat your greens - lots of them. If dry, aging skin with lots of fine lines is your thing, pass on the salad. Greens make more of an impact on your skin than any serum, cream, or facial. Spend the money on your vegetables - the dividends go deeper than a $400 facial. What you feed yourself impacts the development of Alzheimer’s and cancer more than your genes. Green leafy vegetables contain many neuron and cell protective bioactive compounds. Read Anticancer or Ending Alzheimer’s to know just how important green leafy vegetables are. Try a week of jolieLife meals. Go to the Super Food tab. It will teach you what you need to be eating and will amaze you how great you feel. with love + light, Julia  Learning to hear your body’s messages can be tricky when we have gotten out of the habit of listening to ourselves. In adulthood, we care for so many and have so many to answer to that we lose accountability to our own bodies.
In my health journey, many people have given me all kinds of advice - well-intentioned most of the time. Yet, what works for them may not work for me and vice versa. Being in touch with my own body helps me to know when to push, when to rest, when fatigue or sickness is starting, what my sensitivities are. Many clients come to me unable to hear what the body is saying or what their intuition is saying. As the first step to greater intimacy with yourself, start asking yourself throughout the day what you want. I adopted a practice several years ago of asking questions addressed to my body constantly: what do you want to wear today? What do you want for breakfast? Do you want to walk to work or take the subway? Do you want to call this person back now or a little later? Do you want to read or listen to music? Do you like spinning or do you do it because your best friend does? Do you think spending money on flowers is a waste or is that another’s idea? After about a month of this, you start to hear your own voice very clearly. Knowing your voice is the first step in reclaiming yourself. with love + light, Julia  The full moon is a time for me on a monthly basis to stop and evaluate. What is working? Am I on track? How have my goals changed or progressed?
I highly recommend taking a monthly pause to stop and check the terrain of your life. Without it, we can find ourselves off course not knowing how we got there. Here is my Full Moon Checklist. I take about 10-15 minutes to do it - going with my first impulses. Go somewhere quiet, ground yourself, and dive in. Afterward, spend a little time in meditation or prayer to let go of what’s distracting you and recommit to your goals. Full Moon Checklist:
with love + light, Julia xo  Self-care is practicing caring for yourself as you would a dear friend. You make self care a priority because when you feel good and good about yourself you are naturally kinder to yourself and others. If you have a hard time seeing the correlation, think about when you are hangry - you act angry not because you want to bite someone’s head off, but because your deprivation, hunger, makes it hard to be kind.
Likewise, when we feel like the best version of ourselves, kindness and giving flow more abundantly and effortless from us. Self-care will energize and recharge you because it turns us on and makes us present to our lives. You don’t need a lot of free time or to start a new exercise routine, or start eating clean to engage in caring for yourself - in fact, all of those things are usually the effortless outflow of self-care. cared for and good. with love + light, Julia  The New York Times published an article titled “Mind May Trump DNA in Exercise and Eating Habits,” which highlighted a study showing that when patients are told they have “a low capacity for exercise or a tendency to overeat, their bodies start to respond accordingly.”
For me, meditation is not sitting on a cushion detaching from the world. More often than not, I use meditation for myself and my clients to create greater health, weight loss, piece of mind, and healing. Using your mind to help your body heal or perform well is complementary to all other efforts with no negative side effects. Try this meditation for the next 30 days: as you drift off to sleep repeat in your mind, “I am in perfect health.” Both scientific and anecdotal evidence suggests that this type of meditation works as well as some medications with no negative side effects and zero cost. Used with other treatments, exercise, and clean eating is a winning combination. with love + light, Julia  Meditation sometimes feels like eating your greens. You know you should do it, you will feel great for doing it, but other things on you plate are calling you.
Meditation doesn’t have to be a commitment. You don’t need special equipment or a lot of time. It is in essence sitting and being with yourself. If you can control your breath or visualize during the time with yourself, great, but otherwise you are still doing it. One great meditation for you to do alone or with kids and family is the wet noodle meditation. Wet Noodle Meditation
To learn more about meditation, take a private training class, explore the jolie blog, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. with love + light, Julia  Jolie is dedicating 2019 to focus on extraordinary health, wellness and beauty.
This year one of my goals is to detox my beauty and body care routine. Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs 60% of what you put on it. A healthy diet is super important, but I do not want to sabotage myself in using less good skin care. Here are my favorite finds so far: Erbaviva Jasmine and Grapefruit Deodorant: it is awesome!!! I put it on after my evening shower, then again in the morning pre workout. I can workout, sweat, and run to the market if I need to before showering post workout - no stink. Most importantly, it doesn’t irritate your armpit. Erbaviva is great for sensitive skin as their specialty is baby and mama products. You can order on Amazon or through their website. SKIN. The only moisturizing oil you need for your body. You can also use it sparingly on your hair and face. Skin contains powerful botanticals that help cell regeneration, elasticity, and firmness. The lightweight oil soaks into your skin, not transferring to you clothing and smells delicious. The scent, however, is light enough to not compete with your perfume. You can order the Pomona SKIN from jolie here. Maya Chai Highlighter of the Day. You want glow + nourishment? It gives it in an awesome lightweight product that you can use on its own or blend with your foundation. The Highlighter contains broccoli seed oil, calendula extract, salvia seed - powerful antioxidants, and titanium oxide for UVA and UVB protection. No wrinkles, no sun damage. You can get Maya Chai from Credo or, local to the jolie Retreatment, Rose City Beauty. Let me know how you like them and your latest finds in clean beauty. with love + light, Julia The origins of dis-ease always have many contributing factors. You don’t become depressed due to just one factor. A person does not become seriously overweight from solely making bad food choices.  Chronic disease does not stem from one cause. Our bodies and minds are multidimensional, so healing them has to be multidimensional.
When you are undertaking healing yourself from anything rather it be cancer, alcohol dependency, or anxiety - choose to work on the issue from many angles. I encourage you to choose 3 modalities of healing for starters. For example, if you are diagnosed with breast cancer you can, in addition to your medical treatment, seek to heal yourself with dietary changes, emotional release techniques, and meditation. If you have anxiety you may choose medication; however, it should be coupled with other modalities to activate your body’s healing ability such as exercise, breathwork training, and efforts to increase social connections. We are often discouraged or confused by all the information and recommendations we get. There are always more recommendations than time or energy allows. Here your gut will guide you. Do what resonates with you or the treatment you are draw to. Many modalities will heal, but the key is to find the one that resonates with you because that modality is most likely to heal you. I love cold pressed juices, however, sometimes in the winter they are too chilling. I created this green juice that can be served cold or hot. Technically, not green, this bright orange vegetable juice is packed with anti inflammatory nutrients and cancer fighting antioxidants.  The juice will keep for three days in the refrigerator. Use organic produce. I always strain my juice to create a smoother, tastier juice.
For the hot toddy: 2 carrots 1 sweet potato 1 apple 1 knob of ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg pinch of cardamom pinch of cloves Peel and juice everything. Warm juice gently with spices. Makes enough for two. with love + light, Julia What does it mean to be in flow? How do I get into flow?
Flow is allowing yourself and the energy or happenings around you to be cooperative. It is acknowledging everything as it is now, knowing you are empowered to handle it, and trusting that it will all work out. I use the word AFTER to remind me of the pathway to flow.
AFTER explained:
Coco Chanel always inspires me. She says, “Don’t spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door.” Flow is going to the door. with love + light, Julia |
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