About Me

Midlife Crisis to Chrysalis: Pre-diabetic, Overdrinking Burnout to Health Hacker and Competitive Pickleballer.

Hi, I'm Juli

Writer, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Autoimmune disease warrior, Pickleball addict, Beach junkie and Crusader for making the rest the best.

'Midlife is when the Universe grabs your shoulders and tells you “I'm not f-ing around, use the gifts you were given.'

Brene Brown

My Story

The Epiphany:

When I rounded my 50th birthday, I was 80 pounds overweight, pre-diabetic, depressed, exhausted, suffering from undiagnosed Hashimotos Disease, and drowning in the anti-promises of too much wine.

I couldn't keep going like that. I wanted so much more from this life. Something had to give. It was time to begin again....to wrap up in a chrysalis and spin out of the crisis.

The Decision:

I wanted to get better at life, and better on the pickleball court.

The Process: This is what I did. (Not all at once.)

Implemented a morning power hour.
Reduced stress and cortisol by doing things to calm my overactive fight or flight nervous system.
Learned to meditate and scheduled quiet time.
Got sleep-I made it a mission.
Stopped drinking-it jsut didn't serve me anymore.
Started playing pickleball, then started playing it competetively. This motivated me to keep going.
Started building my tribe, and focusing on connection and relationships.

About Me.

On a resume I’m a non-fiction writer, researcher, and small business owner. Cooking is totally new for me and I'm on fire for it. (To be clear, the food is not on fire.)

On a personality test I’m an enneagram 4 and a Type A-/B+ so I feel things deeply and never know how worked up I should be about them. I’m an extroverted introvert, but in no way shy. I just don't have tons of time for small talk anymore. Phones are for texting, not calling, and If you can’t find me anywhere, check the beach.

I learned that I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis, Insulin resistance, adrenal dysfunction and all the blah blah blahs that go along with this. This prompted a deep dive into healing my relationship with food, years of inflammation in the body and my tragically disregulated nervous system.

After breaking some unhealthy habits at 51, and rising out of my own ashes, I expected to feel better, but I didn't. I had zero energy, anemia, brain fog and memory loss. I never felt like exercising. My stomach was getting bigger and I didn't know what to eat or do to help myself. The old strategies didn't work anymore. I was sinking fast.

My years of fad diets, excess alcohol consumption and living in constant fight or flight (which has become our norm) were hitting me head on. I felt wrecked, both mentally or physically. And then peri-menopause arrived, uninvited like an unwanted house guest staying for a very lengthy visit. Midlife Juli was the new girl in town and all my personalities needed to figure out how to get along.

I made a choice to go after the things I still didn't have: a healthy body, a stronger mindset, a purpose to work towards, and renewed and new relationships.

I've spent the last several of my 54 years scouring self-help resources, and following health and wellness masterminds to learn everything I could to feel better, look better, be better.

I'm doing it, moment to moment, day after day, and I want to share what I learn with you. If not now, when? It's time to go on a Journey for More.

Truth Bomb.

The small simple things you do daily deeply impact who you become. You don't need to do anything radical to experience transformation. We are day to day creatures who flourish doing small simple steps.

You can change anything you want to.

You can live longer and be strong and independent as you do it.

You can make lifestyle changes and see actual results.

You can decide to be healthy at any age!

If not now, WHEN?

You are the CEO of your health and wellness!