Nutrition & Alternative Medicine

3 Steps to Untangle Messy Emotional SituationsThe Missing Skill Nobody Taught You About EmotionsWhat if the reason you keep replaying conversations, feeling triggered, shutting down, people-pleasing, or struggling to communicate isn't because something is wrong with you?What if no one ever taught you how emotions actually work?In this episode, JJ introduces one of the most powerful frameworks she has ever used for emotional healing, conflict resolution, nervous system regulation, and personal responsibility.Most people were never taught:How to identify what they're feelingHow to understand their needsHow to navigate emotional situations effectivelyHow to listen underneath the storyInstead, we've been taught to react, defend, avoid, cope, or blame.JJ explains why emotional situations become messy and introduces the three questions that can change everything.The Three QuestionsWhat am I feeling?What need isn't being met?What strategy could I use to get that need met?While simple, these questions can transform how you approach conflict, stress, relationships, and communication.Key TakeawaysEmotional situations become complicated when we focus on the story instead of what's happening underneath.Stress, anxiety, frustration, resentment, and overwhelm often point to unmet needs.Your interpretation of an event creates your emotional experience more than the event itself.Core wounds and subconscious beliefs influence how you interpret the world.Most addictive, numbing, or coping behaviors are attempts to avoid uncomfortable emotions.Learning to identify feelings and needs creates greater peace, clarity, and self-awareness.Emotional intelligence begins with taking responsibility for your internal experience.Listening differently can dramatically improve communication and relationships.Resources MentionedFree Feelings & Needs List:jjflizanes.com/feelingslistThree Steps to Untangle Messy Emotional Situations:jjflizanes.com/3step14-Day Manifestation Challenge:jjflizanes.com/14dayMemorable Quote"You are 100% responsible for how you interpret things."Connect with JJWebsite:jjflizanes.comPodcast:Spirit, Purpose & Energy

JJ welcomes back Sheila Donohue for a conversation that blends entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and the art of curated Italian wines and foods. Sheila shares how her company, Verovino, sources small-batch, farm-made wines, olive oils, and specialty foods—many not readily available in the U.S.—and delivers them to both consumers and businesses across America. In This Episode Meet Sheila in Bologna: Sheila shares her life in Bologna, Italy, where she's lived since 2001, and how Italy shaped her expertise and relationships with producers. What Verovino does: Verovino curates and imports authentic, sustainably made, small-batch products—primarily from Italy, plus select producers from other countries and California—selling B2B and direct-to-consumer. From fintech to food & wine: Sheila explains her background in financial technology (fintech), her sommelier training in Italy, and how her personal immersion in artisan food culture inspired the company. Starting from a "clean slate": In 2017, after major life changes, Sheila began building Verovino—funded through savings—and took early action by importing product and going door-to-door to find customers. How the business grows: Sheila emphasizes the importance of continuity (repeat business), building scale, and covering operating expenses. She explains how an omni-channel strategy helps stabilize the business: Distributors nationwide Wine stores & restaurants (especially in California) Direct-to-consumer shipping across the U.S. Corporate gifting & events Marketing & education that compounds: Verovino invests in education and storytelling through digital marketing—especially their blog and YouTube channel—to build long-term brand trust and demand. Product philosophy: As a sommelier-led team, Sheila curates for variety and distinction: reds, whites, rosés, orange wines, sparkling (dry and sweet), plus standout olive oils—including single-varietal olive oils with specific pairing profiles. Events as a growth engine: Sheila shares how tastings, fundraisers, private events, and collaborations introduce people to the products—because tasting creates appreciation and connection. Specialty foods: The conversation highlights a Piedmont hazelnut producer offering toasted hazelnuts, caramelized hazelnuts, hazelnut creams, pasta, and pestos—plus JJ's enthusiasm for pistachio cream and clean ingredients. Wine club & gifting: Sheila describes Verovino's monthly or quarterly wine club, curated shipments with insider notes and stories, and a growing trend of gifting memberships (including personalized letters). Gift sets: Verovino offers curated gift sets—popular in December—and a standout option that pairs wine + olive oil, plus expanded options for non-wine drinkers. A second brand line for broader appeal: To avoid being pigeonholed and to meet different market needs, Sheila shares how Verovino expanded into a separate line for more "recognizable" wines, including Prosecco and kegs—ideal for events and high-volume restaurant service. Advice for new producers: Sheila emphasizes the need to stand out in a crowded market—especially as the wine industry faces headwinds—and to clearly differentiate your product and message. Memorable Moments JJ connects her own journey as a winemaker (High Vibrational Wines) and discusses why she values small-batch, purpose-driven production over mass distribution. A fun community collaboration emerges: JJ invites Sheila to co-create a March event in Ojai with "Women Behind the Business: Real Conversations," potentially adding a wine tasting experience—and they discover their birthdays are both in March. Connect with Sheila / Verovino Website: Verovino.com YouTube: Vero Vino Instagram & Facebook: VeroVinoGusto Closing: JJ encourages listeners to explore Verovino for personal discovery, gifting, and creating meaningful food-and-wine experiences that bring "a taste of Italy" home.

JJ welcomes back Michelle Reittinger, author and host of The Upside of Bipolar, for a bold, hope-filled conversation that challenges common cultural narratives around bipolar disorder. Together, they unpack "myths" that can keep people stuck in fear and identity-based labels—and invite listeners into curiosity, root-cause investigation, and a more empowering view of symptoms, healing, and personal responsibility. In This Episode, We Cover · Michelle's story: diagnosed in 1998, years of intensive psychiatric treatment, polypharmacy, and a breaking point that became a turning point · Why a diagnosis can feel like an "answer," but often doesn't explain why symptoms started · The difference between a "cluster of symptoms" and an identified disease mechanism · Why curiosity (vs. shame) changes everything—especially with intense symptoms like rage, anxiety, and dissociation · The "detective" approach: identifying triggers, patterns, and underlying contributors · The role of foundational health (nutrients, sleep, nervous system regulation) in emotional resilience and symptom reduction · Why suppressed emotions can show up as anxiety, depression, physical pain, or crisis states · How identity, victimhood, and relationship dynamics can unconsciously reinforce staying stuck · A grounded reminder: do not abruptly stop medications—tapering/changes should be done slowly and safely with qualified support Notable Takeaways · Labels can reduce curiosity—and curiosity is often the doorway to change. · "Symptoms" are information; the goal is to explore what they're pointing to. · The most empowering question isn't "What's wrong with me?" but "What happened—and what is my system asking for now?" · Healing can have a social cost: if your "sick role" has been rewarded with attention, protection, or lowered expectations, getting better can feel threatening (even subconsciously). Resources Mentioned · Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker · The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk · Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno Connect with Michelle · Website: theupsideofbipolar.com · Free resource: Mood Cycle Survival Guide (available on her site) · Podcast + book links are also on her website.

In this solo episode, JJ explores a pattern she sees repeatedly in women who are deeply caring, self-aware, and ready for healing—yet hesitate when it's time to invest in themselves. Drawing from real conversations with women who are caregivers, over-givers, people-pleasers, and survivors of illness, JJ unpacks the deeper truth beneath statements like "I can't afford it." This episode isn't about money—it's about self-worth, nervous system safety, and the beliefs that quietly keep women putting themselves last. Through the energetic lens of the Year of the Snake and the approaching Fire Horse, JJ explains how awareness alone isn't enough. Healing often requires an embodied choice—a stretch that tells your nervous system, I am worth being supported. In this episode, you'll hear: Why women so often deprioritize their own healing and well-being How abandonment wounds, caregiving roles, and people-pleasing show up around money What not investing in yourself communicates to your body and subconscious Why aligned investment can be a powerful act of re-patterning and self-trust How choosing yourself builds confidence, self-love, and emotional resilience This episode is an invitation to value yourself differently in 2026—not by doing more, but by believing you're worthy of support, healing, and expansion. ✨ If you've been feeling the call to invest in yourself but something keeps stopping you, this conversation may help you understand why—and what's possible on the other side of that choice. If you're ready to break this pattern, let's chat http://jjflizanes.com/apply

Shedding the Skin Needed to Set the Stage for 2026 As we step into 2026, it's tempting to rush ahead with goals, intentions, and action. But energetically, we're still in a powerful transition period. Although the calendar year has changed, the Fire Horse doesn't officially arrive until February 17, meaning we're still completing the work of the Year of the Snake. In this solo episode, JJ explores why this moment is less about acceleration—and more about discernment, honesty, and conscious completion. The Year of the Snake asks us to shed old skins: identities, coping strategies, emotional patterns, and roles that once served us but now limit who we're becoming. Before the Fire Horse ignites momentum, visibility, and bold action, we're being invited to get clean, aligned, and intentional. In this episode, you'll hear: Why 2026 begins as a threshold year, not a starting line Key themes of the Year of the Snake and what we're still meant to release What Fire Horse energy amplifies—and why preparation matters The three essential lessons to integrate before February 17 How to move into 2026 authentically, intentionally, creatively, and passionately Why shedding before sprinting creates sustainable momentum This episode is an invitation to slow down just enough to listen—to your body, your nervous system, and your deeper truth—so that when the Fire Horse arrives, you're ready to ride it with clarity instead of chaos. ✨ If you feel the call to shed a skin and enter 2026 more aligned than ever, this conversation will meet you right where you are. http://jjflizanes.com/apply http://jjflizanes.com/14day http://jjflizanes.com/mm