Spirit, Purpose & Energy for Personal Growth, Emotional Healing & Manifestation

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 524: Unique Gifts from Italy and Beyond Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

JJ welcomes 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.

Ep. 523: Finding Purpose after Retirement Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

What happens when someone listens to every single episode of your podcast for over a decade?

In this special conversation, JJ celebrates a major milestone by sitting down with longtime listener Vicki, who discovered the show years ago while walking through life's biggest transitions — caring for an aging parent, navigating a demanding career, and eventually stepping into retirement.

What unfolds is a heartfelt, real-life story about how small daily shifts, emotional healing, and consistent self-care can quietly transform your life.

Together, they explore what it really means to:

Find purpose after retirement
Create more joy without "doing more"
Set boundaries as a helper or caregiver
Stay healthy and strong as we age
Use accountability and community to break old patterns
Choose growth, even in life's next chapter

You'll also hear JJ reflect on the journey from the early days of Fit to Love to now — how podcasting became a living, evolving conversation, and why connection with listeners matters more than download numbers.

This episode is a reminder that healing doesn't have to be dramatic. Sometimes it's one new habit, one brave boundary, or one small mindset shift at a time.

If you've ever wondered:

What's my purpose now?
How do I take care of myself without guilt?
Is it too late to change?

This conversation will feel like sitting down with a wise friend who's walking the path right alongside you.

✨ The next 14-Day Manifestation Challenge starts soon — join at jjflizanes.com/14day

Ep. 522: 5 Myths of Bipolar Disorder and Healing Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

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.

Ep. 521: Healing the Abandonment Wound Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

What if the deepest wound you carry isn't about what happened to you—but about whether you ever felt truly held by life itself?

In this powerful and intimate conversation, JJ is joined by a longtime soul sister, healer, and registered nurse who shares a deeply transformative experience that healed a lifelong sense of abandonment—not just from people, but from God, Source, and existence itself.

After more than 25 years of personal growth, spiritual practice, and emotional work, she realized there was still an existential fracture beneath it all: a quiet belief that life was not fully safe, that love could be given endlessly but not fully received, and that stepping into her full calling might come at a devastating cost.

What unfolded during a sacred, carefully held journey became a profound reclamation of safety, trust, and belonging—at the nervous-system and soul level.

This episode is not about escapism or quick fixes. It's about:

· How early experiences can fracture our sense of safety with life itself

· Why control often masks a fear of annihilation or abandonment

· What true surrender actually feels like in the body

· Healing the relationship with Source beyond religion or belief systems

· Learning to receive love after a lifetime of giving

· Releasing the fear that being fully seen could destroy you

· Embodiment, integration, and lasting nervous-system change

JJ also speaks to the importance of integrity, preparation, emotional readiness, and sacred containment—emphasizing that this kind of work is not for everyone, not always, and never casual.

At its core, this is a conversation about remembering who you are, restoring trust in life, and discovering that you were never alone—not for a single breath.

If you've ever felt:

· Like you don't fully belong here

· Afraid to take up space or be fully visible

· Deeply loving but unable to receive

· Spiritually devoted yet quietly disconnected

· Called to something more but scared of the cost

This episode may speak directly to your heart.

This is not an escape from life.It's an invitation into the truth of who you really are.

http://Karinrose.love

Ep. 520: The Cost of Always Putting Yourself Last Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

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.

Ready to change this pattern? let's chat. http://jjflizanes.com/apply

Ep. 519: Homeopathy for Flu Season Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

JJ reconnects with longtime friend and homeopath Avghi "Avi" Constantinides (yes—at Trader Joe's!) for a timely conversation on natural immune support during the holiday season and beyond. Avghi breaks down what homeopathy is, how it differs from symptom-only approaches, and shares her go-to homeopathic "flu season trio" that many of her clients use for prevention and support. The conversation then expands into entrepreneurship, education, and why responsiveness and follow-up are essential for building a sustainable, heart-centered business.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How a chance reconnection at Trader Joe's brought Avghi into the West Coast Women Rising community
Avghi's origin story: from the UK, to South Africa, to the U.S.—and the life-changing realization that shaped her work
What homeopathy really is and how it treats the whole person rather than isolated symptoms
What to expect from a first homeopathic consultation—and why it goes deep
How emotional and life events often correlate with physical symptoms
Avghi's recommended homeopathic flu-season support trio:
- Influenzinum (homeopathic preparation of the current flu strain)
- Briar Rose (commonly used for respiratory and chest vulnerability)
- Thymulin / Thymuline (supporting immune and white blood cell function)
How and when to take these remedies, including travel and exposure support
Why combo remedies can help—and when individualized care is needed
Avghi's community work supporting first responders and clinics during the 2025 California fires
Building a business as a solopreneur:
- Early grassroots marketing before social media
- Why fast follow-up builds trust (and slow follow-up loses opportunities)
- The importance of visibility, service, and giving back to your field
Educational pathways through Avghi's school—from personal learning to professional practice
Why every household should have a basic homeopathic first-aid kit

Resources mentioned:

Practice: HomeopathyForLife.com
School: LASchoolofHomeopathy.com (site name transitioning)
Email: avghi@homeopathyforlife.com

Homeopathic First Aid List: JJFlizanes.com/firstaid

Ep. 518: Shedding the Skin Needed for 2026 Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

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

Ep. 517: Wisdom from a World before Wi Fi Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

In this special intergenerational conversation, JJ and Doug sit down with JJ's parents—ages 80 and 77—for an honest and heartfelt discussion about happiness, perspective, and what truly matters in life.

Together, they reflect on how priorities evolve over time, what contributes to lasting fulfillment, and how ideas around success, relationships, and happiness have changed across generations. The conversation also turns toward the future, with thoughtful reflections and intentions for 2026—what to protect, what to release, and what feels most important moving forward.

This episode isn't about giving advice from a pedestal; it's about sharing lived wisdom, curiosity, and hope through real conversation.

Whether you're looking ahead to a new year, reassessing your goals, or simply craving perspective that cuts through the noise, this episode offers a grounding reminder of what creates a meaningful life—no matter your age.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

What happiness really means at different stages of life
How priorities and goals evolve over time
Reflections on love, relationships, and fulfillment
Intentions and hopes for 2026
What still matters most, no matter the generation

Ep. 516: 5 C's of Flow with Christy Whitman Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

In This Episode, You'll Learn

Why contrast (the thing you don't want) is not personal—and not a sign you "did it wrong"
How survival responses (fight/flight/freeze/fawn) can pull you out of flow automatically
Why self-compassion is the "neutralizer" that helps you move from emotional intensity back to steadiness
The "three buckets" model: lack → neutrality → abundance
How to move from "what I don't want" into true clarity using three powerful questions
The difference between observing vs. judging—and how judgment instantly shuts off flow
How momentum builds around whatever you focus on (and how to choose differently moment-to-moment)
Why you may need to practice the feelings you want (and build new neural pathways)
What "command" means through I AM statements
How "create" activates imagination and future-self alignment to become a stronger energetic match

Ready to practice the 5 C's (and build real momentum toward what you want)? Join JJ's FREE 14-Day Manifestation Challenge starting January 5th.

You'll get daily guidance, simple assignments, and practical tools to help you move from contrast into clarity—then command and create from a more aligned, empowered state.

Ready for transformation in 2026? Let's chat http://jjflizanes.com/apply

Ep. 515: Super Body with Dr. William Davis Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, JJ Flizanes welcomes back cardiologist and bestselling author Dr. William Davis to celebrate the launch of his newest book, Super Body, available starting today, December 16, 2025, wherever books are sold.

Together, they explore why our culture's obsession with quick weight-loss fixes — from low-calorie diets to trending injectables — often leads to muscle loss, more visceral fat, faster aging, and even higher long-term health risks. JJ brings in her Date Your Body philosophy to highlight why resistance training is essential for staying strong, youthful, and independent as we age.

You'll hear about:

Why cutting calories leads to major muscle loss and metabolic slowdown
The dangers of visceral fat & myosteatosis
How the microbiome and endotoxemia influence body composition and aging
The overlooked roles of collagen and hyaluronic acid
Simple resistance-training approaches for real, lasting results
A new way to think about investing in your long-term health

Resources

Get Super Body now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite bookstore
Explore the Date Your Body program at http://JJFlizanes.com/apply

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