Hi, how are you? This is after the Maris Maria Grossman and this is the mindfully integrative shell. Today's mindful chat is Julia Carrasco I roll my arse, but she is an amazing award winning author. She's only it's 15 bucks, I thought it was just a few 15 books that you've read about decluttering your life she's taught her business is called reawaken your balance, is that correct? reawaken your brilliance, your brilliance? Oh, apologize. And she's just an
amazing woman. She has a lot to share with you today in the integrative health space about the credit decluttering your life? And would you realize how important that is that, you know, we have a cluttered mind. We can't clean out the rest of our life. So talk to us about this. It's so nice to meet you,
Julie. Thanks for having me. So yeah, I'm very passionate about helping people clear clutter in all areas of their lives. You know, most of the time, people are going to focus on the physical stuff. You know, the people in my industry have started to move towards mental but for a long time, I'm like, it's so much more than that. You can have clutter in your relationships, hell, energetic clutter, right? We're on a mindful, so people are gonna be like, oh, yeah, that
makes sense to me, right? So we're the sum of all our part. And so if one area is out of whack, it's going to affect everything like so for example, if you have a cluttered space, that's going to affect you mentally, right, because you can't think, right, if we got all this clutter around, how can I focus? How can I get those answers within if I have a cluttered space, I can't do it.
Or if you your beds on made and your bedroom is all out of whack, you're not going to be able to get a good night's sleep, which is the foundation of health. And so then you've got health clutter?
Yeah. Oh, absolutely. We'll have to get dive into this more. I always ask a fun fact about you that people may not know that you'd like to share.
Well, so one good thing about COVID was I started a plant medicine course and because of COVID it was offered online and I just got my certification. So I'm super into plant medicine plant, or medicine or just like plants Yes. Like herbal and she it's called a year of Gaia. And she's brings in folklore and all this
cool stuff. I mean, it's phenomenal what I've learned and so what I'm really into and want to expand on is Flower Essences is taking like So Bach if you've heard of Bach flower remedies. So doing something similar to that. Yeah, so that's my fun fact.
what's your what's your favorite herb or plant so far right now?
What I'm really enjoying is high viscous.
Oh, hi biscuits. Oh my god, it tastes so good to Oh, man. It's so delicious.
It is. It's very, so that's like a nice cool, refreshing drink for the summer.
Oh, yeah, that's really good. Oh, nice. Love it. Yeah, it's so cool how herbs I herbs and plants can do. So I'm gonna do so much more than all the pharmaceutical stuff. So it's just people don't realize it just takes time. Just takes a little time does. Um, so yeah, I'd love for you to chat about that in another time when you're, you know, and a further further another podcast time. So let's chat about kind of where
you came from. Right. So where I'm going I put things in this integrative space, integrative health space, because there's many aspects of getting healthier. So let's chat about where your story kind of comes from. How did you kind of get to this point?
Well, I began I was in a crazy job. I moved from Los Angeles to Raleigh, North Carolina and a job that I had, I was like, I don't want to do this. So what can I do that they're all not here that I can make money, right? I've got a ma'am single woman I have to make living at the time and but I want to make a difference in people's lives. And so I was like, Ah, I'm gonna do organization. But the more did
the work. And at the same time, I'm doing international TV show online called reawaken your brilliance, I'd go to studio and interview body mind spirit experts, I do a lot of personal growth work. And then I had this aha moment working with a client and she's like, can we just talk? And I was like, Sure you're the client. And she's like, I can tell you're a little freaked out. But so we talked about, like, what's behind the
clutter, right? And after that, we did maybe three hours of talking and then boom, within an hour, she was able to clear her physical clutter. Like, it never had happened that quickly with any clients that I've had. I'm like, Ah, it's about the clutter. And I said, and I need to bring all my personal growth stuff into it. Right? Like you're gonna have spiritual clutter, are you able to forgive? Are you able to have gratitude and so that kind of informs what I do with people.
That makes a lot of sense. I mean, I talk a lot about the mindful ways and you're part of that image in a very like, small way of saying it like but it's really very big like it's, it all emulates in where you are. I had to learn declutter through being so scattered as a young man learning disability and I had to learn decluttering because of If it was necessity, you know, but it was like, Oh, wait, if I don't declutter, I'm never gonna get anything done. Right, right.
Yeah. And I can imagine your your clients, you know, do you have? Or just remove yourself? What made you kind of go into that realm of decluttering? Did you find yourself cluttering? decluttering your life first and then going into others after?
Personal Growth has always been a huge part of my life, ever since I was a kid. And then when I lived in Los Angeles, I went to clairvoyant school and learn energy healing for 13 months. And that was about clearing your energetic clarity. Do you have something? Yeah, absolutely. But you know, if we don't work through a trauma, it stays with us. Oh, right. Yes. So you know, we had unfortunately, on Monday, we had to put our 19 year old cat down. And so we had some time with
them. But I was crying and crying and crying. And what I realized was, I was also grieving my mother who had passed last year, right? Because I hadn't, I was so busy helping caregiving. And then we had to do the celebration of life. And then we're moving and blah, blah, blah, right. And so I didn't have that time and that space to grieve and cry for my mother. And so that's an example of something that was creating other clutter, because I'm distracted. I'm not feeling my
feelings. I'm emotionally eating, you know. So that's what it's, that's why you have to look at all areas of life. Because how does one affect the other?
Yeah, no, no, I mean, they're 100%. Like, they're correlated, or they're connected. So I mean, I'm a big fan of, or, I'm a big believer of everything is connected, just like energy's not created or destroyed. So yes, I can understand where you're, we're coming with that. What I'm, I'm sorry to hear about your mom passing when you are trying to, because you're obviously trying to work with clients and, you know, with their their growth in there. Was that challenging to
work with them at that time? Or were you able to kind of it was a
compartmentalize, and it was a nice distraction, and I also cut back, I had to be realistic, right? I'm like, I'm gonna be very selective with what I do. And so that was very helpful.
Okay, well, what would you like to kind of talk about either a client or how you kind of work in this declutter space again, and then I know you've wrote 15 books. So if you want to discuss with us one of those books, I'd love for you to talk about it.
Sure. Why don't I'm a huge fan of concrete examples. So why don't I share a couple of my secretly I love that. So when I first started my business, I was working with a woman and she had a stack of clutter, not clutter, excuse me. So she had a stack of these articles. It was about two or three feet tall. And I said, Well, what are these? And she said, Oh, you know, those are articles and recipes that I've clipped that I'm going to send to family and friends. And I said, Okay, how long do we have
these? And she said, a couple years, you know, I just haven't gotten around to sending these. So as we started to talk, and you know, I'm sure as you believe we all have the wisdom within. So I see my view is holding space for that wisdom to come to the surface, because everyone knows what's best for them. And as we're talking, she said, Oh my gosh, I think if I don't send people articles and keep in touch, that they aren't going to love me anymore. And as soon as she said that, she knew
that wasn't true. So we chucked that whole stack into the bin. And that opened up space for her to focus on her music, or music she was passionate about that had been on the backburner. But once she cleared the space in that room and started to get that energy going, she was able to focus on a passion. I also had a client who was recently married, and the dining room table was a dumping ground for everything, right, they just both the husband and wife and could come would just throw
everything there. But it was affecting their marriage, right? Because they couldn't have dinner together. They couldn't have that time. You know, check in and reflect upon the day, soon as we cleared that it completely helped the marriage. And then I had another client who's my first ever that's really
big. I mean, I'm very, very big on like, so. I mean, I have little ones. So it's like me and my husband, we come comes home from work or when I'm off of work. And I'm very big on having family together and having dinner. I mean, it's nothing doesn't always have to be fancy or lunch or whatever. But we always have breakfast lunch and dinner together. If you know it's home for lunch, but like, because it it's just a time cook to connect. And I'm like alright,
no, tell it No, no phone. Well, for the most part, I would say be present no phone, and let's eat. And I think it's so important. I love that my mom and dad had instilled that in us when we were younger, to just like have a meal together is just huge. I don't think everybody gets to do that. Whatever meal it is, you know,
right? No, but it doesn't really I love that you're reinforcing that because people say Oh, come on. There's clutter on the dining room table. How much can it be affecting everything well, was having a huge impact on their marriage.
No, I bet it can be and the funny thing that you're saying about having that clutter there. My toddler Actually, I don't know it was it kind of forced, I wouldn't have a lot there. But I had enough that it was like, Oh, I gotta get stuff off. And sure enough, he started to come climbing up on the dining room table and sort of pulling things off. And I was like, Oh, this is a declutter moment. I was learning myself. I'm like, oh, boy, this
needs to be go. So in a way, now, we have nothing on there. Except for like, maybe like, maybe one thing I think of paper towels or something. So and, yeah, it forced us. I was definitely it was a forced Declutter. I mean, I'm not telling people to have their toddler going, destroyed. But I can imagine what people's like rooms were like,
yeah. And so I think that it's just having that understanding. Again, like, wow, I didn't really realize how much of the impact are, you know, the thing I want people to consider is, what roadblock is clutter creating for them? So for instance, you're like, oh, it's an overstuffed closet? Well, and maybe it's preventing a relationship from looming,
right? Someone comes over and sees that closet like, ooh, and maybe makes some assumptions or, you know, they've done studies that co workers, if you have a messy desk, people trust you less. And maybe you're not getting that promotion, because people walk into your office, they're like, oh, no, I don't trust that person. Right? So it's thinking about the bigger picture, what is it preventing you from doing or like my client that I mentioned a moment ago,
couldn't focus on music. This whole this whole stack of papers was interfering with that. And you know, as soon as you take that first step, is you as soon as you start going, then the energy shifts, everything's changed. You're like, Okay, I let go this, I can let go something else, you know, if we're, our life is crammed with stuff, we can't call into our life, what we desire. We're just hanging around in that stuck stagnant energy.
I mean, it makes a lot of sense. It makes a lot of sense. I mean, I definitely have some junk drawers though, I would have to say for myself, or so how did you were you able to write 15? Books? That's, that's, um, what am which of the books is ones that is your near and dear
to you? Oh, it's like, Who's my favorite cat? That's a hard question. I love to write, I've always considered myself a writer. And then I did the podcast and the podcast was doing well. And I said, you know, I'm just going to take some of these episodes and kind of make them into because I know many people are visual, so they could sit down, and I wanted.
One thing that's important to me is, you know, there are times in my life where I didn't have a lot of money and that I wanted to offer you know, people option, you have a free podcast, and then a book that's affordable if you can't do coaching, or take a class. And so just to give people options, and then. So that one, Clear Your Clutter inside it out is 21 chapters, it focuses on physical, mental, emotional, spiritual clutter, and a bonus energetic clutter, which your
audience will understand. But I wanted to introduce that concept to people perhaps you weren't familiar, but it's really more hold hand holding, and really, like hear your take actions at the end of each chapter. And then I started the journal prompt series, which relationships held holiday right. And so there are 365 questions you can ask each day. And one thing I do a little differently, is when you open up and you have a question, I have a line with a lotus at the end.
And so after you've answered the question, yeah, you Anna Yes, you're on your thing. And but the and I haven't seen that journal prompt books. And so what I explained in the How to is, you know, if you feel move, go through and highlight and pick out and or write on the side, what are the most important points I need to remember, when asking this question, because a lot of times when people have clutter,
they're super overwhelmed. So this is just one more step to break it down to make it manageable to make it less overwhelming. And at the end, I say, Hey, here's how to move forward. Here's how you can have a plan of action. And then my last book is a 21 day, declutter your life. If you're like, Wow, I'm just super overwhelmed. Okay, it's alright, we have 21 days, we're gonna do this super easy questions. And then again, a plan to take action because for me, awareness, plus action
equals change. We either missed that first part of being aware
of you with you, oh, my God, that's in my awareness and action. You couldn't have said that better. But for those that are listening,
right, and so that's what it is. I want to in every book create awareness for you than action because I want you to change your life because I want you sharing your gift with the world. We would live in such a different place if everyone was doing what they were passionate about, and they felt excited and I felt joyful doing.
I I could not agree with you more. I seriously. So I want those listening to be able to go and reach out on your website. It's reawaken your, your brilliance correct.com Yep
reawaken your brilliance.com. All right, I'm
gonna definitely have that in the show notes. I can relate to you on the 365 days because I'm also writing on the 365 days in a mindful way. You are 100% Correct. With that awareness and action. I just talk on a webinar series on like my A's of wellness and it's awareness and act. Didn't are on that. It's i A lot of people can talk about something. But if they don't actually take an implement some sort of actionable step I, I can't, you know, I can't make
them do it. Absolutely. Right. So have you ever had challenges with some of your clients getting past those blocks? Oh, yeah.
I mean, you know, what's interesting, again, like, it's this I had donated hours, and I had a woman and this is again, like the, the impact that clutter can have. So I'm going through and pairing socks, right, and like, a bunch of socks. And so anyway, she started open up and something about the Sox triggered a memory
of abuse. And so at that point, you know, I was like, get you through the session, then, you know, I'm going to suggest that you go with someone who's more qualified, right to support you in this, but that that powerful moment, I think, I don't know if challenging is the right word, you know, you just I see, my job is to hold space for that I was able to hold space for her to allow this memory to come up to
honor it. And then let's who can we find that can support you more with digging a little deeper and figuring out how you need to heal and move forward. The only other challenging thing I've had, I've had twice where husbands were not happy that wives were decluttering. And they not wanting to clutter either. They didn't want to declutter that? Well, one was I told the woman in our solution, I said, Your husband's a
hoarder. And he is it's continuing to get worse based on what she had told me about the progression. And so my job was to carve out a little space for her, where she would have a computer, a little chair to meditate. And then the other one, it was they had adopted kids, and you know, they had a home visit coming up. And I was like, she was like, I have to get this in order. But he was like, really angry, like, he read her email that I was coming
over. And it was one time, like I said to my husband, off, we were engaged at the time, I was like, Here's the address. I am here are the hours, I'm gonna be here because he just was really and you know, I didn't say help, but I could, but I was like, you know, your husband is going to need more supportive help for people who are hoarders but
right, there's a whole other mental health compared right? Part, right? This Yep. Judging, that's, I mean, in itself, because the fact that you're, you're trying to help one client and then the partner is, is adding in the stressors and not supportive of the whole journey. And that is, that's, um, I do talk about that in in a general sense, when it comes to health and you're building up an optimal, you know, your, your
wellness journey, right? If you don't have the buy in of your family, or whoever is your partner, your colleagues. It can be struggle, you know, a to that, get that connection to get, you know, into the next step. I was at chat, I must have been as not challenging must have been, did it go? Well, like, you know, long
it did, we were able to do what we could, but then after that I had to let go, you know, I can't control that. And one thing that I do is I do an assessment. I talked to people before ever going in their homes. And so I have only once in my life, someone lied to me, because I'm like, I don't work with hoarders. I'm very
clear on that. And someone and I walked in the house, and she said, My clutter only extends 16 inches from the wall and according to the hoarding site, you're a hoarder at 18 inches or something that was oh, yeah, that was really do is you can
have them send you videos of their house. Oh, I didn't even think of that. Yeah, nowadays, I do so much online. So I've had to like really change a lot of font modify some of my health, like, so in one part A, because I do a lot of working with people with their pantry and like figuring out are toxins in there, what their products are. So it's like, oh, show me a video where you're at? Like, like, we'll talk. So yeah, have them take a video.
So that's a good idea. I mean, I have been doing online. And so we like I did someone's closet yesterday. And so she sat there with the iPad and did everything. But this was, gosh, back when I first started. Oh, yeah, of course. I mean, then they were local to me. I just started doing kind of more and more, you know, just to kind of get No, I totally,
but you
know, and that was was hard because I The good thing was I mean, i My heart broke for her. Because her son said we're not bringing over the grandchild. Until, you know this is there's just too much here. And so she had wanted to find something. And we found it. And then I we were I was able to give her a referral. Mike, if you're ready to haul this off, this guy will pay you he'll come and haul off and I said but you know, you need someone who
specializes in hoarding. And I didn't know how to phrase that very delicately because she didn't want to believe and I said I just don't have the tools and you know, and she followed up with me and she said, Oh, your guy came out and says, you know, isn't going to give me money because it's is just junk and he'd have to lose it. And so I said, Well, let me call him and he said, he said, I can't
sell any of this. He said, I have to make money if I'm going to spend my time and haul off stuff, which you know, I'm doing a downsizing with my neighbor. And I get it. I'm like, they have to be able to come in and, and all of that, but that was just heartbreaking, because you know, she was holding on to all that junk, and she couldn't see or hear or understand that it was junk.
That's tough. Wow. I hope she kind of grew from that a little
bit. I hope she found someone who was an expert in that because you know, you you have to do the, in my understanding, not only the physical stuff, but have someone mental health on board as well.
Yeah. So there. Yeah, there's another that's another level of decluttering. And yes, issues. Yeah. So there's a mental physical, but you're getting to the beginning same stages, which is so important, and those that are not that severe. So which is a majority of the population that yes, need general organization, you know? And like just a reset, like the conversation. Like I just said, I have a junk drawer. Why do I have junk drawers like or why
do I have, oh, it's a junk drawer is my number one tip and I've been saying way before the home edit, said it.
So why do we call this junk drawer please? Lane? Well,
so what you call something it becomes if I say I'm a jerk, I become a jerk. If I hang out with a jerk, right? So it's a mind shift. Like, if I call the junk drawer, I'm just gonna throw junk in it right? what motivation do I have to declutter it to organize? I have not, I'm just gonna throw it in
the junk drawer. Right? So create Karachi to catch all cyber fix it station, you know, come up with a name that makes you say, Okay, this is what goes there, and then that's gonna force you to declutter it and organize it and put stuff together. That makes sense. Like maybe you have all your stuff to do mailings. Like I have to mail things. So I
actually did that. But I was wondering if one of the drawers I'm like, Oh, what do you call it? Why do they call it the junk drawer? I'm like, Ah, it's just like the, but I feel like oh, what's up for example, I have a kitchen junk drawer.
That's what I call it. And then like a caddy shawl, sometimes people call it that.
Oh, catch? Oh, I like cat jewelry. I'm gonna say that one. Maybe that'll start getting because we're the but the male one? No, I figured that one out. I got you on that. Just wondering, you know. But that's good. That makes sense. When you start changing the conversation in your words. And yeah, so important, so important. What was your most favorite thing to clean? And Declutter?
What my most favorite thing?
Or what is like an area that you enjoy? decluttering? Is it mostly physical stuff? Or is it more? No, no,
when we get more into the spiritual and the emotional, and when people have those aha moments, and make that connection for themselves, and seeing that burden released, and then seeing how things open up, and they can create what they desire, and that whole thing, part of me, that's the, for me, that was just the most beautiful part of the process.
Awesome, that's really great. Um, is there anything additional that you would like to share one of your, you know, additional stories or a mindful way for audience
to that, they're gonna, I just want people to remember that they are good enough, they are worthy, and they are loved no matter what, you know, we're either coming from fear, or hate or anger, whatever you the bottom is for you for that, or we're coming from love. And if we feel good enough, we don't need to collect physical stuff, right? Because then we don't get jealous because we're not keeping up the Joneses. Because we feel good
about ourselves. If we feel loved, we won't have relationship clutter and have relationships that aren't healthy and people who you know, want to run over our boundaries and stuff. And so just remember that you can change 10 minutes a day adds up to 60, just over 60 hours in a year. That's, you know, a week and a half of work. That's a lot of time. So start small build upon that and just keep going.
I enjoy where you said 10 minutes a day, I talked about 10 minutes, just in like, I talked about five minutes and just mindfulness and then 10 minutes of another. It's beautiful. I think people you know, they spend more time flipping through their phones on the social media than they do sitting and really trying to reconnect with themselves. I could not agree more with you with boundaries. I mean, that's a whole other topic. We can have a podcast about and, and trying to talk about the boundary
level. So you're not only just, I mean, decluttering takes a whole other level of boundaries, right? If you've, if you've decluttered your whole apartment, there's no way for movement, right? There's no place for people that enter you're not really connecting or you're not letting right in right. You block them.
And remember is if you're sitting and listening to my gosh, I'm really overwhelmed as you start to maybe clear up your office You're gonna have less mental clutter, you clear out the kitchen, you're going to eat healthier, because you're like,
Oh, hi, Briana Mills could not agree with you more. I very much did that. Like, my, my big on the cleaning like my desk being like good like you were talking about. And I like the kitchen, you just do one part of the kitchen and you start to change your your thought process or like oh, okay, all right. Let's do something. Yeah, I can imagine I can imagine. Do you love? Are you big into the organizing? Like pantry shelves, like where people do like those little straw drawers and stuff?
I do whatever the client desires. I'm about keeping it. I'm a huge eco organizer. So can we repurpose something around the house? Oh, great. Do that instead of having a bike and tie something but it's, you know, I'm not like super rigid. I mean, there are people that need to be super organized and you go do you? I'm about does it fit with your lifestyle? Can you find what you need when you need it? Or you feel when you walk in your home? I feel good. That this feels my
health feels good. That's my goal.
My My other question for you is do you feel that? Like being that you're not as rigid? Do you feel like people that have more open space are more open? Or people that are like not that they're hoarders or but people that are more closely have more things? Or more furniture or more things or more items that they're more closed minded? No, I
have. Whoa, when you say open space, I'm imagining an open concept home. Is that what you are saying or meaning more like?
I guess, um, I mean, doesn't mean just because someone has to have a bigger, not bigger, more. I guess it's less of a more open area. And
okay, because like our last house was very open. And this house is was built in the 50s. So it's more traditional rooms, you know, like, so I was like, No, I've not found a difference with that. Okay.
I don't know. I just was wondering, it's
a good question to ask. You know, there might be, I'm sure true for some people.
Okay. Yeah, I didn't know because some I've had someone on about Feng Shui, and they talk about some other different parts. And I was like, oh, it's not my expertise. So I just just wondering,
well, the first thing they'll tell you in Fung Shui is to Clear Your Clutter.
Yeah, that's so true. Well, I would love for those to reach out to you. So please, tell us your website again and how they can reach you.
Thanks, it's reawaken your brilliance.com. I have got a free clutter assessment. If you sign up for my newsletter. Have you asked a question and you learn your clutter priority, and I give you a take action to get started on my podcast books. Their books are also on Amazon, Google Play podcast, Clear Your Clutter inside and out?
Clear. Love it. All right, we'll put that there too. So thank you so much for being on the show and taking your time. And we really appreciate it. And as I tell those, you know, this is another way of kind of redirecting your your health because, you know, we don't declutter our mind and declutter our life, but you're not going to get much further. It's gonna be a lot of blocks. So thank you so much for being on the show and taking your time.
Thank you so much for having me. And thank you for bringing mindfulness to people that they can do every day.
I really appreciate it. So I want to tell those listening. Thanks again for joining in. And whether you're listening or watching, make sure you find a mindful way each and every day and hope you guys have a great day.