Beauty + Beyond: Angela x Jolene Hart on the Power of Feeling Well-Rested
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Time to read 9 min
Think about someone in your life who always seems in sync with your values, actions, and passions. For me, that person is Jolene Hart.
Over the years, author and health coach Jolene Hart and I have connected in serendipitous and synergistic ways.
During our chat in this blog's video (scroll down for the transcript), I found out that our paths first crossed at Limelight Marketplace in Chelsea, the very spot where I opened my first boutique shop. With my then-baby, Sienna, on my hip and dreams in my head, I greeted all bypassers and spoke to nearly every customer.
I was so surprised and delighted when Jolene shared that she was one of my very first customers!
"Connecting with like-minded women rejuvenates and restores us. We must do it more often."
Interestingly, years after our encounter, I came across the book, Eat Pretty. Little did I know it was Jolene's book, and it taught me the transformative power of eating for internal radiance. I marked it, devoured it, and earmarked its pages, making it one of my most beloved books.
So I’m not surprised that we have kept in touch, collaborating on a virtual event and supporting each other over the years. Even our recent book covers have the same sunshine yellow!
Our talk began with Jolene’s new book Well-Rested Every Day, and we covered how to:
- Transform your relaxation game with yoga nidra.
- Unlock dreamy states for creativity while in a hypnagogic state.
- Prioritize feeling safe to fast-track your wellness journey.
- Boost intuition to gain clarity for decisions.
- Identify what fuels and depletes us.
We also share our biggest lessons learned in the last 90 days and what we did in the last 24 hours to be well-rested that hopefully inspires you, too!
"A medicine woman once asked me something that really shook me: 'Why are you so closed off to receiving?'"
So, brew yourself a cup of beau-tea, find a cozy spot, and tune into our enlightening video chat!
P.S. We are gifting you Jolene’s new book, Well-Rested Every Day, and her favorite Savor Beauty products: Manuka Honey Mask and Silk Body Serum ($132 value!) Enter your email here for a chance to get these gorgeous goodies delivered to your doorstep.
"Savor Beauty's Silk Body Serum is one of my favorites... The 'silk' part of the name perfectly describes how my skin feels after the oil absorbs completely."
Jolene Hart x Angela Jia Kim Transcript
Edited to reduce redundancy and increase clarity.
Attendees:
- Angela Jia Kim
- Jolene Hart
Angela Jia Kim: Jolene, it's great to see you.
Jolene Hart: Wonderful to see you too. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.
Angela Jia Kim: Finally getting into the noon hour. How has your week been?
Jolene Hart: Quite busy. I attended Expo East in Philadelphia and a food equity summit. Lots of personal events; they're a bit draining, but this is a nice way to end the week.
Angela Jia Kim: Sounds like an amazing and full week ! Jolene, we've known each other for years, haven't we?
Jolene Hart: Over a decade, I believe. We first met when you had your store in Limelight Market.
Angela Jia Kim: Really? I can't believe that! Sienna, my 13-year-old, was a baby then.
Jolene Hart: I remember meeting you there. It feels like forever ago.
Angela Jia Kim: And then I discovered your books years later. They're gorgeous. Your book on beauty foods was like a bible to me.
Jolene Hart: That's amazing to hear!
Angela Jia Kim: Every book you've released is beautiful. And your new book with the 365 rituals – I even wrote a testimonial for it on the back!
Jolene Hart: We've had a lot of synergy. Your book, Radical Radiance, also had that vibrant yellow, representing joy and energy.
Angela Jia Kim: That's true, and speaking of energy, Anjie Cho, an architect and feng-shui expert, shared that yellow represents grounding energy. I've incorporated golden-yellow into my room decor, as you can see--as a symbol of abundance.
Jolene Hart: It's radiant, like a lit-from-within space.
Angela Jia Kim: Thank you! So our last meaningful interaction was during the pandemic when you held a virtual yoga class for us.
Jolene Hart: You helped launch my book, "Ignite Your Light." We organized a virtual event around Mother's Day, pairing Savor Beauty's Chamomile Moisture Mask and skincare rituals with reading, which was a beautiful experience.
Angela Jia Kim: And I remember you introduced us to Yoga Nidra in that event. Can you explain it a bit?
Jolene Hart: Sure. Yoga Nidra is not exactly a yoga or meditation. It's a guided practice that gets your brain into the hypnagogic state – the phase between being awake and asleep. It's deeply restful and healing. In my new book, I have four QR codes for Yoga Nidra tracks that you can access, each with a specific purpose – from renewal to deep sleep.
Angela Jia Kim: You always introduce me to something new. So, hypnagogic is the space between being awake and...?
Jolene Hart: It's the transition phase between wakefulness and sleep.
Angela Jia Kim: When I'm in that space between wakefulness and sleep, I feel like I often receive intuitive or psychic messages.
Jolene Hart: Absolutely, that state is so magical. It allows us to access our subconscious and even rewrite certain thought processes. If there's trauma or memories we carry around, this state lets us access and understand them better.
Angela Jia Kim: So, the aim of yoga nidra is to access that beautiful state?
Jolene Hart: Yes, it draws you into that tranquil place. Many people drift off to sleep during yoga nidra, but that's okay. It's excellent at deeply relaxing you and guiding your mind to rest.
Angela Jia Kim: Speaking of wellness, what I loved about your book is how you discuss nutrients from foods that make you glow from within. It feels like energetic beauty.
Jolene Hart: Exactly.
Angela Jia Kim: Sometimes, I open a page of your book randomly, like an oracle reading.
Jolene Hart: Many people do that. It's like receiving a message for the day.
Angela Jia Kim: I particularly loved the section on tahini and dates. Do you have a favorite recipe combining them?
Jolene Hart: Oh, I use tahini in almost everything. It's packed with nutrients that many women might be deficient in, like iron, magnesium, and healthy fats. It's a superfood for women. Personally, I love its flavor, especially when paired with dates.
Angela Jia Kim: I've developed a love for Middle Eastern cuisine because of my partner, who is from Iraq. They always use dates, which I've started adding to my smoothies.
Jolene Hart: Dates add natural sweetness along with their nutrients.
Angela Jia Kim: What about a quick tahini dressing recipe?
Jolene Hart: A tahini dressing with lemon, garlic, parsley, and a touch of maple syrup works wonderfully. You can also experiment with turmeric.
Angela Jia Kim: Switching gears a bit, let's talk about the parasympathetic nervous system. I recently took a Kundalini Yoga certification course, not to teach, but to deepen my practice.
Jolene Hart: Kundalini Yoga is a profound practice.
Angela Jia Kim: Yes, and it introduced me to the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system. Being a business owner, author, and mother, I often feel stressed. Accessing the parasympathetic state helps me rest and recharge.
Jolene Hart: Absolutely. Activating the parasympathetic state is essential for healing, both mentally and physically. I had to learn this when dealing with Lyme disease. From yoga and meditation to baths and slow physical movements, many practices can help us relax and access this state.
Angela Jia Kim: For me, this state is also a gateway to intuition, feminine energy, and a sense of magic.
Jolene Hart: Beautifully put. That's where we grow, reflect, and find our intuition.
Angela Jia Kim: When I'm well-rested, I wake up with intuitive solutions. I think of this as spiritual intelligence, seeing the beauty in every situation and learning from challenges.
Jolene Hart: They are there to serve you in some way.
Angela Jia Kim: Exactly. The clarity that rest provides is invaluable.
Jolene Hart: Absolutely. This idea of "sleeping on it" seems so insightful. Perhaps it's a chance for our subconscious to digest and reflect.
Angela Jia Kim: I love that! I'd love to share with each other when we know we don't feel at our best. It signals that it's time to rest and restore our cups.
Jolene Hart: You know, I often find myself needing to voice my insecurities. Even though I engage with clients all day, I lack a colleague to share with. I end up turning to my husband. But in retrospect, I recognize that these outpourings stem from a desire for validation. I'm striving to be more mindful of this pattern.
Angela Jia Kim: It's so good that you have someone to confide in.
Jolene Hart: Still, I don't want it to strain our relationship. What about you?
Angela Jia Kim: I can relate. When I vent to my partner, he often offers advice because he likes to fix things.
Jolene Hart: My husband usually just listens without offering solutions.
Angela Jia Kim: That's helpful, too! When I'm feeling my best, I know it because I start cooking. It's therapeutic for me, a transition from a bustling day to a creative, nourishing evening.
Jolene Hart: I feel the same way about cooking. It's meditative.
Angela Jia Kim: Yes. And I enjoy watching Barefoot Contessa while I cook. It's calming. If I skip this cooking routine, I know I'm not feeling centered or maybe I'm too drained.
Jolene Hart: It's essential to nourish ourselves to give to others, especially with children demanding our attention.
Angela Jia Kim: Agreed. Speaking of growth, have you learned any big lessons recently?
Jolene Hart: A recurring lesson for me is relinquishing control. It's a struggle, but life teaches us that we can't, and perhaps shouldn't, control everything.
Angela Jia Kim: That's profound. Did you encounter this challenge while writing your book on rest?
Jolene Hart: Yes, it's about finding comfort in stillness, embracing both abundance and lull.
Angela Jia Kim: My biggest lesson is about letting go of trying to shape others' experiences, even if you're providing opportunities or guidance, whether it's in my company or with my daughter. It’s like that saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink.
Jolene Hart: It's tough, especially as leaders. We want to take everyone with us on our journey, but they might not be ready.
Angela Jia Kim: Alright, even though I'd love to talk to you all afternoon, let's share this final thought with each other: What's one thing you did in the last 24 hours that made you feel well-rested?
Jolene Hart: Great question. Last night was busy because I attended the Health and Wellness Equity Summit, which I loved. It wasn’t inherently restful, but it filled me creatively. Being present, hearing other speakers on topics outside my expertise like food equity, was refreshing. I wasn’t speaking or presenting; I was simply receiving. It reminds me of a time I visited Miraval in Arizona. A medicine woman once asked me, "Why are you so closed off to receiving?" That observation still resonates with me. Often, I focus on giving, ensuring everyone else's experience is fulfilling, and struggle with merely receiving. That moment of simply listening and absorbing at the summit was my restful moment this week.
Angela Jia Kim: I find that when we engage with other creatives or immerse ourselves in learning, it's rejuvenating, don't you think?
Jolene Hart: Absolutely. Being a lifelong learner fills me up.
Angela Jia Kim: This morning, my partner, our dog, and I went for a walk near Morningside. It's such a beautiful park. We stopped to "forest bathe" for a few minutes, listening to the birds and admiring the sunlight filtering through the leaves. It was incredibly rejuvenating.
Jolene Hart: It’s remarkable how even in a city, you can find these quiet moments of connection with nature.
Angela Jia Kim: Completely agree. Thank you for sharing this afternoon with me.
Jolene Hart: This conversation is my restful moment today. It’s such a joy.
xx,
Angela Jia Kim
Angela Jia Kim
Founder of Savor Beauty, Mom to a teen daughter and mini golden, partner to a sweet soul, forever New Yorker, unfortunate carb lover, hopeless Aries 💞
