Download your FREE copy of my 5 step guide to work through and STOP your negative thinking that is holding you back from achieving your full potential.

Julie Leonard Life Coach

Helping you live to your full potential.

Get Ready For Autumn – Declutter your Wardrobre

by Leave a Comment

The weather is definitely changing and feeling decidedly cooler. So this week I have been going through my Autumn/Winter clothes and decluttering my winter wardrobe. I do this every year so that I feel organized and prepared for the coming cold season and so that I also feel good in all that I am wearing. By only keeping the clothes that fit me and that I feel good in, I am certain that I will be dressed warmly and practically over winter and I will look and feel my best too.

Let me share with you my tips on how to declutter your wardrobe:

Declutter your Wardrobre

#1 Take Everything Out Of Your Wardrobe
Set time aside. Depending on how many clothes you have, this could be an hour or a morning or and afternoon. Remove all your clothes from the wardrobe. You need to visually see how much stuff you have! And you can now work through the pile or piles(!) and put back only those pieces you choose to keep.

#2 Get Rid of Anything Beyond Repair
Start with removing any items of clothing that are so old, ripped, have holes or beyond repair. These can be binned straight away, used as rags or donated to charities who receive money for rags.

#3 Do You LOVE it?
Now go through each piece. Hold it up. Look at it and be honest. Do you love it? Not, did it cost a lot of money? Not, it was a present. Not, I might wear it again in the future. Simply, do you love it?And when you wear it, do you feel fabulous in it? If the answer is no, then put it in a pile to donate or sell.

#4 If You Were Free From Guilt, Would You Keep It?
Perhaps it was a present. Or it cost a lot of money. If you didn’t feel guilty, would you keep it?  If the answer is no, then add it to the pile to go.

#5 Find A Place For Everything
Return the items you are keeping, either hanging up or folded up and make sure there is a place for everything and you can easily find what you want.}

Bonus Tip
If you are not quite ready to get rid of some clothes, hang all your clothes up with the hook of the coat hangers all facing the same way. As you wear clothes, turn the coat hanger round. At the end of the season, you will see the clothes you never wore. And perhaps then you will consider what you can do without.

Taking a little time to sort out your wardrobe will have a huge impact. Not only will you feel less stressed and more organised but it will save you time and you will look and feel fabulous.

For tips on how to get organized for winter check out this article.

Get Organised for Autumn -Goodbye Summer Wardrobe

by Leave a Comment

I am just back from my summer holidays and emptying my suitcase. I’m sorting through my clothes and deciding what I can put away until next year and what I may still need. And with the unpredictable weather this week, I’m  thinking about organising some Autumn clothes just in case.

September is the perfect time to go through your wardrobe, declutter and get it organised for the season ahead. Over the next few weeks, I’d love to share with you my tips for getting organised.

So, this week let’s start with sorting your summer wardrobe.

Summer Wardrobe

I am just back from my summer holidays and emptying my suitcase. I’m sorting through my clothes and deciding what I can put away until next year and what I may still need. And with the unpredictable weather this week, I’m  thinking about organising some Autumn clothes just in case.

September is the perfect time to go through your wardrobe, declutter and get it organised for the season ahead. Over the next few weeks, I’d love to share with you my tips for getting organised.

So, this week let’s start with sorting your summer wardrobe

#1 Clear Space In Your wardrobe
Do you have summer clothes that you didn’t wear this Summer at all? Are there any clothes you don’t love how they look on you or how they make you feel? Did you buy new clothes to replace old ones? Then now is the time to go through all of your summer clothes and be ruthless. Do you love it? Do you feel fabulous wearing it? If not, donate or sell them. Get rid of the clothes your aren’t wearing.

#2 Repair
Go through your clothes that you wish to keep. Do any need laundered, dry cleaned or repaired? Do that now before you pack them away so that they are in tip top condition when the weather warms up next year.

#3 Pack Away Your Beachwear
I treated myself to a few new bikini’s this holiday but I’m not going to need them until next summer. I have a swimsuit for the swimming pool so the rest can be packed away. Along with flip flops, beach cover-ups and shorts.

#4 Vacuum Pack Your Dresses And T-Shirts
I love vacuum bags for storing clothes and keeping them clean and fresh. Invest in a couple and keep all your clothes neat and tidy in one place. And it will be easy to find all your summer stuff next year.

#5 Clean And Pack Away Sandals
Clean and repair your summer shoes and sandals and put away in shoe dust bags. Take care of your footwear to enjoy wearing them for many years to come.

More decluttering tips on getting ready for autumn in this article.

We Are What We Eat – Nutritional Advice

by Leave a Comment

As an Aromatherapist, I feel strongly about using natural products on my skin. But it also matters to me what I put into my body too.

As you know, I believe self care is essential both as a busy mum and an entrepreneur. And during summer feels like a good time to practice self care. It is easier to be outdoors, to eat fresh food and to exercise. This month I made time for two spa days and a massage that left me feeling relaxed, healthy and focussed. And by making time for self care I not only feel the benefit but so do those around me. I am a better mum, partner, daughter, friend and colleague.

Nutritional Advice

Also over the past couple of months I have been taking my self care further by working with the fantastic and extremely knowledgable Nutritionist Monika Bock http://www.nourish-alo.com/. I have always thought of myself as a healthy eater, especially coming from the west of Scotland! However, after pregnancy I had gained a little more weight and developed and addiction to sugar that I had never had before. And I was also feeling that I was lacking in energy which in turn was increasing my desire for sugar.

I can’t recommend Monika highly enough. Our sessions were relaxed, professional and thorough. I felt completely trusting of her and felt no judgement from her. Only support and encouragement. It was really great to have time to sit down and talk about how I feel and take a closer look at what I am eating and how I would like to eat. After our initial session, I felt so hopeful and excited.

Monika followed up with a report, meal plan and recipes which made implementing the changes so easy. After one month I had lost some weight but most of all I had curbed my sugar dependency. And I definitely feel that I have more energy.

I am now motivated to eat more healthily and can’t wait for my next appointment. If it is something that is of interest for you then checkout her link.

What can you prioritise for your own self care this Summer?

Turn Heads With these Best Summer Scents

by Leave a Comment

Best Summer Scents

I am delighted to be a guest writer for City Starlings this month. In my article, I share my ideas for summer scents.

If you haven’t already heard of them, then please take some time to check out their beautiful site which brings Munich alive through the voices of those of us who live here.

Here are the Best Summer Scents for me

To learn about The Best Summer Scents, check out my full article here.

Create a Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

by Leave a Comment

Summer is here! And along with sunshine, longer days and more energy come insects, heat and pollen. Essential oils are wonderful natural healers and I’d love to share with you what’s in my Natural Summer First Aid Kit.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

Here in Munich, a regular question is how to repel ticks. We want to enjoy being outdoors but I know many of you moms are worried about ticks and Lyme Disease. From all my research, the best oil is Rose Geranium (specifically Pelargonium Capitatum x Radens). It has to be this particular one and not the common Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens). It’s not readily available here but I have sourced some from the US (feel free to contact me to buy some). Placing 1 drop on your wrists and ankles will repel the ticks. On babies and young children, please dilute in a carrier oil first (1 drop per 10mls sweet almond oil). You can even put a drop on your dog too!

If like me you attract mosquitos then the essential oils of  Lemon Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Thyme and Citronella are excellent not just against mosquitos but most other insects too. Citronella is a cheap and effective insect repellent. Add some to an oil burner to keep those insects away. Also Lemon Eucalyptus has been proven to be effective too and is recommended by The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a natural bio-pesticide repellent.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

But if you do get some bites and stings apply Lavender or Tea Tree to reduce pain, swelling and redness. These are the only 2 that you can apply directly to the bite or sting.

From February until September I really suffer badly from hayfever. Eucalyptus, Chamomile and  Lemon essential oils used in a  dry inhalation, massage or nose balm will help ease your suffering. My symptoms are greatly reduced by using my Hayfever Balm.

And it’s easy to get too much sun sometimes. I use Lavender and Chamomile essential oils to soothe any hot skin or sunburn. Add a few drops of both to some fragrance free lotion (15 drops in total to 50mls lotion) and apply. It instantly calms and smells beautiful.

Natural First Aid Kit for Summer

Lavender, Tea tree, Chamomile, Citronella, Rose Geranium, Eucalyptus and Lemon Eucalyptus

And finally, please remember that some essential oils are photosensitive so don’t apply them before sunbathing. Avoid Bergamot, citrus oils: Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, etc and  Verbena.

It’s so easy to create your own natural summer first aid kit. Or I’d be most happy to make one for you. I never go on holiday without mine! Have a wonderful  summer!

This article originally featured in the Munich Über Moms July 17 newsletter.

Natural Insect Repellent – Eco Friendly Living

by Leave a Comment

With our summer holidays coming up soon, I have been looking into making my own natural insect repellent. There are some essential oils that are proven to be effective against bugs and bites.

Natural Insect Repellent

Unfortunately, mosquitos love the taste of me and therefore I want an effective repellent so that I don’t end up with large itchy bites that spoil my enjoyment of the sunshine.  I will be diffusing Citronella essential oil to keep the insects away as well as mixing it with Lemon Eucalyptus to make a natural bug spray. If you don’t have either of those, Lavender and Tea Tree are also good insect repellents.

I have also been sourcing from the US a particular essential oil – Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Capitatum x Radens) known to be an effective tick repellent. Not only are ticks hard to remove they also carry Lyme disease. 1 drop on your ankles and wrists will keep them away. You can order yours here.

And finally, I will be packing my Lavender and Tea Tree oils just in case I do need to treat any bites.

Goal Setting – A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish

by Leave a Comment

Five years ago this month I met my partner at a wedding in Romania. I was living in Scotland and he was living in Munich. A year and a half later I moved to my new life in Munich. I had never lived anywhere else. In the first year I was here, I studied German, created a social network, got my Diploma in Coaching, launched my business and was pregnant with our son. Everything I had wanted. When I went back home to Scotland for a visit at Christmas at the end of the year, people told me over and over again how lucky I was. But really, it wasn’t luck, it was having clear goals and an action plan.

How many times have you made New Year resolutions only for them to not come to fruition?  Without a clear goal or a specific plan they remain just wishes.

Goal Setting

I’d love to share with you my techniques for goal setting and making things happen in my new workshop.

Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

• Want to find out how to set and achieve your goals?
• Want to know how to make them a happen?
• Want time and space to sit down and focus on what you want?

Then join me for my Goal Setting Workshop.

In this 2 hour course we will mainly be working on setting goals but we will also cover:
• Blocks to Goal Setting
• My Top 3 Tips for Successful Goal Setting
• Creating a Positive Mindset
• Balancing Your Wheel of Life – It’s colouring Time!
• My Key Questions to Unlock the Answers
• Ready, Steady, Goal!

When: Saturday 24th June 2017 10am-12pm
Where: Westend English, Heimeranstr 62
Cost: 25 euros

Places Limited to 12 women.

Book now easily via Paypal: PayPal.Me/potentia

How Bragging About Yourself Can Boost Your Confidence!

by Leave a Comment

Most of us don’t like to talk about how great we are, even less so if we are feeling low on confidence. So, have you ever thought of making a brag book to help you boost your Confidence!?

I am a very visual person so I like the idea of something I can look at and touch and its a self-confidence tool I often suggest to my clients.

Boost Your Confidence - brag Book

Originally used as a way to create a portfolio to take to job interviews, you can now also use the idea to create a book where you can collect all the amazing things about you. It’s a wonderful way to gather together achievements, successes, awards and things people have said to you all in one place.

It’s simple and easy to do and very effective:

  • Find yourself a nice notebook or folder
  • Think about the achievements, big and small, in your life
  • Print off emails of nice things people have said to you
  • Put in letters, postcards or notes that say something special about you
  • Write in compliments people have given you
  • Add anything else you fancy

The Brag Book works in two ways. Firstly, the process of collecting all of these nice things about you will help boost your confidence. And secondly, whenever you are feeling low in confidence you have your visual brag book to look at and remind you of how great you are!

I find my brag book helps me stay confident and positive both personally and professionally and its a lot of fun to do. Plus, its nice to spend some time being creative.

So why not give it a go!