Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliette Garcia.
Hi Juliette, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If you asked me fifteen years ago what I wanted out of life, I would’ve said something like: to be successful, independent, and have my shit together.
And for a while, I thought I did.
I was in my late twenties, working in financial services as a personal and executive assistant to a CEO in the Bay Area — think Devil Wears Prada, but with way too many secrets. I managed everything from family vacations and high-profile media appearances to wiring big money and cleaning up off-the-record drama. On the outside, I looked like I was killing it. My boss was happy, my dad was proud, and I had money in the bank.
But on the inside, I was falling apart.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but what I called “success” was really me outsourcing my self-worth. You see, before me there was a long parade of assistants, and what I thought was me being some kind of unicorn was actually my own addiction to being the reliable one — the one who handled everything, no matter how impossible. And everyone before me in that role? They just had boundaries and higher standards of self-worth.
Eventually, the constant pressure and emotional chaos of that environment caught up to me. My health spiraled. My relationships became toxic. It felt like I became thirty pounds heavier, exhausted, and completely disconnected from myself overnight. I was living in constant fight-or-flight mode. Over the three years I was there, I collapsed twice at work, was prescribed multiple medications, and got diagnosed with Panic Disorder, GAD, PTSD, and Major Depressive Disorder — all in my twenties.
That breakdown became the start of my breakthrough.
When my doctor put me on medical leave, therapy wasn’t optional — it was mandatory. Initially, I went just to check a box, but as time went by, something started to shift. Little by little, I learned to create the space I needed to actually listen to myself. Shoutout to my therapist, Jen Valera in Oakland — we’re still rocking together fifteen years later!
Through therapy, I started realizing how much of my identity was wrapped up in being useful to everyone but myself. That realization was both painful and freeing. From there, I went full-force into healing — not just coping, but truly evolving.
I was on a healing mission and began to try everything: acupuncture, meditation, reiki, hypnotherapy, energy work, you name it. I even did a ten-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat — ten days of no talking, no writing, no eye contact. It sounded wild, but it was transformative. The weirder it was, the more I wanted to try it lol. I was hungry for healing and for a deeper understanding of who I was beneath all the chaos.
Over time, I began to see real change. I moved to New York with my boyfriend (now husband), went through a shitload of more life experience, came back to California, got married, had two beautiful boys, and slowly started to rebuild my life from the inside out.
Motherhood and marriage became my greatest mirrors. They showed me every wound I hadn’t yet healed, every pattern I was still repeating — but they also became the ground where I finally learned what it means to belong. Not just to my husband or my children, but to myself. I learned that the lessons and the obstacles were never going to stop (because life kept on life-ing!), but it was up to me to allow the learning and the growing to happen, so I could evolve.
What people often see on my Instagram now is the glow-up — the laughter, the family, the joy. What they don’t see are the years of tears, panic attacks, boundary-setting, weaning off meds, cutting ties with toxic relationships, and all the inner work that made that joy in those moments even possible.
The more I healed, the more people started coming to me for guidance. Friends, coworkers, even acquaintances would open up about what they were going through, and I found myself naturally guiding them and holding space — not from a place of “let me fix you,” but from “I’ve been there.” It lit something up in me.
I started taking classes, workshops, reading every personal development book I could get my hands on. Eventually, I enrolled in a professional life coaching certification program — and ya girl got certified.
That’s how Stay Lit Life Coaching was born.
Today, I’m an evolution coach that specializes in helping people evolve through life transitions — divorce, career pivots, parenthood, even messy situationships. Because real change isn’t just about what happens on the surface. It stirs up emotions, patterns, and old wounds — the stuff we usually try to run from. My work is about helping people face that “messy middle,” uncover their unique superpowers, and come out the other side more aligned than ever.
Now, I live in Southern California with my husband and our two boys. We live a full life — beautifully imperfect, but more fullfilling than ever; and we built this life intentionally, through mindful choices, deep communication with each other, and a lot of inner work.
On any given day, you can find me doing one or all of the following things that light me up: life coaching my amazing clients, managing my home & making memories with my family, homeschooling my boys, or performing with my hula sisters as a professional hula dancer.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through it all, it’s this:
Life keeps happening for you, not to you. It’s just about how you choose to receive it, listen to it, and grow through it — every single time.
Which is why I’m launching my podcast, Gems with Jules. It’s my way of turning all those lessons, all that pain and progress, into stories and gems you can use in your own evolution.
Because if my story can remind even one person that they’re not alone — that their breakdown might just be the beginning of something sacred — then every messy, chaotic, beautiful part of my journey was worth it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has most definitely not been a smooth road. Twists, turns, wins, losses, shitshows, situationships, and everything inbetween.
Multiple medications, toxic friendships & relationships, and my struggle with mental illnesses & autoimmune diseases turned me towards my healing journey.
THERAPY, meditation retreats, and personal development classes guided me to make those hard decisions to do things differently, and evolve into my best self.
As you know, we’re big fans of Stay Lit Life Coaching. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Stay Lit Life Coaching was born out of my own transformation — the breakdowns, the breakthroughs, and everything in between. It’s more than a coaching practice; it’s a safe space for people who are navigating major life transitions and are ready to evolve through them intentionally.
What I do is help people evolve through the messy middle of change — that in-between space where old patterns are breaking down and the new version of you hasn’t quite arrived yet. Whether someone is going through a divorce, a career pivot, becoming a parent, or trying to untangle themselves from a messy situationship, I help them find clarity, alignment, and peace in the process.
I specialize in transitional coaching — using tools like shadow work, pattern interruption, cognitive-behavioral techniques, EFT tapping, and core-wound work. But beyond the methods, what really sets my work apart is the energy behind it. My approach is equal parts spiritual and practical. I don’t believe in bypassing the hard stuff with “positive vibes only.” I believe in meeting yourself where you are, doing the inner work, and learning how to alchemize pain into purpose.
I’m known for keeping it real, infusing humor and heart into the healing process, and creating a judgment-free environment where clients feel truly seen. My clients often tell me that working with me feels like talking to that one friend who gets it — the one who’ll call you out lovingly, hold you accountable, and remind you of your power when you forget.
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is the authenticity behind Stay Lit. “Stay Lit” isn’t just a name — it’s a movement. It’s a reminder to keep your inner light burning, even when life throws curveballs. It’s about emotional resilience, self-trust, and evolving through growth instead of resisting it. Everything I create — from coaching sessions to my soon-to-launch podcast Gems with Jules — is rooted in that mission.
I want readers to know that this brand was built from real life, not theory. I’ve lived the burnout, the anxiety, the reinvention. I don’t just coach from a textbook; I coach from experience, compassion, and deep respect for the human journey.
At Stay Lit Life Coaching, we don’t chase “perfect.” We chase peace, purpose, and power. And my goal is to help you find all three — right in the middle of your own evolution.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am a professional hula dancer and you can find me performing for crowds, large and small, throughout the Inland Empire and Orange County.
I have also recently (and surprisingly!) found myself dabbling in background acting, which has been really fun! It’s a fun story that you’ll have to tune into my podcast to hear!
I’m proud to have strong Bay Area roots, but I’m loving the SoCal lifestyle! I love running around amusement parks with my husband and my kids – As a Disney girl through and through, you can find me at Disneyland often!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/gemswithjules
