Meet Jena Cuellar Harris

We were lucky to catch up with Jena Cuellar Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jena, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I wasn’t living the full spectrum of Life before I found my Purpose. I was unknowingly flirting with my Purpose as my heart tugged me in directions that my Soul found resonance with but I wasn’t aware or intentional about it. It wasn’t until I experienced extreme burn out- physically, mentally and emotionally- that I became aware of my energy and how I was “spending” it. The burnout I was feeling wasn’t from being a CEO, a mom, or any other over-worked, high-ranking position. It was from falling in to a body image trap that I couldn’t get out of. For years I battled body dysmorphia, disordered eating, a toxic relationship with food and exercise, and ultimately a fractured relationship with myself because I could not get my body to look how I wanted it to. I abused my body through excessive workout, prolonged calorie restriction/binge cycles, laxative abuse, and even surgery. Not to mention the mental and emotional abuse I inflicted on myself through berating internal comments of dislike and unworthiness. After starting and failing my last diet several times, I felt like a failure. I felt physical pain and exhaustion. I felt no joy. I felt no Purpose. Because of my accidental encounters with Purpose, I knew deep down inside that I wasn’t living in alignment with my Soul. That I was wasting valuable energy that had the potential to make a difference in the world. That realization was the catalyst for the biggest shift of my life. I began my process of healing and unlearning everything I thought I knew about food, fitness, and the body. This introspective approach transformed who I am, my relationship with myself, and where I place my energy and attention. I believe that overcoming divine obstacles leads us to a Purposeful path where we can teach and serve others from our own experience.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a Wellness Entrepreneur and Advocate, Body Connection Guide, and Aspiring Author. Every brand, business, project, and product I put out into the world is in alignment with my Soul’s Purpose which is to wake people up to a healthier, more holistic approach to health, Through the vehicle of my businesses it’s my mission to activate people’s desire and accessibility to a healthier and more dimensional approach to health and overall well-being.

One of the first brands and businesses that I created with my husband was Shake Express- a juice bar that we opened in 2016. As gym owners and personal trainers to a clientele of 85% women, we discovered a need for quick, convenient, and nutrient-dense options that could fuel them without sacrificing good nutrition, taste and enjoyability. Eight years and three locations later, our menu has grown but our vision to make food healthy, fun, tasty, and accessible remains at the foundation.

In 2021 we started an all-natural supplement company called Activated Wellness whose intention is to create supplements from nature’s bio-active compounds to work in synergy with the body. My love and wonder for Nature and all that it offers our bodies is embodied in our products. We are currently working on formulations for sleep, detox, and a daily nutrient boost. We plan to launch five more supplements by the end of 2024.

Just last year, along with two other entrepreneur women and leaders in our community, we started an organization called The Embodied CEO. Our mission is to help women leaders redefine success by creating a healthier work-life balance and unlearn old narratives that no longer align with their leadership style. We currently host quarterly workshops and conferences in which we offer tools to help them discover more about themselves so that they can lead from a place of authenticity. We teach health and wellness strategies to better nurture themselves as well as efficient systems that allow them more freedom to be with their families while continuing to create success in their respective fields. We are currently in the process of applying for grants, starting a podcast, and planning a retreat for 2025.

My newest brand and business that I’m focusing on right now is The Body Intelligence Revolution. It is an online holistic transformation hub that aims to help women overcome the burn out inherited from toxic diet and fitness culture as well as the cultural and societal side effects that propagate ideal body images. My mission is to help women strengthen their own body’s intelligence so that they can stop falling prey to these shadow pillars that we place our health in and have the confidence and body knowledge to make empowered health choices. Through a method I created called “The Body Intelligence Method,” I guide women through a process of healing and unlearning old and false narratives about the main pillars of health. Through the unlearning and healing, there is room to discover and understand the unique nuances of their bodies and its needs without giving away their agency. By strengthening their body’s intelligence, they will have increased confidence, restore their self love and trust, leading them to making positive health choices resulting in an energetic, vibrant, and fulfilling life. My online hub offers e-courses and free resources for any one trying to navigate this confusing and multi-layered issue. In early 2025, I will be launching my book about on this topic: Beyond Diets: The Wellness Awakening to Unlocking Your Body’s Intelligence which will include group coaching and retreat experiences.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Listening to my heart is something my Dad modeled for us early on and it’s definitely been what’s guided me to where I am now. When I follow the bread crumbs backwards, all of the random twists and turns of my heart’s choices turned out to not be as random as I thought. Reflecting reminds me that I am being divinely guided. I recommend starting a reflection practice where you work your way backwards from the most recent event to the events of the past. This practice helps to build your awareness, sharpen your intuition, and trust your heart more readily. I try to make this a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly practice.

The strength of my mind helps to balance the softness of my heart. My mind can be one of my biggest assets as I love challenges. When I set my mind on a goal, I lay out the process that needs to happen to achieve the goal and I become laser focused. While most times this seems like a great quality, it can also be one of my biggest downfalls as I relentlessly keep my foot on the gas even when my body is asking for a break. This is ultimately how I found myself burnt out six years ago. It’s what led me to my own healing and unlearning journey and why I am so passionate about helping women connect to their body’s intelligence. Although I am grateful I went through this obstacle, I advise others to be more aware of their body so they can rest when needed and be more compassionate with themselves. You can lead and create more sustainably when you are able to balance the masculine and feminine, the mind and the heart, knowing when to take control and when to relinquish. It’s a delicate dance between energies and when you tap into it, living purposefully is fun and fulfilling!

Self-awareness is an invaluable tool in any industry, position, or season of life and has helped me tremendously! As I strengthened my self-awareness, I realized that I had more control over my choices than I had originally thought. By noticing more about my body, my mind, my heart and soul, I’ve been able to make more productive choices in business and healthier choices for my well-being. It has also strengthened my intuition which helps me to assess people, potential opportunities and business decisions with a deeper knowing than just my logic. Awareness is like a muscle and everyone has the ability to strengthen in. Mindfulness practices are a great way to practice your self-awareness. If you are new to mindfulness, I recommend starting with something practical like keeping a food journal. This will help you get to know more about your body and how different variables affect you- the timing of your meal, symptoms or side effects of certain foods, and how it affects your energy. No matter where you are in your self awareness journey, its important to note that simply slowing down and turning off noisy distractions (tv, computer, radio, phone) is a great everyday practice for every one.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Reading The Five Levels of Attachment by Don Miguel Ruiz has profoundly changed my perspective on life and serves as a guide in my Body Intelligence work. The book’s insights into how attachments shape our beliefs and behaviors helped me recognize the extent to which I was holding onto ideas and identities that were not necessarily my own but projections of social and cultural upbringing. By understanding the different levels of attachment, I learned to let go of these limiting beliefs and embrace a more fluid, open-minded approach to life that resonates more deeply with my heart and soul. This newfound awareness has allowed me to live more authentically and with greater freedom, unburdened by unnecessary attachments.

The first step of my Body Intelligence Method focuses on recognizing your attachments and learning how to let them go. I believe that through this relinquishing of ideas, feelings, and identities that no longer serve you gives us the ability to recreate beliefs, patterns, and habits that are healthier and more in alignment with your true essence.

Contact Info:

• Website: Coming soon
• Instagram: Jena_wellnessactivator
• Facebook: Jena Cuellar Harris

Image Credits

Centurion Media- Aaron Garcia
Crystal Páez