Self-Care with Amber Joliat, Creator of MISFITSTUDIO

Three years ago, I walked into my first pilates class at MISFITSTUDIO. I won't lie, there was one very specific reason why I chose to try a class at MISFITS...the name.

I had done pilates classes and videos before, and always felt my body type was a little 'different' from everybody else in the room. I thought, if there was anyone fit to be a misfit, it was me. Amber, the creator of Toronto's most unique movement studio, taught the very first class I attended, and it was awesome: physically challenging, welcoming, mentally and emotionally enlightening. I left feeling (what I've decided to call) "Zenergetic." I'd heard others describe what happens at MISFITS at 'magic', and believe me, I recognized it when I felt it. Last year I took part in MISFITS Fusion Teacher Training, and over the several weeks of work, I came to appreciate that Amber is as kind and brilliant as she is creative, strong, and welcoming. She is a force to be reckoned with. There is no one I've met who is as great at creating a welcoming, nourishing, and encouraging physical and mental space as she is. When I need a little balance in my crazy schedule, I tap into many of the physical and mental skills that I've picked up from the classes and training I've taken at MISFITSTUDIO, so when I started this little self-care series, I knew exactly who I needed to contact! And boy was I excited when Amber agreed to answer some of my questions on self-care and her intentions behind the MISFIT method! Take a read below, and be sure to try out a class at one of the MISFITStudio locations soon! You will LOVE it! 

Photo by Jessica Blaine Smith

 

 

What inspired you to create MISFITStudio?

To provide an atmosphere where people felt comfortable enough to dance//express/release in the magic of movement

 

 

Your classes are incredible; from personal experience, I know they nourish mind, body, and soul. When you walk into the studio to teach a class, what are your intentions/goals?

⚡️

First off

THANKYOU!!!!!!

I feel the beauty of movement is a mystical thing

when breath and shape and form synchronize through the room

its as though magic fills the air

THAT can truly only occur when a deep trust is felt, (this may be unconscious for some)

so

i approach each class with a desire to soften any sharp edge, connect, and create a union

The "gospel" talk at the beginning of each class helps this, it acts as a leveler

cosmically, astrologically we are ALL going through the same sensations, 

even if deeply buried

i open that to the room

a reminder we're all human

doin our best

Photo by Jessica Blaine Smith

phew

sigh

release

 

What does self-care mean to you?

This to me rings similar to how i feel about my movement

its a lifestyle

a choice

a way of life

You've partnered with a number of local businesses to help your clients maintain a clean and healthy lifestyle! How do you see your classes, challenges, and partnerships fitting into a self-care routine?

"Movement each day is necessary"

Its the physical untangling allows for open mindedness and clarity to act a current to freely run through the day

Do you have a favourite class to take or teach, and why?

Ohhhhhh this is a difficult question to answer.

I chanel when i teach, so i get very tuned in when im teaching

Sometimes my slow, gooey, lengthening class feels just amazing!

and in the same breath, my super challenging, fast moving, sweat inducing Fusion class satisfies on a whole other level!!

And then my dance classss!! next next level

Do you have any other thoughts on the essentials of a solid self-care routine?

W A T E R

Photo by Jessica Blaine Smith

clean eating most of the time (dont get me wrong, i LOVE a good banquet burger, but eating green and clean FEELS SO GOOD)

meditation, or some type of mindful practice

massage (or some kind of physical release)

yummy skin oils

a deep oxygen fix (like visiting botanical gardens) 

connection, lovers, friends, family, laughter, to be heard, to be seen

 

 

 

Are there any inspirational quotes or figures that have guided you in your journey to create the MISFIT method and your routine to take care of yourself in in such demanding position.

SO MANY!!

my fave of all time is

goddess Maya Angelou

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Anything else you would like to add regarding self-care or about MISFITStudio?

I do think it's important to feed the 

mind//body//soul with a variety of activity

My method is rooted in yoga

informed by pilates

and inspired by dance

Mindfulness and pranayama (breathwork) through yoga, deep anatomical connection, eccentric length and slow methodical work with pilates and pure, clear, wild freedom from dance 

Each requires discipline, love and truth

Blending all three in many variations creates limitless possibility

Sunday Sweet Treats: Strawberry Preserves

When I was younger, my mum had a very special tradition she brought with her from her native UK: Sunday Dinner. A time when the WHOLE family gathered around the kitchen table for a roast dinner, complete with dessert. Though I may not have appreciated this as much as I child as I do now, I always LOVED Sunday evening desserts. As I've gotten older, this is one tradition I have tried to keep up in my own home, and one of my favourite things about summer break is that I have some extra time to myself, and thus, extra time to bake and cook! One of the other amazing things about summer is all of the fresh fruit and veggies that are in-season and easy to come by, and I absolutely love fresh strawberries! So today, I'm sharing with you one of my favourite Sweet Treats, Strawberry Preserves.

What are strawberry preserves? Similar to a jam or jelly, preserves are a type of fruit 'spread' that can be added to breakfasts, baked goods, or desserts (like topping on ice cream). Unlike jams or jellies, preserves contain large chunks of fruit and aren't necessarily as 'spreadable'. I love Strawberry preserves because they have just the right amount of sweetness, and are unbelievably versatile in terms of their use. You can add them to pancakes, parfaits, scones, or even have a spoonful on its own. Preserves are also a great way to capture and save the taste of summer for when you're craving something sweet in the fall or winter, and make lovely gifts when attending a dinner party. 

This quick and easy recipe comes from one of my main go-to cookbooks 'Make It Paleo' by Bill Staley and Haley Mason, and includes only  5 ingredients

• 4 Cups of Chopped Strawberries
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup (I use organic)
• 1 tbsp of lemon zest
• 1 tbsp of unflavoured gelatin 

The prep time is approximately 25 minutes, and total cook time is about 35 minutes plus one hour of refrigeration to allow the preserves to gel and set once they've been boiled down. I feel like this is one of those highly dependable, almost no fail recipes: all you have to do is boil the ingredients and bottle them! If you do want the full recipe, you can find the e-book or paper version of 'Make It Paleo' through amazon, or you could follow one of the plenty others available online. I will say that the reason I prefer the 'paleo' recipe is that it substitutes maple syrup for processed sugar and calls for a relatively lower amount than other recipes online. 

One really important consideration in this recipe and that of any other jam is proper sterilization of your mason jars/containers to avoid contamination. I found these cute little mason jars at Dollarama and sterilized them by washing them in hot soapy water, and then baking them! You also have to make sure to seal them tightly, especially if you plan to store them for a long time. 

Your finished product will be a sweet, gooey, semi-spreadable strawberry gel that you can either use right away, or save for a later date. I'm not going to lie, one of these jars is already gone! The other two I'm saving next weekend when I make another favourite, Chia Seed Pudding parfait. So if you happen to go berry picking this summer, you know what you can do with the extra strawberries after you've made all your pies, daiquiris and jams. Check back in next week to see how I put this tasty treat to use!

Happy Sunday Friends!

J

Beauty: A Hairy Situation

So this is a first! Believe me, I’m just as surprised to see a ‘Beauty Post’ appearing on Small But Mighty as you are! I pride myself on being fairly low-maintenance and natural (other than my eyelash extensions — in the interest of full disclosure); when I do occasionally use make-up or hair products they are very ‘clean’: free of dyes, perfumes and parabens… For this reason, for the last several years, I have trusted my hair and skincare to a company that provides products and services that are clean, organic, and designed to be good for you. And for the most part, my experience has been positive; they did a great job when I decided to dye my hair ombre blue back in November (#YOLO), but my last experience was very unpleasant. I try to be a positive person, and when life throws me lemons, I try to take a step back and learn all that I can from my mistakes. For this reason, I’ll keep the rant portion of this post short, because I think the happy ending is much more important!

Back in early January, I was offered an audition for my very first TV commercial. It was very short notice (2 days) and because all of my headshots were from my pre-blue era, I made an urgent appointment at my go-to salon to try and get my blonde back. This was NOT a good experience! I had to see a new colourist due to the last minute nature of my appointment, which is understandable, but instead of greeting me with a handshake and a “Hi my name is….”, I got “What’s in your hair?” while she continued to work on another client’s head. In addition to this, the colourist suggested that it was going to take many (3+) hours and cost about $300 to return my hair to its pre-blue state. And, because there was a 20 minute gap before my colour service, she suggested I leave the salon and come back. She made the whole process seem super arduous, and acted pretty disinterested in helping me out in my time of need. So I did in fact leave, but I did not go back. As a small business owner, I feel that one of the most important things you can do for your clients is show them just how important they are to you! On top of that, you should be doing all that you can to ensure their experience is a positive one, and that you help them as much as you can (call me an optimist). I went to my audition with my blue pony tail, feeling self-conscious, and due to an unforeseen chopstick incident (among other things), I did not get the part

My big brother is getting married in April, and I am so unbelievably excited to be a part of his special day. However, faded blue ombre hair does not lend itself well to family portraits and wedding photos. So today, with a heavy heart I made an appointment at a new salon, expecting to spend several hundred dollars and many hours of my time in an uncomfortable environment. This did NOT happen. MY EXPERIENCE WAS AMAZING!

#fangirlmoment

Today I saw a new colourist, Hanifah at the Gibson Square Fiorio Salon. On top of being unbelievably friendly and welcoming, she took time to explain exactly what she was going to do and options should the colour correction not work completely at this visit. She checked in on me every 15-20 minutes and was super efficient with her work. In fact, for $100 she restored my blonde ombre style, AND provided a masque treatment for my hair to minimize damage from the correction process. By the way, she did all of this in just over an hour! Hanifah also suggested I leave the highlights I had booked just in case for later date in order to avoid damaging my hair. She forewent income in order to put her client first! As if this wasn’t enough, when I went to pay for my colour correction, the salon gave me a coupon for $40 worth of free product because it was my first time there! UNBELIEVABLE! I left feeling so happy not only with my colour but also with the service I received, and that is the type of feeling I want my clients to have EVERY TIME I SEE THEM! My heart is full! I could not help but share this story of amazing customer service with you. I wish this was the status quo, and not something we have to highlight when we happen to encounter such a fantastic situation, but such is life! 

So friends, if you live in the North end of Toronto (or even if you don't) and are looking for a new salon or colourist, check out @hanifahm_hair @fioriogibsonsquare; I'm sure your experience will be incredible! By the way, Hanifah used the Fiks Argan Oil shown in this picture on my ends and it is phenomenal!

**Neither Hanifah nor Fiorio Salons were aware I would be writing this post at the time of my appointment. I have no vested interest in this company, nor have I receive payment, product, or favours for writing this post.

Happy Long Valentine/Family Day Weekend Friends!

xo