We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Susan Nefzger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Susan, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Most of my life, I felt that there was something else happening outside of the reality we see with our eyes. I always felt there was a discovery just waiting around the corner. Because I was born with a deep faith in the unseen, I knew I would find the answers I sought. I traveled the world seeking these answers through various spiritual insights, teachers, and masters.
Yet, at age 50, I felt the pull to attend a writing retreat in Glastonbury, England, on the grounds of the Glastonbury Abbey ruins. As many of you know, it is a spiritual and religious historical monument.
Following the magnetic pull to travel and attend the retreat, I did so without expectation, or even knowing the full history of the site. Once there, I fell into a magical world and my creative consciousness was awakened. The retreat was led by an expert in this field, and I began writing my first book, which led to discovering my purpose in the 72 hours that followed. That book, is “A Practical Guide to Awareness”, Discovering Your True Purpose.” As I dove into tthe process of inspired writing, I realized my purpose was being presented to me. I was also highly aware of the changes that would necessitate fulfilling this purpose. My entire life would transform in the next few years. Since the transformation, a burning motivation is to help others become self-aware. I also wrote a companion workbook, “Putting Awareness Into Practice” within the same year at Glastonbury.
After writing, editing, and receiving my editor’s comments, I was asked my ex-husband to divorce. I still moved forward with making editorial changes and self-publishing the book, completed by the time I had moved and divorced. I relocated to Atlanta afterwards and have since been writing, speaking, traveling and through the magic of the digital and physical world, relating my inspiration and resulting inner joy. My latest book, A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly, was inspired just prior to the pandemic, then fueled by the vast changes that took place in those few years. Published last year the book shares the tips of fearless living based on self-awareness, to help others alleviate a fear-based lifestyle.
In the meantime, sharing photography to uplift others, as well as my writing, I also practice in my professional field as an executive coach and public relations consultant. Finally, I discovered my purpose, through listening to my heart, following my instincts and traveling the world to find the answers I sought. Once you know your why, you can face or change any perspective that limits your life and growth. Once you achieve self-awareness, there is no going back! Trust me!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
As an entrepreneur, I love my chosen profession of consulting through public relations, coaching, speaking, and writing. My latest book, “A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly”, published it in 2023 is the tool, I share to help others alleviate a fear-based lifestyle. These tips apply whether in a profession, an entrepreneurial endeavor, or living life on your own terms, simply knowing your why, resolves so many issues. I assist entrepreneurs, and groups through executive coaching by applying the techniques of self-awareness to instill a program of laser focus to lifestyle changes and enhancements to fulfill goals. It is extremely gratifying to help others, and watch the light bulb appear for them. The unique ability I share, is to help discover their purpose in a positive, joyful way. Writing and self-discovery workshops in various locations will be released soon. Right now, I’m writing a book about personal relationships after age 50 and how to choose whether and why we will –“Just Say Yes!”.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Mainly, the three qualities that help me stay the course, are an insatiable curiosity, resilience, and ability to see the beauty in each situation instead of struggle. The three are integral to each other. My resilience is my faith. My faith is knowing I can count on myself as a unique, spiritual being. And, having been through various crises, life situations and experiences that were challenging allows me to help others see the light at the end of the tunnel. For self-discovery to assist us in finding our purpose, we must accept that our life will change. That means making a commitment to the process. Because, once you understand your purpose, your entire life changes in a splendid way. What does a self-discovery practice look like, you may ask? A practice one can begin today would be journaling, breathwork, meditating, and creating space in your day for stillness. One of those or all three will help show that quieting our mind without distraction, is a blissful state. Once one achieves even 5 minutes of stillness, one begins to feel better. Extend the time, you take for yourself in increments creates a commitment to the process. Then, you realize how much better you feel, by giving yourself the option to manage your life instead of life managing you.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
This can look like executive coaching with a specific set of goals to accomplish, by mapping out a strategy and plan, working one on one. Or it can look like leading workshops or speaking engagements sharing tips that assist in answering the questions people have. These questions can be how to achieve focus, finding your purpose, or writing and marketing a successful book. Becoming and being self-aware, helps everyone center in on the present moment, and in doing so, we achieve focus on a particular project, goal, or lifestyle change. Helping people achieve their goals in a joyful manner is uplifting for me. An ideal client for me is a group, entrepreneur, or others, who feel that after all their achievements, a loving marriage, family, or successful career, it still feels like something is missing. I help pinpoint the answers to their questions to highlight a path forward, which allows one to share their gifts. And I love facilitating small group workshops or retreats.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seeingbeyondtheordinary.com
- Instagram: @tips_for_fearless_living & @snefzgerpr
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/snefzgerpr
- Other: Author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07X6HR7P4/about
Amazon: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hrOb8dYN9OLfutGMdCrhEESlw5B4lGbVhPAKv2ZmLTp
Image Credits
Damon Higgins Meredith Collins David Randell
