Hey Family - Last week I celebrated what I have done (a year's worth of podcasts), but you know what I want to do this week? Tell you all the things I haven't done. I'm not mad about it and want you to give yourself some grace too! We need to set big goals. We need to challenge ourselves not to play small. But we also need to give ourselves grace if we choose to embrace where we are in instead of rat racing forward! That's what I am doing and I want to encourage you to do the same.
Want to ask questions, share feedback, request topics and meet some really great people on a similar journey? Join me in the Wake Up with Susan Facebook group.
Book a session to work with me 1 on 1.
Find and Follow Me on TikTok and Instagram
Join me in the DG Derick Grant Conscious Evolution Community.
Hey Family - Last week I celebrated what I have done (a year's worth of podcasts), but you know what I want to do this week? Tell you all the things I haven't done. I'm not mad about it and want you to give yourself some grace too! We need to set big goals. We need to challenge ourselves not to play small. But we also need to give ourselves grace if we choose to embrace where we are in instead of rat racing forward! That's what I am doing and I want to encourage you to do the same.
Want to ask questions, share feedback, request topics and meet some really great people on a similar journey? Join me in the Wake Up with Susan Facebook group.
Book a session to work with me 1 on 1.
Find and Follow Me on TikTok and Instagram
Join me in the DG Derick Grant Conscious Evolution Community.
Rise and shine, everybody. It's time to wake up with Susan. Spiritual awakening can be a beautiful, messy, and sometimes lonely journey. So let's do it together. I'm your host, Susan Sutherland. I'm an intuitive healer and spiritual mentor. We are all called to rise up above our conditioning and limiting beliefs.
And shine our light on ourselves and others. So let's get to it family. Thanks for joining me this week. I have an interview that I'm excited to share with you, but I'm putting it off because I also have, um, I have some stuff I want to say, and that's what this podcast is for is for me to say whatever I want to.
And since I'm the boss of me, I am pushing that one out a week so I can talk about something else. And, uh, Today I'm going to talk about grace, um, and giving yourself grace, but I first want to tell you about my amazing week. My amazing weekend and, and how much I appreciate all of you. Um, I did have one gold star listener who left me a review on Apple podcast.
C L O U R E I R O 93. I don't know how I would say that, but, um, I love Susan's energy. She's honest about her spiritual journey and you can feel her and how much she Wants to tell her journey to help others. Yep. Not everyone is that vulnerable and willing to put themselves out there The angels are so happy and proud of you.
Happy one year podcast anniversary. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you I appreciate you so much and I'll say Not everybody ran to their keyboards to write reviews, but let me tell you some of you did send me text messages and DMs and I got an unexpected hug at Mark's work gathering from someone I didn't know was listening and and genuinely from the bottom of his heart Said that it's really helping him with some stuff He's going through right now, and I can't even tell you guys It is like putting coal on my fire.
To know that there is any kind of impact in this work is exactly why I'm doing it. It is, it is telling you guys what I need to hear. Telling you guys what I wish I would have heard before. Um, But having, having positive feedback really keeps me going and I appreciate you so much. And let me tell you something when I talk about support coming from unexpected places, it just over Welms me even on the day that I posted that one year episode I ended up getting gift from a friend that I haven't seen in I think I've seen her one time in a year and a half and She left me a gift and it was a crystal and then it was a puzzle with a lighthouse and it said be the be the light and it's interesting because I had had a meditation in January And it was a really deep hypnotic meditation that I did at the consciousness conference And it was about going to the other side and asking for our next steps Well, I ended up connecting with Archangel Michael who is my dude.
He's one of my dudes but It was like what is my next step and the visual he gave me Was a really Rough sea. It was, you know, like a chaotic sea with boats tossing and turning, but there was a lighthouse Sturdy on the shore and he said be the light and guide them home and the important part of that for me Is that all a lighthouse has to do is be to to protect its own light And that is how it works and a lighthouse doesn't chase ships The lighthouse doesn't jump into the water and say, give me your hand.
It holds steady and says, here, I'm here. Let me guide you home. And so that's been really something that I come back to when I'm like, I have to do more. I'm have to do this. And it's like, uh, be the light, guide them home. And so for this friend to leave me this puzzle on my doorstep, wrapped up with a pretty bow, um, um, It felt like a hug from her and a hug from my angels, like keep up the good work.
And it was perfectly timed as my little anniversary present. Um, anyway, it was just, it was so impactful and so meaningful. And it was like, yes, we can do this another year. I'm going to keep going. This is amazing. And anyway, so I had a busy week. It is, you know, we're full on. With kids having extra stuff with school and seasons winding up and we've got three games here and three games this and, and it was a busy week and Mark had a party at the office.
And so I had grandparents who were taking over and going to a, a game and a match. And I was missing my, my daughter's last soccer game of the season, which breaks my heart a Love being on the sidelines, watching my children do what they love to do. I really love it. But it was the time for me to show up for my husband at his 20th anniversary party.
And I loved that too. It was a great evening and I felt just overcome with pride for what he has created. And he and I probably left at 9 45 and his employees, some had come from out of town and they're sitting around a table, enjoying each other and enjoying. This really wonderful space he's created this, this family, this community that he's created and, and you can remove him.
He went home and they still have each other and are really enjoying their time together. And I just felt really proud of, of what he's built and what he's done and earlier. In the week, he had reminded me that his bike race is on Saturday and it was a bike race. So it's normally in March and it was crappy weather for like the fifth year in a row.
And so they pushed it out a month and I had, truthfully, I had forgotten about it. And my little one has soccer on Saturday. And so when he was like, don't forget about my race. I was like, don't forget your kid has soccer, like got to do that. And he said, you know what? I, I really need you to show up for me.
And. For whatever reason, So Su stepped in and when she was like, yes, yes, you actually do need to show up for him. And it, it, it, He felt like he was coming from such a genuine place. Like you're always on the sidelines cheering for everybody else. And I want you there with me. And I was like, yep, I'm going to be there with him.
I got a babysitter to take my little one to the soccer game. And I went to the Whitewater Center to cheer him home, to cheer him in, in his race. And because I am extra, and you wanted me at the finish line, I did take a cowbell, and I did take pom poms, and I was sitting on the hill, and I got there, I got to the finish line, maybe four minutes later.
Maybe even less before the first finisher came in and I've run to several races, but two half marathons that you really train for and it felt like such an accomplishment to me But I remember being like choked up and ready to just ball at the finish line Like I have left it all out here and just Was so overcome with emotion and it's funny because that is how I'm feeling of these people are coming across the finish line I just felt so overcome With pride for them like i've never seen you in my life, but i've got my cowbell And i'm ringing my cowbell sitting on the hill by myself Ringing my cowbell for these strangers as they pass But it felt really good to show them that, that I feel you, I feel you worked hard for this.
You, you've been out here riding your bike up a hill and over roots and in all kinds of crazy situations. I mean, they only did it for two hours and some of the people took, you know, four plus hours for their race. But, um, But I was so proud of them and I'm ringing my bell and um and it felt amazing and I had a friend whose husband is also riding in the race and and she and I were going to meet up and she was going to come a little bit later but I had texted her where I was going to be and I look over and there she is but she's also got Three others who are listeners of this podcast, but also in my Course in Miracles club.
And so in addition to the podcast, we have daily episodes that we do a Course in Miracles and we have a group chat where we are connected to the group chat and we have weekly zoom meetings and I turn around and, and here is this group of four girls who are And it was so overwhelming. Two of them have come from Florida, uh, to celebrate me for my anniversary.
And Mark wanted me at the race. I know he wanted me there for him too, but he was really helping them coordinate where I'm going to be. So they could surprise me and celebrate me. And it was, I just was overcome with so much gratitude. Of the effort they took to come and surprise me and and celebrate me.
Oh my god, you guys, they were wearing freaking shirts. Shirts with my podcast logo, which is my face, on the back with a QR code where you can send I'm going to go ahead and scan it and go to the show. And so, to the people who were sitting behind me that said they are now subscribers, these are, this is friends and family of Tyler.
Tyler was a writer and they had a sign, they were celebrating, they were proper cheerleaders and joined me. And my. My cowbell, cheer, cheering, um, to really cheer in people as they finish. So Tyler's friends, if you are listening, thank you. It was great to be there on the hill with you on Saturday, and I'm glad you're listening.
Um, anyway, my friends showed up with pictures of me on their back to celebrate me, and it was, it was so overwhelming to me that. My husband is not a particularly spiritual person, and I don't know that he understands any of what I'm doing right now, but that's how he supports me. Like, he helps coordinate for my people to show up for me, for me to, to, I love this weekend to connect with them.
He made dinner reservations for us all to go out together. The next day he took the kids to their tennis lessons so that I could have our book club in person and we got to sit and have coffee and have Chats and then he he took two of them out on the boat with us and we had a great time And so I I just need to remind you, like I need to be reminded too, that support doesn't always come in the same way.
Support can take so many forms from just allowing you the time and the support. explore something that you're interested in. Um, support can be the gift on your doorstep, or the DM, or a hug, or just awareness that what you're working on is important for you. And so, I think we try to define what things are important.
Should be or what they should look like and I'll tell you over the the past week the variety That I have been able to experience of all the ways that I feel supported in this journey has been Really incredibly special and so I want you to also Open up and look for just different ways That people are showing up for you Um and giving you what you need For it, like, really try to identify different ways that people are contributing to what you're working towards.
My bestie, who arranged for this surprise, is a podcast listener, is in the book club, is not speaking. spiritual is not, is not connecting with her guides or doing any of this work. I would say that 80 percent of why she's involved in any of it is just out of support for me and I hope that what she gains from it somehow pays her back.
But her just showing up for all of these things for taking the time to to make shirts to embarrass the crap out of me at the whitewater center. I mean, that is how she is expressing her love and her support for me and how freaking lucky am I? I mean, what I set out for is to find my people and to build a community and some people, okay, I will say, Most people should not just rock up at my house, but you can rock up at the Whitewater Center.
However, um, I have formed a really close bond with these people and it, it was so special to spend my weekend with them and to really be able to connect in person since every Sunday morning we're on these zoom calls really, um, getting very personable. personal about what we're going through. And so to be able to sit side by side and discuss these things was just, uh, it was a magical way to experience and celebrate what this past year has cultivated.
All right. But that brings me to today's topic because a lot of the feedback I get is, I don't know how you do it all. I don't know how you do it all. How do you do everything? How do you get all this done? And it is important for me to take this. This is almost May. And if we look back to December, I set a lot of goals out there.
And I want to tell you all what I'm not doing because we really have to give ourselves grace. It's okay. to, to shoot for the moon so that you land among the stars. And that's what I want to tell you about because we're all the people who say, how much I'm doing and how do I get all of this done? I want to tell you what I'm not doing because I want you to not compare yourself To what you see me doing and think that because I declared it before that I'm getting all of the rest of the Stuff done as well because y'all I'm not I'm not I'm not doing it all um So I give myself grace And I want you to give yourself grace too, because if you are caught up thinking, I'm not getting to it and I feel guilty and she's doing this and I'm not doing this.
Nope. That's no way to live. And we are going to put that down right now. So if you think Back to December if you if you listen to the like I'm planning ahead. This is all I'm gonna do Let me tell you something. I sent out a December newsletter My new monthly newsletter It has not gone out a single time since December and I really had fun making it and I was like Yes, I'm definitely gonna do this.
I have not You done it a single time since. So if you want to be on my bi annually, bi annual newsletter, get signed up now. Um, but I just, I didn't have, it's not that I didn't have the time because you know, I'm not gonna say that. I didn't have The priority for the newsletter over other some other things that I was doing and I thought it was going to be easy to Manage and I was just going to do it turns out.
Nope, but I don't feel guilty about it Okay, i'm not going to feel guilty because I said i'm doing a newsletter and I haven't done it yet Nope, i'm gonna let that go grace grace grace grace. Let's see I said that one of my ways to serve this year would be You in the NICU. I want to go be a NICU baby cuddler.
I still want to be a NICU baby cuddler. I've cuddled no babies, no babies, and sometimes I see babies out at restaurants and I'm like, I wonder if they just let me hold their baby. I still want to hold the babies. However, It's I think it's a weekly kind of a weekly shift commitment and I don't have a weekly shift commitment available for them.
I don't feel guilty about it because it's just not my season for it. Um, and it just. That is what it is. I, I have to say, these are the things I really want to do. And then I have to see if I can make those work. But y'all, I'm not upset about it. And I don't want you comparing yourself to what you thought I was doing, because I said I was going to do it.
Because I want to fess up to you and tell you, I'm not doing it. I'm not, I'm not cuddling babies. I am volunteering with hospice and oh my gosh, it's the two, one of the two best hours of my week. My, the man that I'm working with right now is 93 and he is completely switched on, um, in his mental faculties and going to talk with him is A joy.
I absolutely love it. And so when I think of cramming something in and making that feel stressful because I've added something else in and how am I going to get to this? No, no, no, no, no. I want to go and sit with him and be so at peace giving him my all. undivided attention for that time during my week.
And so if something else, if there's no newsletter, there's no newsletter, like that's, that's going to be okay. Um, I was doing small groups for several months. I did a small group that I hosted in my house. I think the last one was in February because my son's playing soccer on Saturday. I have book club on Sunday and I'm very committed to, um, Being with my family right now.
And so can I add another thing? No, probably not. And so if it's just not the right season for that and I'm able to pick it up later, then I really hope to do that because I enjoy that. I really do want to have maybe a quarterly session with teenagers where they can come and have a really safe space to To share to talk for us to learn about energy to learn about kind of emotion regulated, regulating that kind of thing.
Um, I would really love to do that. And When it is time for me to do it, it's going to happen. But, but just because I have said all of these things in December, I I'm showing you now, I want you to know because so many people are like, how do you do this? How do you do this? And I do a lot. You guys, I feel like I'm crushing life right now, but I'm saying no to a lot and I'm saying no to things that I put on my own agenda.
I said I was doing these things and then I'm like, Oh, but I'm not, but I'm not. I have two children's books written. I think I have an illustrator for one. If he hasn't been like, well, you mentioned it and now nothing's been done about it. Well, nothing's been done about it because I have to go through this whole, not a program.
Well, it is a program because I have to follow the program to figure out how to do it. Um, which is time consuming. And it is. As much as I want these children's books out into the world, I also have children that are in my world. And so, that is my priority right now, is engaging with them. And, I really do hope that I get some things off of my plate soon.
So that I have more time to be creative like that because I just have to shift how I'm doing and streamline things. And I told y'all, I know that I told you that I was going to streamline everything and get a bookkeeper. And guess what? It's May. It's almost May and I haven't done it. And thank God that.
That spirit will just keep hammering at me until I do what I'm supposed to do. Mark and I went hiking last week or the week before. And as we're hiking, I must have tripped 25 times. Always on the right foot. I'm tripping. I'm tripping to where he's like, What is, can you not walk? Are you dragging your feet?
And we're going away in July and we're doing a whole lot of hiking and I think it was getting a little panicked that I would need to, to wear like a metal boot or something because it was going to break my foot. Well, Guess what Susan did when she got home? She looked up what was going on. And it's like, there's something major that you're ignoring.
So I sat with it and I meditated in the right foot. It's like masculine to do energy stuff. And I haven't, I haven't done what I'm supposed to do. I haven't. taken my books and move them to a professional, which I desperately need to do. So now we're changing banks and as I switch from the old bank to the new bank, I am trying very hard to set up and automate everything, automate payments.
Oh my gosh, for heaven's sake, send me an e bill because the amount of paperwork that comes through my mailbox would make you like burn your mailbox down. It's ridiculous. Why they send all this paper stuff is, is beyond me. So I'm really trying to use that, that hike and this forced move to a new bank.
Like spirit is trying so hard. So hard to get me to do what I said I was going to do and I have so much resistance because I don't want to do it. I, I, I don't want to do the paperwork. And so instead of getting it done enough to where I can hand it off to somebody else, I have just been totally resisting.
And then I don't want to sit down and create a children's book because I know if I'm sitting at a computer. what I should be doing and I don't want to do that. So then I don't. So I'm creating this cycle of resistance and I am having to acknowledge that I have to like, my priority has to be Doing this administrative work to get it handed off appropriately, and that frees up, you guys, it doesn't free up my time.
It frees up my entire mental capacity to be creative, because right now, it is so burdened down, with guilt that I haven't done it with shame that I don't do it properly. I mean, it's like this procrastinating energetic bubble that is zapping my creativity and my permission to be creative because I've procrastinated.
And so I just really felt like I needed to come clean with you guys because I want you to To give yourself grace. If there are areas that you're not getting to think of why, what is the holdup? What are you resisting? That's creating more of an issue. That's zapping your, your energy. But if you're not getting to something because you're being present because you're Enjoying dinner with your family and like oh, well, I had such a great day Saturday But I should have been doing this and I should have been doing this No, you shouldn't have and I'm here to tell you I'm giving me a break Grace and I'm giving myself enough grace that we have it to share.
I'm sending you some and I want you to give yourself grace. I had a really beautiful session one time with a client and she's doing great. Um, in her career, she's got, I believe it was four beautiful children, but she's looking for what's the next step. What's the next step? And um, you know, really focusing on what she should be doing.
And spirit kind of told her that it's like when she prepares a meal and spends so much time and energy and love creating this beautiful meal. And she sits down with her family and they say, what's for dinner. And that's what we do. You guys, instead of enjoying this, okay. This moment, this season, we get so caught up in preparing for the next one.
We have to enjoy our lunch. And I have to remind myself all of the time, and this is, this is the box that I pull the grace out of. This is the life that I was dreaming of. These are the children that I prayed for and it is, it is not in my best interest or theirs for me to worry about what my purpose is 10 years from now when they are my purpose.
This is what, this is what I cultivated. This is what I wanted. I wanted. I wanted to share my voice. I wanted to raise my children. I wanted to be present at their games. And if that means y'all don't get a newsletter that you probably would just delete before reading, then so be it. Because this is the moment we're in.
This is, this is what we worked really hard to be in. And so I want you to find ways. To, to allow yourself to enjoy right now. Maybe everything is not perfect, but the more you lean into the things that you were able to create, that you called in specifically, this is what I hoped I could have. I always wanted to own my own business, and now I do.
And instead of thinking, what's next? What's next? What do I do next? How could I pivot out of this? this. Enjoy the fact that you did this. You created a job for yourself, where you get freedom, where you get to, to make your decisions. And sometimes that's stressful, but it's really important to, to lean into, I did this, I created this.
And there, In that moment, you'll find your grace. You'll find that it's, it's not what's for dinner. It's enjoying the lunch. And in that, in that celebration of what we have right now, without efforting, we allow what is coming. So, what is not coming is probably your newsletter. No, there really will be one.
I am. I am going to send one out. Um, maybe a little update. I'll say maybe by June, not by May because that's too tight of a timeline. But, um, you know, I'm not going to hold babies this year. And I really wanted to do that. And every time I see a baby, I'm like, yes, I definitely know I would enjoy being a NICU cuddler.
Absolutely. I could do that. Um, but now is not the season because I don't want to rush my lunch. I don't want to rush my lunch. I worked really hard in the kitchen, creating this moment, creating these opportunities to have one on one time with my children or to go and support my husband while he's secretly supporting me.
Um, um, This is what I created and so I really Really, really, really, really want you to forgive yourself for whatever you're not getting to, it doesn't, it doesn't matter. If you didn't have it right now, you don't need it. If you're not it right now, you will be it if you're meant to be. So just embrace who you are in this moment.
Enjoy this life that you have created. A little memory keeps popping up. For me, but when we go to my dad's house for Thanksgiving, we've got 20 plus people and this is different circumstances now because the role of the dishwashers. has transitioned. But there were years when while my sister and I, and in our shift of eaters, like you would go through the line, it's kind of like a around the island buffet.
And we would start with the children and then the older people. And then, you know, my generation, the parents, um, would go through, but if we were helping our children, Get their plates and then going and cutting their stuff if we needed to or whatever and then we would get our plates and By the time we're you know, sitting down ready to enjoy Thanksgiving Somebody is at the sink washing the dishes and then you feel guilty because you're not getting up To help wash the dishes but like legit guilty I just sat down.
And so it feels like often we are rushing through something and Thanksgiving, goodness gracious, my step mom starts making cakes like three weeks before and you start doing all of this preparation. And before we have even cleared our plate, it's being like dusted away. So just another food reminder, y'all we're sitting at the table.
We're going to enjoy our meal. every morsel of our lunch. There is no reason to rush away. Enjoy what you've created now. And so I, I want my impact to be so big and I have so many ideas of things I could be doing or I could be doing more of this or creating a course or, you know, Writing these children's books that have already been written and I just need to bring them out of me.
There's so many things that I want to put out there, but what I really wanted before is this family and gosh I have a 15 year old. I feel the years. I feel him like Like trickling the sand through my fingertips as he, you know, as he gets older and he's about to get his license and have more freedom and won't be as home as much.
And so if, if I'm laying in the bed and he wants to come lie down and talk with me, that is the most important thing I can be doing right now. right in that moment. And if my daughter wants to sit beside me and us have a conversation like that is the most important thing. And it might not be the, you know, growing my brand or growing my business or monetizing this or whatever.
It is what I dreamt of having. And I'm going to do that. That is the most important thing for me. And if you have a partner or a friend or you're focusing on your health or you are doing your inner child work and it feels heavy and you need a day to like lay in the bed and be slow and be lazy. That is the most important thing you can do that day is honoring the need to have a slow day.
And that's where we have to find the grace to be like, this is okay. And just because society has set these standards of checking boxes and, and earning and, All the ways that achievements define who we are, that our titles, that our salary, that our, our, all of these things, how many balls that we juggle, how much we can do for other people.
All of these things are our measure of who we are. And I'm telling you the measure of who you are is your ability to honor what you need in this present moment. That's it. That's your measure. Am I listening to myself? Am I listening to what I need right now? And if I need rest, I am a success. If I am able to find the words that I need to communicate to others, that I need rest.
If I am able to find the grace that says that can wait, that laundry. Oh, let me tell y'all laundry will still be there. Okay. I promise you, if you put it off, it is not gonna run away to somebody else's house and be like, look, she didn't clean me. So we are your genes now. It will wait for you. So if you say, you know what I really need?
I need some time out in nature today. That is the most important thing for me. I, okay. Let me also be mindful that I have a lot of time freedom that not everybody has. So you may not be able to honor yourself in the same immediacy that I can, but I really, really, really hope that you will find the words and the ways to request and say, This is what I'm going to do.
I'm going to, I'm going to get up a little bit early because I need to sit outside. I need to hear these beautiful birds singing. I need to honor my call to, to the earth or my call to rest or my call to go and have coffee with a friend and have a good conversation because I am, I am I'm not feeling connected, but I'm telling you your measure of success is your ability to quiet the noise of the expectations and the shoulds and all of the other things, even if the noise is your own voice, your December voice who says, this is what I'm going to do.
And this is what I'm going to do. And this is what I'm going to do. Success is for your April self to be like. Nope, that doesn't feel good to me. I'm actually not gonna do that. I'm not gonna do that and I'm not gonna harbor one little bit of guilt about it. I'm not gonna feel bad about it. I'm gonna say that doesn't feel in alignment today.
And if it wants to come back, It will, but success is saying today, this is what I need. And the only person who has to validate that is me. So I hope that I have opened my grace treasure box, which is also my closet that y'all can see that all the stuff that I said I was going to do, I'm not doing it. So I'm still doing a lot.
I still feel really good, but if it doesn't feel good, okay. I'm not doing it and this is your permission slip to say you don't have to either. All right. I hope that you have a wonderful day. Again, I thank you so much for your support, having feedback to me directly, however it comes to me. I can't tell you how important it is to me to know that other people are on this journey, but that maybe my voice, maybe my message is helping them.
I wish that I could lift you all up with my own hands, with my own voice. Just, just hold you up and say, you are enough. You are perfect, and you are loved, and if I could do that in person, I would, but I hope you hear my voice and, and feel it in, in my words. You are loved. You are enough, and give yourself grace.
If you didn't get to it, don't worry. It doesn't matter. All right. I love you, friends. Join me in the Wake Up With Susan Facebook group where you can provide me feedback and also topics for upcoming episodes and meet others on a similar path. I hope to see you there. The link is in the show notes.