Dreams and Detours

Susan sits down with Elizabeth Green, British expat and newly published author. Elizabeth shares her former life back in the U.K. and the unrest she felt most of her life. After years of marriage and raising three children, Elizabeth moved to NYC, opened a restaurant called Planted, and wrote her memoir. She proves that it’s never too late to get what you want out of this life – you just need to take the leap.

It has been a messy and strange year. Life was already challenging, now we have an added layer of discomfort. I think our suffering is connecting us, and that might be a very good thing. When we recognize that we are more alike than not, that’s when we can start to really see each other. Do you see what I mean?

When we hide behind our screens, we become a version of ourselves that exists only in that virtual space. We speak freely, feel audacious, and perhaps even bold enough to reveal some of our deepest desires. It’s exciting to freely express ourselves, but when that illusory persona gets tangled in reality, it’s messy. We need more real connection, not less. Honesty saves everyone’s time.

Dreams and Detours, the podcast, celebrates 1 year! Susan shares some of her favorite parts of creating this show and the enormous impact her personal tribe has on her life. Tune in to hear how Susan’s resilience kept her alive with faith and hope.

Susan speaks with Tamar Weinberg about coming out of a dark period in her life after having her children. Her encounter with fragrance snapped her out of the place she was hiding in to bring some light to her world. She decided to create her own fragrance and disrupt the wellness and self-care industries with another option for being present and mindful.

Susan talks about the impact of 2020, and how it has strangely created a clean slate for all of us to reimagine and reinvent our lives. From virtual opportunities to reconsidering daily habits, there is much for us to consider as we navigate our way forward. It is further proof that we are connected and need to treat each other with kindness.

Susan speaks to Elyse Berkman about growing up in rural Pennsylvania and being the only Jewish family in town. She was bullied and yet her childhood obesity was not the focus of that taunting, but her religious features that set her apart. Elyse moved to NYC in her 20’s and felt at home culturally and within time, physically as well. Her journey to create a life she could love took time, patience, and bravery.

Marcia Levine shares her journey of finding a meaningful career, advocating for herself when it abruptly comes to an end, and her passion for peace + kindness. Marcia, aka DJ Lil’ Marsh is living life on her terms, with gratitude and compassion as she continues to explore creative opportunities. A New Yorker at heart, she’s also found a great life in Boynton Beach Florida.

We all experience grief, from the loss of a loved one, to the end of a significant relationship or life as we knew it. Susan shares how we can navigate the various stages of emotional pain and what that can feel like as we look to find meaning in our suffering.

When we surround ourselves with kind and loving people, it changes the outcome of our lives. Letting go of people who are bad for us can be uncomfortable. Sometimes we don’t even give ourselves permission to consider this option. Building your tribe means hand-picking those who you want close, and letting the rest go.

Communication in every relationship is vital. When we withhold our feelings, especially anger, hurt, or disappointment, resentment starts to grow. And like a fire, it is wild and damaging. Susan shares an experience she had with someone close to her and how it destroyed a 30-year friendship, unnecessarily.

Too much salt, not enough salt. Just add water. When we cook, we are looking for a tasty balance. As we navigate life, we need to do that same dance. Susan records from her beach vacation where she is restoring her own balance, recalibrating her mind and body to get back to center. Every choice we make either keeps us steady or tips the scale. It goes beyond food and includes all that we consume and believe to be true.

Touch is essential to humans. Susan shares how this epidemic has restricted our ability to be physically connected and where that leaves us. For many, our wellbeing is dependent on touch, and the loss of it can add to the grief we are already experiencing. Navigating our need for human contact can feel like tiptoeing through a field of landmines.

Susan speaks to Barbie Haven about being brave and ending self-betrayal in order to live a fulfilled life. From being co-dependent to single-parenthood, Barbie shares her step-by-step journey of moving across her state, staying curious, and exploring a health + life coaching business. This is for all of the women who have wished for more but didn’t know how to free themselves to reach for their dreams.

Susan is known for saying ‘we find ourselves in other people’s stories’, because that was her truth. Self-exploration feels like a surgical procedure, examining and cutting out the broken parts, in order to feel normal and live fully. Susan shares moments of finding herself in other people’s stories and how that informed her work in human behavior. It’s never too late to become your best self.