The pressure of living in an image-centric world can make us hesitant to be our most authentic selves. For me, it’s led to people pleasing, holding back, blurring the truth, and making major life choices based on the expectations of others….all sure fire ways to feel stressed, anxious, misunderstood, and down in general (which is a major reason why I blindly lived inauthentically for the 1st 30 years of my life, and why I started the Are You Being Real Podcast).

In this week’s episode, I interviewed Suze Yalof Schwartz (who’s authentic path has been truly legendary); she went from having what many would consider a dream career – as the fashion editor at Vogue/Glamour/Elle/Marie Claire – and being touted by the New York Times as “The Fairy Godmother of Makeovers,” to leaving it all behind to make an even greater impact.

Today, Suze dedicates her life to teaching & spreading mindfulness and sparked a global meditation movement.

For today’s edition of The Sunday Sauce, I wanted to share a few of the many takeaways & reminders I took away from our conversation.

•When you’re feeling stressed or anxious, take a moment to breathe, meditate, and/or do your best to tune out the noise and tune into your internal compass. Note: There is no right or wrong way, do what works best for you.

•Next time you feel self-conscious, remind yourself that no one else is looking at you through that same critical lens. Everyone is too focused on themselves, so give yourself a break and be you, whatever that looks like.

•”This too shall pass.” Whatever you are dealing with…Keep your head up, put your best foot forward, and be sure to have creative outlets for self-expression, discovery, and healing.

•Smile. As Suze said, “People think I’m prettier than I am because I’m always smiling at them.” Just don’t fake it!

To hear Suze’s incredible story and evolution (why she left a dream job atop the fashion industry and how that led her to more purpose-driven work, opening up the 1st ever drop-in meditation studio), tune in to Episode 191 of the Are You Being Real Podcast. Whether you’re looking for peace throughout your days or you’re looking to reinvent yourself, Suze’s story will inspire you to make yourself over from the inside out.

Have a present, peaceful, and empowering week!

Much love,
Mark

PS: I’m trying Suze’s 30-day meditation challenge with the Unplug app! Click this link if you want to join me. 🙂