00:04

Hi, welcome to the happiness hive Podcast. I'm Catherine Bowyer, and I am completely fascinated by people and what motivates them. I've spent the past three and a half decades specialising in mindset and human behaviour. And I've helped 1000s of people to create happy and amazing lives. And now I am super excited to be chatting with women from around the world who I have secret. And to be honest, not so secret crushes on their women who inspire me. I'm intrigued as to how they do life and what makes them tick. I want to find out the magic formula that makes them who they are. And at the end of the episode, I'd love for you to say, I'd like a little bit of what she's having. The conversations are real and raw. They're full of passion, inspiration and lots of fun, and nothing is off limits. So grab yourself a cuppa or Papa New Trekkie and go for a walk and join us for today's chat. There may just be that pool of wisdom you need to hear. So let's shimmy on over and get started. Oh my gosh, I am just so looking forward to today's chat with our guests Susie Joseph. And I've known Suzy for gosh, I think it's maybe 13 or 14 or 100 years, I feel that Susie's just been in my life forever. And I met Susie, when I was studying were both studying at a particular coaching programme. And I remember those times with so much fondness but that makes me laugh so much Susie and I were like the two naughty kids at the back of the classroom. And I'm really surprised says that we didn't get kicked out of this programmes and

01:47

some of the looks that came across our face. I know. Hello.

01:52

And I remember one particular time at the end of this was about a three week training programme. But we were so tired. I don't know if you remember but that evening on the train station, we that just I laughed and laughed and laughed so much. And Suzie just brings this match. She's an amazing ball of energy. You know, I come away from all of our conversations just so full of just that on such a high and just that high vibe happiness that when I'm with Suze, I feel so energised when I'm in her presence. And I just want to be around her all the time. And I think our listeners will definitely at the end of this chat will be saying I want what Suzy has gotten because it's beautiful Suzy and welcome. Welcome. Welcome to the podcast. How are you?

02:40

I'm really good. Thank you. I thank you for that wonderful introduction. But I feel the same towards you. Like we have such a good time all the time. Life's always a journey with you and I Yeah, and no matter what frame of mind we're in we're, we seem to solve the world.

02:59

I was, I was thinking about that our conversations definitely are about how we do life and solving the world. And Suze, I would love for our listeners, your gorgeous accent. Where tell us a little bit about because that doesn't. That's intriguing. Where are you? Tell us about your accent and where you from?

03:21

Okay, well, look, I was born in way northern Canada, in very, very cold, very isolated population of about 250 people. Oh my gosh, yeah, I you know, I pretty much ran away from home at the age of 17 years old. Because we grew up in such a small area where domestic violence was high, alcoholism was high. So I decided at a very young age that that's not what I wanted in my life. Yeah. And I moved to British Columbia at that time. And then I decided, you know, I need to create a new life for myself. Then I decided I want to go to this country, Australia. I don't know much about it. Yeah. In fact, I didn't even know there was snow here at that time. Yeah, landed up in the snowy mountains of all places from one snow place to another, but Oh, wow. Yeah.

04:19

How old were you then Suze?

04:20

I came here 35 years ago. Yeah, I was 23 years old.

04:27

Wow. Gosh, imagine and that was about studying a new life for yourself. Was it you travelled here on your own? No family?

04:34

I had no family. I had no one. I really just wanted to make a new life for myself. My name was Susan Melissa Vogel. Well, now it's Joseph. Yeah. I changed it to Susy, as you said, I just to be really different. And so that's my name now and I just created a whole new identification for myself.

04:59

Oh, My gosh. I'm just wondering what that process is that you go through in creating a new identification? Like, what are some of the things that you were thinking back at that 23 year old? Yeah. Well, you

05:12

know what, I think the most important thing in life is that you, you have to know what you don't want in order to find out. And I certainly didn't know at that very, I was very young, I was about 10 years old already, when I said, this life is not for me. Well, I knew I had to finish school. So in order to do anything with my life at that time, but I knew what I did not want in my life. And that was, you know, this, being around domestic violence being around alcoholism. I wanted to find happiness and joy in my life.

05:50

You're speaking my language. Yeah.

05:54

Yes, yes. And that was the most important thing for me. And I think at a very young age, then to was, it was about being of service, like that age already, I was so happy just, if I could make one person a day smile. It was it meant the world to me. So you know, it was a bit of being of service, and also surrounding myself with people who touched my heart and filled my soul. That was so important to me. And of course, in those days, there wasn't people like you and I, you know, to talk to to help. I learned through all my mistakes.

06:34

Well, what a brave thing to do. And there's a couple of things there Sue's that I'm, I'm hearing that from a very young age, you knew maybe that there was more for your life, that wasn't going to happen in the small town and the family environment that you grew up in. So you were so brave, and took that leap of faith. Would it be a leap of faith but of coming to Australia?

06:58

Yep. Yes. Absolutely. Like following your heart, you have to listen to your heart. Yeah. And you know, sure we run into these crossroads in our life. And did I make more mistakes in my life than I did? successes? Of course. Yeah, of course we did. Yeah, that's what makes us the people we are, yeah, what makes us better and want to do more for ourselves. We think the biggest challenge we have to do is challenging ourselves. You know, it's being competitive with ourselves.

07:37

Yes. Yeah. I love that other people. Yeah, yeah, I was reading something the other day around, you know, some of the key elements of living life and one of them was growth, that if we remain stagnant, that's not a great remedy for living our best life. So growth and always looking for those challenges and where we can, and that's exactly what I was reading about, where we can grow and develop and be better than we were yesterday, but not competing with other people. So tell me how you ended up at the snow snow region in Australia. What happened then? What was sort of the steps there? Yeah.

08:18

You know, living in Australia at that time was like, we're going back. Yeah. 1985 Yeah. When I came here, and so you know, I landed up in a place of Jindabyne the snowy mountains. There was no fitness centres there. And that's what I did in Canada. I travelled around Canada opening up fitness centres while I could while I was there that the fitness played a big role to me mainly because it was that fitness that got me out of the turmoil,

08:49

you know, Oh, wow. Okay, so it was the body the fitness that was something that helped it was a catalyst to help you

08:55

absolute Okay, yeah, everybody needs a crutch and that's what I discovered at a young age. The crutch of my family was turning to alcohol to ease their pain yes it for me it was turning to fitness to ease my pain interested in so it got me through a lot of sad hard, traumatised traumatise times of my life. So I turned to fitness a lot in Canada cycling GMs then when I came here landed in the snowy mountains. Well, there was no there was a fitness centre there for all the athletes in the snowy mountains. Yes, yes, sir. Yes, Luca. They had no fitness centre at that time. So it was quite easy for me. I became sponsored. And I opened up my own gym. Oh, that's how I stayed in Australia.

09:44

Okay, yeah, yeah. And so you ran the jet. You opened up the gym at Jindabyne.

09:48

I opened up a fitness centre there called the Jindabyne pump house.

09:54

And maybe some of our listeners have been there because I know that some absolutely go to the slot. We're not a snow family. So that's not my place of choice, but I know a lot of the listeners definitely are. Wow. So you opened up the fitness centres? Yep. Yes. And from

10:11

there I met my husband who came into my gym, Bart and he opened up one of the first retail snowboarding shops in Australia. And he was importing snowboard. So he did this I had mine. And then when I had to, I was born with juvenile arthritis. Okay, so I had to have hip replacements. I had a pelvis reconstruction because the arthritis ate through my cartilage. Oh, wow. Okay, yeah. And at a very young age than I was only 39 years old when I had my first hip replacement and my first pelvis reconstruction. And I was, I was forced to sell my dream. Oh, okay. In my life, I have to, I'm a hands on person. I need to be there. I need to work it out. I need to socialise with the people that come into my business. So I went into partnership with my husband and we had a huge retail shop surfskate snow. It's called it was called time to ride since then we sold it because we live now in Coffs Harbour. Yeah. And I attached myself to all the children in Jindabyne, because I myself couldn't have children. I wasn't good enough yet to bear children. So you know, that was another hardship of my life that I used one of those stepping stones that I had to cross. And what got me through that was working with other children. I built the skate park in Jindabyne. You know, I did all the fundraising there to build the skate park and it filled my soul. Yeah, I think that's the important thing about happiness. Katherine? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. The heart filling your soul. Yeah, but ever. You have to do do it.

11:54

Yeah. says Can I just backtrack a little bit? Because that's absolutely. I mean, you and I, you know, we breed the same air about that looking for the joy, that, but there's a couple of things there were you said that your passion was about fitness, you've created the fitness business from scratch. But it's almost like that was taken away from you. And I'm not sure if that's the way you put it, but having the health challenges? And also, you know, not being able to have children? What are some of the key things that helped you to get through those poignant times of well, you

12:30

know, it's about when you don't have anyone to turn to. Yeah, you know, I mean, I didn't have any family here. No, you know, and, plus, I felt really sad that I was letting my husband down. So and he wasn't the sort of person to cry about, you know, mishaps. So, I really felt alone, I felt all alone, I really had no one. And what got me through was, you know, in 1978, I remember reading a poem written by one of the most inspirational women of my life, and I still follow her, even though she's not alive anymore. And it's Maya Angelou,

13:13

I knew you were gonna say that, and you just got goosebumps all over. Yeah.

13:17

Yeah. You know, she wrote this poem about phenomenal women. And it was, you know, it said in one of the, in one of the verses, it said, it's the fire in my eyes, in the flesh in my teeth, the swing of my hips, and the joy in my feet, because I am a woman, a phenomenal woman. That's me. And that's you. And I will never forget that poem. I recited it over and over. And I began to instead of feeling that sadness for myself, I began to put my sadness into helping others. Oh, see? Yeah. And that's, I guess, when I met you taking that course? Yes, I took our NLP course together. And timeline therapy, you know, therapy, all of these things healed my mind, they healed my soul. You know, doctors wanted me to go on medication and everything. And I'm not saying that medication. Is, is taboo or not for everyone. But it really wasn't for me, I didn't feel I felt that that was going to put a BandAid on a bass over problems. So I needed to fix myself. That's always my model of life. I need to fix myself, no one else will need to do it on my own. So you have to do all these things in order to help your self whatever it is, yeah, for me, it was really going deep inside and finding out who I truly am. And going through those personal breakthroughs. Yeah, like, you know, What? why don't why wasn't I able to have children? Why, you know, how many times do we go through illnesses in our life? And we go, why is this happening to me? Why? Why did the Lord or the universe chase me? But instead of asking those questions that you'll never find an answer for, you have to find these answers for yourself,

15:24

or says, gosh, there's so just the power. Do you know what I, when you're describing that is about for me, that's about reclaiming your power, it's about going within, to find out and to reconnect with who you are. And what I'm not hearing is that self pity that woe is me, like, I'm sure there would have been times where it, you know, in reality, we want things to happen. And they often don't happen the way we want them to. I don't know if you do this, but I absolutely have a bit of a five minute pity party. And I do feel sorry for myself, but I don't stay stuck there like I used to. And that's what I'm hearing from you that it was like, I've gone within I've you know, getting some insight, and you're turning back to help others, which is just Yeah. And you know, what I

16:15

learned more from the course that you did together was sadness is an emotion. Yes. And if we don't experience sadness in our lives, we're not really a whole as a person. To experience sadness, we need to experience anger, yes. And frustration and anxiety, but their emotions, their emotions, that what are you? So what are you going to do about it? Yeah, yeah. And the answer isn't going to slap you in the face. You have to really search for these answers. Yeah, it's something you love and do it.

16:54

Yeah. One of the things when you say that says that. i A lot of people, I come across him in my coaching practice. And I was, I didn't acknowledge my emotions. It was just like, it's not okay to be sad, it's weak to cry. So what I did is I just bottled all those emotions up, and even some of my clients now will say, I'm fine. I don't need to deal with the emotion. I've just kind of packed it away. I don't think that's healthy. I don't think packing your emotions away is healthy, I think acknowledging them. Because when we acknowledge them, we allow them for what they are. But what we don't want to do is hang on to them. Because that's when they become unhealthy. I think.

17:39

So yeah. And, you know, to this very day, and I mean, I'm 63 years old now, but this very day, when I see little kids running around the park, and they're, you know, running after them. My heart gets set, yes. Still almost brings a tear to my eye. But the greatest thing is what I've learned through all of this, so as soon as that sadness hits me, and that little tear comes to my eye, I go, that's okay. You know, Yeah, but look at all the things that you have accomplished because you couldn't have children. Yes, because you had hip replacements, you know, I mean, I went through three bouts of hip replacements and pelvis reconstructive. So, you know, I went through a lot, too, but I'm still, I still go on the snow. I still snowboard where they say, you'll never do that. I teach yoga. And my surgeon said, You will never do yoga again. But it's about proving these people know, who am I? Yeah, you can't let people tell you who you are. Who are you is comes from within?

18:49

Yes, it comes from within. And it's also about not placing that importance on other people's words. Because that can be really, really dangerous. You know, there's lots of studies in research about people who have been told after a terminal illness, you've got three months to live and they die at three months. I'm very, very conscious about what I allow into my mind. I'm into my mind. I'm not I don't deny research, but I very, very conscious about not letting a whole lot of negativity in there either. Yeah, yeah. Yes. And I was Sagittarian I like to prove everything about me before I do want to talk to you a little bit about what you're doing now, but one of the things that you said there that you you know, a little tear comes to your eye when you see a mum and a kid. I've been experiencing this lately at as the listeners will know, my mum passed away when I was young. I still get really sad like there's the bit the because what we're doing is weak. grieving, what was but we're also grieving, what could be. And I think that being when you say that you say the kids, there's that little bit of grief still within your heart that you you weren't able to have kids. And I think that's really important to acknowledge those emotions as well. Because we don't grief never goes away. And grief is different, different. You know, it's the loss of something, and for for different people, and it's about how we learn to live with it and not let it rule our lives in the thing I've taken away. Yeah,

20:37

that's exactly right. Yeah,

20:39

yeah. So tell me Suz now you've had some really exciting things happen for you. You've been announced an ambassador for lifeline. Tell me about that. Tell it like that's, there's so many things that we've sort of skipped over here. But tell me about that. Tell me tell me what's okay. Well, how did that come about?

20:59

Well, you know, here, I have to give you a little plug. Because when I did when I did the your best programme design, blueprint, I structured I've always been, you know, I've been a yoga teacher for many, many years. 10 or 12. I did notation, I do neuro linguistic programme. So I'm a private wellness coach. Yeah, but I was always here, there and everywhere. And then when I did that, your best programme, blueprint design, design blueprint, I discovered a structure of what I can do to make this my programmes better, and how things became more clear to the message I wanted to bring across. And when I really stuck to the three things that a minute programmes want to be is to reflect reflect on your past, to reconnect, and to reset them. Yeah. And follow this programme is when everything came to life for me. And all these things came into play. And I've always wanted to be an inspirational guest speaker. Yeah. So I that I started getting phone calls for that, you know, because I had structure. Then, you know, my even my yoga classes started beginning to you know, there was reflection reconnection. Yeah. And so there was a structure to my yoga. And then I met Angela Martin, who came to one of my classes one time, she said, You are so inspirational in these classes. And she asked me to join the lifeline North Coast. Yeah. And so I'm the ambassador for the health and wellness for lifeline north coast of Australia. And I love lifelines. mission is to ensure that no is Australian person has to be left alone, in times of struggle in times of darkness. When you feel alone, you never have to be alone. There's always a phone call, they've got programmes, that's what we're running. Now. We're running programmes for those people who feel alone who feel lost, like I did so many years ago. Yeah. And you have nowhere to turn. And that's, oh, it makes my heart sing. So one of the best things I've ever done in my life, is to join a team like this. And sometimes that's what makes happiness come about is to be able to know that you are of service and that you can reach out. And even if it's to help a little lady across the street, help someone carry their groceries. You feel so, so beautiful inside. Yeah, there's nothing more pleasurable,

23:53

says, I just think that's beautiful, beautiful, that you have been somebody has picked up on your energy, somebody has seen something in you, which is very, very obvious to to see. But the beauty of that it's almost like this full circle, that when you've mentioned about leaving Canada, and you came to Australia, you felt very alone. And when you couldn't have children. And when you were going through the you know needing to close your gyms, that you felt very alone, and there was nobody to turn to So isn't it interesting says that now you've been approached, you haven't sought this out, but you've been approached to be the ambassador of lifeline North Coast, which is about and their mission is that no Australian will ever be alone. I don't know if you if you've connected those dots, but it certainly comes through your purpose in this life is to absolutely help others to feel great about themselves. Exactly. Yeah. I love hearing that and I think if people want to will It says as details up about her Instagram and where you can contact her, but there is this image of you're running a fundraiser for lifeline. And there is an image of Sue's that is just the power of strength, and beauty. And when you recited that Maya Angelou poem, when I look at that image, it's all encapsulates all of those things.

25:24

I just, I feel like her when I recite that poem, and I might only do a little one little verse. Yeah, it just intrigues me.

25:34

Yeah. And it's also about when you said your, you know, when we ran that programme, and I remember the day that you got clarity about, everything kind of just came together for you. And it was about setting that intention when you set that intention. And you've always, it wasn't even at that programme. Just at that programme with me, ever since I've known you. You've wanted to be a an inspirational guest speaker and you've done elements of that. Absolutely. But when we did that, more recent programme, and you got that clarity, and you made, you actually made that commitment out loud, and saying that this is how you want to run your business, things that have just all snowballed into place. So manifesting, and setting intentions is really powerful, isn't it?

26:27

It is and you know, like I've always said, You, you, you're a real journalist. Yeah, I'm terrible. You know, but you, you do need to do these things you have to know, you have to figure out what you want. Yeah, every day, it's so important before you get out of bed, and before you even put your feet on the ground. It's so important to set yourself up for a perfect day. Yes, yeah. Otherwise, everything could just fall apart. Yeah. But if you say today is a beautiful day, in the rain outside is magnificent. You're gonna have a magnificent,

27:09

yes. Yep. Whether it's raining

27:10

or shining or whatever.

27:13

What's that saying? I think it might have been Henry Ford that said, if you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. So if you think it's gonna be a shitty day, it'll be a shitty day, I bet you but if you actually set the intention, and this isn't saying this isn't saying that, you know that, you know, rainbows and unicorns all the time in reality, you know, some days are not as great as that, of course. But for me, it's very much about having that intention for having a great day and living a great life. And I would say the majority of the time, it turns out, okay, yeah, yeah, sometimes. And Susan, I will get on the phone. Like, if either of us has had a shitty day, we will get on the phone. And it doesn't take long for either of us to kind of snap out of that.

28:06

I guess a problem wasn't really that bad.

28:09

That's right. Yeah, yeah. So having somebody that you can offload to and I think our relationship is, it encompasses everything. There's the offloading of man, I'm having such a crap day to day, but it's also about celebrating, and, you know, there'll be phone calls from each of us just saying, hey, guess what's happened? And that's beautiful, too, isn't it? That's absolutely.

28:29

And I think it's always important to remember when you're about to make a change in your life, or you want to fix your life. Yeah, you are going to choose maybe a new group of friends. Yeah. Or be around like minded people. is one big thing for me, too. I really, my friendships have changed. Yeah, drastically changed. Yeah, I'm a friend of every walk of life. I absolutely love and adore all sorts of people. Yeah. But I had to really be careful of who I truly let into my life. Yet, some people could really make me even more sad, you know, then there's people that feel in my heart. You have to be careful of the friends and the people that you hang around, where you go, what you do, yeah.

29:17

Do you know what I do that too. And I think in life, there are people that we can't physically remove from our lives. But energetically, I do some stuff to energetically sort of, you know, I have to hang out with them, but energetically, I don't want their vibes. So I do some clearing practices around them. This is if they're it, then you talked about the Reflect, reconnect and reset. You use that in your programmes. It may be just one or two things that are really poignant for you in life that we haven't sort of mentioned already.

29:56

Well, I think it's about you know, so many people We'll say you have to forget about your past. Yeah, that's one thing, this reflection in my workshops and in my jobs I really tap into because cutting back on the path that you've been through. Yeah, you don't want to forget that. Because that path of destruction, yes, led you to a clear mind opening in the forest to, you know, a clear blue ocean in, these are the things that open you up. So you don't want to forget about your past. You want to use that as your anchor. Yeah, you know where you're going, and reconnecting. It's reconnecting to that inner wisdom that you know, you have, yeah, we're all individual people that have so much wisdom to offer. But you have to find your wisdom and, and let it shine, open your pockets, you know, yeah. And then reset, will you want to get your focus, and you don't set your values. And that's where my values workshops have taken off like a storm here. Because I was walking into things. I never knew my values. I never knew what values were until I was about 40 years old. Yeah. So I was constantly walking into brick walls all the time. Because I didn't really know what my values were what was important to me, what did I believe in? I really didn't know. And me I would just fall in love with anybody to smile. That means all I wanted was love. Yes. Yeah, my life, I never thought of it as a child. So I was out to seek it, I was blind. So you know, you need to know your values, you need to follow your beliefs, and live true to 10. So those three things, I can work workshops, just around one of those. Were all briefly touch base on all three of them. So it gave me a structure. Yeah, we need to know I think you always used to tell me. You need to be specific. Yeah, sure. Want to know what you want. You need to get to the grind and be specific about what you want.

32:14

Yeah, do you know what I he says, You're living those you know, that reflect, reconnect and reset. I 100% agree with you about, we can't forget the past or deny the past and I've even changed the language that I use around my past is I honour my past. And for me, that is a real, there's a real sacredness about what's happened in my life. There are some things I would never ever wish to happen again. But that where I choose to live is not in my past. I reflect I acknowledge, I honour I learned from you. And then I choose which elements that I want to keep and which no longer serves me. And I don't live in the past. I live in the now. I mean very much about the present with an intention of where I want to go. And I think that's the beauty through the work that we do. Yeah. Oh my gosh, this is we could talk for ever and ever and ever and ever and we always do. Where can people find you? Where can our listeners find

33:26

this is part of what Lifeline is really helping me on my not really computer savvy. So I don't really have my Instagram pages there. Yeah, my Facebook pages there. I didn't have a website but that lapsed because it's just too much work.

33:45

You are absolutely in the here and now and your energy is about being with the people so

33:50

absolutely. And so Suzy it out there talk about who I am yet, but you can you can find me on my instagram page.

33:59

Yeah. And that Suzy underscore motivation. We'll put the details in the show notes. Yeah. And Facebook. Susie Joseph

34:08

is Susie Joseph. i Yeah, as

34:12

you said I on Facebook, and we'll put the details in the show notes. As soon as it's been just such a time just goes way, way way too quick on these chats. So thank you. I'd love to thank you for having me spending time I've really loved that. And that's a wrap. So, yeah, so love to you. And hugs and happiness.

34:35

All of you Namaste. And remember, just be yourself.

34:42

Love it says and hugs and happiness to everybody, I think thank you for listening. Have you enjoyed the episode? You can spread the love by sharing it with a friend so she can have a little bit of what we had today. And don't forget to rate and review us so we can get it into as many hearts and ears as possible. You can keep the conversation going on my happiness hive socials. And if you'd like some more high vibe happiness in your life, come and join me in our community of inspired and motivated women at the happiness lounge. This is my online membership club, and your central hub for everything you will need to be truly happy and bounce out of bed every day living and loving your best and most beautiful life. To find out more, pop over to the happiness hive website and click on the link working with Catherine. Until next time, Big hugs and happiness