Reflecting & Redefining My Success Story

I haven’t written a blog in a long time, but I thought now would be a good time to write another one...

Shew, 2023 was certainly filled with challenges, heartache, love, excitement, growth, expansion, and joy, exhaustion, laughter, and everything in between… I’ve certainly taken a lot of time to reflect on everything that I have gained and can walk into the new year doing more of an doing less of… and it’s got me thinking, am I living my version of success?

The more time I spend on this planet within this consciousness, the more I realize that success to me means living in authentic alignment with my truest expression and honoring each version of myself as it emerges so that it can experience itself to its fullest expression.  This takes on many different forms which may sometimes confuse people because…

Sometimes I am seen guiding people through healing transformative processes, these are deeply spiritual and filled with life-changing energy, not only for the participants that I work with, but for me as well. And the perception is that I am myself a deep, spiritual person, and a healer… which I am 🪄

Sometimes I am seen living the high life, traveling the world, experiencing new exotic places, luxury getaways, flaunting a bikini on a boat, or hiking, deep into a mystical cave, at a massive party or festival, dancing to the early hours of the morning, and the perception is that I am a “party animal”, or an “influencer” and adventurer… which I am as well…

Sometimes I just disappear from social media and then when I emerge, I am seen on a solo mission, baking my body in the sun or walking on the beach, water crashing over my feet, or swimming in the wild waves, and the perception is that I am a lone wolf… which I also am…

Sometimes I am seen surrounded by friends and family, laughing, being social, and the perception is that I am out and about all the time I’m surrounded by people, 24/7… well I’m definitely not surrounded by people 24/7, not physically anyway, but energetically I am so held by an incredible community of love-filled, amazing individuals… so I guess this is true too…

And sometimes I am seen on my bedroom floor, sharing, insights or thoughts that help both friends and strangers, feel less alone on the journey, and the perception is that I am someone who brings insight or wisdom to others… and I embrace this to be true too…

I have many more examples of things that you see me do, and be, and sometimes this leaves people feeling a bit, confused, questioning, which version is the truest version of me, when the reality is that I am all of these things. They are all me and I am all of them. 

I am an introverted extrovert who deeply values both relationships and solitude. I love spending time with people, and each relationship brings a different version of me to the forefront that I get to experience. Each moment of this life gives me the opportunity to express a different aspect of the soul that lives within this extraordinary body. This does not mean I do not know who I am, this also does not mean that I am disingenuous in any of these circumstances, what it does mean, is that I am multi-faceted. It means that I have embraced the concept that I am not a drop in the Ocean, but that I am truly the entire ocean in a drop and that when I walk into a room or into a situation or into someone’s life, I can experience myself being something very specific to that person, that situation, and it’s beautiful and its uniqueness. And also, no matter what situation I find myself in I always maintain my core. At my core, I am love. At my core it doesn’t matter where I go or what I do I bring love care, compassion, fun, stillness, humor, joy, and within a second, I can hold the deepest of spaces for transformation and minutes later, I can be running through the forest naked and going for a skinny-dip and shrieking with delight. I can be a Wildling that loves being naked, mischievous, and free and I am also the sage, the teacher, healer, and spiritual guide.

Why can I be all of these things? Because I am uniquely me. I will never fit into a box. And don’t try and put me in your box, what do you think I should be because I refuse to fit into anyone else’s box that has been created for me. I release the need to live up to what everyone else wants of me, I realize that not everyone loves a peach, and I’m OK to remain being "peachy" and resonate with the people that do. This allows me space to rather than trying to make everyone else happy, to focus on embracing my bliss and accepting that, that bliss will attract my tribe and I send happiness and love and light and blessings to those who are not in my tribe, and I send happiness and love and light and blessings to my tribe and commit to supporting and loving and cherishing those them - no judgment, only love and acceptance either way for everyone. 

And as I sit here on the final day of 2023, with my nervous system, the calmest, it’s ever been, surrounded by beauty on a farm in the middle of a forest, ready to spend the evening with three fantastic people, sipping on a glass of champagne and laughing my way into 2024. I embrace that this is my version of success. Living life on my own terms. Being able to embrace every version of me that emerges, the sage, the sexy beach bum, the lone wolf, the socialite, the party animal, the solitude empress, every version that longs to be expressed and experienced. 

I embrace that part of me that chooses me. That no longer self-absorbons, that is guided by my truth. Because I know in my heart, that my truth will always be for the highest good of all. I know my truth comes from a place of pure, unconditional love, and by following my truth, I will not only serve myself in the best way I can, but I will serve all those around me too. So in 2024, now more than ever, I will listen to my gut, I will self-abandon less, and I will allow each version of myself to be fully expressed with joy.

Why is this so important? Because now more than ever I realize that it is when I do self-abandon, when I don’t trust my gut that things really get hard… There were so many things that didn’t turn out the way that I thought they would, so many curveballs thrown my way, and yet I can see exactly why the universe sent them to me… I can truly embrace the gifts, and I know that this is a reminder, a gentle shove, to be true to myself, to listen to my gut, because my gut will never lie to me, and it will always guide me in the right direction. So my Darling gut, I’m listening! I hear you loud and clear, and I trust you no more than ever ☺️

And with that my lovelies, I’m ending this year with a calm nervous system, with contentment and love in my heart. My being is filled with gratitude for all of the expansion that I have experienced this year, for all of the blessings that I have received, all of the experiences, and all of the beautiful people that have come into my life, that stay in my life, that will still be in my life and all that are you to come into my life. I end the year with excitement and curiosity at what lies ahead, feeling full and complete trust that I am held, guided, protected,
and directed, and the best is yet to come.

These are my reflections at the end of 2023, thank you to each, and every person that has played a part in my expansion, and creating lifelong memories, you really are the beautiful flowers in the garden of my life that make my world so fucking beautiful 😍 I look forward to supporting you, on your journey back to your authentic self, I look forward to celebrating your successes and holding space through your challenges and planting seeds for dreams that will inevitably come true in a way that astonishes your wildest imagination - to shouting loudly HELL YEAR here’s to YOU!

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your ongoing support and love. Thank you for constantly showing up And being the beautiful bright light that you are in this world. You are valued. You are seen. And I send many magnificent blessings, can’t wait to see you are 2024 has in store for you and me 😍 major shift, lying ahead, coupled with unfathomable beauty ❤️

Big love to you all

BECOME A WARRIOR WOMAN - CREATIVE WORKSHOP WITH ANA KUNI

           

               Ana Kuni with Susana Kennedy

Recently on 2oceansvibe Radio I had the honour of speaking to one of my favourite artists Ana Kuni. For the first time ever, this incredibly talented fearless warrior woman is going to be running a workshop to assist other women in creating their very own warrior! I am soooooooo incredibly excited!!! I honestly can't wait 🤗

Please diarize and book as places are limited!!!
Saturday 7 March | 09:00 – 12:00 | R2250 pp
Form | 56 Roeland Street | Gardens | Cape Town

What will you get:
• A2 Metal print with an original Ana Kuni artwork to use as the base of your creation.
• Beautiful art materials including stencils, acrylics, sprays, etc.
• Learn various new techniques.

Who can join:
You can! No experience needed.

I look forward to you joining us, as Ana assists you in unleashing your infinite potential by creating your own art piece under her personal guidance. You will also learn the unique and powerful layering process that goes into each Warrior Women by breaking out of your creative comfort zone and adding your authentic voice to your own metal creation.

                              

About Ana
Ana Kuni is Ukrainian-born visual artist currently working in Cape Town where her gallery and studio is situated. She is known for creating murals with an underlying message of spiritual growth and awakening. Her work varies from walls to canvases, metal panels to denim collection, keeping a theme strong. The main character of her work is Warrior Woman, whom Ana describes as a modern being – Conscious, Compassionate, Creative human living in harmony with Nature.

If you'd like to watch the interview check it out on my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/TheSusanaKennedy/videos/487535991801522/

                       

Also, follow me on instagram and stand a chance to WIN a spot at the workshop!!!!
https://www.instagram.com/thesusanakennedy/

Thanks for reading and sending you all much love and gratitude for your continued support

xox

Susana Kennedy

         

The Top 10 Things to enhance your egg quality & fertility with Susana Kennedy on 2oceansvibe

Watch the interview on YouTube https://youtu.be/5XManZK4WEU and read more below.

Deciding you want to have children is a huge decision and in today's day and age where we think  we have so many more options, many ladies and gentlemen are not fully aware of what is really needed to bring a healthy happy baby into this world. Whether you have decided to fall pregnant and are going to go the natural route or are about to undergo the process of freezing your eggs for IVF or even if you are thinking of freezing your eggs because you know you want to become a parent in the future but aren't quite ready now. This article will give you the Top 10 things that you can start doing now to ensure that your egg quality is the best it can be. I recently invited a friend of mine Brittany Hawkins from the US and her partner Catherine Hendy from the UK to join me in studio. This dynamic duo have created a company called ELANZA Wellness, a company focussed on the importance of optimizing your fertility by improving your egg quality. Egg quality is the crucial factor when it comes to making sure you have a healthy, happy baby and optimising your fertility. This is extremely important to understand because our eggs naturally reduce in quality as we age, but the really exciting thing is, we can actually do something about the quality of our eggs making it entirely possible to have a healthy happy baby, even if you have decided to embark on parenthood later on in life.

The two ladies are about to launch their first book which will be available in the Kindle store very soon and if you sign up on their website now, they are going to be giving you readers early access! https://www.ELANZAwellness.com/

It always interests me why someone starts something that ends up assisting so many others and I find it incredible that it almost always begins with the need to fill a gap in their own lives. Brittany  and Catherine are no different, when asked they responded:

"When we were looking into freezing our eggs we realized how little we know about our own fertility and that there were key lifestyle changes that we needed to make before the procedure in order to ensure the optimum outcome. The problem was that we couldn’t find a trusted, comprehensive resource which laid everything out in one place. And we decided to start analysing and collating all of the information we could get our hands on, analysing over a thousand of the best, most current research studies and working with fertility doctors and other specialists to find out exactly what we should be doing to boost our egg quality. "

Some of the important information they discovered was: 

Egg quality matters because:

1. The egg is the foundation of female fertility: it doesn’t so much matter how old the womb is, for instance, the rise in problems getting pregnant and staying pregnant when you’re older are often down to the egg being lower quality.
2. Egg quality is something you have a degree of control over.  This is known to happen during the 3 months before ovulation, when the egg is maturing rapidly.
3. This especially important as women are starting families later and later - as egg quality is linked to age. In fact, the world over ….

Rise of infertility

There has been a global rise of infertility for both men and women. World Health Organization classifies infertility as a “disease” and says it is a “global public health issue” status.

Scientists believe this is due to two key factors.

1. Around the world, both men and women are waiting later in life to become parents, particularly educated professionals and because fertility declines rapidly for women and men, starting in the 30s, this is a massive problem. It is well known that for women the decline between ages 30-35 is by a massive third and then yet another third when women hit 40. For Men the quality of their sperm also starts to decrease in their 30th, it is a misconception that this does not happen. And while men are able to produce sperm pretty much their whole lives, it is the quality that determines the health and wellbeing of the baby. This is not common knowledge but this is one of the main reasons why miscarriage rates go up as you age.
2. The environment around us has changed: nutrition, chemicals and modern life all contribute to fertility issues as they have an affect on our reproductive health. But all is not lost, we have a few things that you can do to maximise the quality of your eggs

Here are the Top 10 things you can do to enhance your egg quality:

In no particular order, let’s start with the environmental exposure ones:

1. Minimize plastic in your kitchen (you can do this by switching to glass where possible)

Explanation: We hear a lot about plastics being bad for health in general and that includes reproductive health. Chemicals in plastics have been shown in many, many studies around the world to disrupt your hormones. Hormone balance is important for the proper maturation of your eggs as well as well as other reproductive functions. BPA is just one you might have heard of (it’s known as the “gender bending” chemical as it’s linked to man boobs and even genital malformation), but even their replacements like BPE can be just as bad.

Examples:

• Plastic chemicals leach into food and drinks, especially microwaved Tupperware or in those plastic takeaway containers.
• Same goes with water. Switch to glass bottles where possible.
• This even goes for some sex toys made of plastic!

2. Avoid household and personal care products with unnatural fragrances (often listed as “parfum” on the label).

Explanation:

These often include another group of chemicals called “phthalates.” Phthalates also mimic hormones like estrogen in our bodies such that they can actually HALT the maturation of your eggs.

Examples: They can be found in everything from detergent, cleaning products, lotions, shampoos, and nail polish. Avoid items that say fragrance or perfume on the label, and look for "phthalate-free" or "no synthetic fragrance" instead.

3. Switch to “paraben free” cosmetics

Explanation: Parabens are a class of chemicals used as a preservatives (basically they stop mold and bacteria from growing in your foundation etc.), Studies have shown parabens can actually penetrate your skin and be absorbed in tissues where they disrupt your hormones - again, having a negative effect on your eggs.  

Examples: the key is to always read the label/packaging: avoid buying makeup and other cosmetics with any ingredients the have the word ‘parabens’ at the end of them. The most common names to look out for are butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. So you’ve got to look for paraben within a larger word on the label.

4. Replace folic acid supplements with its other more active form, 5-MTHF

Explanation: You’ve probably heard about folic acid being an important supplement for pregnancy, but it has also shown to help in the creation of quality eggs.

Examples: 5-MTHF is what your body converts folic acid to anyway, but taking it in this active form has been shown to make it more effective. It is also commonly known as methyl-folate and is sold under the brand names Metafolin and Deplin.

5. Take a Coenzyme Q10 supplement, but also in its active form: Ubiquinol

Explanation: Coenzyme Q10 fuels something called mitochondria, which are the power banks of the cells in your ovaries. It takes a huge amount of energy to mature eggs and mitochondria supply this energy. In fact, your eggs have 3 times the amount of mitochondria than any other cell in your body for this exact reason.

Examples: The problem is that as we age, the mitochondria loses steam, like a battery that loses power over time. By supplementing with Coenzyme Q10 we can give our eggs an extra charge that will help them reach the final stages of maturation.  Just make sure you’re buying a bottle of CoQ10 in its ACTIVE form: Ubiquinol.

6. Take a prenatal vitamin

Explanation: This can provide you with a cocktail of helpful antioxidants for your eggs that will protect them during the fragile months of maturation.

Examples: Look for a high quality prenatal that includes vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, and iodine.

7. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday

Explanation: Sleep is a bit of a zeitgeisty topic - but we tend to talk about getting ENOUGH of it. But scientists have found the RHYTHM of it is also really important. We now know not just getting sufficient sleep, but getting good quality sleep translates to good quality eggs, as reproductive hormones are produced while you sleep. Illustrating this, studies have shown women who work shifts (like nurses or cabin crew) and have irregular sleep/wake times tend to have more reproductive problems.

Examples:  By going to bed and waking up at the same time every day you aren’t fighting your circadian rhythm, which can do a lot to help you get great quality sleep.

8. Think about adding more into your meals than taking away

Explanation: There are an endless amount of nutrients and antioxidants in a wide range of healthy foods that can both nourish and protect your eggs. Most often, food is the best and only way you can effectively absorb these crucial nutrients, opposed to supplements. This also means that people with restrictive diets like being a vegetarian (Susanna) or keto will need to be more aware of any potential deficiencies.

Examples: This also means that you might need to change up your dietary routine so you don’t get too much of one nutrient and not enough of another.  For example, if you eat eggs for breakfast everyday, try adding a side of avo or mixing it up with spinach. Salads are also a great way to pack in a bunch of different ingredients like nuts, berries, sprouts and crunchy veggies.

9. Eat like a diabetic

Explanation: By this, we mean you don’t want big fluctuations of the hormone insulin. Insulin has a cascading effect on the function of other hormones - including estrogen. You want to keep it balanced, and for women especially, a diet containing excessive sugar – which includes all refined carbohydrates, as well as the white granules – can lead to insulin imbalance. A sugary diet is especially problematic for women with PCOS - or polycystic ovarian syndrome, a common reproductive health issue.

Examples: It really does pay to switch those white carbs to brown. You want to  avoid foods that wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels.

10. Don’t over exercise

Explanation: Being from London and the States, we’ve noticed how extraordinarily fit most Capetonians are, which is why we thought this was an important one to include. In essence, a moderate amount of exercise reduces oxidative stress, but beyond a certain point extreme exercise can actually INCREASE it, which can damage your maturing eggs.

Examples: So now is probably not the time to start a new aggressive fitness routine.

If you'd like to get hold of the girls you can jump onto their website https://www.elanzawellness.com or find them on social media, they are both incredibly cool humans that are super passionate about helping women around the world by sharing their knowledge.

To all of you ladies out there, I hope you found this blog helpful and I wish you all healthy, happy babies!

Thanks for reading, if you found this article interesting please share it with your friends and please send me your feedback. Also, subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on social media so that you don't miss a thing!

Sending you all love, light and abundant blessings

xox

Susana

YouTube:   https://youtu.be/5XManZK4WEU
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Be Inspired and Empowered with the TOP 3 Tips for Entrepreneurs and Colin don Schouw's TOP 10 Achievements

I Believe in celebrating individuals that make an effort to make this world a better place. Whether they are taking grate strides to change their own circumstances or their communities, or even society at large, they should be celebrated and so I am going to be writing a series of blogs on the incredible men and women who take action to change this world for the better. First up Colin Don Schouw!

Colin and Me

This week I’d like to celebrate my colleague, but also a dear friend, Colin Don Schouw. Colin is a business owner, a successful Entrepreneurs, a media personality, seen and followed on Radio, Television, Social Media and more, plus he is about to become a published author. Besides all his incredible accomplishments, Colin who is genuinely one of the most awake people I know. His open heart and determination make him such an astoundingly brilliant human being to work with and to be friends with. I deeply want to see him success in all areas of life and to his greatest potential. Colin is a shining example of somebody who is in the entertainment industry and takes strides to make a difference in other people's lives.

I asked Colin for his TOP 3 Tips for Entrepreneurs and what he felt his TOP 10 Achievements were, both personally and professionally because I believe this information will both inspire you and empower you, so here we go!

TOP 3 Tips for Entrepreneurs

1) You are enough. Too often the game changer is simply a greater belief in yourself, in your abilities. 

2) Be prepared to work harder than everybody else and learn  to guard your heart. 

3) Always, always make your word your honor. Integrity is the secret weapon. Even if it costs you a deal or an opportunity.

TOP 10 Achievements

1. I had the honor of raising my younger siblings after losing my father in a tragic car crash when I was 18 years old. Though young and ready to take on the world, I dedicated my youth to this responsibility and today they’re parents, raising the most remarkable children who I get to call my nephews and nieces. Few know this. 

2. In 2014 I was selected as one of 40 South African specialists to study the German infrastructure for electric vehicles in Germany. we might have our very own South African electric car on the road soon. Wink Wink!

3. At age 16 I was featured in the South African Grade 9 Arts and Culture text book. My dance partner and I (our story) was an entire four page comprehension. 

4. At 17 I was selected to represent South Africa in the Zimbabwe National dance Championships. I WON MY CATEGORY.

5. I co-owned a business at 19 which is where my drive for business was nurtured and developed. 

6. At 25 I graduated with a postgrad in Business. I immediately launched my business, packed my bags and moved to Johannesburg to build. Today (4 years later) the business is thriving and continues to touch and impact the lives of many. 

7. I currently (together with my business partner) Jimi Ogunlaja run the #1 dedicated fashion and beauty lifestyle TV Channel in South Africa. This is a big deal and we have big plans! 

Colin and his business partner Jimi

8. I am the international host and moderator for Africa's largest fintech leadership event where we travel the continent bringing together world leaders who are passionate about Africas growth. 80% of Africans are underbanked (do not have access to financial services). We will be the change needed to pioneer this movement.

9. My book Unmasking Ego - The Naked Entrepreneur will be published in 2019. South African entrepreneurs are struggling, failing and losing hope. We need to talk openly and honestly about these challenges. 

10. I am the proud father to the cutest four legged fury friend anyone could have!

Colin, may you keep your incredible untainted caring beautiful spirit alive and your successes be plentiful and soar you the greatest of heights, I look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

Follow Colin on:

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/cdschouw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_schouw/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mr_schouw?lang=en

And I hope you're already following me, if not, do it now 😉 

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/TheSusanaKennedy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesusanakennedy/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanaKennedy?lang=en

If you'd like to be celebrated or know someone who should be, 

write to me at susana@susanakennedy.com

Love to you all

😊❤️🙏🏼 

Here are a few more picture's, just because I like them ☺️