Special Edition: 'Living Fearlessly' with Author Susan Nefzger
In an interview, Susan Nefzger, author of 'A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly' discusses creative inspiration and her mission to help others live a more passionate, joyful life.
LISTEN NOW! BEHIND THE STORY PODCAST WITH AUTHOR SUSAN NEFZGER ⬇️
Susan Nefzger, a longtime PR professional and business writer, is the author of A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly, her most recent book, and a followup to her previous guides, including A Practical Guide to Awareness: Discovering Your True Purpose and Putting Awareness Into Practice: Companion Guide to A Practical Guide to Awareness. A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly is a simple, step-by-step guide to living without fear and understanding more about the daily practice of cultivating happiness and passion in life. Nefzger will be signing books at 2 p.m. Saturday June 3 at Palm Beach Book Store.
I caught up with the author this past Tuesday to learn more about her new book and the inspiration behind it. As someone who has been connected with her on Instagram for several years, it was nice to meet up and get my very own copy of, A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly.
Q. Why did you decide to write a book about living fearlessly?
A. The idea came to me during the summer of 2019 when I created the title and wrote the outline and table of contents. But in order to provide a why to the question, this book, A Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly, is literally my life purpose. Once I received the idea for this specific book, I was waylaid by distractions of a family matter, my mother’s illness, and then, the pandemic. Everything coalesced around the timing of the events surrounding the pandemic. Since I was living in Atlanta at the time, it was intense! The riots, the sheltering at home, and the energy of the city was volatile, to say the least. I understood I was there as an anchor for positive energy, but I can’t say the overall experience was easy. So I began writing and focused on providing beauty to everyone via my photography and poetry through social media. In stressful times, if people can be present on the beauty and good that surrounds us, it helps alleviate fear. Some people even commented on my “toxic positivity”. The answer to that is it’s not toxic if it is genuine. And this leads me full circle to the inspiration of writing and providing uplifting content to people since the mid 2000s. As the creative aspect of the writing process was beginning, I realized I have lived without fear, most of my life, not even really being aware that I was doing so. I draw on those experiences of becoming aware through self -realization, meditation, writing, and questing, which lends the authenticity to the advice as it is provided.
In stressful times, if people can be present on the beauty and good that surrounds us, it helps alleviate fear.
Q. Can you share more with us about your background and your journey to ultimately writing self-awareness books?
A. Sure! I was an English major in college and have always been a lifelong lover of reading. I also work as a public relations professional and have engaged in business writing for most of my career. The turning point, of course, was in my 50s as I was led to attend a retreat in Glastonbury, England. Without expectation, I knew I was meant to journey there. The pull was strong, as was the process, the spiritual people whom I met there, and the opening up of my creative consciousness transformed my entire life at that time. I mind mapped the outline, title, table of contents in the first exercise of the retreat, then walked out into the gardens of the Glastonbury Abbey ruins and began writing my first book, A Practical Guide to Awareness. I continued writing feverishly and in six weeks it was completed in the creative sense. Clearly, the book was meant to be and it flowed forth in an unstoppable stream. It was a time I shall never forget and my unconditional gratitude for being present to heed the call is a heartfelt emotion and it drives me daily (ever since 2015) to help others become self aware in order to discover their own gifts, so that they can also share with the world.
Q. How did you find the larger meaning for this book?
A. It found me. I didn’t find it. As part of my purpose, the idea for this book was merely waiting for me to simply open the door. When on a journey toward self -awareness, the answers and synchronicities present themselves. There are no missed opportunities. If one is open and in discovery, one will hear the call and listen. Once we becomes aware of our self, of our triggers, our fears, of what drives us as a human being, it’s clear that this level of existence is not all there is. We truly are spiritual beings in a human body. We all have a gift as individuals that is meant to be shared with the world.
There are no missed opportunities. If one is open and in discovery, one will hear the call and listen.
Q. Tell us more about the various themes you discuss in The Practical Guide to Living Fearlessly?
A. The themes are meant to help one categorize the exercises, and in so doing, make it more of a simple process. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or scary or esoteric. It really is meant to address the basic tenets of a daily life, that is most tangible now. Once those are mastered, and that is up to each person as they choose their journey, it can be straightforward or difficult, and it is always an individual choice. We do have a choice, that is a key takeaway in all of my writing for people to understand. Each person must live their life as they can, in joy and in passion to live life fully. We know as children, what we love, what we find interesting and fun. Some people are fortunate enough to know what that is at a young age and commit to it. Others must find that passion as they grow. The world has changed but it’s a positive thing, and I believe that many are now focused more on being aware, being kind and finding the beauty in each day. I believe that change is a result of the pandemic. We were, and still are, certainly at a tipping point and it’s necessary to enact change.

Q. You write a lot about discovering your passion. Why is that so important for us as human beings?
A. It’s important to discover your passion because life is meant to be enjoyed with love and devotion for what we do and how we interact with others. We can uplift others with our self awareness and that can lead to a fulfilling life. Once the majority of humans are in a place of love instead of fear, we will tip the planet towards a new world. If we all seek joy and beauty, how much different can our world become? I discuss the difference between what fear is and how it looks in daily life, and what love is. And it’s not always what you think. That is the key to understanding and recognizing the difference and ultimately moving forward in love. But we must first change ourselves. It really is an inside job.
Q. You also talk about your mother and her illness and eventual transition. How did that experience affect or change your life perspective?
A. My parents were both amazingly hard working and progressive people. I was close with both of them and I write about my mother in the book, but my father and I enjoyed a close friendship as well. And through my father’s passing and illness, I came to realize what the experience with my mother actually could be and what that meant. My father passed away somewhat unexpectedly and my mother provided us with a long goodbye. In the book, I characterize these moments in self awareness as “The Final Fear”. For me, that also meant realizing that my mother was going to transition and I wanted to be in the experience to share it with others in order to alleviate fear about our parents dying. I did feel afraid at first, because I would miss my mother’s beauty, wisdom and support. I strove to understand and see the beauty of the suffering she shared. Once a person can find beauty in suffering, everything changes. So the experience of her transition affected me by illustrating the miracle of birth and death and how it really is a transition and it can be so beautiful. In understanding that, to be born we will ultimately die, it takes away the fear. That was the realization for me. And with the end of my mother’s suffering, she was free and she transitioned to another life. It was, and is, a startling reality.
Q. Do you have anything else you'd like to share about your book since it's been published?
A. I’m grateful to all the people along the way, the support and the events– the path so to speak. I am especially grateful to my Conscious Writing group who allowed this to occur and to share in their wisdom. Because it really is a journey, there is no destination. It gets better and better and to be in a place of sheer joy – as true joy – is the goal each day. It is achievable, once a person understand that we are here to fulfill our own happiness and share our gifts. Once WE do that, we can impact so many others, in our family, our neighborhood, our workplace, and in the larger world. If we help or uplift one person it’s a win win! Joy spreads like water flowing, so go with the flow and embrace the ups and downs. It’s all part of the journey.
