Meet Susie Schwartz

We had the good fortune of connecting with Susie Schwartz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Susie, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
For me, the answer has always been clear: keep going.
I’ve been nurturing LIFE—Look Inward for Excellence—since graduating from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in 2012. Originally, I planned to name it “New Beginnings,” because transformation always marks a fresh start. But life happened, and I had to put the vision on hold. Still, I never let go of it. I knew deep down that I’d return to it when the time was right.
People often assume my dream is simply to run my own business. That’s just a small part of it. My true dream is to bring healing to those who are ready to make a change. My life story makes people say, “Wow.” And honestly, it makes me say the same—because I’m living proof that healing is possible, no matter what life throws at us.
As long as I’m breathing, I’ll keep Looking Inward for Excellence. I believe we all carry the answers within ourselves. Sometimes, we just need someone who believes in transformation and knows how to guide us toward those answers.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart is my ability to move through adversity without getting stuck in it. That resilience has carried me through some incredibly rough patches. The road hasn’t been easy—but it’s been mine, shaped by choices I had to own. At one point, I had to take a long, honest look at my life and stop blaming others for my behaviors. That shift was the beginning of real healing.
In 2012, I enrolled at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, and everything changed. I learned who I was, how I got there, and how to begin the process of transformation. I realized that those who had “wronged” me were simply doing the best they could with the tools they had. It wasn’t personal—it was just their journey. I chose forgiveness and moved forward, refusing to look back through a negative lens.
What I want the world to know is this: healing is possible, no matter your age or your story. And while books, podcasts, and classes can help, true healing begins when you start looking inward. Until you do, you may feel better temporarily—but something will always feel incomplete. The answers aren’t out there. They’re within.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay, my BFF is coming to town, the first place we are going to go is to Culinary Drop Out for some awesome food. Then we will go across the street to SoHo and listen to some music. If they’re still open we will go down the street a few blocks to this little candy shop. This place has every type of candy you can think of. After this little shopping excursion for some sweets, we will make our way back to my place to unwind for the rest of the evening.
In the morning, after some fresh coffee and pancakes, we are going to hit the trail, going towards Canyon Lake, there is a place to ride horses, we are going to do a 1.5 hour trail ride to start off our day. After the ride, we are going to continue our journey to Tortilla Flats, there is a nice patio there where one can listen to some music, drink a few beverages, do a little shopping. After this, the adventure gets a little bit bumpy, taking the unpaved route towards Canyon Lake, this will be a road where if you don’t pay attention you can wind up down the side of the mountain.
After this we are at Canyon Lake. We will complete this type by going into Payson and spending the night at one of the many lovely cabin type resorts.
The next day will be filled with fun and laughter as we hike one of the trails. Staying another night in the wonderful cabin, we will head back to the Valley. Returning home, tired and filled with lots of fun memories.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would say my two daughters, they have been my life force. I keep going because that is who I am and I want them to know that no matter what life puts in your path, there is a way to get through or go around. They are both adults, living their own lives now, but I am still a part of their lives too! We are a small family, and I believe we need to be able to depend on each other if the situation we are in requires support.

Website: https://Lookinwardforexcellence.com