The force is with her
Young Chang
Sue Podany has a light fountain, the kind where orange light sprays up
and down like water, because it “creates energy.”
Near the door of her Balboa Island home, she has another fountain with
water cascading down a small stone wall. This creates calming energy.
Her freshly cut orchids add to the positive energy and so do her many
many candles -- some lavender, some red, each set in a creative candle
holder.
From a Japanese mobile adorning the ceiling to the shooting star
placed above her brick mantle, the touches that pop up in the corners
(and more obvious areas) of Podany’s home attest to her faith in creating
good energy through the littlest things.
The author of “Energy,” released last September, says the force is our
most precious gift.
“If you don’t have energy, you can’t accomplish the things you want in
life,” she said. “You don’t have as much fun, you’re more open to
illnesses and . . . you don’t attract fun, energetic people in your life.
We’re just all little walking balls of energy interacting with other
balls of energy.”
Her book, subtitled “120 Easy Ways to Get It . . . Keep It, and Keep
from Giving It Away,” explains how different attitudes and nutritional
habits can affect one’s energy, how “energy breaks” can help rejuvenate,
how certain things can zap your energy and how you can maintain high
energy.
“This isn’t just about having it but learning how to keep it and also
learning how to not give it away,” said Podany, a professional speaker
for more than 10 years.
She was inspired to write her book because audiences, following her
energy-themed talks, would ask if she had ever written one. Podany then
saw a need.
With a background both in fitness and business management, the author
also had experience observing how people take seven to 20 seconds to form
opinions about other people.
“Too often, if a person is not projecting good energy, it becomes a
bad opinion,” Podany said.
One of her tips on retaining energy is not wasting energy on people
you don’t like. When you don’t get proactive about confronting the person
and instead simmer with your complaint, you end up suffering while the
other person has no idea something’s wrong.
“I’ve usually been better in being assertive in my business relations
and not so good at my personal relationships,” Podany said. “So it’s a
learning experience for me too.”
Her favorite energy breaks involve deep breathing, because she can do
it any time, anywhere and it helps her focus; journaling, to organize all
the thoughts that occupy her head; and exercising.
“I get the circulation going again,” she said. “I get oxygen in my
brain, I get refocused and I can let go of my negative energy.”
The book is available at Martha’s Bookstore on Balboa Island and
through Amazon.com.
The writer, who is working on a second book titled “Help, My Life is
Out of Balance,” often steps onto the beach that borders her home and
sits in front of the water to relax.
There was a time, a decade and some years ago, when life wasn’t as
simple. She raised two sons on her own, held three jobs and never let on
how “crazy” things got. She was conscious of creating and keeping good
energy back then and says her methods worked.
“We were never really aware of the workload or the sacrifices she was
making because every time she was with us, that was all that really
mattered,” said son Michael Podany, of Manhattan Beach.
Like his mother, Podany also visits the beach a couple times a week to
sit and have coffee and “cleanse the soul” before he starts the day at
work.”
“I don’t necessarily use the tips that are in the book because I have
a lifetime of experience with that,” he said. “I’ve picked up a lot of
those habits.”
One of those is being grateful -- something Sue Podany champions.
“I think it’s one of the most important ways to stay in your own
energy and your own power,” she said. “If you focus on what isn’t
working, you’ll get more of that. If you focus on what is working, you’ll
see more of that and attract more of it into your life.”
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.