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About Tina
“Success in life is most easily measured
by the number of days you are truly happy.”
Hello, my name is Tina Su. I am 30, a mom, wife and the CHO (Chief Happiness Officer) here at Think Simple Now.
Think Simple Now was created in late 2007 as part of my personal mission at the time to bring more fulfillment and happiness to the lives of others.
Over the past few years, through this site, I was able to explore various issues in my personal life, which have allowed me to grow tremendously on my own path to self-leadership and personal mastery.
In 2007 and prior, I was a confused, over-worked, ambitious but tired success chaser. I was obsessed with the concepts of motivation, financial freedom and anything on self-improvement. I attended numerous seminars, read countless books, started businesses, and put many of the learned success principles into practice.
So, what happened?
Well, they worked. I was able to “achieve” external goals set in every area of my life. But I was exhausted. I was a proud workaholic – working a combined 60-80 hour week between my various businesses and jobs. Despite achieving the external label of success that society has taught us, I felt like a failure; I was deeply unhappy.
I had learned that as I gained more monetary and material wealth, I did not gain more fulfillment or joy. Instead, I was always left with wanting more, continuously trying to fill that inner void.
Turns out, I was looking in the wrong place. It was only after I turned and journeyed within, that I had a taste of true fulfillment and bliss. Thus, I began to explore the possibilities of human potential, and to better understand what makes us Happy.
In 2008, I retired from my engineering and design career, to focus on my passions and to pursue my inner calling. I have vowed to “never work again”, and am committed to doing only things in alignment with my passions and my personal mission.
“Never Work Again” Explained
“Never work again” is a misunderstood concept in our society. It does not mean, do nothing and waste time. It means to live every single day fully, to live meaningfully, to work on projects that you can’t wait to get your hands on, to express your creativity and as a result, to contribute a significant amount of value to the world.
A good gauge I use when deciding which projects to work on, is to ask the question, “If I had all the money and resources in the world, what would I be working on?” And then I continue to work on it with faith, vision and focused action. I do not waste any time in second-guessing myself, or filling my inner-space with fear of failure.
I often hear people complain about not having enough time, or saying “I wish I could do that, but I need to make a living first.”
From what I’ve seen, when you are able to provide significant value to the world, the world will reward you and take care of your needs. That’s how the Universe works.
The switch to a “never work again” lifestyle takes courage and a shift in thinking because change is scary, and the unknown triggers fear.
Once you get over the fear curb, and dive into your passion, you will fall in love again – not with a person, but with what you do. You will gain so much satisfaction and fulfillment from what you do, that you would do it regardless of whether you were getting paid or not.
And somewhere in the process, you will generate so much value out of an overflowing love for what you do, that money becomes a byproduct of you expressing your passion.
Me, Today
In contrast to the workaholic I once was not too long ago, I now spend 20 hours a week in my home “office”. I get to stay home with my son, while doing meaningful work that makes my heart sing.
Each day is filled with exciting possibilities, a chance to bask in the glow of the creative flow. I jump out of bed every morning, looking forward to my day.
I spend a few hours everyday feeding my soul and learning about the inner science that I’ve come to love: meditation, yoga, ancient philosophies, contemplation and lots of inspirational reading.
Like a newborn baby, I feel alive and free.
I feel rich from the inside out, and am very much in love with life.
Through the articles on Think Simple Now, I hope to share more of what I’ve learned with you.
It’s true, what Confucius said,
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
The moral of the story: It’s never too late to take control of the steering wheel of your life. Let’s start today, together.
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See my personal blog at Simply Tina for a more casual view of my life outside of TSN.
Connect with me: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | StumbleUpon
Random Personal Facts:
* I live with my son, husband and two fluffy dogs in Seattle.
* I was born and raised in Beijing, China. I spend my teens in Toronto, Canada.
* I am a fine-art portrait photographer for musicians and authors.
* I am also a Seattle wedding photographer.
* I was a child actor and model.
* I love books. My recommendations, reading list, and wishlist.
* I am a certified Yoga instructor, but have never actually taught.
* I collect inspirational quotes, you can see them at Empowered Quotes
* I like vanilla ice-cream and red wine (not together).
* I consume an enormous amount of Salad, and am in love with avocados.
* I am a geek at heart.
If you need to get in touch, contact me here.
Last revised on 09/13/2010