Meet Susi Vine | Stress Transformation Coach, Happified podcast Host

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

Hi Susi, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
3x Less Stress grew out of my mission to help more people feel empowered in their health and happiness. In my previous career supporting senior clients, I could see how lifestyle choices added up to limit options later in life after chronic disease took hold. As the daughter of a night shift nurse, I have also seen how chronic stress impacts not only physical health but mental health and relationships with those you love the most. I’ve seen statistics stating that anywhere from 50 to 80% of primary care doctor visits arise from stress related concerns, which is shocking but shows us that there is a lot that we can do to reclaim our health.
As a member of the independent and hard-working Generation X, I know that I won’t be alone and not wanting anyone to tell me what to do in my later years! So if I can pull from breaking research in the field of positive psychology to simplify important information and make it easier to optimize habits and improve overall well-being, then I need to do what I can to make these tools available to anyone who wants to live a successful life without compromising their health.

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.
I’m passionate about helping people reclaim their most empowered, healthy, and happy Self. And I believe that many of us have simply become disconnected from that inner wisdom that tells us what is right for us and what is wrong. The struggle is tuning into that voice when the rest of the world is clamoring for our attention. It’s a gift to be able to help people slow down, come back to center, and reconnect with what lights them up. I’ve had a great time hosting creativity workshops and soundbath meditations where people can truly relax and allow powerful insights to arise, in addition to private coaching work where we can uplevel lifestyle habits and even prevent some of the stress-based lifestyle conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 Diabetes.
I’m the kind of person who “does lots of stuff”, so I can really relate to creatives who have ended up with more corporate positions and people who overcommit themselves because they identify strongly with their work. It really allows me to create very unique and customized action plans to help people make time for what matters most to them, even if we have to begin by remembering what that is.
A lot of people treat “balance” like a dirty word, and say that life-work balance is impossible. I envision it like a teeter totter, which is always in motion. Or you can call it harmony, if you want to. There will be seasons where more energy goes to your work, and seasons where your family and personal life demand your attention. I think it’s most important to be aware of where your energy is going and to check in with yourself, making sure that your needs are being met so you can feel rested and restored. It really is true, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
There are so many things vying for our time and attention, and as an entrepreneur I struggled initially with having a schedule that was one one hand very flexible, and on the other busier than the 9-5 job that I left behind. I let work fill in all the gaps, until I had to admit that I was flirting with burnout because I didn’t have the healthy boundaries that I was encouraging clients to establish and maintain. I fell into the same trap that many entrepreneurs do, thinking that if I just put in more hours to do more things in all the “right” places, then my business would take off so that then I could take it easy. I finally recognized that I was burning myself out while I was trying to help others tackle stress.
I decided that I needed some of my own medicine, and stopped pushing myself so hard at the same time that I was telling others to create healthy boundaries and take better care of themselves. I think my clients can understand my empathy for their situation, and appreciate that I bring zero judgment. All we can do on any given day is try to make the best choices for ourselves as they arise, without losing faith in our ability to grow and evolve when we stumble or fall back into old patterns. I believe that people find that my authenticity allows them to relax. It’s easy to know and say the right things, but living those values is a different thing and I understand that struggle. As I’ve put a priority on reconnecting with friends, getting outside to get grounded by working in my garden, and started offering soundbath meditation events because they’re something that I really enjoy, things have bloomed in my business, too.
Real self care doesn’t have to look like an expensive spa day. It can be taking a short detour to the beach or a park instead of sitting in rush hour traffic, or taking a 10 minute walk after your lunch. It can be food prep on the weekend so you have plenty of healthy snacks and a few easy meals to get you through a busy week, or ordering a meal delivery service instead. The most effective kind of self care are the practices that help you feel nourished and restored even when life is zooming by, so it helps if they are bite-sized and they need to be sustainable. When I see people light up because they find practices that support them in this way then I know that lasting change is underway, and not only does my client feel better but it ripples out to impact their family, even their community and the work they’re doing, too.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Thank goodness we’d have a week! I would start at my favorite local taco shop, El Pueblo Mexican Food in Del Mar for their phenomenal fish tacos and their creative Margarita of the Month in order to hash out a plan. My husband and I always try to be diplomatic about the beaches we take guests to, with a walk on the boardwalk through PB and Mission Beach, or tacos at South Beach Bar & Grill in OB, but we always have to bring guests back to Fletcher Cove near home in Solana Beach because of the easy parking and ramp access. For new visitors, Torrey Pines State Reserve is a can’t miss, especially on a clear day when the hang gliders are floating by. Balboa Park is always a nice place to stroll around when the sun is out, with a bite at the Panama 66 Cafe by the SDMA Sculpture Court. I can’t wait to see the renovation complete at the Botanical Building there, it’s such a gem.
If they’re theater fans like myself, I’d see what’s playing at the Old Globe or La Jolla Playhouse. We’re so lucky to have lots of wonderful smaller theater companies around town, too! Music at the Belly Up or down at the Rady Shell for sunset on the waterfront, too, I love the variety of venues that San Diego offers.
Is there any time left? A drive out to Borrego Springs is a favorite, I love the desert and the tour through the amazing rocky hillsides out through Ramona and Julian. Oh! And now we’d need to stop for pie…

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh, wow, so many along the way! Since I’ve been here in the San Diego area there have been so many angels who crossed my path. I was blessed to be introduced to Casa de Amistad in Solana Beach, where I tutored a group of girls from 5th through 9th grades. They have extraordinary resources, and one of my students went on to be a Gates Foundation Scholar. I was so proud of every one of them, and the many volunteers who help support the program, as they showed up week after week and committed themselves to learning and helping these students succeed in school and beyond.
After studying Reiki almost 10 years ago I discovered the San Diego Reiki Corps, a group committed to sharing Reiki healing in the area, including in hospitals and hospice programs. I’ve been a member of their board for several years and I think we are so fortunate to be in a place where doctors and nurses are willing to not only make space for Reiki practitioners, but refer patients to be visited by our volunteers.
And I have to salute our community colleges and the programs they make available to everyone. While I was pursuing a Holistic Health Practitioner certificate at Mira Costa College I was able to also take some of their core curriculum classes in biology, physiology and anatomy. I was taught by phenomenal instructors, including researchers from the Salk Institute and biotechnology, who really made the sciences come to life. I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I’ve discovered here!

Website: https://3xlessstress.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi.vine/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susivine/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susi.b.vine

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOR69k5nUbgwi_OYd4vBCog

Image Credits
Exterior Photo Credit: Yelena Yahontova – Yelena Photographer of Joy