I Can’t Get No Satisfaction: Personal Development Expert Daniela Sulek On Why So Many Of Us Are Feeling Unsatisfied & What We Can Do About It
An Interview With Drew Gerber
Everything you perceive simply is. It has no purpose other than to be that which it is.
From an objective standpoint, we are living in an unprecedented era of abundance. Yet so many of us are feeling unsatisfied. Why are we seemingly so insatiable? What is going on inside of us that is making us feel unsatisfied? What is the brain chemistry that makes us feel this way? Is our brain wired for endless insatiable consumption? What can we do about it? In this interview series, we are talking to credentialed experts such as psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, brain science experts, as well as spiritual and religious leaders, and mind-body-spirit coaches, to address why so many of us are feeling unsatisfied & what we can do about it.
As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Daniela Sulek.
Daniela helps people move into a permanent state of peace and an effortless way of living. By transcending from the conditioned human to their true nature, they shift into effortlessly creating by being, instead of creating by doing. About 1% of the world’s population functions primarily at this level of consciousness. It is a state of awareness, in which one is free of fear and challenges. Daniela sees the illusion of suffering the active mind brings. She was naturally led to a journey of perceiving the totality of everything that exists — the mind, body, and physical reality. Her audience ranges from business leaders, and entrepreneurs to mature spiritual seekers. She has been creating massive physical, mental, and emotional shifts for her clients.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to know how you got from “there to here.” Inspire us with your backstory!
I used to believe that with hard work and perseverance, one could accomplish anything they wanted to achieve. My life continued to prove that belief; if there was something I had put my mind to, I achieved it. I worked hard, and I was proud of my abilities and successes. But I was not happy. I was never at peace where I was, there was always something missing. My head was full of racing thoughts, worries, and fears. My body was exhausted from the constant need to be in control. There was an underlying void and feeling of dissatisfaction.
Then, I came across spirituality. And with the same attitude of hard work and determination, I dove right into it. I was clearing my chakras, journaling, learning about beliefs, and healing my inner child. And yet, the void and dissatisfaction did not go away. If anything, they were more and more present with me. It got to the point where I did not want to do it anymore: no healing, no working hard, no motivation.
Nothing I knew about myself, and the world made sense anymore. All I wanted was to know, “Who am I?” It was around that time when I started to go through experiences that were beyond my understanding of myself as a human. It was a period of immense mental, emotional, and physical pain. Those experiences both left me with greater confusion about who I was and gave me more clarity about who I was not.
As I continued attending to my daily responsibilities, I turned away from the world and turned my awareness onto myself. I became more and more aware of everything that was happening in each moment — my thoughts, my emotions, my body movements, as well as things and people around me. I recognized my body, mind and everything that exists is a part of each moment, not being separate from it. I also recognized I am not my body or my mind. I became present with everything that is.
I am always where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing. Nothing is missing. Nothing needs to be changed. Everything moves and flows naturally and effortlessly. There is an awareness of unshakeable presence and stillness underneath the constant movement of changing thoughts, emotions, and events. That stillness and peace is our natural state.
What lessons would you share with yourself if you had the opportunity to meet your younger self?
I would not change a single thing nor teach my younger self any lesson. I see how each moment I lived, whether it was a moment of joy or a moment of pain and suffering, was necessary for me to experience. Nothing was ever wrong, and nothing needed to be different.
One is always at the right place and each moment is exactly as it needs to be. They may not like it, but it is always what one needs.
None of us are able to experience success without support along the way. Is there a particular person for whom you are grateful because of the support they gave you to grow you from “there to here?” Can you share that story and why you are grateful for them?
When the mind is active, the world and other people appear to be separate. One believes to be a doer and sees others as such as well. This belief only strengthens the illusion of separation and the actions of other people only reinforce it. That is how it was for me. The truth is, there are no others. One alone is. The knowledge of one’s true nature never comes from the outside world or other people. One needs to leave the world alone and turn to themselves. When I did, I realized how each moment was happening for me to wake me up.
One does not need to travel to Tibet or meditate in the Himalayas to acquire peace of mind. Nor does one need years of psychotherapy to live a stress-free life and experience deep harmonious relationships. All one needs to do is attend to what is in front of them and watch themselves persistently. When one watches themselves, one recognizes the mind activities and the human conditioning it creates. It may be when one is working or sitting at the dinner table. Each moment brings great clarity, and increasingly less identification with the person they thought they were. That is how it is for me; I recognize how each person in my life has been playing a crucial role in my journey.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think it might help people?
Right now, I am enjoying doing this interview. I do not plan the next moment as that is an impossible task. I will see how my working life unfolds as it comes. It may take the form of working with private clients, and facilitating transformative retreats and events as I have done in the past, or it may take a completely different form. I am not in control of anything that happens, it will happen exactly as it needs to happen for me and those who are supposed to come across my message.
Nothing one experiences happens by chance. Everything one perceives takes the form it needs to have. No matter where one is, whether they are working or not, each moment is vital. Hence, I know that any form my work takes it will be exactly how it needs to be for everyone involved.
Ok, thank you for sharing your inspired life. Let’s now talk about feeling “unsatisfied”. In the Western world, humans typically have their shelter, food, and survival needs met. What has led to us feeling we aren’t enough and don’t have enough? What is the wiring? Or in other words, how has nature and nurture played into how humans (in an otherwise “safe and secure” environment) experience feeling less than, or a need to have more than what is needed for basic survival?
Feeling “unsatisfied” arises in the body and mind consciousness. The active mind creates an identification with the body. Identification with the body creates the illusion of a person. The identification with a person creates fears and desires. Any feeling of not being enough or feeling “unsatisfied” comes from a desire. Any desire comes from the illusion of a limitation and ultimately from fear. So, no matter where you belong in a society or how much material possessions you have, the mind constantly projects the desire of being more or having more.
That creates misery and suffering — constant stress and anxiety. You spend your whole life chasing something unattainable. There is no water in a mirage. No matter how thirsty you are or how beautiful a mirage looks, it cannot satisfy your thirst. It does not exist. Similarly, the feeling of being enough and having enough can never come from the outside world, it can come only from knowing your true nature. Nothing else will do.
How are societies different? For example, capitalistic societies trade differently than communists. Developed nations trade differently than developing nations. In your opinion, how does society shape a human’s experience and feelings of satisfaction?
The awareness of you as a person is the source of everything that you perceive — including various types of societies, markets, and nations. The world is nothing but a show that exists in the mind consciousness only. One who ceases to identify themselves with the body and the mind is free. There is no delusion of the world and its changing events or limitations. No matter where one lives, there are no fears or desires, hence no suffering. It is not the type of society that shapes one’s feeling of satisfaction, but one’s knowing of their true nature.
With a specific focus on brain function, how has the brain and its dominion over the body and beliefs been impacted by the societal construct?
When the mind is active it creates a belief of a cause and effect. In this case, a cause is the societal construct and the effect is the brain and its dominion over the body. The cause and effect exists only as a belief in the mind consciousness. When the mind becomes passive, one recognizes that there is no cause and effect. Everything simply is. In each moment there is only what is. It has no cause, no effect, no quality, no label. It is not dependent on something else. Each moment and everything you perceive is simply the totality of what is.
Do you think the way our society markets and advertises goods and services, has affected people’s feelings of satisfaction? Can you explain what you mean?
As I mentioned, there is no cause and effect. Feelings of dissatisfaction arise due to false self-identification. When you identify yourself with a body and the mind, you believe that your behavior or feeling of satisfaction can be affected by something else. And then you spend your whole life trying to change your behavior, your feelings, and even the behaviour of others. You try hard to consume or to avoid certain goods and services as you believe they may have a positive or negative effect on your well-being, whether a physical one or an emotional one.
Everything you perceive simply is. It has no purpose other than to be that which it is.
How is the wiring of the brain, body, and beliefs shaped by marketing, language, and how humans trade?
When you are in the mind and body consciousness, you believe the outside world has an effect on you. In this case, there is a belief that marketing, language, or how humans trade has an effect on one’s brain, body, and beliefs. One is not dependent on the other and vice versa. Everything exists on its own in each moment and everything is exactly as it needs to be, as it is all that is.
I work in marketing so I’m very cognizant of this question. In your opinion, how do you think marketing professionals can be more responsible for how their advertising shapes humans’ health and experience of happiness overall?
Recognizing your true nature is the most responsible way to live and work. As long as you identify yourself with a person, who thinks and acts, you see others as people who think and act. You see other people through the limited mind consciousness. You hold the belief that by marketing a product or service, you can influence the thinking and buying decisions of others. It is impossible to change them or influence their behavior by action, no matter how noble the action is. This applies to all relationships in your life, personal or business ones. When you recognize your true nature, you know that everyone you perceive is exactly as they need to be.
For you personally, if you have all your basic needs met, do you feel you have enough in life?
I am aware of each moment that unfolds in my life. I do not dwell on the past or long for a future. I do not need nor desire to change how the ‘now’ looks for me, as I know that in each moment I have exactly what I need to have. It is a state of satisfaction that is not dependent on outer circumstances.
Can you share with our readers your “5 things we can each do to address the feeling of not having enough.”
There is only one thing that needs to be done. Bring your awareness to the mind and its feeling of not having enough. The mind creates constant fears and desires for you, so at each moment, become fully aware of them. As you keep being aware of the mind and its movements, the mind will become more and more still. The identification with the mind and the body will be less and less present. When the identification with the mind and the body disappears, the feeling of ‘not enough’ disappears. Then, you are free.
Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that have inspired you to live with more joy in life?
My own life journey has been the biggest catalyst to drop the mind and the illusions it creates. Desirelessness and full acceptance of each moment create a natural joy and peace.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
One’s self-awareness in every moment is the biggest gift one can give to others. Being present with that which is, is all that is needed. There is no other work or movement required. Everything else is taken care of.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
One can read my posts, which get posted on my website. If one is ready to attend my in- person events, they may email me requesting to be added to the list of invitees.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
About The Interviewer: For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. Drew is the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a full-service PR agency lauded by PR Week and Good Morning America. Wasabi Publicity, Inc. is a global marketing company that supports industry leaders, change agents, unconventional thinkers, companies and organizations that strive to make a difference. Whether it’s branding, traditional PR or social media marketing, every campaign is instilled with passion, creativity and brilliance to powerfully tell their clients’ story and amplify their intentions in the world. Schedule a free consultation at WasabiPublicity.com/Choosing-Publicity
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction: Personal Development Expert Daniela Sulek On Why So Many Of Us Are… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.