Living From the Inside Out: Susan Filan on Surviving, Awakening, and Finding Purpose

Living my life from the outside in makes me a beggar at the feast. Living my life from the inside out makes me a gift and a joy and a presence. I am now able to serve to help to heal in a way that I was never able to before." - Susan Filan In this episode, host Ana Melikian welcomes Susan Filan—former trial attorney, legal analyst, and now transformational speaker known as the Wake Up Coach—to the Mindset Zone podcast. Together, they explore the heights of achievement and the hidden costs that can come with relentlessly pursuing career milestones. Susan shares her remarkable journey, from building a prestigious professional life to surviving a near-fatal accident that forced her to completely re-evaluate what truly matters. She candidly describes her wake-up call, the long and difficult road of physical recovery, and the profound shift toward living life from the inside out rather than the outside in. Ana and Susan discuss how society’s focus on busyness, external validation, and productivity can cause us to miss the essence of being alive. Through Susan’s powerful story, listeners are invited to reflect deeply on presence, gratitude, and the importance of embracing each moment—before a crisis forces us to pause. Susan also reveals how her experience has empowered her to help others as a coach, speaker, and retreat leader—guiding people to discover purpose, reconnect with their authentic selves, and wake up to the joy and fulfillment available right now. Let’s dive in! This week on The Mindset Zone: 00:00 – Introduction 01:02 – Meet Susan Filan 03:16 – The Wake Up Call 07:09 – Recovery and Gratitude 10:29 – Rethinking Priorities 12:10 – Presence and Self-Love 15:04 – Living from the Inside Out 18:06 – Transformation 21:14 – Lessons from Pain 22:00 – Retreats and Travel 24:00 – Connecting with Susan 26:00 – An Invitation to Wake Up About The Guest Susan F. Filan, Esq. is Wake-Up Call Speaker and Coach, a former trial lawyer and MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst turned transformational voice in mindset and reinvention. She helps peak performers—from boardrooms to start-ups—break free from burnout, reclaim their lives, and awaken to their true power. With neuroscience, high performance, and spiritual insight, Susan sparks real, lasting change. Expand What’s Possible