Between $100 yoga pants, pricey studio classes, and imagery dominated by slim (predominately white) women, the $4.5-trillion wellness industry isn’t always welcoming. Thankfully, Natasha Rusilko is one of the women who’s changing that narrative. 

The yoga teacher and body positivity advocate, also known as Nourished Natasha to her legions of fans on Instagram, is showing people that yoga is for every body, one post at a time. Ahead, Rusilko tells Create & Cultivate all about her entrepreneurial journey, from putting herself out there and getting her start on Tumblr to quitting her full-time job and investing in herself.

How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today? 

When I was 15 years old, I started working at the front desk of a gym that my mom worked at. I was still in high school and having a good work ethic was instilled in me from a very young age by my parents. I’ve had big goals ever since I was a kid, and I got to work on them early! I think having a job so young taught me integrity and how to show up at a very young age.

Take us back to the beginning. What was the lightbulb moment for your business/career and what inspired you to pursue this path? 

I’ve been in the social media space for some time, from back when Tumblr was the cool thing to now. I always worked a full-time job on top of running a blog/Instagram full time and I made money on the side through partnerships and taking on random clients here and there when I could. But in 2018, I found myself stuck in a corporate retail social media position that I absolutely hated. I was coming home from work crying every day, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I knew that I could make money on my own, so why not do it full time? I quit that job and never looked back! 

Entrepreneurship is all about taking calculated risks. What’s the most pivotal risk you’ve taken, and how did it change your path?

I would say definitely quitting my full-time job was a risk. But other big ones have been investing thousands in business coaches, hiring a virtual assistant, and investing another few thousand in a web designer to have the website of my dreams. 

What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?

Not learning how taxes work before I jumped in haha. It was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way, but now I am a tax master.

2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success? 

With everything happening in the world this year, it really catapulted me into finding new ways to teach yoga and help people with their health virtually. I started offering free live yoga and YouTube yoga classes because I believe that, this year especially, I needed to give back and help the community as best I could. That has brought me some of the best joy that I’ve experienced this year and ended up helping me grow my Youtube channel enough to get monetized as well! 

How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward? 

By showing up. By showing people that yoga is for every body. By being different. I don’t think there is anyone out there like me doing what I do, and I love that.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams? 

This was something I definitely had to learn. I was a very shy and introverted person up until about two years ago when I really put myself out there. I find that there is power in vulnerability, and the more vulnerable you are and the more you open up, the more empowered you feel. There is someone out there who needs to hear your story, so it’s time to speak up and share it! 

What is the biggest challenge to achieving success in life?

Believing you can and knowing that you’re worthy. Once you can change your mindset to that, you can achieve anything.

When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do? How have you remained true and authentic to who you are?

I mean, my job is partially centered around yoga, but yoga is a huge part of my life! Something else that I am very into and that is a huge part of my life is magic, witchcraft, and spooky things, which I have also made into a part of my brand. But besides work, I like watching horror movies, taking baths, and hanging out with my dogs. Authenticity is one of the core values of my brand, and I share every aspect of myself online. Some people might think it’s weird, but hey, I like being weird!

It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?

I’m a firm believer that crying is a good thing, and you need to allow yourself to feel your emotions when they happen or else you will end up bottling them up and exploding at a later time. So, I allow myself time to feel. I journal the heck out of how I feel, enjoy some vegan pizza about it, and learn from it. 

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I truly, truly love what I do. I’ve been at my busiest these past few months, and have hardly had a true day off, but I love what I do so much it keeps me going.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself? 

To just go for it. To know your worth. To know that you deserve everything you desire and then some. And to trust that it will all work out.

Fill in the blanks:

When I feel fear, I…

Turn around and face it. Fears hate it when you do that. One of my favorite quotes from my fave author, Jen Sincero.

The best career advice I always give is…

Invest in yourself. Whether it’s in a coach, a program, a website designer, anything. Money is an energy exchange and that’s how you level up.

To be successful, you need to be…  

Willing to get outside of your comfort zone and take messy action.

Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…  

Determination, dedication, and being unique.

The change I’d like to see in my industry is…  

Continued inclusivity and diversity.