Ep53: Never Take 'No' For An Answer | with Natalie Asatryan

Optimize Yourself

Natalie Asatryan is the youngest female in the country to be certified as a yoga instructor. If you’re not terribly familiar with the process of becoming a yoga instructor, trust me...it’s not easy for college-educated adults, much less a thirteen year old girl. But as we talk about in our interview, Natalie simply refuses to take NO for an answer. Which is why I wanted to share her inspirational story, because no matter what creative or athletic endeavor you might be pursuing, I guarantee you will hear the word NO a lot more than you will ever hear the word YES. And the difference between those who succeed vs those who fail is simply their ability to overcome adversity and failure.

Listen and be inspired...

Win a One 1-Yr Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io?

» Click here to leave a review of this episode in iTunes (or Apple Podcasts)

Here's What You'll Learn:

• How Natalie became the world's youngest certified female yoga instructor
• Being told NO so many times but persevering anyways
• Most of the time people say no because it's about them, not about you
• Using yoga to do other good in the world through charity work
• Respecting and embracing the incredible learning abilities of young people
• "There is no age limit for changing the world"
• Empowering other young kids to become certified and not have their goals restricted by their age
• The difficulties and joys of being a young person in a field presumed to be only for adults

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Natalie Asatryan's Site

FiP Podcast Ep86: Yoga's Healing Power (And How to Use It to Take Your Career to the Next Level) with Ally Hamilton

FiP Podcast Ep62: Using Yoga to Master Your Edit Suite with Ally Hamilton

FiP Podcast Ep04: Yogis Anonymous with Ally Hamilton

Our Generous Sponsors:

This episode is made possible by our proud supporters Adobe. Leave a review of this episode in iTunes or Apple Podcasts and you’ll be entered to win a yearly subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, an essential package of video creation tools that I personally can’t live without. What’s so cool about creative cloud is how easily you can move from ingest to editing, and from color grading to 3D compositing, thanks to smooth integration between Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition. To win yourself that yearly subscription, just leave an honest review of this show in iTunes or Apple Podcasts.

You can also enter to win the 12 month 'Pro Plan' from our sponsor Frame.io, an amazing online collaboration tool where you can comment and interact directly with your videos providing instant feedback, rather than constantly going back and forth via endless email chains. (And you know how I feel about email and productivity.) Even cooler your comments can be imported directly into your editing software of choice, and it’s so intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say “pretty” that Frame.io won an Apple Design Award. Leave a podcast review in iTunes to be entered to win your 12 month 'Pro Plan.'

This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.

This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that turns sitting into an activity that actually improves your health rather than damaging it. Yes, you can actually get fit while you sit. If you’ve never seen one, just imagine the most comfortable bar stool on the planet on top of a Bosu Ball. Trust me...it’s awesome. SitTight can provide fitness for your body, focus for your mind, and fun for your spirit. BONUS: Use the coupon code OPTIMIZE for 10% off your order!

Guest Bio:

Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

Natalie proves there is no age limit for pursuing your dreams and using your gifts to make the world a better place. She developed a passion for yoga at the young age of 5, and within a few years of studying yoga, she knew she had to share it with others. At only 9, Natalie and her mom set out to find a program that would help make her dream of teaching yoga come true; however, finding a program that would accept her at such a young age was challenging. After searching for 3 years, Natalie found a yoga school and completed a rigorous 200-hour curriculum with several adults. At only 12 years old, Natalie became the youngest female yoga instructor in America and is also a member of Yoga Alliance. She now teaches donation-based yoga classes throughout the Los Angeles area, and all of the proceeds go to charity.

Within less than a year of teaching yoga, Natalie raised thousands of dollars to support the Red Cross and the Unstoppable Foundation, a nonprofit that she holds dear to her heart. Through her partnership with the Unstoppable Foundation, Natalie is helping a village in Kenya build a school and get access to education, nutritious food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare.

Natalie has a deep appreciation for the ancient wisdom of yoga and is a yoga student for life. Her favorite yoga pose is lotus because that's how she often meditates and escapes from the entire world. Natalie enjoys being part of the yoga community and had the honor of learning from world-renowned yogis such as Tao Porchon-Lynch and Sri Dharma Mitra. She also takes yoga classes in the Los Angeles area and hopes to collaborate with other instructors in the future.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Elyse Rintelman. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.