Shivani Gupta

Welcome to the AskShivani podcast, I am so excited to have our guest today. I had the opportunity to meet Natalya Berdikyan from Entrepreneurs Organization a number of years ago, and this year when I was traveling to Barcelona, which is where she joins us today, we got to meet up again, and we got to walk through the beautiful city of Barcelona. She is an extraordinary human, and the bio I'm about to give you is probably not going to do it justice. But she does a lot of work with individuals and organizations about energizing their life and workplace and has created a business which we'll hear more about called “Life by Design”, and the academy that she set up, she talks about more energy and fulfillment and well being without stress. She's into leadership, coaching and training. She is currently the EO president of Barcelona. She's also a professional certified coach. She is a yoga and breath work trainer, and also a keynote and public speaker. Welcome Natalya.

Natalya Berdikyan

Thank you, it’s a pleasure having you, it’s amazing. It was super wonderful to have you here in Barcelona and a pleasure to be here.

Shivani Gupta

It's so lovely and with all the things that you've done, give us and take us through some of your big moments, you know, your big highs and your low lows, in all the different things that you've done to get you to where you have got to today and tell us a little bit about that.

Natalya Berdikyan

The journey was long, I do come originally from Moscow from Russia. And back in the days in the 90s, going from Soviet Union to California was a big, big thing for me, as a teenager at 16, I got to live with American host families. And for me, that was a life changing experience and seemed like the world has opened up and the sky was no longer the limit, as it's been ever since. What else, then I moved to Europe and again, every single thing, every single change I had was challenging, but at the same time, so enriching, and I'm very much grateful for that. And a lot has happened in the last 40 plus years now. And everything is just beautiful. It's like life gives you wonderful lessons, wonderful opportunities, challenges, and with all that. We grow and we learn, and we embrace what comes and we become different humans than we were and are able to give back everything that we learn. So, for me that's a beautiful journey.

Shivani Gupta

That's incredible. And so, you know, with everything that's happening, you and I were talking about, you know, what's happening around the world, but also the work that you're doing. So, when different challenges come your way, whether it's in the work and your business space, or in your personal life? How do you go about dealing with it? Some people have certain rituals, some people have a process. So, when things hit you small, medium or large, like what how do you go about dealing with challenges?

Natalya Berdikyan

Well, I breathe the most interesting simple and yet empowering tool is actually our breath. It's the first thing we do when we're born and the last thing on this world and when we go and it is something that gives us a lot of presence, clarity, oxygen, clearly and it gives us the possibility to respond rather than react also by time in case of facing challenges, it's really calming so and I mean in any circumstances, whether it is when one is asked the question and you need the time to reflect or something serious is coming and there is a situation and you need to handle it. I really love it, a couple of deep long breaths and you just regain the power. And that's beautiful. And, that I got that not only after becoming a breathwork teacher but in any circumstances. It's such an empowering thing. Although, I must say that back in the days, it's more common to react and respond really fast. And then the body changes its chemistry, and we're no longer able to respond in, in a nice, calm manner. So, it's important to use it in any time during the day several times a day. I really love it. It's the key tool for me.

Shivani Gupta

Yeah, that's beautiful. I've heard that say before, you know, your breath is the first thing that you come in with and the last thing that you go out with, but we forget that. We forget, that point that when there's stress, or overwhelm, or challenges coming your way to kind of re-go back and connect to it. I started studying breath work this year as well, Natalya and I just noticed how quickly it takes me into my body like yoga takes me a little bit longer. Meditation takes me a little bit longer. But Breathwork takes me there, like straightaway in terms of what you're trying to do.

And some of the all the amazing things that you've done. When you look to the future. And for some people, the future is, you know, the next month and getting to Christmas, the others, it's in a looking into next year. And for some people, it's longer, it's a five or a 10-year vision. So, when you're looking into whatever that future timeframe is for you, what are some of your future aspirations? What are the things you're wanting to do? What are you wanting to see in the world? Tell us a little bit about that.

Natalya Berdikyan

Thank you for the question. While the future starts today, really, and it's about everything, it's about what we do in every single moment. And being present is extremely important and extremely valuable, not only for ourselves, but the people around us and the world around us. So, for me as part of that, I believe and what's important as part of that inspiration is bringing more consciousness to the world. To practice being in the moment to be to be present to be in that state of joy, flow, unconditional love, really practicing that. All of these principles of being aware, and being acceptance and non-judgmental, for ourselves as it's extremely heavy otherwise, and for people around us.

And in that matter, bringing consciousness to people to leaders and entrepreneurs I work with because that's the people that I work with the people that have extremely, a lot of pressure, that sense of overwhelm, that's constant in their lives. They're managing their businesses, their lives, their families, and it's a lot, it's heavy. And not only they tend to forget to breathe sometimes. But really being present in that moment. And being conscious, being conscious leaders and leading from a different energy resonance, where it's not about pressure and stress and overwhelm, but it's about embracing being the fact that they are the creator of their lives and their experiences. And that's the kind of place where they lead from, they not only enjoying their life and showing up as great conscious leaders and beautiful humans, but also they're experiencing the world and that what comes to them in a different way without the stress, with more creativity with more flow and more effortless ease. And for me, that's the kind of power, I would love to bring more to the world to people and to their organizations. So that can increase not only performance, but also wellbeing and health.

Shivani Gupta

Yeah, that is such amazing work that you're doing. And, you know, I think just having all the business expertise that you have to, I think you and I were talking about Michael Singer, when we were walking around Barcelona together, and I think to have that background of business, and that that spiritual experience, to then be able to share that with leaders to become more conscious is so much more powerful than one or the other. It's almost like you've got the combination of that to be able to help leaders and people around the world become more conscious. So just extraordinary in terms of some of the stuff that you do. I am going to rotate back to some of your work and how people find you later.

But tell us a little bit about you do so much work for other people helping them be conscious. Tell us about some of the things that you do for your own wellness like whether it's mental or emotional or physical wellness, spiritual wellness, what are some of the practices that you have, some might be daily, or monthly or even a yearly thing. Tell us about some of the things that you do to manage your own wellness.

Natalya Berdikyan

Thank you. Well, like I mentioned the breath, the first thing I do in the morning is have a glass of water. And right now, it's seven in the morning. So that's the most important. For me, the water, the tea, I do have yoga practice every day and how it started actually, before becoming a yoga trainer. During the COVID times, I actually started practicing yoga, let's say 15 minutes a day. And it was a consistent exercise. So, I advise everybody, let's start something. But well, one hour is way too big, whether it's a gym, or the practice of yoga or meditation. Start something with something small, 5-15 minutes, but consistently every day. And if you miss a day, that's also fine. As long as you continue without that judgment, I haven't done it. So, I shouldn't have shouldn't continue.

So, I started with 15 minutes, and then went into going into a professional yoga practice. And that can be an hour, it can be 30 minutes, really depending on what your day allows. So, yoga, meditation, again, the same thing, whether it's five minutes or an hour, I have I also sometimes use apps with I like the Chopra app, as it gives quite nice content. And every day it can be on something different, that is important to you in the moment. So yesterday was about enlightenment, for example, being the light and sharing the light, and it gives that space again to reconnect with self and to breathe. And speaking of breathing, it connects with everything, whether it's a yoga practice, a meditation practice, and anything. A very good tool.

Then what I do is also read, so I take the book right now it's actually about enlightenment and meditation that I've been reading and actually, several books at the same time. So, it's good to choose what would you like to do, to read on in this period of time, depending where the mind is, or the state is. I also started booking some time for writing my own book. So since yesterday, I booked that time every day to continue with the writing. Same as yoga, what helps, because a lot of people say well, I don't find the time for myself, there's a lot to do, there's business, there's family, etc. But I get overwhelmed. I don't know when to put my schedule to go for a walk or to go to the gym, to have my me time. So, it's useful to actually book the time for yourself in the agenda. So that time I always have for myself booked on every day, and it's recurring.

Things like that and then taking long walks, I have a beautiful dog and I live in front of the beach intentionally. So, I take long walks, fresh air nature, very important. And having small breaks, small breaks, to recharge, to rest, to reconnect with self and connect to that intuition. Very important, which is not something I did back in the days when I was running my chocolate factory in Belgium. That's what also got me a little off. I was constantly running in that, like an autopilot. No time to stop, no time for yourself and no time for reflection. I thought I was always giving the time to others and get things done and solving problems and challenges. But actually, it took me away from that real space of clarity and reconnection and alignment with myself. So, it's very important to have time for yourself. Even the little bits are very important. What do you do?

Shivani Gupta

That's amazing. Like that's such a great, great practice. I love the fact that you talked about a range then Natalya, because people go - oh, that sounds like a lot, right? Sometimes listeners that are speaking to listening to this and they go, that sounds like a lot. But I love the fact that you gave the range look, it could be from five minutes, and it could be up to an hour.

My practice to answer your questions always. I have to do minimum of 10-10-10. And this comes from the wonderful role of Rusty Warren. I remember listening to him a couple of times and he talks about the importance of 10-10-10. So, I go the minimum. I must do that 10-10-10 which is I usually start off 10 minutes of meditation, 10 minutes of reading and 10 minutes of journaling. And I just always link back into that when I do that, I know that I just have a better day. It's almost like I've unlocked or unleashed, or you know, released some blockages or things that have been sitting in my mind or my body. And when I don't do that, I noticed that I get overwhelmed more easily and stressed more easily. And I have not got to practice as good as yours or doing yoga every day. But over this year, particularly exiting a business and taking a bit of a sabbatical is I've really got into the practice of getting there about four to five times a week now, which I'm really enjoying. And it's such a great practice just to be led. And, you know, look through and feel through how to connect back to yourself so that they kind of my practices. So, I try and take minimum 30 minutes and then ideally 90 minutes like an hour of yoga and the other 30 minutes to really set myself and I just have so much of a better day when I do that.

Natalya Berdikyan

That's beautiful, well done. And Warren is an amazing leader. And we did get those practices when we were at one of the EO events on top of Machu Picchu, still hearing his speech in my head. And that's what actually pivoted me as well from running my company like crazy to starting to listen to myself first. And that was a pivotal moment. What I really love also the practice is writing down three to do things per day, not a whole long list, although for some people long lists work, but some people the opposite. Three things, what are the most important things I want to get done? And thinking also in the way of ABC? What is the A plan I have for today? What is the absolute maximum I want to do is the A, What is the B plan to the A plan in case that plan doesn't work out in case of yoga, for instance, if I want to do an hour, fine. If I don't have an hour, 30 minutes will be my bait B plan. And the C plan, what if the A plan doesn't work, the B plan does work what I'm still happy with doing the C plan, for example, 15 minutes or going for a walk for half an hour. And I'm still feel happy and achieved that day. And you can apply it to anything that ABC success plan does wonders.

Shivani Gupta

I love that. That's such a great tip. For our listeners. I love that because it also takes that stress away to go, somehow, like I've failed. If I haven't done the hour I have failed. Or if I haven't meditated like I get people going - oh my gosh Shivani, I've tried meditating. It didn't work. And I said yeah, but meditating is a little bit like learning how to walk right? When you learn how to walk and you fall over, you don't then go that's it, I'm going to give it up. And I'm never going to walk again. You still have to keep going back. And there's no such thing as about meditation. I love the B plan, you know, sometimes – you go okay that should only be I’m happy with 20 minutes if you can't get to that. But I also love that if the baseline doesn't right, have a C plan, they'll tell you that's gold. That's a really, really, really great share.

And tell us more about the work you do with individuals and businesses. And then, tell us a bit more about your work, some of the work that you do with individuals and businesses. But then also tell us about where people can find you and connect with you with the best places.

Natalya Berdikyan

Perfect. So, I normally start with 360 leadership assessment with individuals. It's a very unique tool. And it's one of the top three tools to be used in organizations and leaders. And it measures energy which is quite unique energy and consciousness, leadership ability, potential and all of that. So, it really shows to people where they are at on a good day in terms of how they show up how they experience what they go to behaviors and under stress as we tend to behave and feel quite different under stress. And at the same time, it gives a real 360 view of how are we showing up in terms of our leadership competencies and by leadership. I mean, I start with self-leadership, because if we can't lead ourselves, how can we lead others.

So, it really gives a 360 view, not only the individual assessing themselves on all of these competencies, but also their family, friends, their direct reports, their peers, clients and what not. So, it's a real 360. So, when I experienced people that have self-doubts, for instance, that report really shows them that how do other people perceive because sometimes we have a different perception of ourselves, versus how the world sees us.

So from there on, I take them on the coaching journey, and they become more of a their guide on to take where they want to go, and what is standing in between, because a lot of people are facing a lot of limiting beliefs, a lot of fears, you know, all these baggage that we bring with us, from our past, from our society, from our childhood, expectations of others and ourselves, and it's quite heavy. And we work through a lot of that what is influencing their energy, their potential, their power, and how to get to the place of moving from struggle and pain and difficulties and challenges and frustrations to the place of peace, fulfillment, joy, their total power, and potential. And that's a beautiful journey, as they can do it for themselves. They can also do it for their teams and their families. And that's transformational. And because I work holistically with a person, it's not just a business, or their leadership skills, you know, where holistic people, one doesn't work in isolation with the other we spoke a lot about health just now, the wellbeing everything is connected. So, it's not just cognitive work, but connecting it down to the body and increasing our abilities, to listen to our bodies, to feel to feel better, to bring those practices into life that increase our health routines. And the more well we feel, the more connected we feel, the more the better we can show up leads, and just enjoy our life and experiences.

Shivani Gupta

Amazing. That's amazing. I know we spoke about that 360 that's just such a great tool and being able to have a look at that. And if people want to find you Natalya, where's the best place? Is it a website or LinkedIn? What platforms can we find you on? If people want to connect with you?

Natalya Berdikyan

So, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, it's Natalya Berdikyan, just my name and then there is a website https://www.lifebydesign-academy.com/about-natalya . You have all the information there, you can connect, schedule a call, be happy to support and talk anytime.

Shivani Gupta

That’s incredible, been such a pleasure having you today Natalya. Thank you so much for getting up super early in Barcelona and joining us.

Natalya Berdikyan

Thank you so much and look forward to seeing in Barcelona again or any place around the world.

Shivani Gupta

Absolutely.