In this very inspirational episode of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, Lindsie sits down with the radiant Natanya Ruth — best-selling author, empowerment coach, and founder of the Feel Free Institute — to explore what it truly means to live a soul-led life. Natanya opens up about her 15-year journey from burned-out classroom teacher to six-figure entrepreneur, retreat leader, and transformational guide. Through powerful stories of self-discovery, spiritual awakening, and courageous reinvention, Natanya shares how meditation, yoga, and breathwork helped her dissolve limiting beliefs and step into full self-expression. Together, she and Lindsie unpack themes of identity, generational healing, and the importance of following your creative impulses — even when no one else understands your path. Listeners will walk away feeling inspired to trust their intuition, embrace their evolution, and remember that who they are and what they want truly matters.
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(0:00) I realized all of my limiting beliefs and my inner criticism were keeping me small and that I (0:07) wasn't really doing anyone a favor by not fully expressing myself, you know, and the yoga teacher (0:15) training helped me come to that awareness through meditation and then I went to Bali and deepened (0:21) my practices with breathwork and ecstatic dance, kundalini yoga, and I also just got to see how (0:30) people out there were doing more of retreats and digital nomad lifestyles and creating, you know, (0:38) how they served on the planet and I was like, why, why can't I do that? And so I came back (0:45) to my teaching job and I knew inside like, okay, this is my last year and, and it worked out.
(0:55) Welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, Nourish, Heal, Thrive. I'm your host, Lindsay, (1:02) and today's episode is truly one for the soul.I'm joined by the radiant Natanya Ruth, (1:08) a bestselling author, empowerment coach, ceremonialist, and founder of the Feel Free (1:12) Institute. Natanya's journey is one of incredible transformation from a burnt out classroom teacher (1:19) to a six-figure soul-led entrepreneur, guiding others to live, lead, and create from purpose. (1:26) Through her retreats in Bali, Costa Rica, and Sedona, and her signature soul-led entrepreneur (1:31) accelerator, she helps women reconnect with their inner wisdom, trust life, and expand into the (1:37) freedom they've always desired.In this conversation, we explore what it means to outgrow old stories, (1:43) to find your authentic voice, and to step into your purpose with courage, (1:48) even when it doesn't fit the traditional mold. Natanya shares her powerful journey of breaking (1:54) free from societal expectations, creating a business that nourishes both soul and body, (1:59) and leading others to do the same. As a reminder, the content shared here on PCOS Unfiltered is for (2:06) informational and educational purposes only.The views and opinions expressed by the host and guest (2:12) are not intended to serve as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare (2:16) professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan.
(2:22) The information shared is based on personal experience and expert interviews and is not (2:27) a substitute for professional medical guidance.Now, grab your tea, take a deep breath, and get (2:33) ready to be inspired by Natanya's story of alignment, expansion, and liberation. (2:44) Hello, welcome. I am super excited to have Natanya here.Welcome, welcome. (2:50) Thank you so much, Lindsay. This is such an awesome opportunity.Thank you for having me. (2:55) Yes. So, let's kind of start with just a fun, get to know you question.I love this. (3:02) What makes you smile? What just always makes you smile?
(3:07) You know, lately, the thing that makes me smile the most is having long, slow mornings. You know, (3:17) when I was a classroom teacher years ago, it was just constant, like, rush, early mornings, (3:23) taking, you know, two subways and a bus to work and all these things, right? And now that I've (3:30) working for myself for the past 10 years, I just really get to have these long, luxurious mornings (3:37) where, you know, I wake up sometimes without an alarm and do my morning practice and card pulls (3:45) and meditate and, you know, be with my little dog.And I get to start my day leisurely. Like, (3:54) I get to ease into it. And I try to, you know, stack my schedule later on.But (3:58) it really just feels so gratifying to create my schedule and to really just sink into the, (4:06) yeah, pleasure of an easy morning. So, lovely. It makes me happy.It, like, (4:13) it really gives me that other kind of indicator that my life is different. (4:17) Yeah. Yeah.I love that. I can definitely relate to that, for sure. Like, unless I'm (4:22) training for something, like, I just did a half marathon.And, you know, like, wow, (4:28) like, dedication, right? Like, getting up most mornings, getting in, like, runs and, (4:33) but then I love when I can not set an alarm and just wake up to the sun and enjoy, like you said, (4:41) a nice little morning. So, I appreciate that. So, you kind of mentioned that you were a teacher.
(4:47) So, what led you to leave your 15-year classroom teaching career and to now become (4:56) a soul-led business mentor, empowerment coach, retreat guide, and best-selling author? (5:03) Wow. Yeah. It is truly a long story, but I will do what I can to give you a bit of an (5:10) abridged version.You know, I grew up with my mom who was a librarian. My father was a rabbi. He (5:20) just retired not that long ago.And, you know, I had a long line of teachers and nurses in my family (5:30) lineage. And from a very early age, I learned, you know, you need to have a career that makes (5:38) you money, that creates consistency in your life, right? Who among us didn't receive this (5:43) programming? And for a long time when I was young, I really wanted to be an artist. I (5:50) loved theater.I loved movement. I loved creative expression. And I was told many times, you know, (5:58) no, like, that's a hobby.That's not a way to support yourself. And so, I learned pretty early (6:07) that my instincts were not right, in a way. At least that's what I made it mean when I was young.(6:14) You know, like, oh, what I truly want isn't important. And it's more important to do the (6:21) thing that is responsible and to please the adults around me. Yeah.And I know I'm not alone in (6:30) learning these messages. And I also know that the adults in my life were just doing their best, (6:35) right? You know, coming from my mom survived World War II, you know, it was like, (6:42) you need to survive. Like, get it together, you know? And so, I really kind of like half-heartedly (6:51) went into studying to be a teacher, you know, because I was like, okay, this is the way I can (6:57) weave together my creative aspirations and, you know, get my summers off.And like, you know, (7:05) this makes sense. And I can, like, make it work. And, you know, and so, I did it.Like, (7:12) I went into middle school. I started doing directing school plays for a while. I actually (7:18) got the school where I taught to fund me to go study theater, which was great one summer.
(7:25) But I just kept feeling like I was kind of sleepwalking through my life. Like, (7:32) there wasn't this like, I'm all in, I'm passionate. It was like, I'm doing this because (7:38) I'm supposed to.And somewhere in 2008, I got out of a relationship that wasn't working (7:49) that I had been in for maybe too long and got that big aha, like, oh, this is my time to (7:57) live my life out loud and do all these things that I've always wanted to do. (8:01) So, I actually left my teaching job at the time and moved to Europe for two years (8:07) and studied theater in Europe and taught ESL as a way to make money, English as a second language, (8:14) and was nannying and all the things. And it was fantastic because I put myself (8:21) out into these things that I had always wanted to do from a young age.
(8:25) But Europe also kind of handed my ass to me in a way, like, the theater scene there is very (8:33) competitive. And that was like a very humbling experience. I'm so glad I did it because I (8:41) really learned how to have that grit and determination and how to keep going even (8:47) in the face of a lot of criticism.But when I came back from that experience after two years, (8:53) I went right back to teaching. Like, I was like, okay, I put myself out there, (8:58) I got my ass handed to me, time to contract back to my safe place with the teaching. (9:05) So, I went back to teaching.And again, it was the same thing. Like, okay, I'm doing the things, (9:12) I'm making this work, but there's this part of me that's not feeling expressed. (9:18) And I actually at that time ended up teaching in New York City and was at a private Jewish school.(9:26) So, it was quite conservative. I had to, like, cover up and wear long sleeves and skirts and (9:33) all the things. And it was like, it just felt even more restrictive.You know what I mean? Like, (9:42) being in this role that wasn't me and also, like, covering up and also doing these insane (9:48) commutes, like I was saying, the two subways and a bus each way and all the things. (9:54) Oh, my gosh.
(9:54) You know, it's just like... And so, I was like, okay, here I am again.(9:58) I'm not feeling fulfilled or expressed. I'm feeling even more repressed. Something needs (10:04) to change.And I started using my long commutes as a way to listen to inspiring talks. You know, (10:13) Michael Berner Beckwith, who is a minister of agape in California. Who else? Muji, (10:23) different spiritual teachers, Abraham Hicks, you know, Tony Robbins, Marie Forleo.I just was like, (10:31) okay, I'm going to use my long commute as a way to fill myself up with inspiration. And I was (10:38) literally in a space of, like, I'm going to brainwash myself to know that something else (10:43) is possible here. And after about a year of doing that and teaching at this school, (10:52) I realized, you know, one of the things that always made me happy was yoga.My grandmother (10:56) taught me yoga when I was little. And I decided to get certified in yoga. And I used my summer off (11:04) to go to Thailand and spend the summer in Southeast Asia and train in yoga.You know, (11:10) I'm so grateful I had my teaching job to support me to do that. And from there, (11:17) I just had a total awakening. You know, I realized all of my limiting beliefs and my (11:26) inner criticism were keeping me small, and that I wasn't really doing anyone a favor by not fully (11:35) expressing myself, you know.And the yoga teacher training helped me come to that awareness through (11:40) meditation. And then I went to Bali and deepened my practices with breath work and ecstatic dance, (11:49) kundalini yoga. And I also just got to see how people out there were doing more of (11:55) retreats and digital nomad lifestyles and creating, you know, how they served on the planet.(12:03) And I was like, why can't I do that? And so I came back to my teaching job, and I knew inside, (12:11) like, okay, this is my last year. And it worked out, you know. The truth is, like, I wasn't a (12:18) fit in that environment anyway.Like, it wasn't me. And my boss, who was a longtime friend of mine, (12:25) we basically had a conversation near the end of that year where it was like, okay, (12:29) you should leave. And I was like, good, yes, I am leaving.And, you know, I was able to get (12:36) unemployment, and I was able to, you know, yeah, just have a nice, easy transition from there. (12:48) And ended up supporting retreats in Thailand after that. Like, just kind of took that as this (12:55) sign that I was meant for something else.And the school where I got certified to teach yoga (13:01) invited me back to support retreats in Thailand. So I spent, like, six months there and just kind of, (13:09) yeah, got my head on around, okay, I can do this. You know, I can create a safe transformational (13:17) space for people.I can run retreats, too. Like, here I am week after week supporting retreats. (13:22) I'm getting all of these codes about what to do next.And I ended up coming all the way back to (13:31) my hometown, reconnecting with my high school sweetheart. We're now married. It's been over (13:39) three years.And I opened a studio here in my hometown in Massachusetts that I ran for five (13:48) years through the pandemic. And then shifted into doing more digital offerings, retreats. (13:55) I've been taking groups to Costa Rica for the past almost ten years.And I've taken groups to (14:01) Thailand, Bali, to, like, these places that created such profound shifts for me. And I run (14:08) facilitator trainings now, yoga teacher trainings, 200- and 300-hour, all the things.
(14:20) Yeah.That's awesome. How's your family now supporting you? (14:24) I mean, that's a fantastic question. You know, I think now that it's been some time that I've (14:36) been on this path, they've accepted it.And my mom has actually come on retreat with me in Costa (14:44) Rica. My dad is always talking to me about how much he, you know, admires and appreciates the (14:52) way I create community. And he really wants to go on retreat.He and his wife have health issues, (14:59) so unfortunately I can't do that. But I experience a lot of acknowledgement overall (15:08) and appreciation. And then, you know, there's a little bit of the, like, (15:14) what does she actually do? Like, they don't really know how to explain what I do.(15:23) They don't necessarily know how to ask about what I do. But there's definitely an appreciation that (15:31) I'm doing things that fill me up and that I'm supporting the community, so. (15:39) Yeah, yeah.I can definitely, I think that's probably why we hit it off.
(15:44) My mind was nursing, but the same thing, you know, it was like, okay, because I was the same way. I (15:49) was like, oh, I'll be either a teacher, a nurse, or a doctor.Like, that was just, you know, (15:55) Midwest town and kind of just, like, never imagined I'd be doing what I'm doing today. (16:02) But it was, yeah, it was like, okay, you're going to support yourself this way. And here's all the (16:06) standard career paths to do it.So to kind of get out of that mentality. And then same thing, yeah, (16:14) I think my family's about the same way. Like, my dad, you know, he heard I was writing a book, (16:20) but like, I still don't think he understands the, you know, just understands it all.So, yeah. (16:28) Yeah. And it's, you know, one of the things that I keep learning is just, I have to have so much (16:33) love and compassion for, you know, these generations that came before us and what they (16:37) navigated and, you know, how it shaped what they thought was possible, you know, what they thought (16:43) was safe, right? It's like, as my aunt used to say, you know, they're just doing their poor best.
(16:49) And, you know, there's no, there's no blame or shame. It's just like, okay, these are the lessons, (16:55) right? And if they, maybe if they hadn't been that way, perhaps I wouldn't have found my way (17:02) into this path, right? You never know, right? That's, yeah, that's exactly it. Like, I'm so (17:07) thankful though, that I chose that path because I don't think I'd be here and be doing what I (17:13) do today without that.So that was definitely in the cards either way. Right. Absolutely.Yeah. (17:21) And I feel like, and I feel like teaching and all the work I did with curriculum and (17:26) working with different populations, that's continues to inform so much, right? Of what I do.
(17:32) Yeah.Yeah. So what, I love this next question. What are some of the stories that you've told (17:39) yourself that you've now outgrown? Yeah.You know, this is something I keep visiting and I'm also (17:48) like revisiting a lot with my clients. Cause I work a lot with clients who are wanting to (17:53) create their own business or wanting to, they've already started a business, but they're trying to (17:59) figure out the way to take it to the next level. And you know, this entrepreneurial path is one of (18:07) just personal evolution and devotion.And one of the stories I think that I was telling myself, (18:16) I didn't even realize was, you know, what you want doesn't matter. And now coming into this messaging, (18:25) one of my sort of mantras or affirmations is who you are and what you want matters, you know? And (18:34) if you're called to share something that has value and you don't even know the impact of (18:42) you writing a book or you being on podcasts or you offering trainings or taking people on retreat, (18:50) it's like sometimes we have these creative impulses, but that's as far as they go. (18:57) Because there's that old defeatist programming like, oh, it doesn't matter.No one's going to (19:03) care. Why am I even doing this? Yeah. Right.And then there's that, for me, this like recommitment (19:10) that has to come in. Who you are, what you want matters. And another sort of teaching or (19:17) reprogramming is like, who am I to stand in the way of the creative impulses that want to come (19:24) through me? You know, because again, I don't know how what I'm saying or what I'm doing is going to (19:34) affect others.And I've noticed as I've continued on this journey of writing my book and creating (19:43) retreats and coming out from behind some of the modalities like yoga, Reiki, breathwork, (19:51) and actually starting to share my story like in this space, you know, there's that edge of, (19:59) like, I don't want to show myself or like, you know, who's going to care whatever those stories (20:06) are that I had from the past. And it's like, no, it's important. And I have to keep showing up to (20:15) increasing my visibility.And, you know, I think another piece that supports me in that is feeling (20:25) into the women in particular before me, my mom, my grandmother, who was a big inspiration in my (20:32) life, actually both my grandmothers, my aunt, other women in my life who for whatever reason (20:41) couldn't express their magic, their medicine, their wisdom. And, you know, because of that actually (20:48) went into a space of contraction or stifling. It's like, I feel that much more fueled with purpose (20:57) because not only am I doing what I'm doing for me and for the lives that I hope to support, (21:06) but also to be that mouthpiece for those generations before me who didn't feel like (21:12) they had the esteem or the worthiness or the capacity to share their medicine and their teachings.
(21:19) Yeah, I love that. It's beautiful. Yeah.I mean, it's, yeah, very similar. I'm like, (21:24) I can help just one person, you know, like with this podcast, you know, and that means a lot. (21:31) Yeah.And I just feel like it's, I want to just kind of normalize, like, (21:37) whenever you try to put yourself out there, like you are, like with a podcast or writing your book, (21:42) like you're meeting this growth edge, right? And there's always going to be that contraction, (21:49) like, oh, I don't actually want to do this. And then it's like, okay, what am I saying to (21:53) myself so I can just keep going and growing and yeah, get out of my own way.
(21:58) Yeah.Yeah. I mean, before I started this podcast, like I knew I wanted to do something (22:03) like this, but I kept telling myself it's going to be too hard. And it's, you know, (22:07) like all the things, right.And finally one day I just said, screw it. I'm going to do it. And (22:13) guess what? It was not as hard as I was making it out to be.Yes. (22:18) That's such a profound, that's such a profound teaching too, is like, (22:21) you know, you, you, everything like gets big in your head and then you're like, oh, actually.
(22:27) Yeah.It's not, it's not that big. It was just me, like, (22:30) it was just me plugging this thing in and like downloading this program. Right.(22:36) What a beautiful and empowering conversation with Natanya Ruth. I know you felt that energy (22:42) just listening to her. Her story is such a powerful reminder that it's never too (22:46) late to rewrite your path and live a soul led life.If you're ready to dive deeper into her (22:52) world, you can find details about her upcoming retreats in Costa Rica and Sedona, her soul led (22:58) entrepreneur accelerator and her bestselling book, feel free lessons of a soul led life in (23:03) the show notes below. Be sure to follow her with the links in the show notes as well to learn more (23:08) about her programs retreat and upcoming audio book launch. And if you join one of her retreats, (23:14) don't forget to use the promo code feel free day in all caps for $300 off your experience.
(23:21) Thank you so much for tuning in. If today's conversation resonated with you, (23:26) please share it with a friend who could use this reminder to trust their path (23:29) and follow what lights them up until next time, keep nourishing your body, (23:34) healing your mind and thriving beyond the diagnosis.