Nastya Swan: The Daily Mindfulness Routine That Fuels High-Performance Modeling and Self-Care

At times it feels like wellness or elevating one’s well being, is diametrically opposed to high achievement and high performance in one’s career. The stress, mental energy, long hours, lack of restful sleep and preoccupation that result from a high-achievement life seem to directly inhibit wellness. And yet, in order to sustain the creativity, flexibility, mental acuity and resilience that are necessary for high performance, wellness and wellbeing of the mind, body and soul are also mandatory. So how do we achieve both? This is the question I’m hoping to answer through conversations with high-achieving leaders and influencers who are practicing their own philosophies about how to maintain their wellbeing.

As a part of our series about “Social Media Influencers Share Their Top Self Care, Wellness, and Beauty Tips, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nastya Swan.

Nastya Swan is a New York City based Fashion Model & Influencer. Nastya moved to New York when she was sixteen. To date, she has worked for brands including Maybelline, Tommy Hilfiger, D&G, L’Oreal and more. On Instagram she has accumulated over 800,000 Followers where she continually ccollaborates with brands.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory of how you came upon this career path and to where you are today?

I started my career at 16–17 years old when I moved to the US alone. I had to grow up quickly.

I started modeling back then and then transitioned into fashion and wellness influencer. I have a strong community of younger women who are so beautiful and motivated to become the best version of themselves.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am very grateful for my mom, who is my biggest inspiration. She is so soft and kind but at the same time so strong inside. She is always there for me with the most perfect advice. My biggest support.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

When I just started going into modeling castings I used to be so scared and nervous. I used to almost forget my name when I would walk in. The lesson I learned is that you should never be afraid or scared to be who you really are. People will try to change you all the time and tell you what’s writ with you. Believe your self and in yourself only.

As an influencer, you have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. In fact, perhaps most people who tried to follow a career path like yours did not succeed. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

You never fail. Every time something doesn’t go right or the way you planned just try different way or path to the same goal. Don’t ever give up. Give yourself some time to heal and try again and again and again. Universe is not blind it’s always on your side.

Can you share with our readers some of the strategies you’ve used to build an engaged, loyal, and large online community?

I’m being real as much as I can. I share my positive moments and my sad moments. Internet is full of fake people and stories. Be real and you will attract real people who will support you and love you.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. In my work, I focus on how one can thrive and care for oneself in three areas: body, mind, and heart. You are a busy person with a demanding schedule, can you share with our readers two self-care routines, practices or treatments that help your body thrive?

Yes! I would love to. Mindfulness is my main focus throughout the day. I don’t spend a day without meditation. I meditate Every morning and night.

Meditation has changed my life. I start my day with 30 min meditation and then 30 mins of yoga. Yoga is another thing I fell in love with this year. It grounds you and brings you to the present moment.

After this 1 hour of practice you feel so calm, happy and grateful for the day ahead.

And of course healthy meal plan changed everything the food that you put inside of your body plays a huge role on your mood and wellbeing people underestimate the importance of a healthy diet.

And of course stress. Reduce stress in your life.

Can you share with us two routines that you use to help your mind or heart to thrive?

As I said yoga and meditation in the morning.

30 mins of vinyasa yoga and 30 mins of meditation and affirmations.

Can you help articulate why self-care is so important for your mental wellness?

Everything comes from within. Your inner world is reflection of your reality. Self care is everyday work not just one day it’s everyday you do affirmations and meditation.

Self care is important and not selfish because you learn to take care of the most important person you.

Can you share five ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”?

To feel beautiful you should:

1. Embrace your “weirdness” your real self your character. You are beautiful when you are relaxed and your true self.
2. Be kind to yourself and others. Kindness makes you instantly beautiful and attractive.
3. Create a routine and stick to it. Discipline will make you more confident and confidence is beautiful.
4. Turn off negative self talk. Just stop it at any times. It doesn’t serve you in any shape of form. Talk to yourself with love. When you love yourself you feel beautiful.
5. Smile more.

Is there a particular resource, a practitioner, expert, book, or podcast that made a significant impact on you and helped you to thrive? Can you share a story about that with us?

Yes, so many resources and people help me on my way.

Books:

Limitless Jim quick

12 lessons of life Jordan Peterson

Can’t hurt me David goggins

The slight edge Jeff Olson

Soho all his books

Podcasts for health and wellness:

Max Lugavere health and nutrition podcast

Tom Bilye my absolute favorite and mentor

Dr Gundry health advice and lifestyle tips

Emma Chamberlain

Meditations

Calm app

Insight app

As an influencer, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I want to help millions of girls to have healthy relationships with food. I want to teach girls to stop starving and abusing their body. I want with my own example show them that YOU HAVE to love your self and your body. It’s precious. it’s mental it starts with peace inside. U deserve to be happy now at this moment the way you are. You don’t need to constantly change yourself. By changing your mindset you will change your life. That’s what I teach in my online courses.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you’d like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this. :-)

I would love to have breakfast with Tom Bilye or Jordan Peterson. Their discipline and confidence is unshakable and absolutely inspiring. I would ask them the most important question’s because I’m 21 “what advice would you give to your 21 self?”

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

@nastyaswan on all the platforms and my website nastyaswan.com for my online courses

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Beatrice Mag UK

Give us an insight into your childhood and early beginnings.

I lived in Russia in Chelyabinsk. I had a very sweet and great childhood. I was always very creative. I loved performing on stage, dance and paint. Then at the age of 13 all my focus and creativity went to YouTube. I started a YouTube channel and fell in love with the process of creating videos. Connecting with people around the world and getting support from thousands of people became my biggest inspiration. Then I moved to nyc at the age of 16 and started my modeling and influencer career. And now I’m so grateful for all the opportunities, people and work with my dream brands along the way.

You have a substantial Instagram following of over 800,000. When did you start your Instagram & how did you grow it over the years?

I started my Instagram as a teenager and grew it organically through sharing my life. Also my YouTube channel helped me. Now I started tiktok and people discover me there as well from all around the world

How exactly do you conceptualise and execute your excellently curated Instagram feed?

Oh no it’s absolutely not excellent or perfect. It used to be tho. I used to worry about the way picture look together in the feed but not anymore. Now I’m just trying to be as real as possible. Real organic and true to myself. I post everything so people can see that I’m a real human and they can relate.

As a female entrepreneur & Influencer living in New York City. What is it that keeps you motivated on a daily basis?

NYC itself is a pure motivation. This city moves so fast it won’t let you be lazy. In order to live there you have to hustle. You see all the opportunities and people there so you want to work hard to afford the same life. At least that’s how I feel. City of spontaneous events and people you never know who you can meet there. It’s a tough place but it’s worth it. The energy of the city is just addictive. You can find anything you want there.

Lastly, what’s next in line for Nastya Swan?

I am launching my wellness courses next month for women to help them become the best version of them self. Meditations, workouts and self help videos. How my course is different? It’s based on self love and teaches you to love yourself to the core. I don’t want you to change I don’t want you to follow string diets and workout to loose weight. I want you to believe in yourself, you body and finally become the best healthiest happiest version of you through changing your mindset.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher, and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness, and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.