8 Questions with Amina AlTai
Amina AlTai is a holistic business coach based in NYC. Read on to learn how she cares for herself and helps others navigate their work.
1. Favorite wellness beverage? Ooh, such a good question. I just got back to NYC from California where “tonics” were all the rage. They’re basically adaptogenic beverages you can make hot or cold. Torii labs has a great pre-made one. The other thing I’m currently obsessed with is Kin Euphorics. I’m not a drinker and I usually bring my own kombucha to parties for a nice alternative. It’s non-alcoholic and elevates your mood.
2. Favorite place in NYC? I’d be lying if I didn’t say my home. The Wing is a close second though.
3. Describe your work in one sentence. I’m a holistic business coach who looks at resistance in our minds, bodies (they send us messages too!), and businesses to make work feel freaking amazing.
4. You haven’t always loved your work. What was the lowest low in your career? Honestly, I’ve had more than one low point. Two really stand out though. The first one was when I was 27 and I’d been running a marketing agency for about 5 years. I was really sick, felt terrible in the work, had a toxic relationship with my co-founder, and felt like there was no way out. I remember being on my knees by my bedroom window, tears and mascara streaming down my face and just praying to God/The Universe/Spirit to show me the way out of my circumstances. It was rough.
The second low came a few years after I’d moved through that space. I’d started a new corporate wellness business and it wasn’t taking off the way I’d hoped. Again, totally distraught, I hit my knees looking for a miracle. That was the first time in my life that I questioned my existence. I didn’t understand why everything was so hard. But where there is resistance, there’s usually a giant lesson.
In both instances, I found my way out by healing myself. The resistance in both scenarios was pointing to a wound in me, and I’d designed my circumstances to overcompensate for those wounds. The minute I embraced them and shared openly about it, life unfolded very differently.
5. What would you say to someone who hates their job and doesn’t believe it’s possible to change that? Please call me. It is 100% possible to do work that you love and get paid well for it. I’m living proof as are all of my clients and all my coaches. If something doesn’t feel right to you, you’re meant for something bigger. Please don’t waste time squandering your gifts or not telling your story. The world needs them more than ever.
6. What is something you do every day to take care of yourself? My non-negotiable is meditation. I’m a Vedic meditator and this is my one well-necessity I won’t do without. I also prepare 75% of my meals, sleep 8 hours a night, and work out consistently… but those can ebb and flow based on what life sends my way.
7. How do you stay productive and efficient with your work flow? I have a ton of energy, but I listen to that energy. I used to white-knuckle my way through work because I thought I “should” do something or make a particular deadline — but that led me to burning out my adrenals. Nowadays, I follow my energy and intuition. I create when I feel called to, and I rest when I feel I need that too. It’s taken me FOREVER to learn this. I’m the consummate doer and used to derive my self-worth from what I built, but it feels much better to be in flow.
8. How has meditation impacted your life? I can’t even begin to distill this down. The impact that meditation has had on my life is immense. I’m much more responsive and much less reactive. I’m more grounded and certainly more connected to my intuition. I can show up more supportively in my relationships and for my clients. I’m keenly aware of what is mine and what isn’t. Learning Vedic Meditation was the best money I’ve spent on a course (I’ve been to A LOT!) and has had the furthest reaching impact. I’m extremely grateful for it.
Thanks for sharing with us, Amina!
You can connect with Amina at aminaaltai.com and on Instagram @aminaaltai.