We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tanya Edwards . Check out our conversation below.
Tanya , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Who are you learning from right now?
Who am I learning from right now?
Right now, I am learning from me, both the woman I am becoming and the woman I have always been. For years, parts of me were quieted under the weight of being a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, a coach, and a confidant. In showing up for everyone else, I sometimes lost sight of the parts of myself that needed my own care, curiosity, and celebration. Now, I’m intentionally listening to my own voice again, unlearning the belief that pausing means falling behind, and relearning the truth that simplicity often leads to the most powerful leaps forward.
I’m discovering that it’s more than okay to pivot even if that means pressing pause on all things familiar in the moment or shifting the path of a business I once poured myself into. Every pivot has been a way of reclaiming my freedom to choose differently. This season of my life has reminded me that it’s never too late to find, or even redefine, your purpose.
By learning from myself, I’ve deepened my desire to help others especially those who have been told to keep going at all costs, to access what I once didn’t have in my own seasons of transition: the permission, the space, and the guidance to be still. Through my yoga teaching and curated retreats, I’m building a platform that creates those spaces for black women, while continuing to honor the lessons I’m still learning every day from within.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tanya Edwards-Griffin. I’m so excited to share this new chapter with those who get it and reintroduce myself.
As a wellness curator and former interior designer of (Lotus Designs), I built a career creating soulful sanctuaries in the heart of the home. But then life handed me a few plot twists, a graceful divorce, the wild magic of motherhood, and the unpredictable ride of 18 yrs of entrepreneurship.
During the pandemic, design work came to a halt, but what opened up was a deeper calling. With the stillness, I had no choice but to turn inward and really sit with all the missing pieces I had been ignoring pieces that mirrored what so many of my clients were quietly experiencing too. There was this gray area: the tension between the polished public image and the silent struggle of who they truly needed to be.
In that pause, I began asking myself harder questions and realized that the external “blueprints” I was used to creating were only part of the picture. Becoming a yoga instructor gave me a new blueprint, one that turned inward. It allowed me to heal, to reconnect, and ultimately to recognize my true purpose: helping others design their inner sanctuary just as carefully as they shape their outer one.
That journey led me to create Pavitra Wellbeing a soulful, immersive retreat experience for women of color that hold and do everything for everyone except themselves
The woman who is ready to P.A.U.S.E the hustle, reconnect to what really matters, and restore their energy from the inside out.
This isn’t just a wellness retreat, it’s a vibrant return to self, and I can’t wait to welcome you in.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that shaped how I see the world.
Looking back over my life, one of the clearest through-lines comes from watching my father. He was a high performer, a career in law enforcement, an entrepreneur owned a business, a husband and a man raising three daughters, always on, always delivering for his clients and community. To the outside world, he was the definition of success. But I also saw the other side: the quiet toll of carrying so much with no outlet to be vulnerable or heard.
Even before I had the words for it, I understood the duality of achievement, how someone can be celebrated publicly while struggling privately wearing the mask of success.
That awareness has shaped not just how I see the world, but the work I’ve chosen to do. It’s why I create spaces where high performers can set it all down, even for a moment. Spaces where they can be vulnerable, receive care, and exist without the weight of anyone’s expectations but their own.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say to my younger self, stop being shy, you are beautiful, just the way you are, tall lanky with beautiful long legs and the world needs to hear your gift. May I give you a hug?
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe every Black woman deserves rest without the guilt that so often comes with caring for herself. For too long, we’ve been told to keep going, be strong and to put ourselves last. I’m committed to changing that narrative by creating a sanctuary space where Black women can lay that weight down and truly restore themselves.
I’m committed to creating a mini farm that becomes a true gathering place for my family and friends, a space where we support one another, share knowledge, and grow together. It will be more than food in the ground; it will be a safe, nourishing refuge where we can reconnect with the earth, move, rest, laugh, and break bread together. A place where our cups are refilled and we leave lighter, stronger, and more rooted in each other. No matter how long it takes, I’m building it for us, and for all who are connected to me.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
A woman who brought two beings into this world and raised them to know their heritage and value, how to move through life with kindness, and integrity. What would remain is a caring spirit that’s wandered the earth, collecting experiences and stories, and leaving little gems of wisdom with everyone I meet. I’d be laughing, loving, and reminding folks that life’s too short not to be authentic and loving with each other.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pavitrawellbeing
