Interview with Saraya, founder of “Awaken Community”All images courtesy of Awaken by Saraya
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Are you dreaming of a life change? You don't have to quit your job, pack everything, and take a one-way flight to the farthest destination in the world. Sometimes small daily changes are more effective than big ones. Our lives are becoming so stressful and so disconnected from our real nature that our well-being is often under attack. Mood shifts, poor quality sleep, binge eating, and health issues are strongly connected with our lifestyle. That's why many people are choosing to change their lives, focusing on their daily routine and trying to improve it more healthily. I am one of them, always looking for new inspiration.
A few weeks ago I discovered the Awaken Community, founded by Saraya Van Dreumel, a very talented young lady from the Netherlands, who told me the extremely fascinating story of her new life. Saraya is a certified Holistic Nutrition, Health, and Wellness Coach who has lived and worked in several foreign countries and also has a past in modeling. Her upbringing has a lot in common with mine, so I immediately felt a strong connection with her.
-Saraya, when did you decide to start your new career and new life with Awaken, and why?
-I think it is important to say that my mom was always very into holistic health, healing, and living a simple but healthy life. We all had our own crystal necklaces, vegetable garden, no TV during the day, very active lives, whole foods for dinner, and sleeping in bed when you’re sick. This type of upbringing I now realize has shaped me from the beginning.
I have never been one to sit still in school and study, also because I never really knew what I wanted to do. Earning my own money and modeling in Italy sounded much more fun than deciding what to study.
Throughout the years I have tried to go back to school remotely, but close to the final exams I just stopped, I would come up with an excuse and exit myself from the course. Such a waste if I think about it now, but I was very much affected by imposter syndrome, I would never be good enough. The courses were always related to nutrition funny enough. In the last few years I did manage to bring some courses to an end, but in the end never did anything with the knowledge, was scared of other’s opinions and again the not know and be good enough.
My real turning point was definitely last year, I was working in a very stressful and toxic work environment in Dubai, and when I got back to Dubai after the Christmas holiday, I got called into the office for a meeting and got fired on the spot. I’ve always been praised for my work ethic so this came as a complete shock and for the first few days after hearing the news I internalized it, telling myself I was a failure and had done wrong, this was the proof I needed for so long, right...
Luckily I have an amazing partner, family, and friends on my side who helped me to stop this way of thinking, I was better off this way. I was planning to quit in the next months anyway, it just got fast-tracked a bit now.
As I was put on garden leave (which essentially means that I was paid to stay home for the last weeks of my employment in this place) I started reflecting on what I actually wanted to do with my life, what would make me truly happy. And I already had all these ideas I was just too scared to action them. The year before I had already tried and tested organic ceremonial Matcha teas from around 25 different farms in Japan, the idea for the journal was already there, and the desire to help others create healthier lifestyles holistically was already there. As well as many other ideas which I am still going to keep a secret for now. The first step I took was investing my own money in an accredited course to become a holistic nutrition coach, in the meantime I worked on designing, testing,g and working out the journal, I decided to work on the things that were holding me back by working together with the amazing RTT and Hypnotherapist Elles Ottens. This led me to make decision after decision, step after step, to where I became a certified Holistic Nutrition Coach 6 months later (with all the knowledge I had gathered throughout the years the course was like reading my favorite
novel), one week into my new job I had the Awaken wellness Journal in my hands.
The energy I got from working on all these ideas and getting closer to making them a reality gave me so much joy and energy. I there and then decided that I would for once not back out because of imposter syndrome lingering in the back of my mind and just do it. Worst case scenario? I would be out of some money… so be it.
-When the conflict between Ukraine and Russia started, I had what I think was my first-ever panic attack. This kind of situation scares me a lot because I love life, I absolutely love everything about it, even the bad days I am grateful to live the life I live. I fast-tracked a search to a therapist and went to therapy for a while, however, it was not really my thing. I’ve always been a creature of habits and small routines, but this is when I started to take my start of the day and daily actions much more seriously. It might sound ignorant, but I do not watch the news, I would oftentimes just lose my phone because I was not using it (this, unfortunately, changed when I started working in Dubai where it was required for me to be available 24/7) I would start my mornings before work with intention, making sure I started the day feeling relax and ground, this is when I started incorporating meditation as well, and I started to make journaling a daily habit instead of only when I felt like I really needed it.
-Let’s say we are still pretty much on 0. I am currently finishing my job in Dubai, to move back to Milan at the beginning of February. I decided to for now not to look for a job, and take at least 3 months to fully focus on Awaken, and put in my best efforts to make the brand grow.
The fact of not giving myself an option B here, I think will really help me put my focus where it needs to be. So yes, it is definitely difficult and there is a lot of work and long hours involved that not everybody realizes.
When I launched the journal, I thought it would sell out on the first day, purely based on how much I believed and still believe in the quality and power of this product… You’ve probably seen those videos right of people launching their product and directly selling out, this definitely fed into my delusion… I still have more than half of the original stock. And that is okay, slowly but surely.
-How did you improve your knowledge
and learn new skills?
-Never stop learning and informing yourself. Knowledge is power, as well as curiosity.
I love platforms like YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, and Domestika. I am always learning something new or doing some type of course. A couple of years back I learned coding, and then on the search for a creative hobby I learned to crochet, embroider, and punch needle.
-There have been many throughout the years.
The most recent ones are Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach and breathwork Instructor, and currently, I am following a Meditation instructor course and expanding my studies as a holistic coach.
-My clients are women between 21 and late 30s based in Europe.
-By providing information about wellness, nutrition, holistic health, and mindfulness. By creating products and tools that help promote self-care, slowing down, being present, and personal growth.
Creating a supportive community where meaningful and long-lasting connections, together with new experiences can be made, I feel is something that the younger generation and I crave.
Social connections are not for nothing one of the wellness pillars.
-What’s the most difficult part of
your job?
-Finding customers, and understanding the social media game.
-Getting feedback from people who have used Awaken’s product or after coaching sessions, meeting amazing women along the way, and learning so much. As well as using products every day that I have created myself.
-In 2025 there will be moments to learn, experience, and build meaningful connections.
Thank you Saraya, your story is a breath of fresh air for all the people who want to improve their lives!
Saraya is not only the founder of an online community but also the creator of Awaken Matcha, the highest-quality Ceremonial Grade Organic Matcha Powder, and the Awaken Wellness Journal, a diary and extraordinary companion for a life-changing journey.
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