Meet Andrea Olatunji | Author, Yoga Instructor, Retreat Host, Wife & Mom of 4

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Olatunji and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Consistency over intensity. That has been my guiding habit. As a mom of four, life rarely moves in a straight line- but showing up, even imperfectly, made all the difference. Whether it was waking up before the kids for quiet time, writing a few paragraphs before school runs, editing a page or paragraph between carpool runs, or rolling out my mat for a ten minute hiit, yoga or a quick mile around the block instead of the pre planned 60 minutes-those small repeated actions built the life I wanted.
Another habit that’s anchored me is self- reflection. Through journaling, meditation, and even just quiet pause to pray at the end of a chaotic day, I have learned to listen to my inner voice. That’s where clarity lives. That’s where the pivot starts.
The latest habit that have increased my capacity for joy is constantly releasing expectations and embracing reality. Just yesterday, I picked out beautiful coordinated dresses for my girls for Easter, they instead chose jeans and t-shirt that made them feel comfortable. Success, here even in our daily lives is to release what I preferred to what is. The option was to make them wear what I preferred and risk losing the meaning of the day, instead I embraced the change. No need to match like we did last year. Embrace change.
And finally-community. I make it a habit to surround myself with women who remind me of who I am when I forget. I ask for help. I also surround myself with women I help. I celebrate others and I celebrate myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is helping women remember who they are. Through words, movement and intentional space. I guide women to reconnect with the inner power and pivot into the life they were born to live. Whether I am teaching yoga, hosting retreats, my work is about transformation- not from broken to whole, but from hidden to fully seen. The Pivot Blueprint isn’t just a book- it’s a movement. It’s a mirror. It’s a call to rise.

What sets me apart?
I live what I teach. I have had to pivot again and again- through motherhood, marriage, burnout, identity shift and dreams deferred. I don’t speak in theory; I speak from lived experience. And I bring all of me to the table- faith, humor, wisdom, vulnerability. I believe in wholeness and I love every woman to feel whole all through their life journey either on their mountaintop or their valley deep.

What am I most proud of and most excited about?
I am most proud of the woman I have become. Writing The Pivot Blueprint molded me in a unique way. I, too had to pivot in my thoughts and made a decision to hold space for others especially in the middle of strong life situations. Holding space for others with integrity, love and purpose in retreats, yoga, mothering and community helped me to embrace the changes of life and truly experience the unbothered life that I craved.
I am excited for future projects that continues to inspire. I am excited for retreats that exposes women to joy and brilliance. But mostly, I am excited to keep surprising myself. There is more in me, and I can feel it.

How did I get to where I am?
One step at a time.
One breath at a time.
One pivot at a time.
Saying yes to opportunities that scare me.
Saying no to things that drain me.
Yoga teacher training is a YES that transformed me.

How do I overcome challenges? What lessons am I learning along the way?
I have learned not to avoid the fire- I learned how to stand in it and let it refine me. “what should I learn from this?” is a question that exposes me to me. Most times I need to do nothing about a difficult moment but breathe and get enough rest. Rest is a superpower that brings clarity.
Clarity also comes from movement, not waiting. Find a rhythm of rest (to gain Clarity) and movement (to guide the path of your pivot).
‘Pivot is not failure- it’s wisdom in motion.

What do I want the world to know about The Pivot Blueprint?
Top 3.
1. It’s never too late to become the boldest version of yourself.
2. Build your life foundation on something bigger than you. Be true to the still small voice within you. Humans will change their minds about you. God is constant. Lean in.
3. Give yourself permission to pause, pivot and rise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We will start with sunrise yoga at Ignyte Yoga Studio- my home studio and a sacred space for grounding and community.
After class, we will grab matcha or a smoothie from Clean Juice. If the kids are well tucked away, we can take a long, unhurried walk through Arbor Hills Nature Preserve and catch up on all the events of life and what’s next.
Daytime adventures for some luxe window shopping at the Legacy West and a long lunch at Haywire.
Grab dinner at rooftop at The Monarch in Dallas. A girl can dream right. In my dream I am not tired and I have some energy left over for a stroll in the Dallas museum of Arts or the Yoruba Cultural Center.
On the weekends, we would be warriors- indulge in a sculpt/yoga class, brunch and a Sunday service to center us and reset for the week.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, God. My faith has been the foundation. God is my unwavering source of strength and clarity. My faith has been my compass- a relationship that has been there. Trusted and True.
Second, Family. My husband’s steady belief in me, my children who unknowingly sharpened my resilience and refined my priorities and constantly teaching me grit, grace and growth, my sister for her daily opportunity for laughter and joy, my parents who planted the seed of strength early on. My Grandparents and their stories of resilience are often on replay in my mind.
I stand on shoulders of mentors- some I have never met, but who have shaped me deeply. David Goggins, through his raw truth and relentless mindset. Oprah, whose presence and wisdom have guided me since the 1990s. And my dear friend and co- podcaster Linda, whose insight have fueled me in real-time.
Books, podcasts, and conversations have been my classrooms. I am grateful for every voice- known and unknown- that whispered, “keep going”.
Lastly, I credit every past version of myself. The one who dared to pivot instead of quitting. And all the women that tell their stories and keeping the school of life interesting and inspiring.

Website: https://www.ipivotnow.com

Instagram: iam.andreao

Facebook: Andrea Olatunji

Image Credits
Photo Cred: Stan Knight