Tianna Faye Soto is a renowned keynote speaker and mental health educator who travels the globe to educate audiences on workplace wellness, leadership, and women’s empowerment. A wordsmith extraordinaire and fierce science advocate, she makes a compelling case for prioritizing health to foster effective leadership.
Shiwon Oh: Tianna, I love that you strive to blend storytelling and science to empower others. Can you tell us about your personal journey and how your experiences helped shape your career?
Tianna Faye Soto: Thank you! Starting from the very beginning, I grew up in North Carolina in a mixed household. My family is Puerto Rican and Jamaican-Chinese. I was raised to appreciate the creative arts, music, storytelling, diverse cultures, and uplifting others. These forces have always shaped the way I walk through the world—from my professional endeavors to my relationships and even my leadership style. I always want people to feel seen, heard, and genuinely supported, no matter what they are going through. I always say that my work is heart-centered, service-driven, and rooted in empathy.
When I was young, I became fascinated with psychology and studying human nature. I went to college to study psychology and Spanish, where my original plan was to attend a doctoral psychology program and become a practicing psychologist someday. However, I have always been incredibly multi-passionate, and when I graduated from college, I felt like there was more out there to be explored before diving fully into the academic world.
Following graduation, I worked for a mental health nonprofit called To Write Love On Her Arms and also became a certified yoga instructor. Then, I moved to New York City to pursue a master’s program at Columbia University. There, I got an M.A. in clinical and counseling psychology with an emphasis in spirit-mind-body practice. It was a dream! I got to dive deep into positive psychology, lead mindfulness workshops in the on-campus wellness center, and even took a “Psychology at the United Nations” course, which enabled me to learn how to positively influence people on a global scale.
After earning my master’s degree, I worked in a clinical psychology research lab at Columbia University and interned at an outpatient substance abuse treatment center in New York City. During that time, I became curious about working in magazine media. Fast forward, and I left my mental health job to pursue digital media full-time. I eventually went on to become a writer, reporting on health, wellness, fitness, and relationships for publications like Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Well+Good, mindbodygreen, and more. I have also held full-time editor roles at Women’s Health magazine and Elite Daily. It has been amazing getting to combine my background in psychology and wellness with my love for writing to bring science-backed service journalism to the masses.
Over the years through my studies and life experiences, I became especially intrigued by the intersection of science and soul and how I could use storytelling to help people live happier, healthier lives. In 2020, I gave my first official keynote speech to Meta about well-being. An event organizer had found me on LinkedIn—no joke—and invited me to be a part of their event series at the time. From there, my professional speaking career took off. I never expected it, and I certainly didn’t set out to become a professional speaker for a living—but I love it immensely. (I also like to think that growing up as a theater kid helped make the transition to the stage a little bit easier.)
Over the past few years, I’ve given 100+ keynote speeches to organizations, universities, and diverse communities around the country, and it’s such an honor to be able to educate and empower people to live happier, healthier lives.
Looking back on my journey, I realize it has been a winding path. However, I believe all of the little “breadcrumbs” in my life and career were leading me to this point. It’s such a treat to get to combine storytelling and science in such a powerful way. I hope it will continue to have a positive impact.
SO: What are some myths about workplace wellness? How would you reframe them?
TFS: This is a great question. For high-achieving professionals who are brand new to wellness conversations, I think there’s a stereotype that workplace wellness makes people less productive at work. For example, some leaders fear their employees will become too relaxed, unmotivated or even “soft.” However, this absolutely isn’t true! When employees are seen, heard, listened to, respected, empowered to do their best work, and given opportunities to care for their mental health and well-being, the benefits are clear. They perform better, more consistently, and they are more likely to actually enjoy what they do, which enhances future motivation and engagement.
Yes, of course you still need to get work done and company goals need to be met—but if your team is burned out, chronically stressed, uncomfortable asking questions or raising concerns, or cynical about the work they’re doing, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to boost motivation and morale overall. (And the quality of everyone’s work will likely suffer, too.) Open communication, balance, and psychological safety are paramount. All this to say, I’d reframe the idea that workplace wellness makes people “too relaxed” or unmotivated in some way. In fact, wellness enhances our ability to show up fully at work—and will probably make professionals more engaged in the long run.
Another myth is that workplace wellness equals fun perks in the office. As wonderful as pizza parties, ping pong tables, and even the fancy in-office gym can be, workplace wellness is about more than offering a few perks a quarter. It’s about company culture, how people are being led in the day-to-day, and how team members feel showing up to work every day. You can provide all of the fun stuff in the office, but there are still many systemic issues that need our attention in order for people to feel more engaged and valued at work.
I’d encourage people to reframe the myth by asking:
As you can see, there’s a lot more that goes into workplace wellness than providing nice products or one-off events. I’d also reframe by reminding leaders that the onus shouldn’t just be on the employee to practice self-care—wellness is a team effort that requires change and commitment at every level. (i.e. You can give everyone a subscription for a mindfulness app, but if the actual office, work environment, leadership, team, and company culture doesn’t change, how much will they actually benefit at the end of the day?)
Finally, as a mental health educator, one major myth I’d like to reframe is that mental health conversations don’t belong at work. In fact, the opposite is true: If you don’t pay attention to mental health at work, it can cost your organization in terms of engagement, retention, job satisfaction, and long-term well-being. There’s a misconception that talking about mental health (and even your emotions!) can be unprofessional, and that admitting to struggling makes a person “weak” in some way, or that mental health is something to be dealt with privately. I totally understand that mental health is a personal topic for many people, and not everyone is comfortable discussing their personal mental health journeys—nor should they feel pressured to, whether at work or otherwise! However, it can go a long way to start normalizing mental health conversations and helping your teammates and employees realize that their emotional well-being is just as important as physical health.
As an example of this, I’ve been in workplaces before where team leaders have been open about taking or offering “mental health days”—or they even have a standing appointment on their calendar for a virtual therapy session during which they’ll be offline. Even talking about things like this can help others realize, “Oh wait, I deserve to take care of my mental health and well-being, too.” Other ways to destigmatize mental health at work and reframe the myth that it should be hidden: offer access to counseling, encourage flexible hours if possible, equip leaders with mental health education, help teams recognize early signs of burnout, and work toward creating a culture of empathy.
SO: Why should women prioritize wellness in their leadership?
TFS: Women should prioritize wellness in their leadership because when we feel good, we do good.
Historically, women have taken on a number of responsibilities both at home and at work, which has resulted in many women feeling exhausted, burned out, and disconnected from their work—and themselves. Of course, gender experiences are not one-size-fits-all, but if we look at the working world broadly, there’s important context to keep in mind when it comes to women’s experiences. Women are battling systemic issues like pay disparities, discrimination, and even taking on “invisible work” at their jobs which is often unpaid and unrecognized. When you’re a leader, it’s very easy to fall into patterns of showing up for your team and everybody else around you, but not showing up for yourself. This is something I see with a lot of high-achievers, parents, caregivers, and women in general. But as the old saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” To that end, it’s paramount that women prioritize wellness in their leadership so that we can show up happier and healthier at work and in life.
When women show up to work healthy and aligned in mind, body, and dare I say soul, they will do their best work and allow themselves to shine in every realm of their life. Prioritizing mental health and wellness has positive long-term outcomes, like reduced stress and anxiety, reduced risk of depression, and even increased resilience—which is a crucial quality to have in our increasingly difficult and stressful workforce.
When women prioritize their wellness, they are also leading by example and showing other team members and leaders that caring for well-being matters. Something I like to remind high achieving leaders, especially, is that taking time for your wellness will actually fuel your work—not take away from it. Being healthy and well allows you to show up fully for your amazing, ambitious endeavors. Also, rest is not something that needs to be earned—it’s a crucial part of being human.
So, I always encourage women leaders to ask themselves, What is something you’re doing for your mental health and well-being right now? If you’re constantly taking care of others, what’s one small way you can also care for yourself? If you don’t feel like you can, what exactly do you need to feel supported?
Maybe it’s delegating tasks, taking time off, hiring someone for support, advocating for yourself at work, setting a boundary, shutting off email after certain hours, or even leaving a role that no longer suits your family or lifestyle. All of this is a lot easier said than done, but when you prioritize making sure your own “cup” is full, your ability to support others (and fill their cups) will increase tenfold.
SO: What’s the connection between workplace wellness and inner confidence?
TFS: Workplace wellness and inner confidence go hand in hand. When you feel good, you feel more confident and empowered to do good! To understand the connection, let’s look at the flip side: When you are NOT feeling good at work—whether it’s due to stress, burnout, lack of support, micromanagement, or simply feeling overwhelmed—it’s hard to feel confident and capable. (Or maybe you started your job feeling super confident, but over time, things became so chaotic and unstable in the office that now, your inner confidence has been shaken). However, if you work in an environment where wellness is prioritized—and you’re recognized, valued, and trusted to do your work—your confidence increases.
I like to look at this topic through the lens of psychological safety. In a workplace that is psychologically-safe, team members feel comfortable and empowered to express their thoughts, ask questions, and raise concerns without fear of negative repercussions. You’re encouraged to share ideas, get creative, and bring your authentic self to work without fear, pressure, or judgment. (And let’s be real, a lot of workplaces are definitely not psychologically-safe, even if they claim or strive to be!)
The connection with inner confidence here is that when you feel psychologically safe, secure, and free to express yourself, it’s easier to stand firm and be confident in who you are. When workplace wellness is prioritized and work environments are more psychologically-safe, there isn’t as much fear, doubt, uncertainty, or instability—all of which can really shake inner confidence.
From a positive psychology perspective, you can boost the confidence of your team members by recognizing their unique strengths, empowering them to share their stories, practicing gratitude and appreciating their contributions, and a number of other practices. When you prioritize workplace well-being in this way, you help everyone feel like they belong and have something unique to offer—which, in turn, can boost everyone’s confidence, engagement, motivation, and productivity.
SO: What key advice would you offer to women looking to cultivate hope and well-being in order to pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders?
TFS: Broadly speaking, I believe one of the most powerful ways to build hope, health, and pay it forward to future leaders is to operate from a place of “servant leadership,” where you’re prioritizing the needs of others in your community and always seeking to act with their best interests and well-being in mind. Being a servant leader does NOT mean neglecting yourself. (Quite the opposite, actually, since self-awareness, reflection, and self-inquiry are crucial parts of being an effective leader.) But it does mean shifting from a place of “power” to “empowerment” and showing people around you that everyone has a unique voice and perspective to share. It’s not just about one person being in the spotlight, or being the loudest voice in the room.
Building a culture of hope and health means recognizing people for their humanity, not just their skills or their resume. It means showing people that they matter, their stories matter, and that they deserve to feel healthy and happy both in the office, at home, and beyond. I believe that often, the most powerful way to pay it forward to future leaders is to be radically honest, transparent, open, and authentic.
Share the lessons you’ve learned from your life and career, and know that there’s a place for all of us to succeed. At the end of the day, people will connect with you not because of your impressive leadership titles or accolades, but because of who you are and how you walk through the world. If you show up as your authentic self, you’re paying it forward by showing that others can be their authentic selves, too.