The stage, humor, and sincerity are only part of what the audience sees. Behind every performance stand years of hard work, self-discovery, inner transformation, and the courage to remain authentic despite growing popularity.
Exclusively for the international magazine Business Woman, actress, TV host, and comedian Tetiana Pesyk spoke about her creative journey, the turning points in her career, life after public recognition, sources of inspiration, the power of self-belief, and the principles that help her overcome challenges. She also shared her perspective on self-realization, the importance of self-awareness, and addressed women who are only beginning to take their first steps toward their dreams.
— For many people, you are a source of good mood. How do you manage to stay positive even in difficult times?
It’s actually not that simple. Just because you don’t see something on Instagram or other social media doesn’t mean that I’m always positive and everything is perfect. Quite the opposite — recently, I’ve been meeting myself more deeply, facing my emotions. And I allow them to simply exist without resistance. I accept that today I may feel anger, tomorrow I may cry, and the day after I may have no energy or strength to do anything.
What helps me is quality sleep, running—which keeps me in good shape—and consciously tuning myself to positive thinking.
— What was the turning point in your career that helped you realize you were on the right path?
That’s a difficult question because you may have certain plans for your life, while life has completely different plans for you.
If I reflect on it, my life—now at the age of 38—can be divided into several stages. The first stage was formation, when I set clear goals and worked toward them. At the same time, I had a regular job: I worked at a publishing house, and before that as an administrator at a market. But creativity has always been my great love.
The turning point was the decision to leave my job. I had long felt that it was no longer mine, but I was very attached to something that mattered to me, even though it no longer brought value.
Everything finally fell into place when I realized that I couldn’t even afford to buy shoes for my performances with my salary. At that moment, I understood: that stage was over. From then on, all my focus was directed solely toward creativity.
Of course, creativity also has its ups and downs. That is completely natural.
Now I feel that I’m entering the third stage of my life, which I call maturity. It is a period when you begin to understand more deeply who you are, to study yourself, your values, and your true self.
I am very interested in self-development, psychology, and spirituality. I explore myself, discover new facets of my personality, and expand my consciousness.
That is why it is difficult to say how to know if this is truly your path. What is yours today may only be a stage of life, and later a new goal will appear. To understand whether you are moving in the right direction, you need to truly know yourself. And I believe that takes a lifetime.
— How has your life changed since you became a recognizable public figure?
I have always considered myself an ordinary person because I have gone through quite a long journey. I didn’t wake up famous one morning. Behind it are years of work, many steps taken, a lot of effort, and many sacrifices.
It all started with a dream. Then I set a goal and moved toward it step by step. But in the process, you never really know where that path will lead you.
That’s why every stage of my life is important to me. I value it and sincerely thank God for supporting me along the way.
What has changed? People recognize me more often on the streets, and I have gained more followers on social media. But essentially, I remain the same person. I can take the metro, ride public transport, communicate with people. I cannot say that my life has changed dramatically. I always try to stay close to people.
— There is always a lot of invisible work behind the scenes. What aspects of your profession do people most often underestimate?
I think people often underestimate—and sometimes even devalue—another person’s journey. It may seem to them like mere coincidence, luck, or favorable circumstances.
But they only see the final result and not the entire path: what a person has gone through, what emotions they experienced, what they had to give up.
Most often, I encounter the fact that people don’t fully understand how much energy is spent after a difficult concert—especially when it includes fundraising for the Armed Forces of Ukraine or charity auctions.
After such a performance, you simply need a few minutes to catch your breath. Only after that are you ready to communicate or take photos with people. That is something that is often misunderstood.
— What inspires you most today to create new projects and ideas?
For several years, I had no inspiration at all. I didn’t know what I wanted next. Life felt like a constant loop, repeating itself over and over again.
Today, I am most inspired by new people around me—their thoughts, ideas, and stories. They energize me. Watching their journeys and successes makes me want to create my own projects and generate new creative ideas.
And I’ve noticed one more thing: my best ideas come to me while running. That’s when my brain seems to function in a completely different way. After that, I feel alive, fulfilled, and have even more courage to bring my ideas to life.
— What life principles help you overcome challenges and stay true to yourself?
Sometimes we don’t even know who we truly are.
First of all, it is faith. Faith in yourself is the inner core, the foundation of everything. Without it, it is very difficult to move forward.
Second is gratitude. I believe there is immense power in being grateful for everything—even for difficulties. When you are grateful for them, they no longer seem so frightening or insurmountable.
For me, gratitude is one of the strongest laws of the universe. And, of course, self-belief as well.
It is also very important to learn to stay connected with yourself. I didn’t know how to do this before. Now I understand what it means—to listen to your true feelings, your intuition, not just your mind. When you act from the call of your heart, your decisions become the right ones.
— What would you like to wish our readers—women who strive for self-realization but are still afraid to take the first step?
First of all, I would wish them to get to know themselves. To meet themselves and to love themselves.
We often hear the phrase “love yourself,” but not everyone understands what it really means. For me, loving yourself means not suppressing yourself, not punishing yourself for mistakes, and not putting yourself last. On the contrary—it means learning to choose yourself.
When a woman begins to choose herself and puts herself first, it becomes much easier to understand where she wants to realize herself. At the same time, the fears that prevent her from taking the first step gradually disappear.
So I wish every woman not to be afraid to be herself, to trust her feelings, and not to wait for the perfect moment. It may never come. The best time to start is when you feel the call of your heart. It will guide you in the right direction.
