Hi, everybody. It's Anne Duffy and welcome to the Just Do It podcast. I'm so happy that you're with me today because I have a very, very special guest.She is a new friend of mine, but she came around right when I started Do, and she is just unbelievably amazing. Hi, Sanya. How are you? Hello. I'm being great.
Anne: And you, I'm just super duper. I'm so happy that you're here. Y'all, if you're listening, she is going to dental school in Turkey right now. She's from Iran. And before I get started, I'm going to tell you a little bit about her. So hang in. a final year dental student at Ankara University. She started her painting business while in lockdown during the COVID 19 pandemic, overcame the difficulties she encountered in her life, and followed a successful path.
After winning the British Association Clinical anatomist, art competition in 2021 and sharing her interesting life story. She attracted the attention of many dentists and communities around the world and conducted numerous interviews. She reached out to me when I first started due cause she found us on social media.
Sayna. Thank you for being here. Welcome again.
Thank you for having me, dear. And I love you so much. I love you too.I mean, You know how people connect. I remember this young, beautiful woman connecting with me. She's going to school by herself in Turkey from Iran. Just enormity of that I think of what I did in my life, and I'm just so impressed so much.
with you for everything you've accomplished. And I remember meeting you. You play piano like you could play in Carnegie Hall. And then you started a business during the pandemic. tell us about it. as you know, the pandemic started in early 2020 and the school switched to a completely online system.
Sayna: It was my first year in dental school and I was living in a dormitory at that time. But unfortunately, with the closure of university and school, we all transferred to a hotel room. And I was living in a That room I'm in for more than six months, without anyone around was so difficult for me and weeks and hours seemed so long to me that I even didn't know what I can do to overcome all the situation.
And after that, I just started painting and it really helped me to stay calm and just to survive all those days. we all tried to do something to get over all those terrible days. Andpainting has never been a hobby for me. It's just like, a shelter or
escape for me in order to manage my mental health, in order to manage the hard situation that I experienced in my life. Because, you know, you have to take control of your mental health in order to take control of your life. And painting was always something to So my problems to heal myself whenever I feel worn out, I always turn to painting and that's why it really makes all my artworks very special for me because I know that there is a very big feeling behind every paintbrush of them.
at that time, as you also we were taking some anatomy classes and I was really craving for anatomy. So I thought that why I just didn't combine arts with anatomy and add some flowers, nature to it and just start painting these kind of works. And as I said my main goal was not to start a business or to sell them.
It was just like something to let my hair down, to just spend my time. But as soon as I started, I started, sharing my works on Instagram. Ireceived many beautiful messages from doctors and dentists and they wanted me to sell my works to at that time I made some agreements with some companies all over the world.
And start my business there. really helped me to reach more and more dentists and doctors. painting changed my whole life. It really opened a lot of new doors for me. And after a year, I think my anatomy teacher, Dr. Maitreja, sent the um,
Anne: competition of an association called, British Association clinical,
he really supported me to take part in that competition. I won the first place after that, and it was amazing. I got a chance to meet many dentists at that time.
Sayna: As a Denfily student, Painting these kind of works attracted the attention of many other companies also all over the world. I got the chance to share my story with them, have some interviews in many other countries, to meet you, to know other DeWs and that was amazing.
that was a turning point for me,
Anne: Let me just say a few things about that. That was a turning point for you, but I remember meeting you. And first of all, your mom's an artist, right? So you get it naturally. Your dad's a dentist. we always say that a dentist needs to be an artist and engineer, right?
Both of those. going to put this in the show notes. I should have got this together for us before we started because You wrote an article for us. I was maybe one of the first people you reached out to, I think. I just feel like that. Yeah, exactly. Yes, and so you sent your article with your paintings, and they are absolutely phenomenal.
We'll have to put a link for your paintings and your website in the show notes, because putting anatomy with flowers and teeth and skeletons. And all of those things that you do. And it's strange, but beautiful, beautiful colors and the colors.
I
was just so enamored by your talent. And I know that your mom is just, over the moon So again, you showed up. had this inner strength, Sayna, to be able to do something, while you're in the hotel room for six months.
I think you were in the pandemic. Yes, you were, when we first met. And you just found some inner strength and just kept going, didn't stop, and Opened up doors, said yes, reached out like how many young students have reached out to me. You and Aaron Kennedy and Luke Shapiro are three amazing. If you're listening to this are three amazing young dental students that I've been with since day one that reached out. That's what People and women and men need to do because your whole world opened up, didn't it?
Sayna: exactly. there was no one, there was no relationship, there was no communication.
Anne: It was just me It was a way of surviving the day, you know, I think that every person has to find something for themselves in order to make themselves calm. And at that time, painting was something to help me And so how did you get all your paints and everything? during the pandemic,
Sayna: Yeah, my mom sent me colors and paintbrushes other canvas and other things. I just orderedin that hotel room.
Anne: Oh my gosh, I can't believe it.
And now the pandemic
sometimes it seems like it's 10 years ago and sometimes it seems like it was yesterday, doesn't it? I mean, it's the weirdest feeling. So then Bad dream, you know? yeah, exactly. But look what came from it. These are the good things that come from it.
Good always comes from bad. And speaking of that, I know you've had some difficulties. And I remember when your dad passed away, unexpectedly from, I think it was a heart attack, right? Am I correct? Yes. And were you back in the classroom at that time? Where was that in your journey of death?
Sayna: Well, Let me explain everything. Okay.I experienced many ups and downs in my life. But actually the most, unbearable and the hardest one was actually the loss of my father. there is a saying that first, Love of their life is their father. And my father was everything for me.
He was my best friend. He was love of my life. He was everything. And after hearing that he's not going to be around, I Couldn't accept it. I just, couldn't even think about it and it was so hard for me. So I could not even talk to anyone, even my mother, because I didn't have that courage to even, put my feelings into words.
It was a situation that I couldn't accept that. I was just like, why this happened to me? Why I'm experiencing this? And I think that this is It's probably the first time that I went to talk with you. never talked about this before. as you know, my father was a dentist too, and he was a big source of motivation for me.
Because calling and hearing his proud voice, whenever I. Got successful in my life was the greatest gift that I can ever receive, and really always motivated me to work more, to try as much as I can to make him happy the happier he was, the more I went to work. More, I want to become successful and our relationship was so emotional.
I remember that he loved a song a lot and he always wanted me to play it on piano.And whenever I start playing that, he just started crying and we, you know, shared all those moments together. And I took a punch from life and I just hate what happened. And Life is such a strange place that everything really changed in a second or less and it's really hard.
was about two years ago in the middle of my final exams that I heard the news of my father and after hearing that immediately came back to Iran. And hard of this thing at that was that themakeup exams of Those exams that I couldn't took was a week later. So I even didn't have time to stay with my family.
I had to stay there orif I couldn't took all these exams I was forced to study all those year from the beginning.
Anne: Wow. So you went to Iran for his funeral and to be with your mom and your family. And then you had to rush back to take your exams, or you would have had to take them all year over.
Wow. And it was like a week later. Wow.
Sayna: And believe it or not, I took all those exams and got, I think, 90 out of 100. But I was also shockedat how I did it. Maybe your dad, he must have been watching you on your shoulder. I even didn't know how I walk. I even didn't know how I breathe, but something really helped me.
Something really pushed me forward that I didn't know what it was. And couldn't continue that way. Butthere was also another thing, about my personality that whenever I get tired or whenever I get. in my life, I never say that. Okay. I have to stay home. Okay. I have to be sad. I just always get that motivation to myself, to work more, to get better by working, to get better by studying.
that's like best therapy for me. And at that time, also something inside me, Tell me that you have to wake up, you have to stand up and work for yourself because your future is in your hands and you don't have to give up. And it was something very hard to handle, but I was always proud of myself for that time that I, Did all these things, when you look back, you can say, wow, You did that. with your inner strength. And I think nothing can take you down. I mean, I really believe that you will alwaysfind the silver lining and push yourself even more. the interesting thing is that someone looking from outsidemight have seen that I was very normal at that time, because as I said, I never talk about anything.
I was acting so normal because I couldn't accept this, you know, and, uh,I was experiencing emotions that were so unfamiliar for me. Just whenever I looked at the mirror, I saw a very different person.
Because after experiencing of all of this,there was a very strong woman, who had lost the most precious person in her life that she was always afraid of losing. But besides that, she continued her life. She didn't give up. And that was the special thing about what I got from that moment, I really love getting back up stronger after every time I fall. I think it's amazing, isn't it? It's really beautiful. It's really good when you look to your past and see what you have done your life. I think this is what's important in real life.
Have you always been that way? Since you were a little girl though, is think sometimes when you're that strong it's a given strength that you've had for a long time. You know, When I was, I think 16 years old, I made a promise to myself that no matter what happened in my life, I'm going to try as much as I can to make that future that I want by my own.
And this is something that's what happens in my life. That little girl inside me, Push me forward and say, don't forget that promise that we made, it's really important to go back to that ring, even if you know that you will get punched, even if you know that you will lose everything, but it's important to stand up and go back to that fight, no matter if you take another harder punch, but you have to take the risk in order to achieve the things that you want in your life.
And this is what I learned So far, so good. So far, so good. And I think it's an example of so many times people look back at their past and the disappointments and the loss and all those things and it just keeps them down, but that's,not going to help them go forward and do the great things they're meant to do.
And you grow from it and you have grown from it, the world. is in front of you. And you'll be graduating in two months. So once you graduate, will you have a plan or what's happening? My graduation will be after two months, I think, or maybe less than Yeah, I'm planning to study for my specialty. I love oral surgery. I'm craving for oral surgery. those bloods and all those, you know, anatomy to see all of them in the patients. I think it sounds strange, but I love it. And we were talking because there are very few female oral surgeons.
I want to see women in all aspects of life, in everywhere. besides, I really love this field. where I want to work better, to work more, to become number one in my work.
because as a woman, I have to show this to the world because the world needs this. And, to be a role model maybe for a new generation, for younger people, because the world really needs this. And what would you say to the new generation as you wrap up, Sayna, What advice can you give to the new generation following you?
I mean, You are the new generation, I think. Yeah, I'm the new generation . the women and the young men that are following you. And,looking up to you as a senior dental student, , what advice would you give them? Now there are so many women.
In inventions and technology in social media, and I think that new generation is really lucky that they can benefit from them because, you know, they can leave their last more consciously andthey can get that in dependency and they get that policy position without really having to suffer as much as before they can just reach everything is really can See that there are many independent hard worker and powerful woman all over the world, and I'm really glad to see them.
But I think that there is also a group of girls, are not really in mindset of, just getting everything on their own. I think that the reason is just As I said, social media is a really big platform But the bad thing about social media they create some standards for us, like the luxury lives, brands
trips and it made, I think, this group of girls, to do whatever that is possible to reach them as soon as possible. And that's why they just skip that part to, put that effort. Themselves. The only thing that they think is to achieve that life in order to show on Instagram, maybe.
that's something that has to be changed from my point of view, of course. I was taught that if I want to achieve something first, I have to try for it. I can say that family support or the support from someone you love or you share your life is really important But first you have to create some opportunities for yourself first You have to stand on your own and then yeah, you can get help you can rely on someone else plus the first, role model in your life is you first.
You have to try in your life. And I think this has to be changed in a new generation because, the future is them. So I think that the most important advice for young girls listening to us is you are the main character please rely on yourself and don't relinquish control.
Life, to someone else first, just learn how to become independent, not just financially, but emotionally. And then you can just experience everything you want in your life. wonderful advice because it reminds me of a phrase I once learned. It's, if it is to be, it's up to me.
Anne: You are so right at that this is a great example of you digging into you and not worrying about anyone else. of leaned into your strengths. once you have that confidence or the worthiness that you feel, then you start to build on your network and all of that.
Don't care so much about what everybody else is doing, worry about what you're doing. Is that correct?
Sayna: Exactly. Exactly. And I also remember that when I first met you, you told me to write my feelings, to write everything. I don't know if you remember that.
Anne: I do.
Sayna: And that was really great.And I can also give this advice that please write everything that you tell.
It's not just because, trying more or having higher goals. to know yourself more, to just, understanding the layer on the layer of your character and to spend some time with yourself and this really can lead to that self love, that self respect. And it's really important.
It's more important than your feelings because And when you learn to love yourself. You will just stop staying everyone that, treated you unfairly. You will learn to say no to anything that makes you sad. you don't have to endure anything, know, the important thing is you. that's also something that I learned from you.
And I, now I want to teach you all your girls.
Anne: Oh, I just, thank you so much for saying that. I think that is true. When you love yourself, you can put your boundaries up. You know what you let in and you know what you will let out. And we're in charge, right? We are in charge of our lives. You are in charge of yours and I'm telling you, you are going to do great things in not only in dentistry.
You're going to do great thingsin art and music and the world. So we will be watching you. You will be on our radar forever. You can write any time. I can't wait to have people see your art and we'll get your website. How do they get in touch with you right now? I'm sure you've got your Instagram page,
can't find me everywhere. Find you everywhere. Well, I am so happy and I can't wait to introduce you to some of the people that we know in our Do community. More people in our Do community. And I just want to wish you all the best. Congratulations on being a beautiful young woman, a success.
Successful young dentist right before we got on this, she'd extracted a tooth and she was elated because it went so well and be helping so many people and making the world a better place. So
Sayna: thank you so much. It always wonderful for me to talk with you, and thank you for this. meeting and for everything.
Anne: I
you so much too. And for all of you listening, the example here is keep doing you. All right, guys, we'll see you next time and love you all. Thank you, Sayna. I can't wait to see you again soon.
