The blogger and former Austin Woman cover woman gives us a glimpse into her life.
By Alex Winkelman Zeplain, Photos by Kristen Kilpatrick Photography, In partnership with Hello My Tribe
Early one morning last year, I stopped by Camille Styles’ house for a little playdate and girl time. I had not yet launched Hello My Tribe, but she was already busy in a way I couldn’t yet begin to comprehend—in the thick of it with two children, along with camillestyles.com and all of her other thriving projects. I wondered to myself, “How does Camille have time for a playdate at 9:30 a.m. on a weekday?” But somehow, she made it all work and scheduled the meetup.
It was one of those mornings, you know the kind. I was exhausted, felt so rushed to be somewhere and, of course, had my son, Asher, in tow. I honestly still wasn’t used to this mommy gig. Somehow, I arrived on time but showed up in an old pair of yoga pants, a top I don’t think I ever wore again, no makeup and wet hair. It was a “whatever, I’m going to see a girlfriend,” kind of morning.
Meanwhile, Camille answered the door fully dressed, hair done, makeup on. It turns out, she also had a last-minute morning meeting scheduled immediately after our get-together, but without a flinch, she pieced the day together flawlessly.
These days, I’m slightly more familiar with how it feels to run a business while also raising a child, and still, I do not know how Camille does it all. Luckily, she’s giving us a glimpse into her life, how she creates balance and lives with her health and happiness at the core.
Alex Winkelman Zeplain: What time do you wake up and what wakes you up?
Camille Styles: My iPhone is set for 6:15 a.m.
AWZ: What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
CS: Make coffee and go out on my back patio for some meditation or deep breathing. Starting the day surrounded by nature with a few minutes to myself makes me feel calm and focused, no matter how busy the day ahead may be.
AWZ: What’s your favorite workout?
CS: I love to mix it up: Barre class at Mod Fitness, walking with my husband and pushing our kids in the double stroller around the neighborhood, spin class at SoulCycle or Love Cycling Studio and lately, I’ve been learning to surf at NLand Surf Park, which is an unbelievable workout.
AWZ: What do you usually eat in a day?
CS: I love vegetables and try to squeeze as many as possible into each meal. Breakfast is usually a green smoothie with spinach, almond butter, almond milk, banana and vanilla. Lunch is always a big salad, usually with whatever roasted vegetables or protein I have leftover from the night before. I try to make dinner for our family most nights of the week, and it might be grilled veggie tacos, tuna poké bowls or zucchini noodle pasta.
AWZ: What rituals do you have for going to bed?
CS: Sleep is super important to me, and since it doesn’t always come easy for me, I do have a bedtime ritual that I try to stick to most nights of the week. I turn off my devices an hour before bedtime, do some stretches, take my magnesium and drink sleepytime tea. Works every time!
AWZ: How do you calm yourself when stressed?
CS: I do deep breaths and talk it out with my husband.
AWZ: What are your secrets to balancing your personal life, motherhood and work?
CS: I’m still figuring it all out myself, but I do try not to multitask. When I’m at work, I focus on my work and try to use my time in productive ways, delegating what I can and bringing my best self to the task at hand. When I’m at home, I’ve been making a major effort to disconnect from work and social media, and give my kids undivided attention. I’ve learned that spending time with them really is about the quality of that time. Thirty minutes of sitting on the floor and really playing with my kids is worth far more than a couple hours of time spent watching television together.
AWZ: Do you have a tribe that supports you in being both a successful mother and a successful entrepreneur?
CS: I’m so thankful to have friends who balance work and motherhood so beautifully. We have many conversations about how challenging it can be, and we encourage each other to not feel guilty for leading a multifaceted life where we’re called on to wear many different hats.
AWZ: If you could give new moms one piece of advice, what would it be?
CS: It goes so quickly. Give yourself time each day to stop and really savor your children. Don’t let the busy trap get in the way of enjoying time with your kids.
AWZ: If you could give a new blogger one piece of advice, what would it be?
CS: Find your unique point-of-view. No one else is just like you, and I believe that everyone has something personal and creative to share with the world. Be consistent, stay true to your vision and know that growing a blog takes dedication and perseverance, so it only works if you feel really passionate about what you’re putting out there.