Influencer & Content Creator Ciara Miller Shares Her Top Selfcare, Wellness, and Beauty Tips

An Interview With Maria Angelova

Take off all your makeup or put on your favorite makeup: get in touch with yourself in the state that you feel the most beautiful. It could be a full face or a bare face, depending on how you’re feeling. For me, I love makeup, so most times it’s creating a new look with makeup and wearing it out on the town.

At times it feels like wellness or elevating one’s well being, is diametrically opposed to high achievement and high performance in one’s career. The stress, mental energy, long hours, lack of restful sleep and preoccupation that result from a high-achievement life seem to directly inhibit wellness. And yet, in order to sustain the creativity, flexibility, mental acuity and resilience that are necessary for high performance, wellness and wellbeing of the mind, body and soul are also mandatory. So how do we achieve both? This is the question I’m hoping to answer through conversations with high-achieving leaders and influencers who are practicing their own philosophies about how to maintain their wellbeing.

As a part of our series about “Social Media Influencers Share Their Top Self Care, Wellness, and Beauty Tips, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ciara Miller

Ciara Miller is a model and reality tv star on Bravo’s ‘Summer House’ and ‘Winter House.’ Her style and beauty rose to notability on the show and social media, as she worked with brands such as The Arrivals, Aholas, and Charlotte Tilbury. When she is not appearing on television, Ciara is also an ICU nurse, working on the frontlines during the pandemic and afterwards.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory of how you came upon this career path to where you are today?

The start of my journey started when I was 16 years old. I was signed to my first modeling agency in Atlanta, GA. I really believe my mom needed me to fill my schedule with more activities so I wasn’t in her ear, and I have to say it worked! When I graduated from high school, I was convinced I was going to take a gap year, but that really wasn’t an option in my household so off to school I went. I always wanted to be in the medical field, but as I was going through college classes, I knew I didn’t want to embark on the journey of medical school. My mom is a nurse practitioner, and she is the one who put the bug in my ear about potentially pursuing a career in nursing. I was still modeling on the side, but not enough to make a living. Behind my back, my mom filled out my nursing school application and scheduled my open house tour since I was unsure, and dragging my feet. She always preached having a back up plan, and nursing school would be that. I got accepted into nursing school, took the entrance exam and studied my way through classes graduating Cum Laude in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Not too bad for someone who wasn’t sure about the nursing field initially. I modeled my way through nursing school on the side as well, I wanted to find a way to do both. After graduating I went straight to the ICU for training and worked for a year and a half before the pandemic hit. I went travel nursing during this time working in TX and NY. While I was in TX, I had a friend who wanted to share my name with a casting company for a show on Bravo, I agreed. I was nearing the end of my nursing contract in New York when I received a call that I had been selected to join the cast of “SummerHouse” on Bravo. I was pretty unsure, I really wanted to extend my nursing contract in New York. In steps my mother again, she said I needed to try it and if I hated it I could quit, but I needed to at least try it. She also reminded me of the reason for my “backup” nursing degree. She designed it perfectly, I had room to test my dreams and a fallback option that I loved equally. A win-win situation. Three years later I am going into my fifth filming season on Bravo with two shows on air, “WinterHouse” and “Summer House.” I am still credentialed with nursing and occasionally work PRN. I somehow got to do two things I love at once, which I am so grateful for. I don’t know if I had expectations on where I would be with my nursing degree and modeling background, but it has definitely been a dream.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I would attribute my success so far to my mother. She is the person who has been there from the start, leading me, guiding me on the best path possible. My mom is one of the straightest shooters you could possibly meet. There is very little “sugar coating” or “beating around the bush.” I used to find it rather annoying and bothersome, as if there was a lack of consideration for my feelings, but now that I am older I scream “THANK GOODNESS.” Her truthful opinions were for my benefit, so that it wouldn’t come as a shock or a surprise in the real world, she would say. Boy, was she right. She gave thick skin, which is exactly what you need in the industry that I’m in. She keeps it real, and it keeps me humble. I am very grateful for her, and I call her multiple times a week. I bounce ideas, opportunities and everything useful and useless off her. She is the reason I am where I am, and also where I am going.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

My biggest mistake was thinking I could do it all by myself. I didn’t really know how to manage my schedule, which resulted in missed events, opportunities, etc. I got a grip on it very fast, and had to figure out iCal pretty quickly. When I’m feeling overwhelmed I can recruit help, delegate certain tasks now. Missing opportunities was not a funny way to figure that out, but looking back it’s kind of silly how carefree I was. Also, turn the notifications on on your phone, they actually help.

As a media figure, you have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. In fact, perhaps most people who tried to follow a career path like yours did not succeed. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

To be honest, I feel like I am only at the start of my journey in my career. With that being said, even this far my biggest piece of advice I have for myself and others would be to let go of the fear of rejection and failure. For me, this has been my biggest obstacle. To be so afraid of rejection or failure, that it prevents you from sharing honest self with your audience. The fear can be debilitating, as I have come to experience. I decided to commit myself to changing my perspective this year, and reframing my narrative. Naturally, my thoughts were “no one is interested” “I’m not that interesting” “what if no one engages with this at all”. . . all negative self talk, but I knew I needed to change that. I have started incorporating more uplifting resources into my daily routine. For me, those resources include podcasts and books. The common message being trial and error, and you can achieve everything you put your mind to and work for. Perhaps, it sounds cheesy, but when you have goals and dreams for yourself sometimes you need the daily reassurance to flip your day to day perspective. My advice is to not let fear dictate what you will and will not/can not do. A book that I read recently was “The Light We Carry” by Michelle Obama, she talks about this very subject and reframes the idea of fear to be “comfortably afraid.” Identify the fear, but recognize we are mostly afraid of the unknown. There is room to be afraid but more room to get situated with the unknown one step at a time.

Can you share with our readers some of the strategies you’ve used to build an engaged, loyal, and large online community?

My biggest strategy when I am sharing my life on TV and through social media is honesty. I am naturally reserved on first meet, but I pride myself on being honest in my experiences; present and past. My biggest fear is for people to think perfection when they visit my social media platforms, since we tend to only share the good and positive aspects in our life. I get that approach, it’s often easier, but I want to be as real as possible. The reality of my life is not 100% happiness, rainbows, and unicorns throughout the year. And the fluctuations in happiness, sadness, and life are to be cherished just as much as the moment of laughter and pure joy. You can’t fully enjoy one without the contrast of the other, or at least that’s how I choose to look at things.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. In my work, I focus on how one can thrive and care for oneself in three areas: body, mind, and heart. You are a busy person with a demanding schedule, can you share with our readers two self-care routines, practices or treatments that help your body thrive?

I try to incorporate some type of exercise into my weekly routine. This looks very different from week to week. It could be cardio, it could be yoga, pilates, or running. It’s really up to me and what I feel like my body needs at the moment. At the end of 2022, I took a two week trip to a Costa Rican Wellness/Yoga retreat. I needed time to unplug from the vigorous life of New York City, and time to connect with myself. I wanted to start the year off with a clean diet and a lot of exercise. I originally did it for my body, but quickly realized that this was for my mind, body and soul.

My other tool for helping my body thrive is stretching. I carry my mental stress all throughout my back, neck and shoulders. I have found it very helpful to stretch every day. I get to (try) and increase my flexibility, and I can keep my muscles limber and prevent them from building up stress week after week. Overall, movement is my personal secret to helping my body thrive.

Can you share with us two routines that you use to help your mind or heart to thrive?

Pilates or Yoga has been a saving grace for me recently. I try to start my weekday mornings off with one or the other. One thing I love about yoga is that it allows me time to exhale. Who knew breathing could be so important? Starting my day off with a calm breathing exercise allows me to set an intention for my day, and organize my thoughts appropriately. It’s hard to find time in the middle of the day to take a breath, so starting my morning off with exercise and intention is helpful, it’s also great for the body. The mind and heart play off of each other, and when I can calm my mind I feel like I’m more productive, and creative. It

My other tactic for the heart is quality time with my close friends. A little laughter goes a long way in my life, and I am the happiest when I’m cracking jokes with my close friends and engaging in meaningful conversation. To have a group of friends that you can discuss anything with is truly priceless. Throwing out your craziest ideas, deepest stories, and your wildest dreams in a safe place is so good for the heart and the mind. I highly encourage friendships, of various backgrounds, the more variation the better.

Can you help articulate why self-care is so important for your mental wellness?

You only get one body in this lifetime, one mind, and one heart. It’s vital to take time for yourself, clear and or alleviate your mind from the stress of everyday life. When you take time for yourself and focus on your physical, mental, emotional, environmental, and spiritual health you begin to thrive. Why wouldn’t you want to engage in self-care ? Personally, I love taking that time for myself. I feel better about myself, which reflects how I interact with other people and how productive I am in my work. You can’t give from an empty cup, they say.

Can you share five ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”?

• Compliment your best qualities and what you love about yourself: It’s easy to be critical, sometimes we have to pick out what’s wrong before we name what we love about ourselves. Flip the script, change the perspective.
• Take off all your makeup or put on your favorite makeup: get in touch with yourself in the state that you feel the most beautiful. It could be a full face or a bare face, depending on how you’re feeling. For me, I love makeup, so most times it’s creating a new look with makeup and wearing it out on the town.
• Get your hair done: I realize I am the biggest girly girl. But without fail, overtime I get my hair done I am a new person. I love the change and switching up my look and I really do feel so beautiful walking out of the salon and flipping my hair around.
• Find your best hype man: You know those friends that hype you up when you look good, you’re glowing, when you’re crushing it at work? Ya, find them, keep them around and keep them close. Be your friend’s hype man also. It feels good hyping someone else up, too.
• Put on your dopest outfit: I love clothes, but I think love the creativity behind putting a cute outfit together. I love discovering pieces that make me feel the chicest and sexiest in my own way. Even if I’m just running an errand, I will sport my best outfit. That makes me feel beautiful, and I believe people read that energy.

Is there a particular resource, a practitioner, expert, book, or podcast that made a significant impact on you and helped you to thrive? Can you share a story about that with us?

I am a huge fan of Steven Furtick and Steve Harvey. When I feel like I need a little boost of motivation, these are typically the people I turn to in the form of podcasts and YouTube. There is something about their energy, and they share messages that are inspirational, motivational, and relatable to me and my life. I feel like I should incorporate them into my everyday routine, in fact, I know I should.

I have been watching Steve Harvey since he had the Steve Harvey Show and a head full of hair. I would listen to my mom listen to the Steve Harvey Morning Show on the way to school in the morning, then when I learned to drive I would listen on my way into school or work. I would watch his talk show, Steve, when I would come home in the afternoon. I feel like I have grown up listening to this man speak on almost every topic, so no wonder I seek his motivational works in my adulthood. He holds a type of fatherly figure in my world, and he certainly has a fatherly approach to his messages, which it’s no wonder he is a father to four girls. It’s endearing to me. Highly recommend it if you need some fatherly advice.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you’d like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this. :-)

My dream lunch date would be Tyra Banks. She is a figure in my life I have dreamed about, and have tried to emulate in many aspects of my life. When I was younger I loved watching her on TV, across different networks. She was always so authentic. There were not an abundance of role models that looked like me when I was a little girl, and to enter into the same field as her I wanted to accomplish all that Tyra accomplished. She allowed me to dream, and believe I could be where she was. Not only is she beautiful, she is a business woman with a contagious personality, and has always motivated young girls to be their best. It would be more than an honor to even breathe the same air as her in the same room.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

IG/TikTok: CiaraMiller___

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher, and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness, and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.