Being, human: Carlisle Studer
creating vitality through whimsy with the CEO of Girl Science
Welcome to the first edition of my new interview series, Being, human! There are so many rad people out there doing rad things, with so many different perspectives on what it means to be well and live a fulfilling life, and I wanted to share them with you!
First up is the CEO of Girl Science herself, Carlisle Studer.
I first came across Carlisle via an Instagram post where she described a health journey that was nearly identical to mine, and I stayed around for her light-hearted, whimsical, and fun take on wellness (and I’m SITNGY with who I follow on IG, especially when it comes to health-related accounts). I know you’ll enjoy getting to know Carlisle just as much as I have!
What’s the common thread that runs through the way you’ve built your life?
Living in my own little world! I believe it’s really important to build a beautiful, tiny little world inside your own head at a very young age that nobody else can touch. So you always have somewhere safe to retreat to. You can fill it with trinkets, oddities, secret hobbies, theories, files…whatever you like, but that’s the thread that has always led me to my next adventure. I’ve found serendipity to be a skill and a reflection of a rich inner life.
How do you start most days?
Caffeine + sunshine + no phone. I like leisurely mornings and despise being rushed. Usually, some herbal tea as well.
And end?
Legs up the wall, some type of lymph massage, magnesium, a very dramatic oral care routine because I psyopped myself into enjoying flossing, ½ tsp of baking soda in water if I’m feeling stressed. I’m quite a night owl, and lately I've been having way too much computer time in bed working late. I love the night, and I wish I never had to sleep.
What’s always within arm’s reach?
Tiny flower essence vials, some type of lip balm, aspirin, cash, and sometimes nicotine mints.
What’s a tiny ritual you practice that punches above its weight?
Breaking the pattern. Nearly anything can be fixed with closing loops and breaking patterns.
What’s something in your life that looks inefficient from the outside but feels essential from the inside?
Dilly-Dallying. Or, as David Lynch would call it, “going dreamy”. From afar, I probably look like I’m inefficient and wasting gobs of time, but everything I’ve ever created I’m truly proud of came to me while I was dilly-dallying. There’s an art to it; daydreaming can be constructive, you have to be an open server to download good ideas.
What’s a “rule” you’ve broken that changed your life for the better?
Choosing curiosity over logic.
What’s a belief you once held that you’ve since changed your mind about?
That suffering equates to virtue.
I used to really deeply glorify the idea of always working, work being a priority over everything, and wished I could be a workaholic. I now see that the “work” I was doing was just working harder and not smarter.
What do you find yourself valuing more as you get older?
Brutal honesty + audacity
And less?
Materialistic items! The stuff I used to dream of owning now seems so silly. I really despise the notion that things that aren’t even that pretty are bought and used as wealth signifiers. It just seems silly.
When you feel out of alignment, what brings you back?
Creation of any kind. A recipe, a tea, putting together a video I’m proud of. If I go too long without creating something, I get the morbs big time.
If I’m not feeling creative, then usually a really sweaty gym session in baggy clothes with the same song on repeat the whole time.
What’s a book, person, place, or idea that has shaped how you live?
The idea that the way you live your life should be a work of art and your greatest accomplishment.
What’s been bringing you genuine delight lately?
Tiny creatures I see in the wild. I love to see how many things I can encounter. Baby opossums, salamanders, frogs… I get so excited anytime I see a tiny living thing.
What’s a piece of wisdom/insight that no one could have explained to you–that you learned the hard way?
Everything compounds. Saving money, working on an idea, working out, etc. Everything that feels boring compounds in ways we can never expect, and I wish I understood that sooner.
Last question: What does it mean to you to be human?
God’s greatest creation. It’s the acknowledgement that we only get one precious, perfect life and that everything really does matter.
