When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
Thrive Global: What’s the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
Cara Santana: Before I even get out of bed, I check my emails to make sure I haven’t missed anything from the evening before. Then I let my dogs out and make a fresh cup of coffee. I’m a super early riser and very much into routine, so that pattern is very consistently kept.
TG: What gives you energy?
CS: Opportunity — I really love the idea of creating, exploring and inventing and staying interested in all opportunities that come my way.
TG: What’s your secret life hack?
CS: Never sleep with your makeup on…no matter how tired you are.
TG: Name a book that changed your life.
CS: Tuesdays With Morrie.
TG: Tell us about your relationship with your phone. Does it sleep with you?
CS: The relationship with my phone is one of, if not, the most important relationships I have. (Aside from my fiancé and my dogs). It’s bordering on unhealthy, however, I hope to amend that in the future. It’s a work in progress.
TG: How do you deal with email?
CS: I have to respond right away. I don’t like to have a lot of messages on my phone, so as soon as I get an email, I respond so that I can check it off my list. Right now, I have 0 emails in my inbox.
TG: You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?
CS: Call my mom or check in with a friend.
TG: When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
CS: 5 seconds before I was asked this question. Why? Because I’m in the middle of fundraising for The Glam App, in the midst of pilot season, working on curating my blog and planning my wedding….amongst other things.
TG: When was the last time you felt you failed and how did you overcome it?
CS: I don’t like thinking of it as failure, per se, but every day, there are things that I wish I had done better or could have gone my way. But just like the tattoo says on the side of my ribcage, failure is one more attempt at success.
TG: Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
CS: “What happens to you, happens for you.”
Cara Santana is an actress, the Co-Founder and CEO of the on-demand beauty service TheGlamApp, and a Fashion Influencer, looking at the world of fashion, beauty, and style on Caradisclothed.com
Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com