The Secret to Tara Stiles’ Signature Glow: This (Surprisingly Chill) Morning Routine

Tara Stiles is the doyenne of yoga influencers – she was leading millions of followers through asanas and vinyasa flows on social media well before Instagram was even launched. The former model and classically trained ballerina is the founder of Strala Yoga, a practice which encourages people to do yoga on their terms. It’s founded on the principle that yoga is all about flow -”a meditative mindset while you’re moving with ease in the practice,” she says. Between international teacher training programs, online tutorials, You Tube channel, Instagram feed and several best-selling cookbooks, Strala is more than just a yoga studio – “It’s really a lifestyle,” Stiles says, “and a community of support, joy, ease, and positivity.”

The entrepreneur, wife and mom of a 10-month-old daughter balances work, family and personal health with a healthy morning routine. “There are individual parts of mind, body, and soul that we need to take care of to create this whole spherical balance,” she explains.” Getting enough sleep, connecting with others, and taking care of yourself both inside and out through exercise and a healthy skin regimen all help Stiles stay in check. “I know myself enough to know I have to take good care of myself first so I can live out my passions, and hopefully do some good for others.” Below, Stiles reveals the essential elements of a morning routine for a balanced start to her day.

Skin Care and Hydration: If her skin doesn’t feel its best, says Stiles, that could signal other things may be off, too. “It’s important for me to pay attention to what’s going on my body as well as what’s going in my body,” says Stiles. Her skin-care routine includes using a moisturizer with healthy ingredients that hydrates all day, such as Aveeno Positively Radiant Body Lotion. The soy-infused lotion leaves her skin radiant and glowing. “Skin is definitely a huge indicator of overall well being,” she says. “Having my skin look and feel good is important. My body is the expression of everything I do.”

Nutrition: Every wellness star needs a breakfast of champions. For Tara, her go-to morning fuel is a healthy spinach, banana and almond milk smoothie. “What I consume is essential for my mood and health. I’m careful not to fall into bad habits of slacking on nourishment,” she says. “I try to remind myself how much better I’ll feel and how important that is to everything I do, and head for the good, green stuff.”

Meditation: The yogi is the first person in her Brooklyn home out of bed. “I love waking up before anybody else. It’s my favorite ninja thing to do.” She starts her day with a quick meditation. “Getting up in the morning just to have some time to myself to meditate, breathe and do some easy stretching is super important for feeling good the whole day.” While most people think of meditation being done in stillness, Stiles believes in keeping the body loose, allowing “freedom to move around so I can work into different areas of my body that may feel a little creaky.”

Family: Balance starts from within, but ends with everybody in your life connecting, says Stiles. Whether it’s a small yoga session with baby Daisy, or a quick meditation with her husband, the busy entrepreneur makes time for family, even when she’s time-crunched in the morning. “Family is everything to me,” she says. “Spending time with mine – without distractions – for me is success.”