19 Questions With Dr. Tara Swart
by The Candidly Team
This article is part of our series called "People We Like," in which we highlight interesting women, across all walks of life.
Leaders, great cooks, doctors, parents, writers; people who inspire us.
Today, we’re highlighting Dr. Tara Swart— a neuroscientist, Senior Lecturer at MIT, medical doctor, and author of “The Source,” a guide to self-discovery using science and psychology.
The Candidly Questionnaire
1. What’s your most compelling quality?
My intuition and ability to read people and find a level of resonance with them.
2. What’s your worst quality, according to your friends?
How self-critical I become under stress.
3. What’s an overrated value you don’t buy into?
A lot of people say integrity is their highest value, but I always want to know what they think that means IRL. That’s when you find out what their actual values are.
4. How do you feel about cilantro?
I come from Indian heritage so I love it! I add way more of it to my cuisine than I have to.
5. What is the one, greatest tool (or tip) for managing stress and burnout that no one knows?
Mindfulness is a way of life— it’s not just the time you sit and meditate with your eyes closed. Mindful eating, mindful walking, digital detoxing, and paying attention to your friends and family will keep your stress levels down on a regular basis.
6. What's the most effective beauty trick you know?
Corrector under my concealer. My make-up artist showed me how to apply this differently for Zoom than face-to-face.
7. What meal can you make the hell out of?
Any type of curry.
8. What’s your favorite item of clothing you own?
My red Vita Kin dress.
9. How do you handle conflict in your closest relationships?
I cultivate forgiveness, always.
10. Is work-life balance bullshit?
No, it’s our responsibility.
I believe in very strong boundaries and being really sure what your priorities in life are. No one ever died regretting that they didn’t work more.
11. What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in the last year?
Staying at home and not being able to travel has its upsides.
12. What quote or phrase has stayed with you?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” —Marianne Williamson
13. What’s your favorite movie from the last ten years?
Parasite.
14. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about yourself as a leader?
Humility and gratitude make you a better leader and more successful.
15. What's one, small thing we can be doing now to benefit our mental health in the long term?
If we only have 5 minutes a day— meditation. Just focusing on breath, open monitoring of our thoughts, or focusing our attention on one thing (like a sound) can help. But I am a big fan of repeating a mantra, like in Vedic meditation.
16. What’s the most delicious bite of food you’ve ever had?
The first time I tried caviar.
17. Is social media ruining our brains?
Our brains have been and continue to be changed by social media.
However, we are incredibly adaptable and it is the way the world is going, so we need to find a way to stay grounded and human in terms of our relationship with technology.
18. Describe your actual bedtime routine.
Good sleep hygiene starts in the morning. So I never drink caffeine after 10am, and finish eating at least 2 hours before bed time.
I wind down by spending quality time with my family and off my devices. I apply some magnesium spray to any areas of tension on my body. I have a glass of water on my night stand so I don’t get totally dehydrated over-night. My bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. I have devoted a lot of time into researching the best bedding for sleep, so that I enjoy getting into my bed.
I cuddle my husband so we both get a dose of the bonding hormone oxytocin. We have no devices in the bedroom. I do 5-10 minutes of Vedic meditation or yoga nidra. I track my sleep using the Oura ring.
19. What’s your relationship with bangs?
I have some shorter layers around my face, but I’ve never had actual bangs. My hair is naturally wavy, so that would be too high-maintenance for me.
What is your single favorite:
Wellness product that *actually* works: Symprove probiotic.
Mental health product that works: Your Heights brain care supplement. (I’m the Chief Science and Spirituality Officer.)
Product for better sleep: Magnesium spray or bath soak.
Lip balm: Suvana Paw Paw Balm.
Jeans brand: J Brand or Mother.
Mascara: I have every Lancôme mascara that has come out in the last 30 years.
Sweats: Spiritual Gangster.
Effective “lady” product: Rael tampons are organic cotton and they work really well. I wish I’d discovered them years ago.
Last minute gift: A book or a thoughtful crystal.
Bra: Maison Lejaby.
Shampoo: Fable & Mane smells divine, has beautiful packaging, and contributes to tiger conservation.
Comfortable shoes: Tamara Mellon shearling Stow flats.
Splurge skincare: Votary London Intense Night Oil.
Drugstore skincare: Bioderma micellar water.
Everyday bag: My large Birkin. It’s like a bucket I can throw everything into.
Guilty-pleasure TV show: Schitt’s Creek, Gossip Girl, Bachelorette.
Drink: Kombucha.
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We have to eat.
