We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Camile Sardina. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Camile below.
Hi Camile , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risks?
My personal risk-taking is part development and part innate. While there is a natural part of me that loves the adrenaline of the new and unexplored, healthy risk-taking still involves a great amount of development. Here’s how I developed, and continue to develop, my ability to take risks:
1) I live independently and trust in my independent thinking. Knowing that you can handle situations on your own is vital in the realm of risk-taking. Are you starting a business? Traveling alone across the world? Quitting your job to embark on something completely different? Any of these risk-taking actions require independence because you will be making decisions and solving problems on your own the majority of the way. Steps to becoming more independent can be traveling alone, living alone, paying all of your bills alone…are you seeing the pattern here? Trust in your ability to handle things and experience things on your own. That’s guaranteed growth. In my own life, independence means everything – from making my own money, enjoying new experiences alone, to taking care of my overall wellness. I love being the queen of my own life.
2) Not fearing the feeling of failure. Some people in the risk-taking community (let’s just call it that) say there’s no such thing as failure. Some people are comfortable saying they failed and continue on. Whatever! There will always be obstacles and growth no matter how you look at it. The important thing is that you try and you work hard. If you’ve had an idea for quite a while in your mind, start thinking about how to develop that idea to a next level. Maybe you have a small business idea. What would the name be? What would the logo look like? Would it be online? Visualizing your ideas can help in taking action and forgetting the what-ifs. After you visualize, start a possible plan…grow it…and bloom!
3) I don’t let the judgement of others dictate my choices. Not fearing the judgement of others, is difficult for most of us, but necessary to overcome when it comes to taking risks. While it’s ok and normal to feel embarrassed or disappointed from the judgment of others, it’s not ok to limit your potential and opportunities because of the fear of it. And you should never feel ashamed or afraid to try something new. The best way to overcome this, in my opinion, is taking the leap and tuning out the unsupportive people. Judgement from others might not happen right away, and it might not happen with every endeavor, but at some point, in some way, your risk-taking will be paired with judgement, whether from family, friends, or people who you never met. Remember that it’s not their journey, it’s yours.
4) I take steps to remain as confident in myself as possible. No matter what, I always try to feel good about myself, so I take steps to ensure that mentally, physically, and spiritually. From talking to a therapist or supportive family/friends if needed, to exercising consistently, to immersing myself in nature, I allow time for self-care. When you feel truly confident in yourself, you’re more likely to take those risks, because you know you’ll be resilient through any turbulence. My Mami always tells me, “Camile, you’re like a cat! You always land on your feet!” And she’s right – I am a cat!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I like to call myself Camile the Chameleon because my career has been a series of different titles and skills that I’ve blended into simultaneously – and I love it that way! I’m not one thing, and I never will be.
I’m the CEO of Evolist Media, the author of “Change Makers,” a freelance writer for a number of print and online magazines, an actress and model here and there, and a brand new host and producer concocting a number of projects. And through it all, I remain a Digital Nomad!
Evolist Media (evolistmedia.com) is a boutique public relations firm representing brands and thought leaders with evolutionary mindsets. As the CEO, I have the privilege of spreading awareness about inspiring projects that help people and causes. Save the Manatee Club is one example. Manatees have been an animal near and dear to my heart since childhood. I get to share that love with people all over the world, while educating them on how to improve the lives of manatees.
“Change Makers” is a book of interviews and photographs spotlighting trailblazing women around the world who create positive change from the local to global level. The book has endorsements from Sheryl Sandberg, founders of the Women’s March, and more. This was such a fulfilling project (shared with photographer Jena Cumbo, producer Mary Dove, and writer Tira Harpaz) at the height of the fourth wave of the women’s rights movement. I’ll never forget it. And for anyone motivated to buy a copy, you can do so here: https://www.blurb.com/b/9911985-change-makers.
Freelance writing is something I will always do, as writing is my first passion. Wellness, life, human rights, music/dance…they all inspire me. When I have the opportunity to write about something I care about, I’ll do it.
Acting and modeling have been that extra dash of spice in my life. With both, more so with acting, get to escape myself for a bit and be someone else. While I’m also happy to return to myself, it’s an otherworldly experience to become another person (or non-human)through facial expressions, movement, and sound. It’s beautiful. And who knows, maybe one day I will want to pursue acting full-time. If I feel that deep within my bones, then I’ll go for it!
My hosting/producing projects are new and thrilling! Film life never has a dull moment and the adrenaline of it keeps me wanting more. When it’s a small team especially, each person is wearing a multitude of hats. Constructing the story, planning out the visuals, editing to a tee…it’s so involved! I have so much more to learn, but without a doubt, it feels like a calling. I must do it! My recent docuseries project, “Surreal Camile,” already has a feel reel. Now it’s about creating a business plan, then pitching it to producers who can fund it and bring it to the next level.
All of the above work, for the most part, is done remotely! I’ve been a Digital Nomad for 10 years, before that title became as known as it is now. I’ve never veered away from the Digital Nomad life because the top thing I value in life is freedom. By having my own clients, continuing my freelance writing projects, and continuing my broadcast/film projects, I get to live in different places, and lots of the time, I’m able to choose my own hours. Traveling while working is the most thrilling part about all the things I do. This past summer of 2023, I took a Eurotrip for 3 months while working. Granted, I took on less projects during my trip, but I was still able to keep the money flow, which to me, is something I always like to do, especially when I’m treating myself constantly for three months! I lived my best life in Spain, Italy, Greece, Ireland, and Turkey. I think my next work/traveltrip will be in Southeast Asia…or maybe South America…maybe Africa…the travel possibilities are endless as a Digital Nomad!
Maintaining and growing the Digital Nomad lifestyle is another conversation, and I’m happy to have it with whoever is curious and reading this. You can always follow/message me @camilesardina (https://www.instagram.com/camilesardina/?hl=en) on Instagram. I promise you, if you feel like this life is for you to your core, take the steps to achieve it! Let’s talk!
As far as new projects go, right now I’m working on a video podcast. I’m not ready to share further details as of yet, but they will come! Always keep life new and interesting! That’s my motto.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Quality wise, likability has probably given me more opportunities than anything else. I get along well with others because I maintain fairness, respect, and fun! Clients return to Evolist Media because they enjoy working with me and my team. Media and film opportunities continue to nourish my career because I work hard and make sure people feel comfortable around me. All of this assumes that your clients, collaborators, co-workers, etc, are also treating you well. Even while traveling, I show my respect and genuine interest by always trying to speak the native language and staying curious about the culture. I lived in Madrid (and am currently applying for my Digital Nomad Visa in Spain) for one month during the 2023 summer. I can confidently say I have a group of friends there now. I always spoke Spanish and I asked a lot of questions showing my passion for their culture. They appreciated this effort, and many invited me to events, restaurants, and bars because of it. This resulted in wonderful amigos Madrileños!
For anyone starting their career, interviewing with gratitude and fierce knowledge about the job itself will go a long way in likability. If you get hired, stay curious about the position, and don’t be afraid to chat non-work stuff with others. Bring up that amazing performance or game that happened during breaks. Crack a joke in an email. Attend or plan events where you can show off your silly side. These little things will start to add up, and sooner than later, you’ll have people wanting to be your friend.
Another beneficial quality I have to mention is curiosity! When you’re curious, you learn more, and when you learn more, you become more knowledgeable…and we all know knowledge is power! Curiosity is a core reason why I’ve been able to work for myself for 10 years (and will continue to do so). It allows me to have enough knowledge in different areas where I can either tackle the task on my own or properly delegate it to someone else. It also strengthens my relationships with others. People love when someone is genuinely interested in their work and who they are. When others feel liked by you, they’ll want to be around you…maybe even work with you.
To those entering the real world, practice your curiosity by asking people more questions, wondering the meaning of a song or movie, or learning something new by yourself, like cooking a gourmet dish. Curiosity does not kill the cat, curiosity allows you to wear more hats – and look good in each of them!
Skill wise, writing has been the most impactful. If you can write well, you’re that much closer to landing an interview, gauging new client interest, building your voice in your industry, inspiring others, the list goes on. The writing can be anything from pitching, poetry, to screenwriting. The more range you have in writing, the better.
If you’re insecure about your writing, take an in-person or online class. Programs like Gotham Writers exist around the world, where they teach a 3-6 month course on a specific writing subject. I also recommend writing in a journal daily to keep the word soup bubbling. If you simply hate writing, try to change your perspective on it. Perhaps talk to people who are passionate about it and try to understand why it’s significant to them. Maybe write a letter to yourself once per week and develop a relationship with your inner writer. Words have power, and so do your words.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Can I write a book here? Because my parents have made so many positive impacts on my life that I’ll need to write a series, but I’ll try my best to condense the love. Since it’s impossible to choose one thing, here are a handful of ways my parents positively impacted my life, as well as my older sister’s life (who is an absolute superwoman with the most beautiful babies):
On a smaller scale, my parents allowed us to fall off those bikes, get those scrapes, even watch those scary movies at times, just so we can learn to find bravery within ourselves to get back up…or fight the monsters under our bed all on our own! On a larger scale, they raised us to be independent, they instilled the importance of education and skill-building in us, they taught us how to pick our battles properly, and they demonstrated empathy for others to make sure we would do the same. They also started saving for our college funds when we were babies. This allowed us to be debt free upon exiting college – one of the biggest practical blessings they could have gifted us.
Both my parents and sister have bold journeys of their own, and we are undoubtedly a family of fighters!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/camilesardina?utm_source=linktree_admin_share
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camilesardina/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camile.sardina
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camile-sardina-6326bb49/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealcamile?lang=en
Image Credits
Sam Dorado – @samgoldphotos Edgardo Ugueto – @eddy.ugueto
