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Living Your Vision: Carrie McCarthy
Purpose of “Living Your Vision” Series: To focus on the journey – the how – of unconventional success. The series emphasizes that life is truly a verb – not solely a string of accomplishments.
Unconventional success redefines what we consider possible – it’s success that has not yet been defined by others. Essentially, it means paving a path through uncharted territory.
Carrie McCarthy is the founder and co-author of Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design, she has been featured in Real Simple, Vogue, Body & Soul, and Domino. Style Statement is an intimate process of self-revelation and empowerment, “An hour-long consultation that provides a blueprint of sorts for a woman’s personal, emotional and life styles-all designed to help her live authentically.”
As an interior designer, Carrie founded her company on the principle that true style creates both beauty and ease in people’s lives. She has designed for multi-million dollar estates and small studios, and styled for lifestyle magazines, luxury hotels and architectural firms. As a graduate of the London College of Fashion, Carrie established “Robe,” a successful wedding dress company, which was a dramatic contrast from her early career as a nationally ranked track and field athlete.
How are you living your vision?
My vision is a work in progress, one day it feels graceful and full of ease, another day it feels difficult and wobbly. And I’m okay with my paradoxical feelings. I’ve given up thinking, “I need to get it right,” instead I ask three questions:
Does this bring me joy?
What am I committed to?
Who may I ask for support?
Asking myself these questions guides me towards my vision especially on those days of insecurity, overwhelm and abundance of choice.
What is your Style Statement? Please share what that statement means to you.
My Style Statement is Refined Treasure. I’ve always been refining my business, my choices, and my lifestyle. On the deepest level, my Style Statement reminds me that it’s always valuable to refine my plan, and treasures always show up. And when I have been less than my best – I’ve been the opposite of my Style Statement, ignoring my intuition, rushing under pressure or neglecting my needs.
When I treasure myself, I find the treasures in others.
When working on an exciting project (one that you are passionate about), how do you quiet your thoughts and shift your mind-set in order to do “other” things?
Some people can work through a bomb going off, not me. A beautiful environment is essential to my creativity, I sit at my French monastery table with a view of the forest, a cup of earl grey tea, a pencil, a pad of grid paper, my mac book and my mind is clear and alert.
What are three to five lessons you’ve learned during your personal journey?
- I am responsible for my life.
- Nature heals.
- Beauty inspires.
- I am perfectly flawed.
- Big egos are big problems.
How do you acknowledge & celebrate personal success?
I’m not great at this, it’s one of the reasons my second word is Treasure. As a student and athlete I learned to go without until it became a habit, then I met my husband and he has taught me to fill our lives with goodness and celebration. Hands down the birth of our son has been the greatest gift and in celebration of his birth we planted an olive tree on our property.
Complete the prompts in bold…
- I know… knowing yourself is beautiful.
- This week, I want to… swim 2km.
- This month, I want to… complete our cottage on the Gulf Islands and spend the rest of the summer there.
- In this lifetime, I want to… foster what I love and make a difference.
- I don’t know… so much.
- I am… complicated and brave.
What’s an inspiring tip you’d like to share with readers?
Underneath each complaint is a wish, what are you wishing for?
What’s a question you wish more people asked?
What are you curious about?
. . . . . GIVEAWAY! . . . . .
Thank you so much, Carrie, for sharing your incredible responses! I am so inspired by how you are living your vision :).
Carrie is giving away a signed copy of Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design to one lucky winner. To enter to win, please answer the following question by 5 PM EST Friday, August 20th.
What do you find yourself consistently longing for?
:: UPDATE (8-23-2010) ::
Congratulations, Jenn, you are the giveaway recipient! Thank you so much to everyone for your thoughtful comments!
Related "ripples" you might enjoy:
- Living Your Vision: Christine Mason Miller
- Living Your Vision: Leana May
- 10 Simple Truths For Living a Life You Love
- Inspired Everyday Living: Dream Home – Bringing Your Dreams Into Your Home (Week 3)
- Tuesday Treasures: What do you treasure?
This entry was posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 7:00 am and is filed under Authenticity, Creativity & Inspiration, Living Your Vision. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
24 Responses to “Living Your Vision: Carrie McCarthy”
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Carolyn Rubenstein , Leigh Charles. Leigh Charles said: Living Your Vision: Carrie McCarthy: Purpose of “Living Your Vision” Series: To focus on the journey – the how – … http://bit.ly/cUYKc8 [...]
I find myself longing for peace in my heart. Acceptence of where my children are on their journey. Acceptance that my ‘ebb’ periods are part of my creative process. I long for the guilt that plagues me to vanish.
Twitter: JadynSenior
says:
Great interview! I love Carries answers. The Style Statement book is on my Amazon wish list!
I find myself consistently longing for a job (in whatever form) that is meaningful as well as pays the bills. I guess this is what most of us are looking for…but there it is. :)
Jadyn´s last blog ..Lovely Monday
I find myself consistently longing for financial security – for me, that means being able to pay the bills without worrying if I’m going to have enough for rent or groceries next month. Financial insecurity is a pattern I’ve been stuck with since I was young, and I feel like I’m finally on the way to freeing myself, which is great – I have gotten out of negative patterns and into wholesome, fulfilling spaces in many other areas of my life, so I’m ready to build new patterns with this, too.
I really enjoyed reading the interview! I had never heard of Style Statement and now I am excited to find a copy! It sounds really interesting.
A’ishah Hils´s last blog ..Putting Down the Boat
What a great concept! I feel at this point in my life and I am longing for clarity. Everything is muddy right now and I wish for clairty to be able to see the right path for me to take.
I find myself consistently wishing for time – not an extra hour a day sort of time, but the sort of open, empty time of a childhood summer, when I felt maybe a little bored, but also creative and full of energy and ready to explore the world.
Valerie´s last blog ..Blogging and materialism
Twitter: clearlycomposed
says:
I find myself longing for peace in the questions themselves. Sometimes I get so eager for answers I miss what gifts the questions offer.
Fabulous interview. Carrie is authentic, charming, and inspirational. Thanks. :)
Clearly Composed´s last blog .. Summer Fun Series- The Spontaneous Adventure
The best thing about answering this question is that it made me realize all of the things that I do have.
I have the ability, the imagination, the “eye” or sense of style, the time and the resources.
What I long for is that thing that makes me get off the couch and actually do the things to bring the ideas into being. The “oomph”, the stick-to–it drive to turn the craft supplies, beautiful found things and treasures I have amassed into the work of art in my mind.
Hi Carolyn, I loved this post and learned so much! Thank you for sharing your beautiful guest with us, and for asking such wonderful questions! :)
I love this: When I treasure myself, I find the treasures in others.
What do you find yourself consistently longing for?
~Harmony with my Inner Spirit; embracing clear space -clarity and Flow.
(Physical/emotional nourishment, and soul-comfort.)
Thanks again for this awesome post, so inspiring!
xx
Jenn
Jenn´s last blog ..Just Breathe! I can do this…
Twitter: carolynr
says:
Congratulations, Jenn, you are the giveaway recipient! I will be emailing you to get your information for Carrie :)!!
Twitter: tiffanycmoore
says:
Fantastic giveaway, Carolyn!
I constantly finding myself longing for a life of my own design. Where everything I do is consciously chosen by me. Where I have a choice in all things. I’ll get there someday…
tiffany´s last blog ..my new favorite t-shirts
Twitter: storiesofsommer
says:
Love, love, love this book; changed my life.
What do you find yourself consistently longing for?
I find myself consistently longing for stillness. (And a home in the mountains.) I supposed it’s because the last 5 or 6 years of my life have been so crazy that I am just ready for it to settle down. I just want some peace.
Alisha´s last blog ..Part Two
I am longing for to trust myself and stop doubting and letting the fear monster take over. I want to spread my wings and find joy. Once I can unlock myself I can truly spread my light to others. Thank you.
I long for PEACE.
[...] my interview on the A Beautiful Ripple Effect blog, (find out five lessons I’ve learned in my life.) Check out Carolyn’s site, [...]
This is great – I’ve been wanting to read that book. I find myself consistently longing for Lifehouse concerts. A weird answer, I know, but they’re my favorite band and every time I see them, I just want to see them again.
Twitter: girlhabits_cbak
says:
I always find myself longing to listen to myself and to my needs.
I find myself longing for more focus.
I consistently find myself wishing for more time. Or, for time to move more slowly. Or, for me to be more present in the time I do have (not always wishing it were x hour of the day or x day of the week already).
I am longing for appreciation and acknowledgement. At my old job, every staff meeting began with appreciations, and I miss it! I need to figure out a good way to express more thankfulness in my everyday life.
I consistently find myself longing for the time when my passion for art turns into how I make my living. I can’t wait for the day when I can say with confidence and exuberance “I am a Professional Artist!”
Jamie´s last blog ..Goodbye Dad
I long for internal quietness and the acceptance that I will always have brain chatter. I want a few seconds when my “monkey mind” is quiet but I also want to realize that there will always be chatter and to be okay with that.
Love photography. Love everything about it. I love to talk about it. I love to dream about it. I see the beautful inspiring shots online and wish I can be the one taking it. yeah, that’s my dream. PhotoGal
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