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!
I write to understand better – myself and other people. I write to communicate and connect, usually first in my journal and then onto a legal notepad, and finally by typing as quickly as I can. I lose track of time and the world beyond my paper and pen in these sacred moments. And I love to write, the actual process versus the completion or end point, which is hard to say about most “obligations” in life.