From Carolee’s blog, www.caroleeflatley.com, post dated February 6th, 2010.
I feel blessed that life-changing experiences have been raining down upon me since I’ve been opening myself up. Gabrielle Bernstein, Dr. Aron and others have made a difference in my life, allowed me to see myself in a new light. I feel like a whole new person. But this was all just prep now as I look at it. The tough work to earn me the cash? Prep. Taking a leap of faith? Prep. Opening up my mind? Prep. Prep for what you might ask?
Innovative Ease.
Two words. Two words I would have never put together. Two words that, in their way, encompass me, completely and totally. Who I am now, where I want to be, where I need to go. I am the embodiment of Innovated Ease, even if I’m not yet the cleanest conduit. From here on, all work will be toward the one goal: actualizing my Style Statement.
Where did these two words come from? From Carrie listening and hearing what I couldn’t hear in myself. Who’s Carrie, you may ask? Carrie McCarthy is the power behind Style Statement, in her own words, “an invitation to make more powerful choices… to create your life with intention, to communicate who you are in all you do.”
She released a book about the Style Statement process in early 2008. I picked it up shortly after it was published, at the suggestion of Gala Darling. I worked on it in starts and stops, and finally I created my two words, Comfortable Play. And while that fit my life at that time, it didn’t sit right with me. It felt like a costume I put on. While I liked those two things, something sat wrong, it wasn’t me. It wasn’t my essence, it wasn’t the whole me.
I read Carrie’s blog, thinking, “Oh man… I should work on that again. Something’s calling me, but I just don’t know what…” It was actually through the blog that I found out about HSP’s. Carrie was already sending me knowledge (whether she knew it or not) that was changing my life new ways.
When I saw that she was offering a new year special on her one-on-one sessions, I took a leap of faith. Yes, it was somewhat expensive for an underemployed person, but maybe this was a sign from the universe. I signed up and though I was scared, it was an excited scared. I was ready to be busted open. I was just nervous about what I might find.
For twenty-four hours before my session, my stomach was full of butterflies. As it approached, I couldn’t sleep. I was worried I would be sick. For some reason, I could go through first dates, interviews, whatever, with panache! I am who I am, people will judge me, but I’ll know I did my best. For this, I was talking with someone who was ready to offer me the core of who I am, distilled into two words. Someone I’d never met! I sipped my cup of tea and pressed call, nervous but ready for anything.
Carrie put me at ease immediately. We had a brief talk about everything and nothing. Time flew and when we were done, I felt sad it was over. It was a conversation, one I’d enjoyed thoroughly (I mean, who doesn’t love talking about the things they love?) and wished I could continue so much longer. She asked me to give her 20 minutes. Longest twenty minutes of my life… I was excited, not knowing what to expect, the closest thing I’ll ever feel to being an expectant parent. Like I’m waiting to meet someone I’ve known my whole life.
And that’s when she said it: Innovative Ease. As she explained what that meant, I knew it. I’d been thinking too small, way too small. She had seen the whole picture, from the details to the big picture and refined it: two words. Pure inspiration flooded through me. I was ready for this. So so ready.
What’s my next step? I don’t know really. Carrie gave me great tips, books to read and that’s where I”ll begin. It’s a lesson life has been teaching me over, over and over again – relax, have faith, be yourself! I’m going to post my Style Statement somewhere huge to remind me. The key? It’s ease!