Laura Connolly ( aka Lauroly) Opening: Welcome Courtney Carver to World Wise Beauty, and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your book ‘Soulful Simplicity’. I love the title and the tagline “How living with less can lead to so much more.” There are many books out there on decluttering our lives, but it seems to me everyone should read this book as a primer before they begin to clean house in any form. Simply said, this book is about clearing out the cobwebs in our minds, so we can begin to hear what’s in our hearts. There is a great quote that comes to mind when reading this book, “When you know your why, you’ll know your way”. Courtney’s personal story along with her wise practical tips on living from the inside out shows us how we all can find our own way and live life well. Let’s learn more…
Lauroly Q- What is Soulful Simplicity? A lot of people think minimalism is just about having less stuff and decluttering, but your book reminds us living with less is really a loving mindset. When did you make a shift to a less is more mindset? What was the catalyst for you?
In 2006 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and learned that stress can contribute to relapses and disease activity. I hoped that by eliminating as much stress as possible from my life, I could live well with MS. I didn’t see it as less Is more or even as simplifying at first. Soon though, after making several changes, I realized that the common thread was simplicity and that as I let go, it wasn’t a sacrifice.
Lauroly Q- Your story is inspiring and I’m so happy you are thriving well with your condition. Stress is dangerous when not managed, and especially when we are ill. It’s amazing how we have to run ourselves down, or become ill, before we can begin to really focus on taking care of ourselves. We hear all the time why self-care and self-love is important, but how does living simply with less lead us to it?
Lauroly Q- I like the term you use in the book ‘Making You’. It sounds so much stronger and affirmative than finding you. Can you share more on what you mean by making you?
Lauroly Q- Many working women are juggling several roles in their lives. The idea of setting aside time for a morning routine sounds wonderful but I suspect few know how to dedicate this special time for themselves. You have a section in your book called ‘Habit Stacking’ which I absolutely love. Can you give us an example of habit stacking? I can be silly and tell you I have habit stacked my morning breakfast! My oatmeal started out with cinnamon and bananas, then I began to add peanut butter, later added flax seed and blueberries. Just this year, I’ve added ginger and turmeric to my breakfast feast. Sounds silly, but breakfast is very much a self-care ‘ritual’ that matters to our health. Tell us more about habit stacking beyond oatmeal!
Lauroly Closing: Thank you Courtney for sharing your wellness wisdom. I think springtime is the perfect time to read your book and put into practice some of your many inspirational ideas on living with soulful simplicity. Wishing you a beautiful Spring filled with people you love and joyful experiences. For all my World Wise Beauties, this is definitely the book you can read on the beach this summer. It will make you think deeper about why you have brought your house to the beach, when you were supposed to get away from the house! I kid, but not about reading an inspiring book like Soulful Simplicity by a beautiful sea with a gentle breeze. Enjoy…
Courtney Closing Reply: Thank you!
