Today, we meet Caroline Carr. Caroline is based in the UK where she has a very successful coaching business. She helps people to speak with more confidence, find more energy, sparkle, freedom, laughter and joy.
I was impressed with her ever positive and optimistic words and attitude. Caroline is someone who expresses so much joy and vitality, something that the French call ‘Joie de vivre’ and that is so uplifting. Chicken soup for the soul!
Caroline is also the author of three books: “Living with Depression – How to cope when your partner is depressed”, “How not to worry – How to stop anxiety spoiling your life”, and “Menopause – A guide for real women”.
It’s time you get to know Caroline too, so here we go with the interview.
Theatre, hypnotherapy, laughter yoga and oomphwork
Hello Caroline. First of all, thank you for doing this interview for the Passions Pilot blog. I’m super stoked about it. What is your superhero story? Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
I help people with their mindset, emotions and voice. This enables them to maximise their personal energy to best effect. I do this through 1 – 1 coaching, workshops and retreats.
I call this personal energy Oomph. It embodies inner freedom, lightness, clarity, vitality, sparkle and joy – yet it is also grounded and calm.
Many things can block the natural energy flow, and I address this with clients using a range of modalities so that they feel free to shine. I help them find clarity, and I show them EXACTLY how to sustain their Oomph when they’re in the midst of upheaval and emotional turmoil. I also help them to speak their truth with confidence, ease and skill.
This is why I do what I do:
By the time I was thirty, I felt I had achieved my ambitions, and was perfectly fine with that. I felt fulfilled. If I dropped down dead, I would have had few regrets, as I realised I’d led a blessed and exciting life. Trained in theatre, drama and voice, I worked in theatre and television for years. It was FUN! However, I did experience an anxiety disorder in my twenties which put a firm lid on that for a while.
I was blessed to have children, and in those early years of mothering, I taught drama in prisons, schools and community groups. Then, always fascinated by hypnosis, I decided to become a hypnotherapist and also a life coach, and have had a successful practice for years. Family mental health issues meant that I had to reassess the way I viewed life though. I authored a couple of books on depression, anxiety, and the menopause, and learnt to teach Laughter Yoga. (There were other pursuits also – but too many to mention here!)
Gradually, my work (and life purpose) has morphed into ‘Find Your Oomph’. I’m really thrilled about this because I feel that I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I love what I do! I’ve created Oomphwork – a creative process that enables people to really flourish and shine, and it seems that now I am able to meld EVERYTHING that I have done and learnt in life in the best way possible.
I giggle when I realise that by the time I was thirty I thought that I’d fulfilled all my ambitions. Perhaps I had at that point. Now I’m in my sixties though, and I’ll be annoyed if I die soon, because I have so many more!
A fulfilled and happy multi-potentialite
That is so awesome and inspiring! To be able to say that you’re exactly where you are meant to be and feeling fulfilled. There are not a lot of multi-potentialites out there who can say that. And, speaking about multi-potentiality, when and how did you find out you’re a multi-potentialite?
When I was a young woman, I had two passions: theatre/drama, plus anything that fit into the social work category. I was gaining experience in both areas and didn’t know which to pick as a career as I really, REALLY loved both. I felt bothered by this dilemma for years though, because I felt I truly ‘belonged’ in both camps.
As the years went on and I explored new territory, I became sensitive to the comments and attitude of others. Things like:
“Oh I can’t keep up with you – you seem to be doing something different every time I see you!”
“WHAT is it you’re doing now?”
“Well, you’re certainly a person of enthusiasms, I’ll give you that!”
“Oh! I thought you were…?!”
“You seem to do one thing then move on to something else…”
I began to think my natural curiosity and behaviour was a flaw, and that I was in danger of being considered ‘flakey’ – although my work record proved otherwise.
Then, much later, I came across Emily Wapnicks Ted Talk. This was a REVELATION. I’d never heard the term Multipotentialite before. Wow! That would explain a great deal – thank you! I think I’m just on the cusp, but I felt completely validated. Knowing that there are loads of us – and we’re needed and useful and not ‘odd’ is affirming and brings a sense of relief!
I found out in the same way and, yes, what a relief it was. Suddenly everything in the past started to make sense. Often multi-potentialites are not able to commit and finish a project. Obviously, that is not you because you finished three books. What were or are for you your biggest successes?
My biggest success is where I am now. I rate that success in terms of personal development, and my whole life has led to this point!
I’m also proud of the fact that I’ve written three books which were all published some years ago. (Note of Passions Pilot: The three books are: “Living with depression“, “How not to worry“, and “Menopause – A guide for real women“). I had to get very organised for that – and that I achieved a degree and various diplomas, some of which were hard-going and required masses of time and organisation. I think that allotting chunks of precious, undisturbed time helped me to focus most of all then.
Whiteboards and lists to get organised
Yes, time boxing is an excellent strategy to get things done. Apart from not having a lot of time, what were your biggest struggles or roadblocks for organising your time or your life and being a multi-potentialite?
I am very adept and experienced at making lists on various notepads and scraps of paper, and then not doing what’s on them (and in some cases not looking at them again). I used to have the quaint belief that a lack of time was the reason why tasks weren’t completed – but I have since learnt that that is in fact, rubbish. Mostly, I just didn’t want to do what was on the list. I have more choice about how to spend my time now, and I still don’t always choose wisely. Therefore lists are still made, but I am good at prioritising these days.
However, I can still become seduced by the “Getting some new coloured pens and box folders will sort this organisation thing” nonsense. It’s only ever worked once. Now I turn my head the other way when passing that sort of merchandise in shops, otherwise my home will be filled with gorgeous files and folders – and they’ll either remain empty, or I won’t have a clue what I put in those I have used.
I giggled recently when a friend said with pride: “I’ve bought a whiteboard!” I bought a whiteboard once, convinced it would enable me to get REALLY ORGANISED, especially if I used a different coloured pen for each project. It did – for about a week. Then the novelty wore off, and the paper lists resurfaced.
I can imagine how that went 🙂 When a tool, like a whiteboard, is complicated or it takes a lot of overhead in time or effort, then the tool isn’t fit for purpose and is quickly put aside. What else do you use now, instead of the whiteboard and coloured pens?
I find a recording device helps me – so I use my phone. I often have ideas appertaining to the projects I’m doing, and writing them on random scraps of paper just isn’t helpful. At least if I capture them in the moment through speaking them into my phone, I can then systematically transcribe what I’ve said into the various ‘notes’ folders on my computer.
The old adage about de-cluttering your desk is good too. Given that my fondness for lists continues, I find that at least if my desk is relatively clear, the lists become more manageable. I’m not quite sure why this is, but it works for me.
I experimented with having a different to do list for each of the projects I have going at any given time. I’ve found this has some benefits, but I also need a generalised list so that I can prioritise what I need to do overall.
What lights you up?
That is very wise and sound advice! I organise my to do’s in a similar way (see ‘How to setup your passions portfolio in 5 easy steps*). Is there any tool or resource you can give us that made a big impact on your life and that could also help other multi-potentialites?
Honestly, I think it’s lists. That’s what works for me, but I have to be a little tongue in cheek as the lists can become ludicrous.
And an audio recorder for anyone who writes, or well – anyone really, otherwise it’s easy to find you’ve gone onto the next thing without capturing what’s important in the moment.
If you could give us just one advice, what is this one and best advice you would give other multi-potentialites?
Experience has taught me that in a nutshell, it’s important to get really clear about what lights you up and WHY. Become familiar with the FEELINGS of joy and stay focused on that. This will bring you into alignment with your inner self and give you more answers than you may expect. The organisation of your passions will flow and become easier than you think!
Brilliant! We will have to wrap up here. It’s almost Christmas time, so for all multi-potentialites who are reading this, it seems like a good idea to me to ask Santa to put a book or some coaching sessions under the Christmas tree… If people want to get in contact with you, where can they find you?
Well, they can find me here:
Website: www.findyouroomph.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @CarolineCarr__
Facebook: Caroline.Carr
Thank you so much for the interview. You have shared so many valuable tips and advice. Keep up your Oomph!
Nickita
