February 22, 2007 | Written By AMANDA FORD
Several weeks ago I was lamenting to an older (and much wiser) friend of mine about how lost and anxious and depressed and completely confused I've been feeling about my life lately. "I don't know what to do with myself. I don't know where my life is going. I don't have any exceptional talents or skills. I'm worried." Then I started to cry.
"How old are you?" my friend asked.
"Twenty-eight," I muttered through my tears.
"Of course you're feeling this way. It's your Saturn Return."
"My what?"
"Look it up."
And so I did. And you should too if you are in the age range of 28-30 and feeling particularly uncertain about your life. The concept of Saturn Return is complex, but the basic premise is this: it takes approximately 29 years for the planet Saturn to circle the sun, and a person's personal Saturn Return is when Saturn gets back to the location it was at during the time of her birth. Saturn has long been associated with struggle, confusion, doubt, and hard knock lessons. It makes sense then, to those of us who enjoy this sort this sort of thing, that a person would start feeling insecure and off kilter around the age of 29. It's a time of life when many of us really question the way in which we interact with the world.
Every woman reacts in her own way when such pressures arise. Some consult a psychologist, some pray, some practice yoga, some plant themselves on the couch with a pint of Cherry Garcia. Since I have always been the type to find comfort in the world of fashion--flipping through Vogue Italia, organizing my closet, trying on dresses--I decided to turn to Vancouver stylists Carrie and Danielle for a little direction during my existential crisis.
Just as you might not understand the feelings of Saturn Return until you are immersed in the middle of it, you cannot fully understand the service that Carrie McCarthy and Danielle LaPorte offer their clients until you experience it. Carrie and Danielle are the masterminds behind the Style Statement, a unique two-word statement crafted specifically to help each client create clarity, be inspired, live authentically, make empowering choices in all areas of life.
The basic premise of the Style Statement process is this: you meet with either Carrie or Danielle for a 90 minute interview in which you are asked questions like, where do you feel most at home, describe your perfect day, and my personal favorite, if Annie Leibovitz was to take your photo, and you were in charge of art direction, what would the photo look like? These questions are meant to tap into your psyche and find the consistent themes that run through your life. At the end of the interview Carrie and Danielle present you with your individual Style Statement. Carrie's Style Statement is Refined Treasure. Danielle's is Sacred Dramatic. Mine is Gracious Play.
After Danielle presented me with my Style Statement I did the thing I seem to be doing a lot of lately: I cried. My tears are proof that Carrie and Danielle's Style Statements do much more than help you choose clothes for your closet. The Style Statement helps you give words to your essence. It describes the way you dress, the way you decorate your home, the way you interact with others, the way you approach your career, the way structure your entire life. For me, Gracious Play were the exact words I needed to hear at this moment in my life, they are the foundation words helping me remain grounded during my tumultuous Saturn Return.
Take note: You don't have to travel to Vancouver to get your Style Statement. Carrie and Danielle can do appointments via the telephone, and the process is just as powerful.