Coming Soon: Style & Story

I’ve wanted to start a membership community for years! I’ve talked about it, thought about it, dreamed about it… and I’m so excited to tell you it is finally happening!

In the movie industry, when they can’t get part of it off the ground, they call it “stuck in production hell.” Exhibit A, National Treasure 3, which my children incessantly ask me to research.

You could say my membership site idea got stuck there, too. I couldn’t settle on a focus, which pushed it to the back burner. Ever the jack of all trades and master of none, typical Enneagram seven that I am, the idea of narrowing down to just one thing felt like I was slowly killing all my dreams.

Should the HEART framework be prioritized? Sure, I like a good conversation about HEART goals, but what if I’d rather chat about design?  I want to help you be more organized and productive, but I also want to help you make your home (and life) beautiful. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t quite narrow it down.

And then finally: it came to me. The two connecting threads that run through everything I love: style and story.

I love style.

You’d probably beg to differ if you saw me in my everyday gym wear. But that’s not the kind of style I’m talking about. The word style often evokes images of the fashion world, although a definition supplied by the Oxford dictionary, is more in line with what we will talk about when it describes “a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.”

In the words of my college speech professor, you cannot not communicate.

In a sense, sure, every word we utter serves as a tool for conveying meaning. But the things we don’t say, the looks we throw, the harumphs and grunts and eyerolls, are just as telling as our words. We understand ourselves and the world around us through the language of words, actions, and aesthetic.

Our style relates to our values, our core beliefs. In this sense, style is a language, of which ornament is the grammar. It is this idea that I want to unpack with you in our soon-to-be-launched membership community.

The way we present ourselves to the world is a reflection of who we are and what matters to us. Style is a statement.

I love story.

I didn’t know I loved story until I met my friend Don, who explained that there is a simple framework to this age-old practice: a character has a problem, meets a guide who has a plan, and this results in success or failure. Sure, there are piles of nuances, but ever the succinct communicator, Don, boiled it down clearly and simply.

I remember I was on an escalator in a mall when I realized this was a one-sentence story: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, which saved a wretch like me.

Story is an art form older than cave art on walls. I’m fascinated with this mechanism that God uses to communicate with us. I’m fascinated with how our stories link and intersect, intertwine and meander. While stories are complicated at times, they are also full of beauty and meaning if we’re willing to look hard enough to see it.

I believe everything we do tells a story. Our actions convey meaning. The details of our daily lives, the way we plan our calendars, pursue our goals, decorate our homes, and order our days—are all significant parts of who we are and the stories we tell ourselves and about ourselves.

And I believe our stories should be told with style.

That’s why we’re excited to start doing exactly that in the new Style & Story community, opening the end of this month.

Members will have exclusive access to our workshop library, with topics ranging from HEART Goals (coming in December) to home design (and more!) as well as our extensive printable library. Plus, you’ll get access to live workshops, coaching advice on home and/or life from Whitney, and be the first to get all the insider info.

My crew and I have been working tirelessly to open the doors to this membership, and we’d love to hear what you’re most looking forward to! Could I twist your arm to take a moment to answer five questions that will help us curate a great experience for you? Just click this link to go to the survey; we welcome your thoughts!