Rousing Review Style Statement

Rousing Review Style Statement In keeping with Danielle LaPorte week, I wanted to post a long-overdue review of her book, Style Statement. Written in 2008 with her former Carrie + Danielle partner (Id link there, but it got bought out and Danielle hasnt been over there in years and it super sucks, so I wont encourage it), I received a (free!) copy of the book at my group FireStarter Session back in Sept 2009. Yup, Danielle brought copies of the book and her cards and let us take our pick, because shes amazeballs like that. I ran towards the book and bugged Danielle to sign it. She did, inscribing, Trust, growth, luminosity! Yes, yes, and yes! I kept it on the shelf for quite a while, knowing it was a book whose spine I wouldnt wanna crack until I had the sacred space to really dig into it. That time came when I was going to be in the air for a few hours, going back and forth to Florida from NYC. I knew that time without any other commitments or distractions would be the perfect time to discover my Style Statement. And while I already felt that Danielle is my cult leader, I was also skeptical. I mean, the book essentially promises to narrow down all the adjectives that make you, um, you, and find the top 2 that describe your style -the first being your Foundation (what makes up 80% of you), the second being your Creative Edge (your 20%). Yes, I was gonna go through it and committed to dig below the surface to find those words waiting for me, but I wasnt too optimistic. I mean, have ya met me? A cut-and-dry, simple lady I aint. Part glossy magazine spread (about 30% of the book is compromised of gorgeous profiles of the Style Statements of others), part workbook, Style Statement hit the fill-in-the-blanks and hits em hard, like: The ultimate celebration or party that Id like to throw would be _________ What I treasure most about the earth we live on is ___________________ I have felt out of place or incredibly uncomfortable ___________________ I try to hide my ___________________________________________ I am impressed by people who _________________________________ Um, so yeah. These are not superficial questions, people. And there are tons of them. Theyre there to look deeper into your home + stuff, fashion + sensuality, spirit + learning, service + wealth, relationships + communication, creativity + celebration, body + wellness, and nature + rest relaxation. From the name of the book I thought we were gonna stick to the wardrobe/home design pieces, but it delves into all the blocks of your life. Every chapter has a section on what works for you, what doesnt work for you, and then a space that helps you filter interpret your answers. So, even though the questions are tough and the connecting thread is sometimes not so super obvious, the book helps you see whats important, whats connected, whats you. It goes beyond the type of boots you wanna wear or what color you wanna paint your walls its about the essence of who you are. And who did I turn out to be? After many hours and many answers and many looks into the thesaurus, I found my Style Statement: Cheerful Energy. I have to remember to see it as two pieces, though since cheerful could be a way to describe my energy, and thats not what this is. This is cheerful being my foundation, and energy being my creative edge. I remember this when I get dressed, when I come to my coaching sessions, when I meet a friend (new or old), when I attend a business-y meeting. And while it didnt change me and it doesnt box me in, its such a focused way to remember who I am. You can learn more   on the Style Statement site, although its worth noting that Danielle is nowhere to be found there. It seems like Carrie is now running the show, and I cant speak at all about the personal Style Statements via the phone that shes offering. But I absolutely recommend the book to anyone that is looking for a better way to get to the heart of the matter, and whos willing/able/committed to put aside the time/energy to dig deeper into themselves. Certainly not easy, but absolutely worth it! Cheerful Energy. Thats me. Whats your Style Statement?