Meet Carrie Barrett | Writer, Actor, Artist, Seeker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carrie Barrett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carrie, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
That fear is a weakness. Fear is an important and unavoidable state that, for one, keeps us safe. Fear should always be listened to but that doesn’t mean we always need to do what it tells us to do. I try to be curious anytime I have the impulse to run away from something and this curiosity has lead to some pretty surprising and meaningful discoveries about myself. Easier said than done when every cell in my body wants to avoid things that make me afraid, but at least I now see value in this exploration.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My interests and endeavors are varied and, at any given time, I’m an actor, playwright, screenwriter, ceramics artist, painter, character comedian, and Akashic Record reader with a deep interest in the spiritual and healing arts. I used to worry about juggling all of this, until I realized that there is one thing at the root of everything I do: a quest to get to know myself better, for better or for worse. If something scares me personally, creatively or professionally, that’s probably an invitation to go out on a limb and explore that more.

Along these lines, a defining moment for me was in my mid-twenties when I didn’t think entertainment was a viable career option so I just didn’t try. Instead, I took a job in the corporate world. After a series of small realizations exploring the extent of my unhappiness. I decided that the next time someone asked me what I did for a living I was going to tell them I was an actor and comedian. Sure, I did these things as hobbies, but had never made a dollar from either. And, despite feeling like an a-hole saying it, I stayed true to my word.

As fate would have it, the next person who asked was a commercial producer who essentially cast me in a series of promos which ultimately led to me making a living in the arts very shortly after. It’s a wild and incredibly lucky synchronicity that taught me to think bigger, aim higher and just do that one true thing that scares me most.

I wish I could say I don’t have to keep re-learning this and reminding myself this is true, but I do! And those times when I’m feeling less strong and courageous, I try to remember to imagine telling Sixth-Grade Carrie that there have been times in my adult life when I’ve fully paid my rent by making weird stuff and working with friends. I think she’d be blown away. I know Today Carrie is.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The reality is: I’m a homebody so we are most likely gonna spend most of our time hanging out in my living room, eating snacks and talking for hours. But when we finally decide to peek outside we are for sure going on a hike. If we’re feeling especially ambitious, maybe a hike at Malibu Creek State park with lunch at The Old Place after. Otherwise, I mostly keep things low-key. I love strolling the river walk in Frog Town and stopping by Justine’s, Spoke Cafe and Just What I Kneaded. And I love bopping along York Boulevard with special shopping stops at Vinovore, Crush, and Shorthand. I love Highly Likely or Kitchen Mouse and then there’s sushi (OG Katsuya) and tacos (Angel’s El Pastor) and Ethiopian (Awash) and Thai (Sri Siam) and Korean BBQ (Soot Bull Jeep)… That doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface–there’s also the Marciano Art Foundation, Huntington Gardens, a show at The Elysian, or bike ride in Balboa Park. Gotta love living in a city with so many options!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It surely does take a village, and I have had no shortage of help from my partner, friends, family, teachers and colleagues along the way but I’d like to shout-out two women who have had maybe the greatest impact on my mental, physical and spiritual health: Bishop Tricia Hersey from the Nap Ministry and Jessica Maguire of The Vagus Nerve Program..

Bishop Hersey is a performance and theatre artist, activist, and author of the New York Times best selling book, Rest is Resistance. As founder of The Nap Ministry, she originated the concept of rest as liberation and rest as reparations. My friend, Jihan, turned me onto her during a time when I was struggling to see my value outside of my productivity and career success. While her work is largely focused on and specifically for black liberation, she welcomes all to explore and I’m forever grateful for the brilliant, fierce and gracious ways Bishop Hersey’s work has taught me to stop perpetuating this form of oppression. Our bodies and minds are not on this earth simply to make money.

Jessica McGuire is a physiotherapist turned nervous system educator whose Vagus Nerve Program truly changed my life–no hyperbole. Through her eight-week online course and her book, Nervous System Reset, I learned so much about the complex system that is the autonomic nervous system, the science behind how trauma and chronic stress affect every system in our bodies and research-backed tools to heal my own disregulated nervous system. This healing work has improved every area of my life.

I’ve never met either of them but am so grateful to them both for the precision and care with which they share their wisdom with all of us.

Website: https://www.carriebarrett.com

Instagram: currieburrett

Image Credits
Headshot by Paul Emerson.