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

Hi Carrie, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work/Life Balance changes daily for me and that’s 100% related to burnout.
As an entrepreneur, I first burned out in 2012, before burnout was a buzzword. I’ve created several different businesses over the years, before I burned out for the first time and since. Before I burned out, work/life balance was about my schedule and calendar, when I exercised, when I filled up my self-care bucket, or when I spent time with friends and family. Not, since knowing what I know about burnout and how to manage it, work/life balance is all about my nervous system and regulating it. It’s about recognizing when I need to take a minute to do some deep breathing or jump in a cold shower, canceling meetings because I have brain fog and need to go outside and get fresh air. Balance is less a big picture for me these days and a daily check-in. What does Carrie need today? And then I do it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’ve been a storyteller for 30 years. I started as a journalist and moved over to essayist, public speaker, publicist, author, book coach, and publisher. My life revolves around stories – mine and others. I started the Unapologetic Voice House in 2019 after spending years pitching literary agents in the hopes of being published traditionally. All my rejection letters from literary agents came down to the same thing. They all loved the work. They all compared the work to well-known authors. But because I didn’t have a big enough platform, agents always passed on me. So I did it myself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Arizona is a beautiful state. The Phoenix area has excellent finds but I’m all about the hidden, low-key gems. I’d take them out to Lake Pleasant, hitting up Someburros for Mexican food before we go. I’d take them up to Sedona for some spiritual reset and amazing hikes and views like Cathedral Rock, and Crescent Moon. We’d stop at Pisa Lisa for pizza on the way back to Phoenix, drive through Jerome and Cottonwood, and stop at Arizona Stronghold Vineyard for some vino and bruschetta!

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?
I’ve been supported by so many people through the years of being a storyteller, recovery burnout, and entrepreneur. My husband is always impressed with me and what I create. My next book is all about our story – his cancer and me as his caregiver. If we didn’t have as strong of a relationship as we do, there’s no way we would have been able to get through what we just walked through.

Website: https://www.carrieseverson.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_unapologetic_voice_house

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrieseverson/

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