Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Carey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lisa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?
The most important lesson I’ve learned from my previous job is to say “yes” when your heart is telling you to go for it, even though in your head, you may be clueless as to how to actually get there.
To me, putting yourself out there is the first step to making it happen. You don’t have to know all the answers before you begin, you just have to know yourself and what you’re capable of.
I was the Public Relations and Marketing Director of the Harlem Globetrotters when I became pregnant with my first child at age 36. Once my daughter was born, I knew in my heart I couldn’t return full time to the demanding work schedule, as rewarding as it was, so I stepped aside, uncertain of what was next, but also mindful that being a full time mom would not be enough.
Ultimately I ended up launching my own PR agency and working from my home office, so I was able to balance the best of both worlds while growing my family. And guess what, during the 27 years of running my own company, the Harlem Globetrotters remained one of my clients. I was passionate about what I was contributing, and my clients and I sort of grew together. I say that because I’ve come to find that creativity and growth are only possible when we see obstacles as opportunities. There were many times along the way that I said “Of course I can do that,” and then I went out and learned how. That’s not to say I didn’t make mistakes, they were just what was needed to guide me forward, to help me gain confidence. We don’t grow much when we’re comfortable.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
You could say I sort evolved into this next chapter as founder of Intentfully FiT — a wellness website and online community designed specifically for women over 50.
As a women in my 60s who made the conscious decision to let me hair go grey, I wanted to open up the conversation about aging by giving voice to all the things we’re going through, but often keep to ourselves. Funny, because we ALL get older as we go. Yet, it’s as if we hit this societal threshold were our culture makes us feel like we should stop celebrating each milestone and now spend our time turning back the clock with anti-aging and age defying practices to keep us feeling relevant and “looking great for our age.”
How about meeting ourselves where we are, having fun just being ourselves. Sort of like claiming our ageless authenticity with a new perspective where seniority is a seasoning that only comes with the treasure of time. Why can’t we be the priority for a change, arriving at a place where we ask ourselves questions that have been shelved for so long… Like what have I always wanted to do and what may give my life more meaning in the age of NOW!
Intentfully FiT offers a gathering space where women “of age” can feel held and heard. Our honest and unapologetic content in themes of Lifestyle, Fitness, Mindfulness and Wellness redefine the narrative by empowering women on the outside and reigniting passions on the inside. Interviews with experts and everyday “sheroes” inspire us with age-embracing insights that cultivate joy in this chapter. Best of all, subscribers can impact the direction of the conversation by nominating women we can learn and grow from. We all have stories to share that give us a sense of connection and help us see that we’re not so alone. I know I see pieces of myself in every woman I have the pleasure of interviewing.
I had no idea where I was going when I set out on this IF adventure 11 months ago, but then that’s sort of what Intentfully FiT is all about — getting curious, seeing things from a new lens, and maybe even taking some risks by doing what your heart is telling you, without fear of what people may say. I choose the name because I think if we are going to have a conversation about aging we need to begin with ourselves. It all starts with an intention…. Intentfully FiT gives us a way in. Together.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Now that I’m 65 and currently just in the beginning stages of my third career, I’ve seen pivoting as a necessity that has only opened up opportunities along the way. I began my first career as a professional figure skater touring North America with Ice Follies. As an Olympic alternate at age 17, I was fortunate to be given a life line to continue to do what I loved doing, but getting on that airplane to transport me into a whole new lifestyle was scary and overwhelming at the time. The only thing I knew was that I was following my heart. Then after 10 years of living out of a suitcase I shifted and returned to my hometown to attend night school, delving into marketing and public relations. Being on my own had taught me lifelong lessons about what I was capable of, if I just applied myself. I was prepared to start at the beginning and grow from there with my new passion. Fast forward to ultimately running my own PR agency for 27 years, raising two children and then retiring my firm to launch Intentfully FiT. Looking back I can see that there is no specific path we must to follow to arrive at our goals, we just need to be open to trying new things, making mistakes and dusting ourselves off, knowing each misstep was just what’s needed to build momentum. I always felt valued at every turn. And when you love what you’re doing it makes the journey easier and more rewarding.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Love this question because it speaks to what I am constantly working at on a daily basis. Since I’ve always been a very goal oriented person, the thing I wrestle with these days is letting go of a structure so that creativity flows more freely and leads me to new places I never knew. I’ve found that I can set aside space for ideas to come, but when I try to force things it’s like I’m limiting my abilities with a requirement I can’t measure up to. Sometimes the best thing for me to do is to leave my desk and take a walk in nature. That’s when I can relax into the present moment where my mind comes out to play.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.intentfullyfit.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentfullyfit/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intentfullyfit
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacareypr/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=intentfullyfit
Image Credits
already mentioned photographer names with each image uploaded