Meet Kara Carder

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kara Carder. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kara below.

Kara, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found my purpose by accident, one beautiful accident at a time. Empathy was a gift
that I had from a young age, and from cherished family members to mentors, it became
something that was reflected back to me again and again. I mostly stumbled into the
Bodywork field, not sure what the next step was, at a time when I didn’t understand
myself or my abilities well. It was such a meaningful event in my life, and it has offered
so many new opportunities along the way. There’s always room to grow and new things
to learn about our bodies, and I value being able to share that with others.

While many people shrink from the hard conversations, like those around grief or
shame, I have always welcomed them. It’s an honor to hold space for people who need
that outlet, and I can offer a step in the right direction. I’ve had those hard conversations
with people in the most random places, and I realized that many people don’t know how
to hold space for themselves. They struggle to let themselves experience the full
breadth of their emotions and feelings. And the only way to get there is to take care of
yourself, which takes practice and intention.

The work I do is powerful in many ways. I can provide an hour of peace to someone
who hasn’t had a quiet moment to themselves since they had kids. Or I can be a
listening ear when they’ve lost their life partner and still need physical touch. It’s an
honor to hold space for these individuals, and I would never have known the talent I
have for doing so without the Bodywork industry. It’s great joy to do this work and to be able
to provide a supportive space that gives others a place to offer their gifts as well.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I opened a business that I’m extremely proud of in 2017. Resonance Mind Body Wellness, a business centered around the holistic health approach- mind, body, and spirit. We help individuals approach their health from an optimistic mindset, encouraging them to believe that their body is adaptable. My initial push was to provide a place that other Body workers, or Professional Service Providers could build their own business from within. The Massage field itself can be vulnerable to predatory hiring practices and I think everyone should get the chance to stand on their own.

Recently we added some team members, Ellen & Anna, and we are excited to bring new offerings to our Service Menu! Ellen offers massage, as well as Sound Baths, and Reiki sessions. Anna is a Certified Acupuncturist and offers Cupping. They are both such delightful people to spend time with, and I’m excited to watch their work flourish in our space.

I’m still learning and growing, offering Yin Yoga classes in a local business called the Formal Niche. This gives me the opportunity to share the hard-won skills I’ve learned in Mindfulness & Breathwork. When your nervous system is activated it’s hard to be your genuine self, instead acting out of Fight or Flight in everyday situations. Unfortunately, our nervous systems aren’t very good at telling a stressful email in our inbox vs a lion chasing us down as a snack. Being able to identify and move through that activated state has been huge for me, and I want to help others reach the same awareness!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

If I had to name three things that have bolstered me in my journey they would have to be Resilience, Curiosity, and a solid Method for Organizing all my thoughts.

It’s easy for someone to tell you resilience is key to their success. What does that mean? Resilience is coming up against something that feels like a brick wall, and pushing anyway. You’re not always going to collapse the wall, but you might just find a way around or over it. If I hadn’t been a resilient (read: stubborn) individual I wouldn’t be healthy and happy. I wouldn’t have built the life I have. So, from me to you, find the brick wall and push anyway.

I don’t like being bad at something. I love learning new things, but for an admittedly long time I would not continue forward if I didn’t show immediate skill with something. Ironic that I was afraid of failing at something, so I never really tried to begin with. That’s still failure! Some of the things I enjoy the most now are things that I wasn’t good at, at first. Being curious, instead of judgmental, is a key quality I’ve developed and benefited from in my journey. I’m so thankful for growth opportunities, even if I don’t feel like that when I first encounter something new!

A solid method for organizing my Brain! This one is big for me. I’ve always had a scattered brain, and have had to learn methods to organize information, engage my brain during learning opportunities, and essentially build my own planners from the ground up. I’m not good at sitting still, I was that kid in class that doodled in the margins of all her notes. Finding the methods that work for your brain is key- even if they aren’t immediately accepted or are viewed as sub-optimal. And the thing is, with practice and learning, the systems you build for yourself will only improve over time. Also, read Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I have to say, that to date, the most influential person I’ve read and learned from is Brene Brown. She has been able to distill information down into nuggets of wisdom that fully take me to my knees.

From learning the actual language of emotions, to being able to be a better listener her books are a treasure trove of great information. I’ve learned how to better care for me as well as others. She writes in a down to earth, relatable manner that I will never not love.

If you haven’t read anything by her I recommend Braving the Wilderness or Atlas to the Heart. Both are gold.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.resonanceokc.com
• Instagram: @resonanceokc
• Facebook: @resonanceokc

Image Credits

Oakes Creative House