Meet Carey Lynn Marr

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carey Lynn Marr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Carey Lynn, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I had a rare disease when I was younger that lasted around four years with the repercussions lasting much longer. It hospitalized me quite a few times and separated me from my peers at a pivotal time in those developmental years. I think for a kid who was already highly imaginative and creative, that time alone definitely augmented my creativity and the path that I’m now on. I learned early on how lucky I really was, despite the health challenges, and I promised myself when I got better that I wouldn’t take anything for granted. That each day and person and new idea were so valuable and that as long as I could wake up and walk around and dance and write and create, everything would be more than alright. Now when obstacles hit my path, I have the ability to put things into perspective. I’m healthy and pain-free, something I couldn’t always say and I know many people can’t. So writer’s block, or challenges with time-management, or rejection upon rejection (which is frequent in the arts industry) while still discouraging, don’t knock me down near as much as they could.
I think overcoming that bout with illness also gave me a sense of invincibility- which may be irrational, but I often think that if I could come down with that rare illness and also get past it, what can’t I do? I wish more people would lean into that superpower, which is their own lived experience and how unique that is.

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

I’m a creative currently pursuing an MBA degree in order to expand my knowledge base of social entrepreneurship so that I can launch ventures that are socially impactful and help business leaders adopt more sustainable processes. The current business model is unsustainable, and if we want to continue making a living on this planet, things need to change. The balance is even more challenging than I imagined it would be.

I’ve also learned I can use my skills as a creative to help with branding, marketing and problem-solving for companies.

On top of business, I’m a writer and an artist. In all senses of the word, I identify as being a storyteller. Whether it’s painting, dancing, acting, singing or writing, I’m bringing ideas to life and sharing stories with people. That’s what makes life worth living after all, right?

I often think of that Robin Williams’ quote from Dead Poets Society: “Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” And with that, I know I want a hand in both.

Currently, I’m auditioning for acting roles in Atlanta, and I’m working on editing and illustrating a children’s book that my mom wrote, which has been a really fun and collaborative experience.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Frankly, I’m still early in my journey, but I’d say the number one thing that has never steered me wrong is the endless pursuit of new knowledge. I am addicted to learning, and I pair that with humility and a reverence for the edge of my comfort zone. What I mean by this is that I constantly seek new inspiration/information, and I approach those things with a sense of humility. I don’t know everything and nothing is below me. And when I’m lucky enough to find something that strikes a chord, I don’t shy away from it. On the contrary, I run towards things that scare me. Change is the only constant, so I lean into it fiercely. Every painful, scary experience I’ve had has been accompanied by immense growth. And there’s nothing scarier to me than staying in the same place.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I love this question because I’ve thought about it a lot over the years and my answer changes. Growing up, I dreamed of being a triple threat- when a performer is skilled at dancing, acting and singing. I was a trained singer and I had done a bit of acting, but early on my dance training was weak, so I threw myself into dance and it took over my life. I actually majored in Dance as a BFA for nearly two years before injuries influenced my path. In switching to dance for those years, my training in the other performative arts took a hit and dropped off.

All this to say, at times in my life I’ve been discouraged and thought, I really can’t have it all. People are always telling me to make a choice and commit to one medium or one art form, but I’m still dragging my heels. I’ve come to realize, there’s a time for everything. I can pursue all the things that are calling me, just not simultaneously and maybe not with equal intensity. There’s only so much time in a day- but there’s more than enough time in the course of a life to have it all. So I’m learning to prioritize.

Fast forward to today, I’m studying business by day and still working to grow as an artist in whatever free time I can make (usually early mornings and late nights). Business concepts don’t come naturally to me, I’ve never been strong quantitatively, but I’m stretching those muscles in an effort to become more well-rounded, and bring my unique set of skills into new settings. I’m still struggling with whether or not this is the right path for me, when I crave more artistic settings and free form thinking, but finding mentors in this space and talking openly about my challenges has helped to keep me grounded. I wish more people would speak frankly and share their raw experiences with one another- that’s how we connect and carry on.

When you embrace the pursuit of being more well-rounded, you have to be prepared for how difficult that path is going to be- while noble, you’re likely going to be attempting things that might not come naturally, and that can be really difficult if you’re accustomed to doing what you’re good at and playing to your strengths. Both are hard paths- committing to one passion and running with it or working to develop your weaknesses- you get to choose your hard.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://careymarr.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careymarr

Image Credits

Headshots by Molly Tellekson
All other images by Carey Marr