My Style Statement: Comfortable Singular

 From the self-improvement book, Style Statement: Live by your Own Design by Carrie McCarthy and Danielle La Porte--comes a series of exercises intended to help the reader create a "style statement," two words that form a foundation and a creative edge, to help us live by our own personal style. The book isn't meant simply to be read, it's meant to be a workbook for defining the lifestyle we're most comfortable with.

Following the book's exercises, I was able to create my "style statement" (start date: Sept. 10) that I look forward to continuing to guide me, day by day, year by year, complete with anniversary observances. 

First I found I kept coming back to the word "comfortable" and eventually adopted it as my "foundation" word. It's one of several dozen words the book defines and suggests as common foundation words. People don't have to be limited by the book's suggestions, but I found, for me, this one fits. 

My foundation, my essence, my eighty percent even though that is responsible for only about twenty percent of the outcome, is "Comfortable." From the book:

In spirit  

Comfortable is a pleasure seeker. Physical comfort is paramount, and sensual gratification is also important. Comfortable can be easy-going, cheerful, sincere, and free from woe/doubt, but they can also be sensitive and determined. When challenged, they do whatever they need to do to regain their equilibrium, whether escaping a situation or facing it head-on. They're like a willow tree, flexible but rooted. A peacekeeper, the "Comfortable" spirit is welcoming, soothing, nurturing, and places emphasis on socializing and celebration. They strive to make their guests comfortable, so they enjoy hosting, pleasing, accommodating. Sometimes getting out of their comfort zone makes it difficult for them to change, or to trust. "Comfortable" tends to be focused on security, the need for comfort in family, finances, and emotions, and a need to preserve it. At the same time, "Comfortable" is a generous spirit.

In look and feel: centered on comfort in body, fashion, and furnishings--a wide range of "style" words express comfort--including casual, plush, durable, loose (as in loose-fitting), warm, earthy, sensual, rich, sentimental, romantic, nostalgic, luxury/luxurious, charming, roomy, convenient, cozy, spacious, airy.

Synonyms include:  agreeable, ample, appropriate, caring (of or for), convenient, easy, delightful, cheerful, pleasant, pleasing, relaxing, restful, restorative, protective/protected, serene, rich, roomy, satisfying, soft, useful.

What word to choose to pair with "comfortable," the word for my "creative edge," required additional research over a range of possibilities. The book encourages readers to use a dictionary and thesaurus when determining which words to use as a style statement. My first choice for a second word was "casual" but I decided it was too repetitive, too synonymous with "comfortable." My second choice was "creative" but I thought "creative" for a "creative edge" was a little too obvious, that I should try for something more defining. 

In doing the exercises and research, I found myself constantly drawn to "solitude," which led me to "solitary," which led me to "singular." I settled on "singular," with its range of meanings, from "solitary" to "unique," as my "creative edge" word.

My "Creative Edge," my uniqueness, my personal charm, my twenty percent that is responsible for the majority (eighty percent) of the outcome, is "Singular."

For the "Creative Edge," only synonyms need be listed in order to define it, which include: 

Single (one), individual, exceptional, unusual, strange, queer, odd, peculiar, quaint, unaccustomed, uncommon, rare, unique, curious, extraordinary, wonderful, remarkable, noteworthy, Bohemian (another word I considered and rejected for my style statement), unprecedented, unparalleled, fantastic, newfangled, eccentric, bizarre, unfamiliar, outlandish, irregular, abnormal, anomalous, arbitrary, informal, peculiar, exclusive, original (yet another word I briefly considered along the way), unorthodox, egregious, solitary. 

So my "style statement" to build my lifestyle around, is "comfortable singular." 

I'm now working to consider how "comfortable singular" is applied, and can continue to be applied, to multiple aspects of my lifestyle:  fashion, home, learning, relationships, communicating, wellness, creativity, accumulation of wealth, spirituality/sensuality, recreation, rest and relaxation. Applying it is meant to be a never-ending journey.