I love style.
The word style often evokes images of the fashion world, although a definition supplied by the Oxford dictionary, is more in line with what we will talk about when it describes “a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.”
In the words of my college speech professor, you cannot not communicate.
In a sense, sure, every word we utter serves as a tool for conveying meaning. But the things we don’t say, the looks we throw, the harumphs and grunts and eyerolls, are just as telling as our words. We understand ourselves and the world around us through the language of words, actions, and aesthetic.
Our style relates to our values, our core beliefs. In this sense, style is a language, of which ornament is the grammar. It is this idea that I want to unpack with you in our soon-to-be-launched membership community.
The way we present ourselves to the world is a reflection of who we are and what matters to us. Style is a statement.
I love story.
I didn’t know I loved story until I met my friend Don, who explained that there is a simple framework to this age-old practice: a character has a problem, meets a guide who has a plan, and this results in success or failure. Sure, there are piles of nuances, but ever the succinct communicator, Don, boiled it down clearly and simply.
I remember I was on an escalator in a mall when I realized this was a one-sentence story: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, which saved a wretch like me.
Story is an art form older than cave art on walls. I’m fascinated with this mechanism that God uses to communicate with us. I’m fascinated with how our stories link and intersect, intertwine and meander. While stories are complicated at times, they are also full of beauty and meaning if we’re willing to look hard enough to see it.
I believe everything we do tells a story. Our actions convey meaning. The details of our daily lives, the way we plan our calendars, pursue our goals, decorate our homes, and order our days—are all significant parts of who we are and the stories we tell ourselves and about ourselves.
And I believe our stories should be told with style.
That’s why we’re excited to start doing exactly that in the new Style & Story community. Members will have exclusive access to our workshop library, with topics ranging from HEART Goals to home design (and more!) as well as our extensive printable library. Plus, you’ll get access to live workshops, coaching advice on home and/or life from Whitney, and be the first to get all the insider info.
Style & Story members get:
- Monthly Planner Packs
- New workshops throughout the year, plus the replays of my previous workshops (including HEART 2023, Home Meets HEART, Garden Guidebook, Plan to Plate, and more!)
- A printable library that includes everything from HEART to wellness, family life, planning, and home!
- Exclusive coupon codes
- A complimentary subscription to my Substack (where I’m sharing more and more of my Behind the scenes: what we’re working on, member check-ins, market sneak peeks, and bonus videos on topics like digital planning!
Here’s what’s coming up in Style & Story:
- A More Beautiful Life book club, starting May 15 and running for 5 weeks (there will be weekly discussion questions, a live Q&A with me, and more)
- Printable Palooza in June! We’ve got a whole bunch of new printables coming in June and some of them will be exclusively available to Style & Story members. Whether you are looking for packing lists, travel planning, or ways to keep your kids occupied this summer, we’ve got you covered!
- In July, we’re going to be going in-depth in digital planning: different resources and apps, and how to use paper + digital planners together
I hope you’ll join us—the doors will only be open for a limited time, starting May 8, and then they’ll be closing so we can kick off our book club.
