How I came to explore this work...

This is me, age seven.

It was around this time that my parents started to have problems in their relationship. My Nanny, (Dad's Mom) was very sick with bone cancer. My Dad had a complicated relationship with his mom, and my parents were doing the best they could to navigate their own relationship, having four kids, a farm, and a business.

My childhood was great on the outside, yet on the inside... this little seven-year-old quickly became the "peacemaker".

I could feel when a fight was coming on. I would try to diffuse the situation, tending to everyone's feelings and overfunctioning around the house to do everything I could to take care of anything that might upset my parents.

This little girl became very good at anticipating the feelings of others. I could (and still) quickly read and feel the energy of others.

While it supported my brothers and I during a very long, loud, and painful divorce, I coped with control.

I grew up quickly and started hanging out with kids much older than me.

I could become a chameleon in any situation, being the person I thought I should be.

This coping strategy helped me become successful in various jobs and even my career at The Peninsula Hotel.

I would often get assigned to the"difficult" clients because I understood them on a deeper level. I knew the reason they were angry wasn't because their appointment was mixed up.

There was something deeper at play.

This awareness and ability served me well into my twenties.

But it did cost me an immense amount of energy.

I didn't know how to disconnect from what I was feeling from other people.

So I carried it.

When I found personal development work, I had a deep inner knowing that I needed TOOLS to help break some of the patterns I was already seeing myself repeat from my family of origin.

At this point I was also practicing massage therapy and could FEEL the unexpressed emotions trapped in my client's bodies.

When I found coaching, I knew it was the avenue I needed to be able to put language to the energy in the body.

My first training was right one time. Only weeks after getting started with my coach certification, my father was going through an exceptionally hard time. He had been diagnosed as bipolar many years before and was expressing a particularly deep valley of despair.

I shared some of the very first tools and concepts I was learning about, Values and Boundaries.

We BOTH had a light bulb moment that he was living out of alignment with his values his entire life!

He was living a life of "shoulds" and pleasing everyone but himself.

With the support of his therapist, medication, bodywork, and coaching, six years later my Dad had the courage and capacity to sell our childhood home and move out to Colorado, where his twin brother had moved decades before to pursue his dreams, my now father joined him to pursue his own!

He listened to his grounded heart and decided to center his dream of working with horses, something he has been naturally gifted at since he was a teenager.

Now, my Dad, Greg is thriving!

My family recently got to take a trip out to the ranch to visit him! His emotional states no longer fluctuate drastically, and he's experiencing a sense of peace and happiness, and in a healthy relationship.

I'm so proud of my Dad for doing this work. His story is just one of many people I've helped with making big, bold, heart-centered decisions to gain a healthy sense of control their your life!

Here's my family on the ranch in southern Colorado!

Still here? Ok! Here's a tiny bit more about my journey...

Adventure and exploration form the bedrock of my core values.

My goal for the past ten+ years has been to make incremental shifts so that I don't NEED a vacation from my life... and I've accomplished that.

Now, listen... I'm not sipping margaritas on a beach all the time making buckets of money as I sleep, but that's not my definition of success.

Success to me is falling asleep early, feeling satisfied with the good work I've done, and working with clients to help them take the helm of their one precious life.

Now don't get me wrong... I LOVE a good adventure and margaritas, especially spicy ones! I love sailing in BVI and exploring the Thermals in Costa Rica!

But what I'm most proud of is the everyday life I've built.

I've listened to my energy and made adjustments with work and boundaries so that over time, my everyday commitments support my energy and natural rhythms.

This took time... but it is possible!

I'm proud of my relationship, which started out rocky and turned into a loving, mutually respectful and FUN partnership. We had to learn a lot about trust, safety and communication. I'll share what we've learned, and pass on my teachers' wisdom to you.

It's the connection and community that matter way more than all the spicy margaritas and money in the world!

I'm a sucker for the underdog story and a relentless cheerleader.

And I work to make a positive impact where I can.

Paradoxically, even though I love exploring and traveling, sometimes for weeks at a time (my packing system is legit!!) I also love being home with my books, my own bed, and fancy coffee machine (pandemic purchase... Dev is now an expert at making fancy designs with the milk... I'll keep trying!)

I've transformed my own life from an in-person, income-capped massage therapy practice to a location-independent coaching business that allows me to work from anywhere, with anyone in the world! I now live in Europe and travel almost every month to visit family or explore fantastic cultures around the world!

This was my vision TEN YEARS ago... so again... It does take time. But with a vision, consistent inquiry into mindset and social norms, and connection to body wisdom... YOUR vision is possible.

My life's work is to bring these powerful tools to support your mind, your body, your daily habits, and your lifestyle.

These tools will help you communicate honestly and openly with your families, your colleagues, and most importantly, with yourself.

Ok.. the fun stuff:

♐ My astrological chart - Sagittarius on the cusp of Capricorn with Aries Rising says my superpower is to turn what feels complicated and overwhelming into comprehensible and easy-to-implement steps forward!

⚡ I was struck by lightning... ask me about it sometime!

🎸 Harmony is my number one strength in Strengths-Finder and it couldn't be more true! Coordinating schedules, team communication, and community culture, systems, programs & processes is my happy place! I also play the guitar and love to harmonize with my hubby!

☘️ I moved to Galway, Ireland with my husband, Devin in 2019 for what was supposed to be six months...We're still here!

🧜‍♀️ I took up icy daily dips Irish Atlantic during the pandemic and it's become a daily ritual to connect with nature and my local community! 
As they say here, it's great CRAIC!  

📚 When I'm not wearing my coaching hat I'm listening to the latest online business podcast... or diving into one of the 9 books stacked on my bedside table!

I'd love to get to know you more so please feel free to send me an email carly@carlyclarkzimmer.com or a DM on Instagram!

The Prom, Salthill, Galway Ireland