What if the secret to creating a richer life isn't doing more—but becoming unavailable for chaos?

Today I'm joined by Shania Khan, creator of Soft 60, for a conversation about nervous system regulation, ambition, wealth, luxury, personal style, and what happens when women finally stop treating stress like a prerequisite for success.

Shania and I both spent years in New York City, where moving fast, working harder, and constantly pushing felt completely normal. But after leaving the city—and learning how to slow down—we both began questioning the same thing: what if urgency isn't actually making us more successful?

As Shania says in this episode: chaos repels wealth.

We talk about why more effort doesn't always equal more money, the hidden cost of living in a constant state of urgency, and why creating space in your life can actually create space for more wealth, creativity, opportunities, and joy.

We also get into the pressure women feel to do everything, why Shania believes a beautiful life is built through subtraction rather than addition, decision fatigue, clearing out your closet, dressing for the woman you are today, and why comfort and luxury are absolutely allowed to coexist.

And we have a fascinating conversation about social media, authenticity, and the difference between sharing your truth with perspective…and turning your platform into a live feed of your most painful moments.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why Shania believes chaos repels wealth

• Breaking the addiction to hustle, urgency, and overworking

• Why working harder doesn't necessarily mean earning more

• Nervous system regulation as a daily practice

• How slowing down can actually support ambition

• Why creativity needs space and stillness

• Building a beautiful life through subtraction

• Decluttering your home, wardrobe, schedule, and relationships

• Decision fatigue and why your closet might be stressing you out

• Personal style, comfort, natural fabrics, and feeling luxurious in your clothes

• The difference between authenticity and trauma dumping online

• Why people want to see possibility, hope, and women winning

• Shania's Soft 60 practice and learning to create calm one day at a time

This conversation is your permission slip to stop white-knuckling your way toward the life you want.

You do not have to destroy yourself to become successful. You do not have to live in urgency to be ambitious. And you certainly don't have to earn your wealth through exhaustion.

Sometimes the richest thing you can do is slow the fuck down.

Connect with Shania on social media @IamShaniaKhan and learn more about Soft 60 through the link in her profile.

Today I'm talking about what it looks like to honor the parts of yourself that make you, YOU, even when life is changing rapidly. Relationships, kids, moves, career changes—they can all shift us so deeply that we can lose ourselves if we aren't careful.

Join me from the living room in my historic Southern home for an intimate and honest conversation about how to honor the woman you've always been and make room for the woman you're becoming.

Remember this: you're allowed to change your mind. You're allowed to want different things than the people you love. You're allowed to have something that's just yours. And you're allowed to keep becoming without leaving yourself behind.

PS - If you're in New York on August 20th, I'm hosting an intimate champagne dinner for six women. Bring me your book idea. Your manuscript. Your Substack. Your author brand. Your publishing questions. The creative business you're trying to build. The thing you can't seem to figure out on your own.

You'll get my eyes on it. We'll talk about what's working, what isn't, what I see for you, and what I think your next move should be. I know some of my biggest shifts have happened that way. Over a fabulous drink at a fabulous table with fabulous women. Sometimes you just need the right environment to help you think bigger. I'd love to create that for you.

Grab your ticket here: https://caraalwill.thrivecart.com/champagne-with-cara-new-york-city/

What if the sentence that changes your life is the one you almost didn't publish?

In this episode, I'm sharing the story of how a single sentence from an old blog post unexpectedly ended up on a billboard in Europe, and why it completely changed the way I think about creativity, publishing, and trusting your work.

If you've been sitting on an essay, a book idea, a Substack post, or even a single paragraph because you're waiting for it to be better, this episode is your reminder that you don't get to decide which piece of your work will resonate with someone else.

Your job isn't to predict the outcome. It's to keep showing up.

By the end of this episode, I hope you'll give yourself permission to stop overthinking, start publishing, and remember that one honest sentence has the power to change everything.

💖 Your homework:

Before you go to bed tonight, write one sentence that feels true for you. Let it be unedited, imperfect. And don't delete it! Sit with it and see where it leads you. You have no idea what it might become.

Want to write with me?

✨ Substack Queen is my five-week mentorship for writers who are ready to publish consistently, find their voice, and build a writing practice they actually love. Join us here.

Or, if you're looking for focused, one-on-one support, I have a limited number of Substack Power Hour sessions available. Grab your spot now.