On the streets of Exeter, spontaneous portrait sessions often turn into deeply honest reflections on major life transitions and the quiet courage it takes to reset your path. In this feature, we connect with Carmen to talk about walking away from burnt-out success, processing a massive void, and discovering true inner peace.
For Carmen, feeling alive isn't about chasing fleeting highs, but about cultivating stillness:
"I think just being peaceful and not chasing happiness. I know that sounds quite philosophical, but honestly I've been through so much recently... Just finding peace."
Opening up about the immense life change she navigated, Carmen shares how she stepped away from a company she built over 14 years to protect her well-being:
"I left a company that I had a manufacturing company for 14 years... I absolutely loved my job, but I was in like quite a bad place. Working too much, and I left everything six months ago, just left everything behind and started again from scratch, I'm 38, so it's quite a lot to start again."
Reflecting on the pivotal turning point that allowed her to heal rather than distract herself:
"I think it's really important to find time for yourself and not kind of try and fill the void... because I had a massive void, with like superficial things and I just sat by myself, miserable for months. Then eventually started to come out the other side rather than just trying to fill it with other stuff. I think it's really important to find myself again."
Closing our conversation, Carmen shares a grounding message of clarity for anyone struggling to find their footing:
"Don't chase happiness, just chase peace. Find your own inner peace. If you're happy in your head and just peaceful and content, that's all you can be really."
