Karilyn Owens
The Discernment Process

Discernment is a tool in our spiritual arsenal – one of the Holy Spirit gifts to us. It guides us to the will of God, which is to say the best possible outcome for us.

The Discernment Process
open heart, love
Karilyn Owens
Word of the Year: Blossom

This year I choose blossom as my Word because it represents my intention to grow from the roots I planted as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5) and build back what was broken through the vehicle of relationship.

Word of the Year: Blossom
Karilyn Owens
The Power of Decisions

It was the morning of the most important interview of my career; with emotions running haywire and hormones adding a dizzying effect, I decided that I just couldn't go to my interview that afternoon. The fear shouted so loudly that I couldn't hear the voice of wisdom that knew to show up despite the very big feelings. This was my dream job, after all!

The Power of Decisions
Karilyn Owens
Drop the Baggage

God recently revealed to me that I am holding onto the weight of my past. By holding onto my past, I’m not only carrying around a weight I was never meant to carry, but I am blocking the blessings of God’s plan for me in the future. So today I ask you: What weight are you carrying that is hindering your upward momentum?

Drop the Baggage
Karilyn Owens
10 Ways to Manage Depression

Covid-19 caught nearly all of us by surprise, leaving us ripped of our routines, schedules and normal circumstances — everything we typically rely on for stability and consistency. If we weren’t already prone to or struggling with depression, COVID-19 certainly stirred up prime circumstances for depression to show up (many of us without any prior experience with mental illness or the coping skills to deal with it in healthy ways).

10 Ways to Manage Depression

Video

Ira, I Will Never, Ever Stop

I will openly admit that I am overly critical of my work. Because I am my own worst critic, I often become disappointed by my work. Plus, I'm not one to embrace the notion of "good enough." I stuck to my ambitious guns and broke past the era where my design work was just not good. I have been blessed with wonderful opportunities that allowed me to push past mundane, average work to get to work I am proud of. After five years in the workforce, I humbly admit that I am not in the great category yet. Sure, I am creating good work, certainly good enough work, and I do surprise myself often.

It took an endless amount of work, failed attempts and late nights to even touch the surface of what I am capable of. I recently stumbled upon a video from Ira Glassman on the creative process. According to Ira:

Because it's only by actually going through a volume of work that you are actually going to catch up and close that gap. And your work you're making will be as good as your ambitions.

I would argue that while volume of work is vital, the thought process behind the product is key to steadily swimming toward greatness. I explored this evolving creative process in my post, From Good to Great: Digital Experiences that Don't Suck.

I am recharging my ambition batteries, revving up to return to work after a short hiatus. I know that I am proud of the work I have done and my career accomplishments. My foundation for interaction design has been set, and I am ready to work with an inspiring, ambitious group of people eager to create greatness. In the mean time, I'm going to keep discovering what it takes to reach the next level. I will envision my potential growing in interaction design and I will continue to study greatness.

If Ira took a long time to reach his potential then it's certainly normal for me to take a while. Ira, I will never, ever stop fighting.