The Simplicity Behind Synchronicity

Synchronicity is this interesting, funny-sounding word that was created by Carl Jung. And what he meant by it was those times in your life when something appears to be a coincidence but you know that there is more to it than that. There is more than just a random coincidence involved. There is meaning, there is purpose, there is power behind it. —Gary Zukav

As I have learned to tap into my intuition as of late and listen to the deep secrets in my soul that one can only hear when you have quieted your mind, I have discovered my favorite word: synchronicity. I have always been a believer that moments and events can carry meaning, but it’s only in the recent past that I have truly gained the understanding behind the mysteries of the universe. The way I have opened my heart this year, and the lengths at which I have gone to truly listen to my soul has revealed blessing upon blessing.

My dear teacher told me, “There are no coincidences in life.” As I contemplated that philosophy, it resonated more and more with my heart. The journey I have been on since January of this year has laid out the brick and mortar to my true awakening. Had I not allowed myself to fall back on my faith, I’m certain I wouldn’t have been willing to take those blind leaps. But, every single time I did, I got a nudge that the step was indeed in the right direction. I call these “God nudges.” It is simply the universe’s way of tapping me on the shoulder as if to say, “Hey, you are on the right path.”

This is where synchronicity comes into play. When I am tuned into my authentic self and empowering my true soul to shine, I can easily allow my intuition to run wild. It is at this point that I can appreciate the deeper meaning behind seemingly insignificant occurences. I can recognize the meaning or depth behind my life experiences. I can trust that I am taking the steps in the direction that suits my highest self.

Opening your heart is the one thing you must do to release your intuition. It takes falling to the shadow side of yourself. It takes seeing and feeling the darkness of a broken heart. It requires rising from the ashes with resiliency and humility realizing you were meant to fall so that you could rise to your potential. I am writing this from my heart, from the truth I have gathered in the wreckage of my own life deterioration.

The work you must do to open your heart to the truth you are meant to discover is crushing and debilitating, but the light that lingers on the other side is worth every dark and lonely night spent battling your soul. You must accept the grief, pain, loneliness, yearning and sadness in your heart. Once you do, you have to feel every bit of the emotions they uncover. The energy spent in doing this will soothe your soul and break open your heart to your full potential. Before you know it, you’ll emerge with a store of energy that once was burdened by the suffering you refused to listen to.

There is nothing more whole than a broken heart.

—Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

The opportunity to repair your heart and open to the vastness of your soul is not only a gift, but the purpose behind your suffering. At the point in which you have healed your heart and awakened to the meaning and blessings in your life, you have welcomed the universe to reveal all that you were closed off to. This is where the simplicity of synchronicity comes into play. Suddenly, the open place you have carved into your heart reveals a multitude of blessings. You see the meaning behind seemingly meaningless events and each of those events empowers you to take the next step on your journey.

The universe wants to be on your side. God wants you to press on faithfully until you are living your highest purpose. The next time something appears on your feed, or a friend invites you to an event, or someone smiles at you for the sixth time at your favorite cafe, go, heed the call. Put yourself out there and be open to whatever comes your way. Be your own cheerleader in life. Repeat to yourself whatever truth you are too frightened to trust. Today, and everyday, that truth is “Live in Love.” Trust that your life is unfolding exactly as it’s meant to.

The Persuasive Appeal of Web Design

I have spent nearly four months working on my latest freelance project which is in part why it's been so long since I have written. When a seemingly surefire job lead fell through at the end of March, I was instantaneously presented with a serendipitous opportunity from a former boss. When people say, "It's who you know that counts," they are dead serious. But more poignantly than who you know is an outlook I so wholeheartedly adhere to:

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. -Alexander Graham Bell

This notion has been a prominent theme in my recent past. When I hold onto faith that good opportunities fall through so better ones can enter my life, the exact phenomenon happens. I was invited to consult for a startup launching a commercial real estate crowdfunding platform. I love accepting challenges outside of my comfort zone (finance is not one of my fortes). With a logo and some initial design brainstorming under tow, I entered the picture to fully refine and develop the brand.

There is something magically inspiring about working at a startup with so much vigor among everyone involved. I was honored to be lead design consultant for the public facing website. Without a full blown-brand already in existance, I got to run free with the creation of the first branded experience for Fund.com (talk about a gold mine for a domain).

I opted to use Style Tiles, a tremendously helpful tool to create the look and feel for a website and to get sign off before investing time on full comps. Created by the genius that is Samantha Warren, Style Tiles will stir excitement and invoke passion client-side while forcing the designer to think through design and UI features long before an entire style guide or home page is created. Visit the Style Tile site or get Samantha's perspective in A List Apart.

I got to circumvent the all-too-familiar flat design style to create an old-world feel imbued with textural layers of enchantment like a rich tapestry. I acheived this through transparent glassiness, depth and sparkle. I gleaned inspiration from golden amber gradients from whiskey bottles and molten glass, midnight blues of starry nights and geometric patterns from wall and floor tiles. My intent was to evoke pathos in the user with a sense of whimsy and wonder; to feel as though they have stumbled upon an elusive gemstone. This design style would not only reflect the high quality of the product, but simultaneously set them apart from the endless competitor sites using the same, two-dimensional bootstrap theme.

Through sophisticated design and usability, I aimed to appeal to the users by establishing ethos. They are entrusting the site with exorbitant amounts of investment funds, so the design must speak to the credibility of the platform. Gabe Roeloffs' article Using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to Design Effective Websites is a worthwhile read when creating a persuasive website. Roeloffs explains:

The fact is that people are more likely to do business with those they trust. Design passively tells the user whether they can trust you or not, design establishes the ethos of your website.

With multiple Style Tiles in tow, we narrowed down the details and I began creating interior comps. The idea of skipping the home page felt unfamiliar to me, but I felt confident after the Style Tile process. Looking back now that the site is nearly finished, I can't imagine starting another web design project without Style Tiles. The few templates and patterns created among the Style Tile and preliminary interior comps allowed me to seamlessly develop the other UI patterns and page layouts.

The design process for this passion project reinvigorated my affinity for the brand and user experience. Such careful attention was paid to the sparkle of each page to maintain the elusive quality and make even the simplest content pages shine. It is rare opportunities like this one that makes me in love with life. Creativity is a lens through which I view the world. It reminds me who I am through and through: a creative soul.

What I Know For Sure

On January 26, 2014 my world was turned upside down when I received shocking and devastating news. My 27-year-old sister, Kali, discovered she has three brain tumors. After immediate surgery to remove the largest tumor and perform a biopsy, the results we never wanted to hear were delivered. Her tumors were in fact malignant glioblastomas - grade 4. You cannot imagine how news like this will change your life in an instant. Suddenly, your problems and trials seem much less significant. Overnight, life takes on a new meaning with an underlying sense of urgency. You see, Kali just got married seven months ago to the love of her life and best friend, Chris Youngblood. They could not have fathomed that their new marriage would be tested in this way. Luckily, Kali is an extremely strong person (both mentally and physically), and has an incredible attitude. Her husband and rock keeps her smiling through every moment.

Kali has made a choice to kick cancer's ass and beat this thing against all odds. She has an incredible support system of family and friends. Her community in Billings, Montana has rallied to raise awareness and funds for Kali's treatment. The love, kindness, generosity and prayers from people around the world has been incredibly humbling for Kali and keeps her uplifted and filled with positivity and hope. Elizabeth Lesser shares a touching insight in her book, Broken Open. She explains the affect that the dire situation with my sister can have on our hearts.

"...that we are sent here to love each other and to help each other - that our lives are about each other. All of our other plans fly out the window in such moments of awakening. Plans for great things are replaced by the greatest thing of all, which turns out to be love, in its simplest, most tender, most personal form."

The outpouring of love has surely touched Kali's heart. Cancer cannot break her positive spirit, but it does do one thing. It awakens all those touched by its wrath and breaks open our hearts if we allow it to work through us. Kali's diagnosis has given me a very real dosage of reality and a fervor for life. What truly matters is brought to the forefront: how we express our love for those we care about. Life's many distractions and diversions no longer serve the purpose they used to. We cannot deny what significance our lives have or the power our love holds. We cannot know what lies ahead on our journey, but we can certainly relish in each moment we are blessed with and love with every ounce of our heart. I was touched deeply by an excerpt from Mary Oliver's poem, "The Summer Day:"

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

If I have learned one thing from the past few months, it is that we are sent to this Earth to grow. We are called to grow in our capacity for love, kindness, forgiveness, awareness, understanding and tolerance. Everyone is fighting their way upstream, so let us put our ego aside and go with the flow of the blessed life God has given us.

I am fighting this battle with Kali. God knows I wish I could fight for her, but I can love her and send her positivity every step of the way. If you would like to support Kali in her fight, please visit her GoFundMe page to donate or just leave positive words of encouragement. Every little bit helps.

To donate to a local cause that is raising money for brain tumor research, visit Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research's page.

Watch HBO's latest Vice episode, Killing Cancer, here. I am eternally grateful for the research these doctors are doing to save lives.

Kari Kards

Art is positively a lifeline for me. As a child, I bled cerulean blue (my go-to Crayola crayon). I was mesmerized by the vibrant array of color options in a 64, 96 or (dare I say) 120 count boxes. My intrigue and obsession grew as I took as many art classes as possible. I explored endless mediums at ASU's Herberger Institute for Art and Design workshops. As my perfectionist personality developed, I tediously refined every little detail of every project. I had found my calling and nothing else would come between me and my true love for art. My passion carried over into every aspect of my life. I found a way to insert art into any school project, craft or handmade card. I hauled my art supply collection to Mrs Thomas' 7th grade humanities class where I was known as the "art girl." I spruced up any mundane project to showcase my personality. At home, I especially loved making cards. I was branding my cards before I knew what branding was. I brought Kari Kards to life with a signature logo on the back of my designs.

Fast-forward to 2013 at Terralever where I created social media content for brands like Massage Envy, De-Solv-It, Fox Restaurant Concepts and Goodyear Tire Company. I loved creating typographical images full of beautiful imagery and patterns. I realized how my childhood passion for art and cards had prepared me for the career I embrace now. When Terralever merged with E.B. Lane to form LaneTerralever, I was honored to design the new website along with catchy social images for our Facebook page. I happily played with the new brand which had only been slightly developed at the time. I took a playful yet dignified approach to the social content which allowed for more flair than the website and business collateral.

Creating these type of images reinvigorated my passion for image and card making. The timing could not be more relevant to create art for myself, from my heart. I experienced a rather tumultuous start to 2015. The devastating events have tested my strength more than ever before. I have surrounded myself with positive quotes and affirmations which I have collected in my journal and the cloud. I want to share my unique perspective on the world by combining my love of inspiring words, art and photography. By unlocking the potential of this vision, I hope to inspire others going through difficult times. I wholeheartedly believe that every person you encounter is battling an inner struggle, so it's so important to spread kindness and compassion to every person you meet.

My fellow libra and dear friend, Erica Tighe, has been particularly inspiring to me. Not only is she a beautiful person, but she is a magnificent artist. She recently combined her creative soul with life experiences that molded her heart to launch a calligraphy business aptly named Be a Heart. I find many similarities between us, other than being artistic libras. We both create from our hearts and love to give back to the community. I am inspired by Erica's tenacity. It is downright scary to follow your heart, but so far, it has paid off greatly as her business expands into illustration, wedding invitations and event design. Follow her on Instagram to see more of her gorgeous work.

I am constantly yearning for an outlet from the daily grind. I want to use my passions along with new art mediums to create pieces that heal my soul and move others. Throughout this difficult period, quotes have been the positive reminder that it gets better. I want to share my collection with others in hopes that they will find peace and comfort in those words. This quote is among my favorites:

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. -Rumi

Stay tuned for more on my future quote pieces. I plan to create prints, cards and whatever else feels appropriate. When the time comes, my desire to own a card shop will manifest. In this digital age, I can imagine my Kari Kard's shop will live on the interwebs. I am certain my seven-year-old self will approve.