Karilyn Owens
Six Month Check-up: Cultivate

For the last week, Caterpillars kept showing up in or outside my apartment. This conspicuous sign arrived around the time I got the sense my soul required cocooning. My word of the year had seemingly sent my system into a shocking need for inner cultivation—especially after I fell backward into old habits for comfort and consolation to my painful grief and depression.

Six Month Check-up: Cultivate
Karilyn Owens
Word of the Year: Cultivate

In the past, I have had words find me — in a serendipitous manner with a lace of intuition. This year was no exception as my favorite poet and artist, Morgan Harper Nichols, created an Instagram Reel of suggested words for the year. A screenshot determined my word this year, but I am certain it was meant for me (even if it were a millisecond between my word and another.)

Word of the Year: Cultivate
Karilyn Owens
Fear of Future

I was clouded with so many fearful thoughts of the future, the what-ifs and I can’ts and worry-mixed-with-doubt. It was hard to gain clarity and even find out the truth in God’s sight: what is the best decision and next-right-thing? If only I could see through the fear, I pondered; what would that feel like? A sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air, and peace? Likely all of the above.

Fear of Future
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

Float On, Feelings

When I’m attempting to sit with whatever funk that is creating discomfort inside of me or around me, I am still tempted to drown it out with food. I so badly want to drown it out with food. But something magical happens when I don’t. It might be five minutes later or two hours later but I’ve somehow given space to what really needed my attention. And if I’d given into the urge to eat away what gnaws at my heart, I’ll simply cover it up. I won’t avoid it; it will still be waiting for me to face when I’m ready.

Free Yourself and Forgive Freely

When we choose to withhold forgiveness, a gamut of negative emotions breed within us.

We wallow in shame, wade in blame, get lost in regret, boil with anger and wrongfully believe we are the righteous one.

If we choose to seek forgiveness (especially toward ourselves), we could let go of the negativity that is harming our health and wellbeing. This release allows love, compassion, understanding, tolerance, acceptance and serenity to infiltrate our being.

Recharge, Reboot, Rebel

While many of us are gearing up for the Christmas holiday, our focus is on preparation. We can feel like a chicken with its head cut off as we run around, fight traffic and attempt to do everything on our to-do list by Christmas Eve.

But what if we were to slow down and add some extraneaous items to our to-do list? What if we added time to reboot and recharge? Would we shy away from overloading ourselves further or would we relish in some much-needed self care during this season?