Unlocking Creativity: An Interview with Kim Kara M.Ed about Transforming LinkedIn Content

Host: Creativity is an ever-flowing wellspring that, when tapped, enriches both the creator and the world around them. But, what happens when that wellspring is blocked?

As a creative force in the LinkedIn community, Kim Kara M.Ed. has found that daily inspiration from her surroundings is an inexhaustible source of ideas. She has the ability to not only imagine but also experience her world as one where she continually taps into her creative potential and shares it openly.

And, when tragedy struck, she used her creative problem solving to turn obstacles into tenacity: individual stories into collective growth.

What is unique about Kim Kara - a LinkedIn Top Voice in Creativity and Innovation - is that she believes that everyone holds the key to creativity: that each person has a unique contribution to make. And, she finds inspiration in ordinary people who contribute to the LinkedIn community.

Join us as we dive deeper into how Kim Kara M.Ed. balance various creative pursuits - in this 3 part interview series - from the Create with Kim & Canva series to affirmational workplace music with Elevate Your Workday songs: projects that fuel her passion and purpose.

Q. Can you share something about your projects and how you plan to integrate or balance them with your mission?

Interviewer: Kim, we have learned that you find inspiration in everyday posts and use it to guide future topics for Create with Kim & Canva and songs for Elevate Your Workday . It's fantastic! Your attention to detail and dedication to helping others improve their content and workplace culture through music is truly commendable.

Can you share more about these projects and how you plan to integrate or balance them with your mission to promote creativity in the face of the Creativity Crisis as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Creativity and Innovation?

Kim Kara M.Ed. An interesting fact about me is that if and when I do not engage in creative work, when I am not expressing the ideas, images, thoughts, feelings, and impressions I receive: I experience an inexplicable grief.

It is as if I have to, I must receive input from external experiences as a result of a highly curious mind, which must be paralleled with output from my highly expressive heart.

The flow in and out is continual and consistent. When it isn't happening, like when my hands were injured, I get into this funk. As long as I am creating: I feel healthy. I know why I am here on earth at this time and I know what I am to do. So, prior to creating Create with Kim & Canva , I was working on a project addressing the Creativity Crisis in Canada. We are ranked 15 on the Global Innovation Index, which is pretty sad considering how bright our minds are and the kind of education we have. But the crisis isn't only in Canada.

So, I started a series addressing the myths about creativity that will be followed with topics such as the role of environment, overcoming creative blocks, self-doubt and fear, and so much more. I also have my music.

But there is a problem. There is a huge limitation on my side.

Q. Can you elaborate on what this limitation is and how it's affecting your work or interactions with the LinkedIn Top Voices community?

Interviewer: It's inspiring to hear about your level of creativity and how fundamental it is to your health. It is encouraging can be incredibly motivating to others who have stifled their creativity for whatever reason. You mentioned a huge limitation on your side. Can you elaborate on what this limitation is and how it's affecting your work or interactions with the LinkedIn community?

Kim Kara M.Ed. It is painful, difficult, and challenging to admit and answer that question. At the end of 2022 I sustained a workplace injury to my hands. Since then I have been diagnosed with EDS, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (The Ehlers-Danlos Society) . Before the injury my joints were stable, but because of laxity in my joints, muscles, and tendons, my joints are loose. Now they sublux, which is like a dislocation and just and just as painful the movement of the joint is not totally out of the socket. To compensate, my muscles go into spasm trying to keep me all together. So, when I am at rest, there is no pain. It is when I move, for instance typing, using a mouse, creating graphics, that is when my hands hurt. Then what follows is muscle spasms in my arms.

That means that I can comment and like my posts without inflicting pain on myself. I can not reciprocate what other people do for me. So instead I created Create with Kim & Canva as my contribution.

Q. How has your condition influenced the way you approach the creation and production of your content and video series?

Interviewer: I'm deeply sorry to hear about your injury and the challenges you're facing with EDS. It must be incredibly tough to manage, especially given how integral your hands are to your work. Your decision to create Create with Kim & Canva as a way to contribute despite these limitations is both inspiring and resilient. How has your condition influenced the way you approach the creation and production of your content and video series? Are there specific adaptations or strategies you've implemented to make the process more manageable?

Kim Kara M.Ed. There are. People often suggest I use speech-to-text, so that I don't have to use my hands, however with the graphic work I do, it isn't possible. Others suggest using AI, and I do that too, when it comes to planning and strategizing.

?? I have a soft keyboard.

?? I have a handshake vertical mouse.

?? I wear 7 finger splints. (Even my pinky because of how often it is used to reach tab, control, shift.)

?? And I have a thumb stabilizer.

?? But mostly, it is about boundaries.

I simply must limit the amount of time I spend online, commenting, and contributing.

It is almost an either or. Either I contribute OR I comment and like. I can't do both. Finding a balance hasn't been easy because one or the other suffers.

So, in order to continue as a contributor to the content on LinkedIn, I created the Create with Kim & Canva series so that I could give back to those who have given to me.

Q. With such diverse projects, how do you manage your time and energy to ensure each one gets the attention it deserves? And what advice would you give to others who are trying to balance multiple creative pursuits?

Interviewer: It's fascinating to see how your creative projects span across different mediums, from addressing the creativity crisis to creating unique music and educational tutorial videos. With such diverse projects, how do you manage your time and energy to ensure each one gets the attention it deserves? And what advice would you give to others who are trying to balance multiple creative pursuits?

Kim Kara M.Ed. Well, that is the thing, and I am glad you asked, especially with the limitations on my hands with the EDS and all. In all reality creating the Create with Kim & Canva series is a self-care initiative. It allows me to create something for my Top Voice muses, while also knowing that I can reach so many more people with them. To me they are prescriptions, remedies that I can give to someone when I see a URL with numbers, or a banner with font that is hard to read, or a graphic where the colours are discordant. It is easy for me to just give them a link as a prescription.

Which means that I create something once, but use it multiple times. The investment now will pay out in dividends in the future.

By prioritizing this project, I am getting it off my to-do list subsequently freeing up the energy that was tied up in remembering it or wishing I could do it.

Now it is done.

It is started.

The templates have been designed, which is the greatest amount of work, and the workflow created.

Now it is a matter of getting back to the other projects that I had put on the back burner to prioritize this one.

So, that is what I have done to manage my time and energy: start the Create with Kim & Canva with its multi-pronged intention.

As for the advice I would give to others? Please, don't compare yourself to me.

My passion for design started as a child, as did my creative nature. My brain functions are highly divergent. Inspiration is everywhere for me. And I have years upon years of experience.

My intention has never been to shame, but to offer prescriptions to experiment with to see where they might get you.

Q. What are your future aspirations for your other creative projects? How do you see them evolving in the coming years?

Interviewer: Your approach to managing time and energy through strategic project prioritization and creating reusable content is both practical and insightful. It's admirable how you turn your passion into self-care while providing valuable resources for others. Your advice on not comparing oneself and focusing on personal growth and experimentation is truly encouraging. To wrap up, what are your future aspirations for Create with Kim & Canva Elevate Your Workday and your other creative projects? How do you see them evolving in the coming years?

Kim Kara M.Ed. Oh. I don't have a crystal ball. I don't even know what my functioning capacity will be in the future.

Wayne Dyer once said, "Don't die with your music still inside you."

That really resonates with me. Originally, I interpreted that saying about my writing and teaching. But now there is a music element to it. So, in some ways, I feel even more inclined to share now, when I can, because I can.

?? The thing is, that I really want to bring home, is that while there are many people on LinkedIn selling their wares, Create with Kim & Canva is not affiliate marketing.

?? Nor is it connected to any sales funnel or marketing strategy.

The creativity crisis piece, and how I intend to address it is my main focus, priority, and intent.

With my Master's in Education , I intend on revolutionizing our workplaces and education system with skills-first talent-based programming.

All these other projects simply prove that I am a creative innovative being.

So, they really exist for all the reasons expressed during this interview: reciprocation for the Top Voices that support me, prescriptions when I see something that can be modified with a tweak, and self-care for my hands to balance the insatiable need to create and express from my heart what my curious mind manifest with the limitations I face with joints that sublux and muscles that spasm due to EDS.

Q. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about your work or any final thoughts you'd like to leave them with?

Interviewer: Your dedication to addressing the creativity crisis and your vision for revolutionizing workplaces and education with skills-first, talent-based programming is truly inspiring. It's clear that your diverse projects all align with your overarching goal and reflect your deep passion for creativity and education. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights with us. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about your work or any final thoughts you'd like to leave them with?

Kim Kara M.Ed. Sure. Yes. First off:

Everyone can be and is creative.

Every day we create carbon dioxide for the trees and plants to turn into oxygen. Everyday we create, or have opportunities to create, smiles in other beings.

You don't have to be gifted, eccentric, or even young to create. Creativity is in all of us. It is our birthright. What we create becomes our legacy.

Second, you know where to find me: on LinkedIn. Whether it is:

?? through my profile Kim Kara M.Ed.,

?? through my newsletter Creative by Design,

?? through Create with Kim & Canva , or

?? through Elevate Your Workday , where I post my workplace LinkedIn music.

That is where you can find me.

And soon, very soon, the music I am creating will be on Spotify and other platforms. There may even be a book or two, and podcast to come. Shrug.

I never know where my creativity will lead me. All I know is that I have to create. It is a must. My mental health and emotional wellbeing depend on it.

So, come follow me... and I will show you the way to enhance your creativity!

Interviewer: Those are inspiring and empowering final thoughts. Your message about creativity being a birthright and a legacy is truly motivating. Thank you so much for sharing your journey, insights, and passion with us. We look forward to following your work and seeing where your creativity leads you next.

?? To our readers, be sure to connect with this incredible creative force on LinkedIn and stay tuned for her upcoming projects.

?? Up next: "An Interview with Creatress Kim Kara M.Ed. about Create with Kim and Canva," and discover insights into nurturing creativity and balancing diverse projects. Part 2 of this inspiring 3-part series!

Host: Balancing diverse creative endeavors is an art form that requires dedication, adaptability, and a genuine passion for the work, which is evident in everything that Kim Kara M.Ed. touches! We have come to understand that as she continues her journey, she is filled with gratitude for the chance to share her insights and strategies with those who seek to enhance their own creative journeys.

Kim paints an unfailing picture of the future where creativity knows no bounds, and where each person is empowered to innovate and inspire through their unique talents.

It is through this lens of creativity and education that Kim hopes to contribute to a brighter, more dynamic world. We invite you to connect with Kim Kara M.Ed. on LinkedIn and explore the multifaceted projects that define her journey as a creator, educator, and advocate for creativity: Create with Kim & Canva and Elevate Your Workday with song.

Kim Kara M.Ed.. is a philosopher, graphic and instructional designer. She is, indeed, ...