I am due with our newest baby (#6!) in early-to-mid October. In the three weeks surrounding my due date, one of my businesses has three weddings scheduled in our event space. One of them is my sister's, and I am the matron of honor.

We've all been there in one form or another: a misunderstanding with a team member, a week where every deadline seems to fall, a project that just seems to meet one obstacle after the other. During challenging times at work, we can lose sight of the big picture and get stuck dragging our feet through the muck.

You cannot shame a guard dog into standing down, and you certainly cannot out-hustle him. He has one job, and he takes it very seriously. Your body’s nervous system is the exact same way.

Whether you choose to use it or not, artificial intelligence, or AI, is becoming an increasingly more pervasive part of our everyday lives, in all industries, and especially in design. As a designer and business owner, I’m currently grappling with both the challenges and the benefits from AI being used in my line of work. It’s a constant, giant question mark that hangs over my head: Should I use AI or not? If so, how do I do so with integrity?

We started our businesses to make a difference in the world. We wanted to help our clients or sell a product we believed in. But as we got things up and running, we realized there's a lot more involved than just our core services.

Think about the last image you posted for your business or ministry. Perhaps it was a product photo, an event flyer, a quote graphic, or a behind-the-scenes moment. Now ask yourself: What message was that image meant to communicate?