Graphic Design for the DIY-er

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 02/07/2022

Graphic design is a skill many of us are picking up in today’s digital world. It has the power to evoke emotions, amplify your mission, and the right color palettes and fonts can convey your message and tone with perfection. With websites, personal brands, and the need for stellar graphics for social media, graphic design is becoming a critical skill, especially because it is also a costly addition to our budgets in trying to keep up with new trends. If you are a “DIY-er” like me, you are probably trying to figure out how you can create your own designs rather than investing in expensive graphics that don’t quite capture your vision. But how? Here are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up over time…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Categories: Gig Economy, Skill Building & Professional Development

Tags: entrepreneurship, gig economy, graphic design, personal branding, skill building, Trending

Gina Messina, Ph.D.

Stop Riding Life on the Default Setting

It might not be obvious to any of us on a day to day basis, but the world has radically shifted in the last 50 years. We’re watching as understood norms and structures are collapsing right before our eyes – either through corruption or a mass awakening or both. Is college really the best way to get a higher education?Is the American dream of buying a home with two kids and a white picket fence really sustainable?Do the police actually protect us or are they a part of the problem we see today?Is Democracy stable against tyranny and uprising?Do we really need banks and intermediaries or can we democratize and digitize money?Why do we think staying in the same career for 30+ years is the…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 05/31/2022

Refocus on Your Ambitions, Create a Vision Board

Vision is crucial to our success. Driving your car during heavy snow or rainstorm isn’t comfortable, especially when you have old windshield wipers screeching back and forth. Or, if you experience the double whammy: the bad wipers and the “Oh no! I’m almost out of windshield wiper fluid” moment. You can’t see as clearly as you need to and panic sets in. For our own safety and sanity, you may decide to pull over to the side of the road until the storm passes. The experience of being caught in a heavy storm while driving can be a metaphor for life — it can feel scary, may take special maneuvering, and sometimes causes you to stop and re-evaluate the situation. You may even find yourself…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Jessica Headley, Ph.D., LPCC-S 06/07/2021

What Does It Mean to Be Vulnerable?

What exactly is vulnerability and can it help us in daily life? There are a lot of ways to define vulnerability. The term, ‘vulnerable’ means to be susceptible to harm. Another way to describe vulnerability could be “at-risk”. At the root of it, this harm comes from your emotional experiences. Being emotionally vulnerable involves the process of acknowledging your emotions, especially those that are uncomfortable or painful. Acknowledging painful emotions can be difficult because it is human nature to avoid experiences that hurt us. Oftentimes, instead of fully experiencing and acknowledging an unpleasant emotional experience, we may do things that help distract us. For instance, when you feel sad, you may call a friend for emotional support and ask for advice. When you feel angry,…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 01/31/2023

Thriving in the Gig Economy: A Primer for Women

This post is based on a webinar hosted by Dr. Denise Reading. It’s the first in an ongoing series of workshops, webinars, and for-credit courses offered by the Institute for Women, Wellness and Work to help women explore freelancing, consulting, and solopreneur opportunities as a path to a satisfying and successful professional experience. “Gig economy” is a phrase you’ve probably heard a lot, especially in the last couple of years. It refers to the part of the workforce (more than half!) that doesn’t work full-time for one employer, but instead takes on multiple opportunities from different sources. The term got its start in the music industry. Musicians generally refer to a performance they’re hired for as a gig. That terminology has spread to other industries,…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 06/07/2021

woman looking up at sky thinking, showing mental performance

Mental performance and you: 10 things you need to know

Our mental performance, how we think, analyze, and perceive the world, influences how we work, tackle challenges, relate to others, manage stress and more. Where we choose to put our focus has a tremendous impact on how we feel and perform in our day-to-day lives. Julie Jones, Mental Performance Coach and Institute instructor, specializes in helping people boost their mental game, and in teaching them how mental training, positivity and self-awareness can help us do better in our jobs, our personal lives, as leaders, as athletes, and as members of the community. As a former Division I softball coach, Julie specializes in training athletes in mental performance techniques. The same brain strategies that can help a softball player improve her swing can help us all…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 08/02/2021

Related Articles