Creativity often gets all the attention, but clarity is what actually moves ideas forward. In this episode, Carina explores why clarity matters more than creativity when you are building meaningful work, making decisions, and leading a business or creative practice.

This episode is for designers, artists, and entrepreneurs who feel busy but unfocused and want a calmer, more intentional way to move forward.

Get Carina’s new bookThe Intentional Design Year here: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/43XTRLG

Hardback: https://amzn.to/4isrefm

Prompt Journal Paperback: https://amzn.to/4osha7J

Prompt Journal Hardback: https://amzn.to/4rvrG0u

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Designers often think they need more talent, better tools, or the perfect strategy. But what if the real issue is attention?

In this episode, we explore why attention is one of your most limited creative resources and how splitting it between fear, comparison, and pressure quietly sabotages your work. Drawing from psychology and neuroscience, we talk about why mindset gets in the way of clarity, why overthinking blocks creative flow, and how focused making changes what you see and what you believe is possible.

This conversation is for designers who feel capable but scattered, creative but stuck, and who sense they are missing something they cannot quite name. Paying attention is not just a productivity skill. It is a creative advantage.

Get Carina’s new bookThe Intentional Design Year here: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/43XTRLG

Hardback: https://amzn.to/4isrefm

Prompt Journal Paperback: https://amzn.to/4osha7J

Prompt Journal Hardback: https://amzn.to/4rvrG0u

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Carina has fellow designer Lori Whitlock on to talk about Japan and design! Learn how both of us started our businesses! You can watch the entire episode at youtube.com/carinagardner. 

Get Carina’s new bookThe Intentional Design Year here: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/43XTRLG

Hardback: https://amzn.to/4isrefm

Prompt Journal Paperback: https://amzn.to/4osha7J

Prompt Journal Hardback: https://amzn.to/4rvrG0u

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Carina walks you through simple ways to make goal planning productive. Sometimes we overcomplicate the process of creating goals and this episode makes it feel easy and fun!

Get Carina’s new bookThe Intentional Design Year here: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/43XTRLG

Hardback: https://amzn.to/4isrefm

Prompt Journal Paperback: https://amzn.to/4osha7J

Prompt Journal Hardback: https://amzn.to/4rvrG0u

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Carina talks with Brenna Powell about lessons learned from Design Suite and now as a University of Arts & Design student. These are lessons every designer can relate to!

Learn more about Brenna on all her feeds at crafting with brenna. Visit her website at https://craftingoverload.com/.

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Carina talks about her new book The Intentional Design Year released last month. She goes over how to use it and her free gift to you. Enjoy the digital version of the book for free for 1 month at https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional.

You can also get The Intentional Design Year here: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/43XTRLG

Hardback: https://amzn.to/4isrefm

Prompt Journal Paperback: https://amzn.to/4osha7J

Prompt Journal Hardback: https://amzn.to/4rvrG0u

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Carina opens up about where she has been, what her family does during the holiday season and more! If you like Carina’s personal antidotes on how she does her life, you will love this very Christmasy episode!

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Ever wonder what makes everyday creativity different from the genius of Picasso or Einstein? In this episode, I break down the Four-C Model of Creativity—Mini-c, Little-c, Pro-c, and Big-C—and explore how each level shows up in our lives. From the small insights that spark growth to the world-changing breakthroughs that leave a legacy, you’ll discover why all forms of creativity matter. 

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

As the year comes to a close, Carina reflects on the loss of a few dear friends. Among them is the wonderful Lindsay Bowerman, a cherished member of the University of Arts & Design Advisory Council, whom Carina interviewed back in 2022. In this heartfelt episode, Carina shares her memories and revisits that special conversation with Lindsay.

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Do you think AI can make you more creative? Actually, according to a new study, AI can enhance individual creativity. The side effect? It reduces novel ideas for society or entire groups. Learn more in today’s episode.

Links to help new designers:

What’s New: https://www.carinagardner.com

Design Bootcamp: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp

University of Arts & Design: http://uad.education

Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional