We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karen Garcia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karen below.
Karen, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
As a child, I was heavily influenced by NASA’s Space Shuttle program. We often traveled to Cape Canaveral, Florida, to watch the shuttles take off, and I felt such hope and excitement in watching the possibilities of humanity. I felt connected to the space program my whole life, and when I had the incredible opportunity to meet Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, he said one comment that solidified that connection. He quoted Carl Sagan, saying, “We are star stuff,” and talked about how we are all made of the same elements and we are deeply connected to the universe and each other.
Over the next several years, I became even more hungry to learn about humanity and astronomy. I am still learning, and in discovering that connection among all living things on our planet, I have a stronger sense of belonging and responsibility to others. Making that connection helped me to look for commonalities with others, even during an argument, and to find unlimited compassion in my heart for others. Ultimately, this path to connection and empathy has activated me to work to support those who need it most.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
In the spirit of connecting with our neighbors, Smyrna Swag was born. We moved to Smyrna and bought a house in 2014, and though I had previous family connections in the city, I had not experienced it as a resident. We looked around and didn’t see anything available to show our pride in the city, so we created Smyrna Swag™ t-shirts and hats as a way to get to know our neighbors and let people show their spirit in our little town. My husband, Shawn, and I currently run the company as a side business, as we both have full-time jobs, and we want to keep it small and personal. We love going to markets and meeting people in the community, connecting with them, and of course, selling our products.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think three qualities that really have impacted my journey are curiosity, connection, and creativity. Being curious about the environment around me, and working from a sense of wanting to know about people and their ideas rather than judgment, has helped me learn to connect with people. Creativity in designing and creativity in problem-solving has also helped me to keep up with demand and work through the pandemic years when all the markets were canceled.
For someone early in their journey, I would encourage them to approach their lives with a truly curious spirit, and dig in to the why rather than focus on the differences. Seeking connection is something we all need as human beings, and being able to find that connection isn’t always easy. It can happen in unexpected places, and sticking with it is key. Creativity can be developed through all kinds of exercises, I think getting into a creative flow and trying to let go of any fears of judgment can help someone to be confident and put themselves out there with their creative work.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
It’s a good problem to have, but we are currently facing the challenge of keeping our business small. My husband and I truly like each other and we spend as much time together as we are able. However, running a small business is time-consuming, and preparing for markets is a heavy lift. We get the most questions about putting our business online so people can order anytime, and that seems like it would take it up a huge notch. We are currently so excited when anyone wants our product, but we want to keep it small and local, and want to still like being around each other at the end of the day.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: jonquilsmyrnaswag
- Facebook: jonquilsmyrnaswag
Image Credits
Alex Luidens
