
Care and Growth: Nurture relationships this March
It's easy to get caught up in all our appointments and start taking for granted the relationships in our lives. A lot of folks treat work as serious business, but let their focus take a backseat in their relationships. As we mark one year since "coronavirus" came into the modern lexicon, let's take some time this month to truly consider our important relationships.
Our newest monthly theme, "Nurture Relationships" was borne out of an unfortunate trend many experienced globally beginning in March of 2020. In the new era of WFH, learning and navigating the competing responsibilities of work, family, children, pets, and partners make it all the more difficult to manage when they all occur under one roof. And we must acknowledge the stark reality that millions have lost loved ones in the past year. As we round out a year of living in a COVID world, we hope March will be just one of many moments where we check-in and honour the relationships we have with ourselves, as well as our loved ones.
The definition of nurture: "care for and protect [someone] while they are growing". We love the idea that nurturing our relationships takes place "while they are growing," meaning they are living, growing things. We hope the 'cool stuff' for this month serve as a jumping-off point for putting some well-deserved care and attention to our important relationships.
Revisiting and reconsidering our Key Questions
In addition to this month's key questions from our Monthly Focus, we want to raise some thoughtful questions and prompts that will help prime you to make meaningful progress:
- Who is someone you've never fully expressed your appreciation for? What are you waiting for?
- Who in your life considers you a priority, and are they a priority to you? Have your recent actions honoured this relationship?
- When has been a time where you've communicated poorly and harmed a relationship? Have you resolved this?
- Is there someone you've lost that you can honour in some way even after they are gone? What small gestures would bring them joy?
- Is there a relationship you would like to leave in the past? What can you do now to bring yourself some closure?

Some things to ponder from our team
While we may have hundreds of acquaintances, most people have around 5 close, intimate relationships. According to Robin Dunbar, human brains have a processing limit on the number of meaningful relationships they can keep track of. So don't stress if you forgot to wish all your Facebook friends "Happy Birthday!"
Therapy can be extremely helpful, but also daunting to some. If you might be in need of family counseling or couples therapy and you're a little hesitant, listen to Ester Perel's podcasts, Where Should We Begin? and How's Work?. Esther, a therapist, author and speaker asks the pointed and confronting questions we need to hear. While "Where Should We Begin" tackles romantic relationships, "How's Work?" tackles many iterations of different dynamics at/around work: co-founders, employee/boss, siblings. You might find some questions applicable to your own life, or find these are the nudge you needed to seek help yourself.
For most of us who are in, have been in, or want an intimate romantic relationship, it's common to feel "not ready". Like we must work on ourselves silently and diligently until we finally reach a moment of where we are ready to reveal our cultivated and perfected selves to the universe. For those people, we bring you two articles from a The Outline (quickly becoming one of our favourite publications!): "I’m still in therapy. Should I be dating?" and (spoiler alert!) "There is no such thing as being ready for love."
Among books, there are far too many self-help and wellness books on the topic of relationships. Instead, we leave you with a good, kinda-related read (creative non-fiction!) that makes you think: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson. Called a book about "love and its fruits: both the falling in love and the maintaining of affection, devotion, tenderness. It is about love and marriage, motherhood, pregnancy, birth and family-making."
Sometimes we just need to spend time together to nurture our relationships. But what to do? A growing trend, "conversation cards," might be the way to go to prompt discussions & debates with our loved ones. Kalina Silverman's "Big Talk" cards and Flex Factory's "Conversation Cards" are our top picks!
Any resources that inspire you? Share them with us on Instagram!
01.03.21
All Articles
07.03.23
Going Beyond: Celebrating B Corp Month
As B Corp month rolls around once again, we're excited to celebrate the theme of "Going Beyond" and share how we've ...
19.01.23
Karst Lands at Le Bon Marché, Paris
This January we’re packing up our notebooks and paying a visit to the city of light, love and Le Bon Marché.
05.01.23
New Year, Fresh Start
Scientifically Proven Ways to Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions
01.08.22
Karst Stone Paper vs. Traditional Paper
Karst’s stone paper is an alternative to wood pulp paper that offers a superior writing experience and multiple ...
01.01.22
A New Start: Create Vision this January
After facing a few years where “unprecedented” seemed to be the only word that adequately described them, we’re going ...
01.12.21
Gratitude: The Key to Increasing Happiness this December
This month, many of us will feel a sense of urgency to tie up loose ends and reach the goals we’d set earlier this ...
22.11.21
Changing the story
Black Friday Done Differently
01.11.21
Find Balance this November
This month, we want to take a chance to reflect on what we haven’t been doing, and perhaps consider putting time and ...
01.10.21
Reduce Procrastination this October
What are the real reasons for procrastination? Are you being honest to yourself when you are procrastinating? How are ...
01.09.21
Pursue purpose this September
Tasks, projects, priorities—these are just things to tick off a list unless they align with a greater purpose. This ...
01.08.21
Practice living simply this August
Appreciation of simple things helps us find inner tranquility and serenity. It reminds us that a lot of our wants and ...
01.07.21
Unleash your confidence this July
Confidence isn’t something you have (or have not), it’s something you can create, cultivate and master. Increased self ...
01.06.21
Build your curiosity this June
We are born curious—that's why babies put anything they can grab into their mouths. But we’re quickly taught not to ...
01.05.21
Big thinking for big results in May
Whenever we set a goal for ourselves, ask yourself 'why that particular goal?' Why not bigger? Why not set our sights ...
03.04.21
Stone Paper 101: Top Myths Busted
It took traditional paper hundreds of years to become common. We don't have time to wait for the same.
01.04.21
Decisions, decisions: Evaluate Priorities this April
The root of the word "priority" comes from an Old French root "priorite," meaning to come first in rank or precedence. ...
15.03.21
The B Corp Effect: Seeking Positive Impact
It’s been just over 16 months since Karst became a Certified B Corporation. In that amount of time, the world has ...
10.03.21
#BetterBusiness is Possible
Better business is possible. Find out how we do it.
01.03.21
Care and Growth: Nurture relationships this March
It's easy to get caught up in all our appointments and start taking for granted the relationships in our lives. A lot ...
02.01.21
Break or build: Choosing habits well this February
Breaking a bad habit (or a few) is one of the most effective ways to completely transform your life. But even the most ...
16.11.20
We're Doing Black Friday Differently This Year
At Karst, we believe in acting today for a better planet tomorrow. While we do our part to fight climate change now, we ...
14.04.20
Make working from home work for you
New to working at home? It can be tough, especially if you have never had to do it before for more than a few days at a ...
21.02.20
Tips for Creating a Sustainable Home Office
Working from home is more common than ever before, which is having a great impact on the environment. Home-working cuts ...
01.12.19
Customer Highlight: Creatives in Action
Have you ever seen someone wearing a piece of clothing you also have, but they've styled it in a way that's completely ...
16.09.19
The Best Stone Paper Notebook For Your Personality Type
Everyone on the Karst Team has a wildly different personality and funny enough we each have a different favourite ...
12.06.18
Eco-friendly Ways to Make Your Workplace More Productive
Since a lot of us spend most of our waking hours at work, the office may be the best place to practice sustainability. ...
01.01.18
Welcome to Bookmark by Karst
Bookmark By Karst - Stories, ideas and news. For creatives by creatives.