The surprising thing about being human.
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Good morning!

Today, I have things for you...a letter about re-invention, and some things that are inspiring me. (And oh, a new format, what do you think?)

 
 
 

The art of re-invention

"I just don't know what I'm doing anymore."

That's the answer I gave my friend when she asked the big, "Where've you been? What's going on? How's your new job? I miss you!" question.

There are some decisions that make a greater impact than we expected. Joining &yet was one of those decisions for me.

And it was the exactly right decision. I know this because of both the impulsive YES that came from one of my organs, and also the subsequent mental chaos I've been through since.

But chaos is good for me, especially when it's the "complete and utter" kind. It forces me to re-invent myself. To re-define what I believe in and then orient my life around those things.

And it's embarrassing.

I'm so inspired by the 2012 documentary about artist Wayne White. In it, he says one of the truest statements I've heard..."Beauty is embarrassing." They ended up naming the film after that line.

"Beauty is embarrassing" gives me hope. Maybe all of the things I'm embarrassed about –the things I think make me "not enough" in my own mind – those things are beautiful

I am embarrassed to keep changing, to keep moving, to keep adjusting the sails. And I don't know why. Maybe it's because I want everyone to think I know what I'm doing...that I've figured it out somehow. But I don't, and none of us do, and it's beautiful.

So where've I been? Right here, adjusting the sails to make way for a new city, a new job, a new home, and a whole new set of ideas that go along with it.

Oh, and I miss you, too.

<3, Sarah

 

“Everybody’s kind of shouting, and trying to make their message as simple and bold and big and direct as possible to sort of out-shout everybody else. I think that there’s this feeling that anything that doesn’t do that, that isn’t “Hey, buy this now” big picture, that it’s not going to work. And I think that they’re really underestimating their audience, and they’re really underestimating people’s curiosity.”

MARIAN BANTJES

 
 

A framework for living

I've been reading a lot of Stephen Covey lately, and thus have been inspired to write up some guidelines for how I truly want to live in this new phase of the adventure.

 
 

Elizabeth Gilbert on coming home

I don't know if you've seen it yet, but this TED talk is so inspiring about how to "come home" after great success or great failure, so that you can continue to do move forward.

 
 

Charlotte Potter on creative work

Charlotte Potter is super-famous in the glass world. And she just happens to have her studio right up the street from our new place! She is my total muse of the moment.

 
 
 
 

"If my life was to have a soul-stated meaning, I needed to be unafraid to walk down the paths of my own choosing, which to some might seem like failure, to pursue all that mattered most to me. My gift from grief was the knowledge that I may never become my fullest self if I do not come to live from that place."


I read The Rise when I first started at &yet (right after I read Creativity, Inc., which is also absolutely amazing). While I still haven't made failure my bff, these beautifully-written words inspired me and validated all of the little creative sparks in my heart.

 
 
 

 A few other bits of news and happenings before you continue on with your morning:

  • We just released the iOS version of Talky in the App Store. Confetti time! If you are always using Skype or Google Hangouts for conference calls (or just to talk one-on-one), Talky is way easier. Just so you know.
  • sarahjbray.com is pretty and new! It's the first site I've built completely on Statamic (and hosted on Digital Ocean), and I'm pretty stoked with the results. Lookee.
  • I still <3 RSS, even if nobody else does. If you love RSS too, you may want to update your feed readers.

That is all, friends! I'm not quite sure what is in store for the future as life gets re-oriented to this new vantage point, but I know it will all be good things. I hope you are well, and enjoying this creative adventure we all share.

<3, Sarah