Tangible Life
▲ of the Mind [009]
As a new year begins, I’ve never been one to make “resolutions”. That’s not to say that I don’t use the arbitrary Gregorian transition as a time for reflection and projection. There’s a negative connotation to “New Year’s Resolutions” simply because so many are half-heartedly attempted without the grit and determination required to form new habits. When someone tells you that their resolution didn’t stick, are you at all surprised?.
I prefer to attempt growth or change in terms of themes. I may start a new theme in January, or I may start it in March once I’ve had a chance to put thought into what I am trying to accomplish. A theme may last a month, or 6 or 12 or 33. That being said, I’ve started 2023 with just one theme in mind…
Reduction.
Discomfort is something many people will be forced to lean into in 2023. With most indications that we’re firmly in the grips of a recession, something tells me many people will be no stranger to discomfort this year. By embracing discomfort, one can reduce the fear or anxiety that it brings if not prepared for it. Little exercises of forced or self-imposed discomfort can help train our minds to handle the day-to-day disruptions and discomforts with less impact. It is the mental analog to stretching before physical exercise or demand.
I’ll get into more detail on how this theme is multi-threaded and touches on many areas of my life in future letters, but here’s a taste. I’m embarking on my own year of living without. You can read more about the origins and my own monthly plans in the post itself. January is going really well thus far.
1️⃣ Something I read…
This is a great interview with Jony Ive post-Apple departure that offers some rare glimpses into what makes him tick. This is a WSJ article, so it may be behind a soft paywall, but reader-mode on Safari can get around that easily in most cases.
My favorite moment in the interview:
Examining those AirPods with Ive present is akin to discussing a hand-hewn sculpture with the artist. The rich snap of the magnetized top as the earbuds click into place inside their case is a feature he’d worked and reworked, along with the smoothly honed interior and the weight and the feel of the case in one’s palm. “I don’t know what I would do without magnets,” he says, with a laugh.
Jeff Sheldon over at Ugmonk has to appreciate that feeling given his updated Gather system.
2️⃣ Something I used…
22 End-of-Year Journaling Prompts to Inspire Reflection
Great set of reflective writing prompts from the folks over at Day One. I’ve been using the Day One journaling app for years. There’s nothing that beats it in my humble opinion.
3️⃣ Something that inspired my creativity…
Evolving the look of the Olympic brand
Amazing look at the work many won’t see until the 2024 Olympic games.
More of this thinking in design, please:
Featuring fresh elements such as three custom-made typefaces and a series of graphic devices and illustrations, the new brand look offers a comprehensive design system that balances consistency and flexibility. Every element has been designed to reflect the hopeful, universal, inclusive, vibrant and progressive qualities of the Olympic brand, for use across publications, digital, environment design and more.
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Angles Outside 180 📐
This section is only for the folks that scroll to the bottom of a newsletter the way true fans sit to the end of the credits in a movie hoping for a little more…
- I finished the After Steve book by Tripp Mickle late last year and it also shed some light on the intricate personalities of both Jony and current Apple CEO, Tim Cook.
- While I would never liken this newsletter to the Olympics, getting back in the writing saddle has felt a bit like training for the next set of games. The article linked above was part of the inspiration to re-thinking the branding/identity of the newsletter.
- Related, the new header logo couldn’t be what it turned out to be without the awesome guidance and help from Carl Barenbrug. He’s an ‘internet friend’ and generally awesome individual when it comes to anything design.
- The only bit I haven’t completed with the migration away from Revue is the back catalog of past issues. That should be worked out and linked with a button in the next issue.