“If you’re having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed me to open up — to know that there’s life under the earth and that I have to let it come through me in a new way. Creativity exists in the present moment. You can’t find it anywhere else.”
-Natalie Goldberg
I’ve shared before my history of blogging – how it began in 2001, the early days before social media and platforms and curation and all the catch phrases that often appear in our inboxes each morning, promising endless Internet fame. And it’s funny how I can look back and see emerging themes and thought processes for every year I’ve been blogging. I hadn’t realized how much this blog has changed until I look at this post in chronological order. And I see it so clearly, the evolution of it all.
And if this is true, if I continually re-invent myself in some small way each year (whether intentionally or not), then I want 2013 to do the same. And in 2013, I want my blog to come full circle. I want to return Design for Mankind to its roots: of thought, of thoughtfulness.
We live in a world of more; this much is obvious. More things, more information. More time-saving tricks we use to find the time to uncover even more time-saving tricks. We live in a world of Pinterest, where visual images shoot out like firehoses of pretty, manifesting themselves in the parts of our brain we reserve for planning elaborate feasts and fetes. We have hundreds of RSS subscriptions to blogs creating amazing tablescapes and Halloween costumes and DIY floor lamps. And we take it all in, bookmarking each project for future use when “someday” is finally today.
Yet friends, I fear that someday will never come. Because there will continually be more to do, to see, to buy. And our someday file will slowly become outdated with a new sea of ideas and thoughts promising to fulfill our lives in ways we never dreamed possible.
I want less. I want less for this site; I want less for my life. I want to return to the days when I didn’t feel the need to “keep up” with the Internet. Where less truly was more, where editorial calendars didn’t exist and the words “I should totally blog this” were never uttered.
I miss the days when blogging itself was my muse. When the simple act of sharing something I stumbled upon was the joy itself, rather than a frenzied race to click link after link in hopes that I’ll have discovered something truly amazing.
There is more noise, and my ears are tired.
This year, one of my personal resolutions is to live a slower, more thoughtful (meaningful?) life. Less travel, more adventure. Less work, more challenges. And I need this to translate into all areas of my life: Less blogging, more learning. Less links, more inspiration. Less projects, more processes.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking time off to enjoy my family, friends and this beautiful holiday season. And when I return in 2013, a new Design for Mankind will be greeting us.
I encourage you to add the site to your RSS feed, as posts will be much more infrequent in this coming year. Instead, they’ll be more heavily curated and story-driven, harking back to my first love: writing. And I am thrilled.
I can’t wait for you to come along. Much love to each of you this holiday season; I wish you many moments of slowness.
XO,
Erin Loechner
great post. A new start in 2013 wishing you happiness and quiet :-) Hugs
That sounds like a wonderful plan to me. I was just going through my blog feed reader, and I’ve managed to keep up with the blogs that post infrequently (1-5 posts per week). But all of my lovely design blogs have gone unread. I can’t keep up!
Rock on sister!
Hi Erin, I was just thinking about that a few weeks ago. I have soo much stuff just waiting to be clicked, read, marked, printed and pinned…and I am finding new ones every day. It’s hard to keep up. I guess that sometimes more is not the right way to go. I’m looking forward to your new concept…Best.
LOVE this sentiment. I along with my best friend and business partner launched a blog in September and your post has completely just altered my planning for 2013. The Internet is overwhelming and I remember the days of unplanned content discovery, talking/ sharing with people in person and no cell phones or social networks. I hope for more personal experiences and the ability to slow down enough to enjoy all that life has to offer me. Thank you and best wishes for the New Year!
How inspirational Erin ~ well said, and I look forward to reading and learning from Design for Mankind in 2013 ~ cheers!
Slow blogging, slow cooking, maybe we should add slowing child rearing, right? Good for you setting a slow example and putting into words how many people feel. I love the new world of “slow.”
Thank you for saying this, Erin. I look forward to the new Design for Mankind. I can’t even keep up with blogs that post daily, and I always appreciate quality over quantity. I’m a food blogger and I am perpetually amazed at other food bloggers’ abilities to post original recipes with photos and commentary multiple times a week. However, my work is driven by inspiration and I want it to stay that way, so I guess it is what it is.
Really happy for you, Erin! I can’t wait to see what DFM becomes.
Really happy for you, Erin! I can’t wait to see what DFM becomes.
Hi Erin,
Good on you for making that resolution! Happy 2013 to you & I definitely look forward to your writing next year.
Btw, this post reminds me of this Slow Web Movement Manifesto (http://theslowweb.com/) I stumbled upon not too long ago. I reckon this is a good way to live life.
Love that, Maxine! Thank you!
Cant wait for the new you!
http://www.anmarkdesign.com/
so true and so inspiring … I have been trying to slow down in these last few weeks after realizing I am spending my life in front of a computer instead of with my friends and family … but it is SO hard to do it … I hope it will be easier for you. Good luck!
Your writing is beautiful! This is exactly how I am feeling, only I am not the wordsmith you are. I have begun a journey down the same path with my own blog. Happy New Year!
Totally hear you. I have found I get more joy by stepping off a schedule and just posting when I feel like it. If that means twice in one day, or once a week – so be it. And of course you were already in my Reader. xoxox
The thoughts conveyed in this post spill over into all aspects of life. Thanks for this inspiring post. Happy New Year!
I can’t wait to see the exciting changes and endeavors you and your blog have in store for all of us. I slowed down last year (I quit my job as art director at an ad agency) and it allowed me to heal my heart, visit family, travel to Europe and focus on what makes me happy and creative. I’ve haven’t figured it all out, but I have faith that when you take a careful exploration of who you are, amazing and fulfilling things start to happen. Lots of blessings to you.
Just discovered your blog and I really appreciate this post. Definitely food for thought…looking forward to following you in 2013. Happy New Year!
Yes.
Oh Erin, I’m so very delighted to read this. Without knowing it was a “thing” I’ve been slow blogging for a year or so. I like it…it’s honest…less noise…more meaning. Thank you, I look forward to DFM in 2013. x
looking forward to the new dfm! we as a family live a slow simple life so much so that we are taking the year off, on the road with very few possessions, slowly exploring and meeting folks, creating and planning projects that take time to marinate before becoming. we are all about the process over the product. we’ll be one of those you’ll want to follow as well, let’s stay in touch…
I love this, Erin…so excited to see what’s in store for you/all of us. Hope you’ve been great!
It is really insightful for me to read this. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I am only at the beginning of a new online project and some days I already feel in this trap! I am sure there is a better more intelligent way to blog than being crushed over links! I wish you an inspiring new year! Full of real life creativity.
yes. reading this made my evening. thank you erin
xo
Oh, companion to your most recent new year’s post. THIS is the one I couldn’t get out of my head all holiday long. It was so good. Thank you x 100.
Thank you, Koseli – I’m so excited it struck a chord. :)
So so so true! I am looking forward to follow this change on your blog.
And: THANK YOU! Thank you for your blog, for you being open and brave and for the personal insight. Less is good. I need inspiration, but not as an everflowing thing, but as a seed that needs the time to grow.
Sounds great! Can’t wait to see more of it! And yes I pretty much nodded at everything here although my slow blogging revolution started last year already, or so I think
Loved to read this!
I feel the same regarding everything in my life. And I’m finding that though blogging (but not only) my small creative business is growing slowly but sustainably.
The main positive thing about blogging is that I’ve been connetting to amazing people around the world and learning: other cultures, other perspectives, other stories, other landscapes and this is very good! It’s like travelling!
I’m enjoying blogging without any pressure. I’m enjoying blogging to share the positive things I see, The positive things I find, the positive things I make.
Happy 2013 Erin!
TLDNR
A lovely post. This resonates with me so much. I shall join this movement with you :). Here’s to more adventures. <3
I just stumbled on to your blog and found this post. And I want to say thank you for such an inspiring post. It’s so refreshing when people stop and think and are open and honest about their journeys. So thank you for the lovely post. I look forward to more.
I’m really excited for this. I can’t wait to hear what stories are brewing in you.