Happy Friday guys! I recently wrote an article for Time called "How to Be You". It was an important topic for me to write about as a woman who was one a girl and a teenager with low self-confidence who spent so long trying to figure out who I was in this world. But it was also important to me as a creative person and business woman trying to figure out my style and what makes me and my business…well, me. Here is an excerpt from the piece below…
"There are lots of things I went to school to learn how to do: I’ve learned about graphic design, typography, advertising and various styles of art—like paper making, sculpture and figure drawing—that opened up my imagination and allowed me to get my hands dirty. But there’s one thing you don’t learn in school that’s so, so important: How you can be you.
Learning how to be “you” is actually really hard. We spend much of our lives (if not our whole lives) trying to figure that out. Here are some strategies I’ve found helpful as starting points…"
If you have a chance to read it, you can find the full article right here…
{Photo by Casey Brodley, styling by Julia Wester. Decals by Oh Joy for Target.}
Great advice Joy! Love tip #1. If we know what we don’t want it’s easier to work towards what we do want! Loved the article! Happy Friday!
I absolutely loved this article Joy. I think in the age of social media it’s harder than ever to be yourself as we’re constantly bombard with images of other people’s lives that just beg us to compare ourselves with them. Your last piece of advice about thinking about your legacy really stuck with me.
Molly {Dreams in HD}
http://www.dreamsinhd.blogspot.com
Love what you shared! It’s true that it’s important to think about how we want to be remembered, because it’s easy to forget on a day-to-day basis. 🙂
Great article, Joy! I will remember you as a burst of color and a smiling face of optimism! It’s been a real inspiration to follow your journey and witness your success. What a thrill it must be to know your colorful designs will be with us in perpetuity.
loved reading this! especially on a sister brand of where i work 🙂
hammyta.wordpress.com
What a great read. You have accomplished so much and you are truly a role model to people in this industry. This advice was really helpful! I especially love how you talked about starting with the things you don’t want to do. That is such a great way to narrow down what you do love and want to do.
Thanks again for the inspiring words and helping me go into the world more focused!
Rachel
http://rachelinflight.com
Those are great starting points, Joy! It was so interesting to read.
The lastone, though morbid (ha!) is SO true.
Alina
http://www.eclecticalu.blogspot.com
Joy ~
As a Graphic Designer in my mid-twenties who is still trying to figure everything out… this article really spoke to me!
Growing up, I was completely set on working for a fashion magazine in the future and even interned for a couple straight out of college. Plans changed and I found myself working for mobile gaming as a Marketing Designer (which i’m still currently doing). However, i’m slowly easing into creating content for my own lifestyle blog (which has definitely helped me figure out the type of things i’m truly passionate about designing outside of what i’m doing in my 9 to 5 job).
I still have a lot of learning and figuring out to do but hearing your stories and experiences are always really inspiring and motivating <3
So on point, Joy! Thank you!
http://www.velvetcrate.com
Great advice, I especially like your last point, albeit morbid, about thinking of how you want to be remembered.
I always admired your style in college. You were always just YOU! xo
Aw thanks Sari! So nice to see your name! I hope you are well!
Joy
Just a note to say how much I enJOY your products and your blog. They are both so fresh and vibrant! Thanks for being true to you and inspiring us to be ourselves too.
http://www.windlasse.com
Thanks so much Hleyba!
Joy
Learning how to be you is difficult. Not because you don’t want to be you but because I think we close up our selves when we don’t feel comfortable. I think for the most part, I’m me but there are times when this is difficult, specially when you don’t know a person so well.
– Belen
A Hint of Life