That feeling of utter glee when you spend time with a book about the beauty and fun of great design of… books. (and other various paper bound items)

I had that pleasure this weekend in Houston’s sweet Brazos Bookstore. Books are displayed by their covers around the walls rather than their spines and it creates a museum like experience, except you can touch and smell and cradle all of the pieces on display. Kind of a petting zoo for book lovers.

The books closest to the light of the large front window were a variety of design books and I was drawn in that direction instinctively. Bells and Whistles, Printing with Special Effects  literally winked at me so I picked it up and opened its matte white cover with embedded gold foiled text.

Purring as I flipped, image after image of three dimensional paper and ink sculptures cast as promotional materials tickled my brains for a good long while. My RealMe voice said, ‘See – it’s right here – exciting graphic design!’ and my MeanMe voice disappeared under the thunderous bass of vibrating confidence.

Once home, I found the the sketch above from over a decade ago, my dream life as I envisioned it at that time. What I wanted to strive for. Looking at it now, I realize I have several of these things in place. Short of that belly dancing hobby I haven’t picked up yet and and a few major publishing and travel goals, I’m actually moving in the direction I want to, however ploddingly and unobviously.

After reading Jen Sincero’s You Are A Badass I’ve taken to quoting her regularly. A friend even gave me the You Are A Badass page-a-day desk calendar and it is from there that I derive some sharable inspiration this week. Jen says:

Here’s the good news:

1. We all know way more than we give ourselves credit for knowing.

2. We are drawn to things we’re naturally good at (which counts more than having a graduate degree in the subject, BTW)

3. There’s no better teacher than necessity.

4. Passion trumps fear.

I think, therefore, I can create awesomeness. Or horrendousness. But the bottom line is that it’s through our thoughts that we create our realities.

We’re still allowed to dream, and our dreams are still available to us, but as we move through life, we must make the conscious effort to overcome whatever judgments we have, as well as kick all our fears from past experiences in the head, and participate in our own badassery. Whatever that looks like for you.

If you want to live a life you’ve never lived, you have to do things you’ve never done.

Thank you! Yes, yes, and more yes!

The joy of recognizing my bliss in that book and finding that old map of a dream life reminds me to connect with the Force and dare to do things I’ve never done.