Pulling the Thread

Through the years, I found that the best way of working on a design project (which can also be translated into life projects) is what I call pulling vs pushing. Rather than having a preconceived image or idea, it consists of outstretching several options - threads. And start pulling each of them, until one appears to expand our options. Even beyond what we initially conceived.

Pulling often serves a side bundle of doubt, and also often - at least in my experience - it is difficult to "let go" that initial idea that I had pictured as desired end result.

When doing the first bit you'll see in the video above, I had no idea whatsoever that I would end up getting the rest of its sequence (so do hold on and watch the full minute :-). Just pulled.
Sometimes an insignificant fiber can expand into infinite opportunities and surprising beauty.

But I'd love to hear about your strains:

• Have you encountered pulling vs pushing? How did it untwine?

Can't wait to read about it in the comment section below.

Grind Growing

We hear, share and propose every end of the year exciting commitments. Grand personal and professional dream challenges.

Today I pledge for plucking out, instead, the strings for small-growth. Tuning into powdered, yet incremental growing can lead to major changes, over time.
If there is one important thing I have learned in the past years, it has been to surrender to the thread-by-thread pace of changes, rather than fight against it trying to rush them. They need their own growing flow in order for them to flourish.

Quoting marketer Seth Godin, vague plans are safely desirable though unhelpful. So let's grind down growth into actionable, believable and committable strings which to pull from every moment, every day.

The material invitation on this video invites to grind growing. Into small commitments. But a whole bush of them.

Now, I need your thicket of thought: 

• Can visualizing material growth pull out your own commitment to grow? 

Please do throw your threads in the comments section below. 

Claim Rain

Sometimes it just hits you. Even if you don't want it, you get it. You curse, change plans or avoid it. 

Wether or not it happens to you everyday where you live, it rains. And, since we cannot change its presence, why not working with it.

Instead of improving our protection from it: 

• Can a texture help us celebrate the rain? 
• Can this texture make sense only when it "gets rained"?
• How could a different take on materiality invite to expand our relationship with the rain? 

As this is an invitation to explore, do drop me your thoughts in the comments below!

Strong Vunerability

Have you observed?

Nature is so resilient. I have been always mesmerised by how plants grow through little cracks in the city. I find very inspiring this opposition of softness to the hard asphalt, of green life through the tough city interface. 
Through this video, I test and celebrate material textures which invite to become softer with our surroundings. 
These petals remind me that within our hard constructed environment, there is always a crack of vulnerability. A place to feel our humaness. 
Perhaps materials with dynamic properties will stir our daily routines, reminding us that our time is limited and precious.

I'd love to hear from you:

• Do you believe a material helps us feel strong or vulnerable?

• Are we ready to accept material vulnerability?

You can leave me your comments right below. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!