3–2–1 Design · Issue 80
A Quiet Kind of Tired
It’s been the sort of week that blurs at the edges.
Not good or bad.
Just full.
I hope you’ve had some rest in between.
Not good or bad.
Just full.
I hope you’ve had some rest in between.
3 Thoughts From Me
I.
Stress doesn’t always show up as panic.
Sometimes it’s just the feeling of being very tired after doing very little.
Not answering messages.
Forgetting small things.
Wondering what happened to the last two hours.
You might not feel overwhelmed.
You might just feel slightly outside of yourself.
II.
There’s a kind of peace that comes
when you stop comparing your work
to something that was never yours to begin with.
Not because it’s worse or better.
Just because it isn’t yours.
Some realities you inherit.
Others you slowly forge.
Usually, the slow ones hold.
III.
Learning feels very different to achieving.
One is full of awkward starts
and not quite knowing.
The other comes with praise and relief.
But sometimes, praise comes too early.
And the not knowing is where the real work lives.
You can be getting better
without having anything to show for it yet.
2 Quotes From Others
I.
On feeling behind
“You are not late. You are not early. You are exactly on time.”
(Book, 1992)
I come back to this when my thoughts feel like a queue I can’t control.
II.
On identity and work
“Whatever it is that you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.”
(Interview, 2004)
It helps me remember to look sideways instead of straight ahead.
1 Question For You
When was the last time you did something slowly and felt no guilt about it?
With thanks,
David
David
P.S. Some stretches of work are quieter than others. That doesn’t mean you’re getting it wrong.
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Thank you for reading.
— Dm
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