Hey, you. You, as in a prestigious member of Rev Pop's newsletter subscriber list that's sat dormant for some time now. Preserving an eager audience for safekeeping doesn’t help much when you have an opportunity to give people a sense of who you are and why they should remember you and the work you do. I’ve realized, as I move into my 40s, that I need to become uncomfortable again and fail as often as I did when I started Rev Pop. This comprehension led me to document my thoughts here and conquer one of my greatest fears…self-expression. Letting others in my headspace. Writing to you. For us both, if I’m honest.

The only way I’ve ever learned how to do something was by doing it. It’s important to accept that you haven’t got a clue. To keep searching for meaning. I've found the key to contentment is knowing when to open doors and when to close others. When to take a moment and sit still. Then, pivot and try a new thing that scares you to death. Pursue what frightens you the most and you might learn to love that thing you used to dread. Find some passion in it and all of a sudden it becomes habitual. Cathartic, even.

I feel the perpetual need to remind myself and solicit reassurance that the paths we take are ultimately up to us, and the decisions we make in the moment. Where I’ll be in five years might weigh on a decision I make tomorrow. But I know that whatever the outcome, it’s the simple act of making a choice at all that will lead me closer to my next opportunity to create something cool that connects.

I am consciously lost. And it took me 40 years to admit it. I’m not lost because I don’t know how I ended up here. I’m not lost because I don’t enjoy what I’m doing. I’m lost because I choose not to feel like I’ve arrived at my final destination, to be defined. There are no regrets about the creative journey that I’m on. It's taken me this long to be comfortable with not feeling comfortable at all. Uncomfortably sound. Like an improv instrumental that has no structure, but a melody that changes and transitions subtly between every measure.

I would rather be lost in the woods with a hunger for opportunity than trapped in a box feeling safe and forever idle. Don’t dilute your time perfecting yourself when all you’ll achieve is less perfect than what you originally wanted to create.

For those who continue to seek, pivot, discover, and reinvent themselves… I’ve curated a collection of podcasts, films, and books that I think you’d find interest in exploring.

As a designer and builder of brands, many of my perceptions that I integrate into my everyday life carry the same intuitions that I attune to my work and advice for those looking to build their own identities. Branding has a lot more to do with people and emotions than logos or aesthetics. Every month, we’re committing to sharing content that’s helped us get a little closer to being comfortable with the discomfort that comes with being creatives and understanding the humanity behind the brand. We hope that a little entertainment and empathy from your friends at Rev Pop will add some levity to your crowded inbox. Thanks for making it this far.