It’s easy to look at portions of a life in five and ten year increments. Many refer to their “five-year plan” or “their twenties,” etc. We often block our lives together in chunks, and it’s easiest to define ourselves by time. Because, as we’ll find out, we will change so much throughout the course of our lives.

In these final months of my twenties, I can look back at an entire decade of doing design for a living. I can remember how green and excited I was, and how new every aspect of design was for me. Around every corner was something new to create, and there was an expanse of blank canvas that I could create upon.

What I didn’t expect was how my brain would evolve. What I thought was a simple artistic profession eventually turned into quite mental and analytical work. I began noticing things in a different way. I began pulling back the layers of everything I could, hoping to reach a certain core of every subject, and finding out why things were the way they were, who people (and my clients) perceived themselves, and obsessing over smarter and more efficient ways of making work, and living life in general. My technical work quickly became only half of the job.

For the past few years, I’ve become more interested in discussing the philosophies behind design, and to share what I’ve been learning and pondering. While I hope to continue to use this blog as a method of sharing that information, I’m also very nervous and excited about embarking on a new chapter in my design career: Speaking.

While I’m no stranger to standing on a stage, in front of a bunch of people, with a microphone, I am a new to talking to an audience about design.

For years, I wanted to maintain the idea that “I don’t have anything to teach anyone,” because so much of my teenage years were spent around people who thought the opposite. Around every corner was someone telling me how to live, as if we were all these robots that lived identical lives, being supplied “One size fits all” advice. I wanted no part of it.

So, my approach will be different. Rather than give advice, I just want to share what I have learned. Every designer has their own route, each one more different than the last. So, any “one size fits all” advice will simply not be part of my schtick.

For the first time in a long time, I’ll be standing in front of a bunch of people, holding a microphone. But this will be a lot different. I am quite excited to share what’s been going on in my head. I’m excited to talk about the work that I love. I’m excited to move on to a new chapter.

I’ll keep you posted.