A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words…

… but I’ll write the words anyway!

This picture changed my life. Yes, I really am that dramatic, but I’ll explain.

In a way, the whole point of TEM is that the premise can change on a whim. I wanted a platform to explore and share my diverse interests and somewhere I could stay accountable for all the inner work that inevitably comes with discovering what makes you tick.

Nevertheless, I could tell something was missing. Despite my adventures, this project still felt a little heavy – I didn’t feel very connected to it.

Last week, I was travelling back on the train from a design event in London, itself tacked on to the end of a week-long, out-of-the-box experience. Thoughts swirling, I aimlessly scrolled through my Instagram feed of mainly urban artists, trying to process the events of the week. At some point, I decided to switch up my profile pic. So, I used the in-app camera to take a quick snap of the only interesting thing around – my sneaker-clad foot. My trainers are pretty sick – a heavenly find from T.K. Maxx, bless that store!

In that little photo, I surprisingly found salvation. Who would have thought a tiny 1:1 image of a shoe would have such impact? But I loved how the object of focus was, in fact, blurred. How it could have easily faded into the abyss of the train carriage floor had it not been for the obnoxiously thick, bright white sole and colour-block accents. How the deep orange of my dress matched the train seat and how it flowed to frame the shot. To me, it was the perfect balance between romance and edge.

As much as the visuals, I loved what the photo represented: travel, adventure, and the willingness to subject oneself to strange encounters, unshielded from the comforts of expectation. This moment captured the last of my energy stores, which, as an introvert, had quickly depleted. I was proud of myself for seeing an opportunity and embracing the full-on day with all its logistics – choosing that, rather than the path of least resistance and going home.

The dress itself, a sleeveless shirt-maxi with a bold print by Mint Velvet, was a last-minute charity shop find. I had time to kill before check-in, so I perused the high street. I didn’t buy it straight away, as I had purposely packed light for the week for an efficient transit. This utilitarian approach to my wardrobe was very out of character, for if you know me you’d probably think I’m anything but basic when it comes to fashion, and you’d be right!

A couple of hours later, still with time to kill, I reflected by the canal. I realised that packing light wasn’t just for convenience; it was an excuse to blur into the background because I was a little out of my comfort zone, unsure of what to expect from the week’s events. Kind of like my trainer in the photo. The result? A sense that I was being less than myself. “Eff it,” I thought. “Sick of this feeling – I’m buying that dress!” So I did. I leaned into that professional designer persona with the rest of them and had a fantastic time in the thick of it. I felt on top of the world as the dress billowed in the wind while I trammed across London, finally collapsing onto my train.

It’s just a dress. It’s just a pic. Yes. But to me, it’s also a whole visual narrative. It’s my love language, my superpower. It’s the thing I could talk about all day, and the reason I instinctively know what works well and what looks “off.”

 What I realised I’d been missing was that love for the aesthetic impact that personally enhances my experience of the world. Yes, I like diversity and exploring a multitude of things that aren’t necessarily art-related, but I also appreciate the cohesion that a good visual narrative can offer to bring it all together.

I’m excited to explore this further, but in the meantime, I ask you:

What simple things bring you joy?

Can you take a moment from your busy day, a moment away from the maelstrom of thoughts and to-dos that potentiate groundlessness. From your lofty hopes, dreams, and desires, from the what-ifs and please-Gods? Can you take those thoughts and distil them down to their simplest form – a notion, object, or idea that represents pure love for something that undeniably makes you you?

And can you take another moment to relax into the rightness of it, even though it’s unclear how it fits into the greater scheme. Maybe it is loved for what it is, because it just is, and that’s enough.

In the end, it’s these small moments, these seemingly insignificant snapshots of our lives, that can offer the most clarity. That random photo reminded me of the joy I find in the details, in the aesthetic threads that weave together my experience of the world. It’s easy to overlook these things when we’re caught up in the bigger picture. But sometimes, all it takes is a pause, a deep breath, and a willingness to see the beauty in the little things. So, what is your moment of lightness? What unexpected joy can you embrace today?

As ever thank you for reading. I’d love to keep the conversation going so please feel free to comment and connect.

X DocFlint