Behind the Scenes - 302designs

I think that blogging here has been very beneficial for me. Think about it: every single week I have to stop and ask myself, What positive thing can I say about the world today? This means putting aside the stressful days at work, the annoying driver in front of you causing a traffic jam or the pain of missing someone who is far away in favor of something more significant. It forces me to get down to the “meat” of what makes life so fascinating. When you strip away the problems, it is really quite beautiful.

To go along with my ramblings on beauty, here is a photo I took last month at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. I challenge you to take a minute to look at it, to lose yourself in it, and then see if you feel slightly more peaceful, if your day has gotten slightly better.

One good way to fight stress and depression is simply to take the time to indulge in beautiful things every day, be they photos or the real thing.

*Photo taken by April D. Boland, (c) 2008.

Relatives… you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Most likely, you experience both kinds of feelings at various times. As they say, you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. They are yours for life.

Whether it’s the aunt who constantly points out the weight you’ve gained or the father who keeps asking when you are going to get “a real job,” family can be taxing and, at times, downright stressful. Holidays when people get together with their families are actually the most stressful time of the year for many of us.

And yet, no matter how far we go or how independent we try to be, the connection between most people and their families is something that never quite dies. We tend to value them much more than we realize on the surface. After all, the most important moments of one’s life - graduations, weddings, etc. - are all shared with the family. They need to be there because on this planet, we are all in this together.

Some people find it interesting to research their families and learn about who came before them. This opens up a whole new world of context for those of us living in the 21st century. What made our parents the way they were? What did our ancestors have to work for and struggle with?

There seems to be an invisible tie that binds us to those who share our blood (and often, those who do not - families we carve out for ourselves). Try to remember that the next time your sister pisses you off. I know I will

I just came across a site called Pravs World. It describes itself as “the world’s largest web group for content that relates to life.” Though some of its messages are religious, most of them contain secular advice on how to make the most of your life. (Check them out under the ‘xperience pravs world’ link.)

These inspirational websites and blogs are becoming quite popular in the online world. Why is that? Perhaps when times are troubling - international war, poverty and cruelty towards each other - many of us are seeking the positive. Life comes with a lot of pain, but it also comes with a lot of happiness and truth. Getting out of bed every morning even when things seem to be falling all around you comes from recognizing that and choosing to live for every moment we have.

As someone who has recently lost a very dear loved one, I am constantly reevaluating what I do with the time I have here on Earth. Am I stressing over the “small stuff” that doesn’t really matter? Am I developing relationships and giving love that will resonate even when I am gone? It is a struggle, but you only get this one life, this one chance to be you. What will you do with it?

This is super exciting news for the 302designs team! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has kept the 302 energy flowing and psyches me up every time I talk to them—close friends, family—you know who you are.

Whole Foods just placed an order with us this morning, to be delivered by late October. A selection of our organic tees will be for sale in every Whole Foods in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana just in time for holiday shopping.

I look forward to introducing the authentic spirit and story of 302 to the WF customers. Can’t wait!

The Positivity Blog has a new post on how to lift yourself out of a bad day.  I think that’s a fantastic subject to focus on.  We all have bad days and it can be very difficult to motivate ourselves to do anything about them.  I like their first suggestion, partly because it is one that I need to take more often: “Just do it.”  There are many things that can cheer you up on a bad day - seeing a friend, getting exercise, going to a movie - but when you feel crappy, you don’t want to make the effort to do them.  As the Positivity Blog writer says, Just Do It!  You will feel ten times better when you do.  I know.  It happened to me over the weekend.  My boyfriend dragged me to a local bookstore (because I heart bookstores) and I instantly perked up.

What kinds of things do you do to cheer yourself up?  I would add “Play with a child or pet” to their list, because that is instant happiness.

Hi there! This is Dave, co-owner of 302designs, and one of the original, founding partners. Have you ever wondered what the history behind our name is? The number “302″ is actually the basis for the entire philosophy behind my company. What follows is a story of truth, passion and optimism.

It all started with three college students and an old house…

The company was originally founded by me and two housemates while we were in school at The University of Texas at Austin in 2004. We lived in an old, run-down house just north of campus and found ourselves congregating in the rustic, 1960’s style kitchen nearly every evening having some of the most amazing discussions we ever shared with others in our lives.

Endless talks. A lifetime of memories.

We would talk for hours on end in that kitchen, staying up until the early hours of the morning until we could go no longer. We talked endlessly about youthful optimism, our progressive business ideals, our individual philosophies on life and the future, spirituality, personal strength, life forces, the human spirit—all very profound topics—topics of which we had never covered so in-depth with anyone else. We left those conversations with a natural high—a feeling of exuberance, hope and confidence.

There’s Something About That House.

Before living together in that house, we had each lived separately in our own dorms and various small apartments. So, we were convinced that there was something about being in that house that stirred these thought-provoking discussions and feelings of independence. We greatly wanted to take that spirit and feeling and share it with others. Our medium of communication turned out to be t-shirts. And because our home was so much a part of that feeling, we named the company after the number on our house—302.

Present Day: True to the spirit of 302.

We have since all moved out of that old house. And, in fact, those two original partners have left to take their own paths through life. I have since added another partner, Abdon, and together we still feel that same original spirit of optimism and motivation that the house of 302 gifted us.

I am grateful that through the 302 brand, I have been lucky enough to meet others out there like you that share that same spirit, attitude, and positive outlook on life. So, if you would ever like to discuss your life’s philosophies and ambitions, then please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. And if you happen to find yourself in Austin, then let me buy you a beer sometime and we can chat until the sun rises. My ears and mind are always open.

Cheers,
David

We’re excited to be featured in the latest release of NÜ magazine.  Special thanks goes out to Oscar Valdes for pushing this great publication out as often as he does and also a heart-felt thanks to April Boland for the great write-up!

Read it here:

http://www.krossmedia.net/NU_302_Designs.pdf 

I hate email chains and forwards. Cute, funny or philosophical, they are often more of a nuisance than a pleasure (to me, at least). Today, however, I got one that actually made me think a bit:

Let go of your concerns about what you could have done or should have done. Look instead at your many opportunities for doing the right thing right now.

If your regrets about the past are painful, then allow those regrets to teach and to motivate you. In this moment you can take the valuable lessons you’ve learned and move forward with them.

You’ve learned that every action, as well as every failure to act, has consequences. Now is your chance to make those consequences work in your favor.

Though the past may indeed hold some regrets, you have something much more powerful. You have today.

And you have a future that will be shaped by what you do today. You can choose, right now, from a large set of valuable and desirable possibilities.

Based on your past experience, you are well qualified to be your own best advisor. Learn from what you’ve come through, and you’ll find a way to go wherever you choose to go.

– Ralph Marston

I  experienced a great loss recently and so it has been natural for me to regret every minute not spent with my loved one, as well as every nasty thing I have said in arguments and such over the years.  This quote made me feel better because it focuses more on what I have control over (today and tomorrow) rather than things that are already past and cannot be changed.  I especially love the part about being qualified to be one’s own advisor.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Wow, I wish they would have taught me this in school”? You’re not alone. Last month, a writer over at the Positivity Blog created a list entitled, “16 Things I Wish They Had Taught Me in School.” It includes things like “Mistakes and failures are good” and “Your attitude changes your reality.” These are some great inspiring tips to keep in mind.

If I were to construct my own list, in addition to plagiarizing several of these 16, I would add the following:

• Life is short, so make the absolute best of it.
• Don’t waste too much time on regret; rather, use it to mold your future in the way that you want.
• Ask for help when you need it. Always.

You might also check out the comments under that post.  Many blog readers added their own ideas as well.

We live in an age of conscious consumerism, which I think is a very good thing. Yes, there is still a lot wrong with the corporate world, but at least such issues are out in the open and most people (depending on their financial state) are able to make their own decisions on who they purchase from and what they support with their dollars.

Speaking of which, I am trying to find a good brand of Fair Trade decaf coffee. Can anyone help me out? I had a major adventure in the supermarket the other day

I wound up buying Yuban, which is, from what the Internet tells me, Fair Trade Light? Fair Trade Sort-Of? Better than Starbucks? I don’t know - CoffeeHabitat.com had some interesting thoughts on this. Regardless, I enjoyed the 30 Ways to Make a Difference list on the Yuban website.

I have this in my head today because: a) I struggled with the coffee purchase yesterday and b) I saw an article in the New York Times this morning about more child slave labor in China. It just makes you think about where your products come from, and who was potentially harmed in the process.

And then I thought to myself that I could never write for a t-shirt company that exploits people, so I am really glad that 302designs is 100% sweatshop free.