A NEW LEAF, DAY 1: RELEASE

If you're feeling like the year is running away with you and you want to get back on track so you can make some genuine and positive progress, the first step is to release whatever is not serving you – so spend a little time journalling on these questions...

• What's left on your list for 2023/24?
• Being really honest about your time, energy and resources, what needs to get bumped to 2024/2025? Or even released entirely?
• What beliefs about yourself and your environmentalism efforts are you ready to let go of?
• Where are you feeling guilt that you can absolve yourself from?
• Where are you letting perfectionism get in the way of progress?
• Where can you stop trying to get environmentalism "right"? (There's no such thing!)

You can download the workbook to follow along with the full session here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R40_nWNFFSOxwed9OF2Ycln6vgIK4Cpo/view?usp=sharing

Once you've got all these things written down, you can throw them on a campfire, screw them up into a little ball, or tear them into tiny pieces – whatever you decide on, find a way to really embody the feeling of release. Sometimes standing up and shaking your whole body afterwards can help to really get it into your bones.

You might also want to have a bit of a clear-out/tidy-up of your studio or workshop. It's amazing how clearing literal space can also help to clear the metaphorical space for what you want to welcome in for the rest of the year.
 

The Incubator

As part of this live workshop, I opened doors to my new offering, The Incubator. The Incubator is a small group programme for designers, makers, artists and craftspeople in which we are going to dive deep into your unique contribution to environmentalism, with all the support you need to make it happen – this year! If you want to find out how to have more impact by doing less, The Incubator is a 12-week group programme in which you will define the contribution you – and only you – can make, and get the support to start making it this side of Christmas.

The launch is live from 25 August – 01 September 2023 so if you are listening before 01 September, you can find all the details here: https://makingdesigncircular.org/the-incubator/

If you’re listening after 01 September, you can join the membership waitlist here https://makingdesigncircular.org/membership/ to be the first to hear the next time we open doors to the membership.

Resources we mentioned:

https://makingdesigncircular.org/the-incubator/

https://makingdesigncircular.org/membership/

The workbook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R40_nWNFFSOxwed9OF2Ycln6vgIK4Cpo/view?usp=sharing

Spread the Word:

Please share Circular with Katie Treggiden with wild abandon — with your friends, family, and fellow designer-makers or wherever interesting conversations about creativity happen in your world! 

If you love what you’re listening to, show me some love by following Circular with Katie Treggiden in this app and leaving a review. I’ll be honest, I don’t really understand how it works, but apparently, all that good stuff tells the ‘algorithm Gods’ to show the podcast to more people, and that can only be a good thing, right?

And finally, if you’re a designer, maker, artist or craftsperson, sign up for my e-newsletter ‘Musings for Curious, Imperfect and Stubbornly Optimistic Environmentalists’ here https://katietreggiden.ac-page.com/newsletter-sign-up, follow @making_design_circular_ on Instagram and check out https://makingdesigncircular.org/membership/

About Katie:

Katie Treggiden is the founder and director of Making Design Circular – an international membership community and online learning platform for environmentally conscious designers, makers artists and craftspeople. She is also an author, journalist and podcaster championing a hopeful approach to environmentalism. With more than 20 years’ experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, The Observer, Crafts Magazine and Dezeen. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through her sixth book, Broken: Mending & Repair in a Throwaway World (Ludion, 2023), and podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden. You can find Katie on Instagram @katietreggiden.1