Badass Backpacks is a very raw and experimental project. And each of the bag productions we are thrashing with take on that raw and experimental energy. The bags part of our equation is the easiest part to talk about. See my last post. The Art aspect – much harder. Combining two unsuspecting things together will inevitably create something new. Why are we doing this? What’s the point of it all? Is it just pretty paintings, printed onto a bag? Maybe it is. Or maybe we named this newest bag series “Self Reflection” for a reason.
The most beautiful part of these bags is what’s on the inside. In my last post, I showed a pic of the Walrus bag pockets unzipped. Our sample bags didn’t include all of the printed fabric for the interior of the bags. Our production bags will feature more artwork by Eli Halpin inside the front pocket.
Additionally, on the interior of the bag’s main compartment is printed a message that runs down to the bottom of the inside of the bag. I have intentionally kept that message blurred out and illegible in most of our photo sharing. Here’s the clearest photo I’m willing to share. The rest of that message is for our bag wearers to enjoy.
For those that are only interested in the beautiful bags – stop reading here. You’ve seen enough, and you can smile knowing that if you buy one of our bags, you’ll be carrying your daily artifacts in a slamming, stunning, fantastic vessel. For those of you that are willing to get vulnerable with me, for those of you that want to say “yes” to our Badass Backpacks’ open invitation to Put Yourself Inside, for those of you that are willing to smile with us on a journey of asking big questions – keep reading.
The muses I have leaned on while working to create the Self Reflection bags are many. I am finding leaders, books, people, and connections galore that urge me to consider closely what it means to be alive, and what it means to be me. I have drawn inspiration from my peers in the altMBA, from Seth Godin, from Hugh MacLeod, and from Simon Sinek to look closely at my purpose. I have mused on amazing words from artists like Marianne Williamson and Martha Graham that remind me to stay true to who I am (and to stop being scared of my own Truth). And I’ve been reminded by effusive emphasis from leaders like Gary Vaynerchuck and Neil DeGrasse Tyson to consider with great awe the infinite-amazing-and-odds-defying fact that we have the opportunity to be alive.
My list of muses for Self Reflection goes on – and it even includes many of the people who are followers of this blog. Just yesterday, I sat in my car, captivated by this episode of “Think” – these muses are popping up everywhere! What do all of these Self Reflection muses have in common? Self Awareness, waking up, being vulnerable, searching for truth, and seeking to understand who we are. Know thyself. Nosce te ipsum.
“We must look at ourselves over and over again in order to learn to love, to discover what has kept our hearts closed, and what it means to allow our hearts to open.” — Jack Kornfield
What is inside this bag? I don’t know what you’ll put inside. But I hope that some of you will smile with us as we leap with big questions. It’s not as scary as you think. I know, I know, I know. I’ve sat with many of you, and I’m aware that this can get uncomfortable. Olé to you, the ones who might lean into that discomfort with us, as we dare to ask:
Who am I?
(As always, I hope you’ll also grin with us as we keep Rule No 6 top of mind.)
