INSPIRING PEOPLE: CANDY CHANG

Inspiring People is a new feature where i will tell you about people (and their stories!) and how i find inspiration in them.

I first heard about Candy Chang through Ali Edwards and her Hello Story class, which i am currently taking. The theme during Week 2 was Fill-In-The-Blank. And one example was a project that had been developed by an American artist: Candy Chang. Feeling like she was loosing perspective, unable to see beyond the day to day list of shores to be done, she took some chalkboard paint and covered the side of an abandoned house with it. Then she wrote this sentence: "Before i die I want to _______." Anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, and share their dreams in a public space. Then magic happened: in less than 24 hours, the wall was completely covered. Then more walls were created, in every country, every language. 

Candy Chang has a video up on the Ted website, which is beautiful. It made me cry, hope, dream, feel inspired, and connected. One thing she said really got to me: "our public spaces help us see that we are not alone as we try to make sense of our lives ... Each passerby is another person full of longing, anxiety, fear, and wonder."

I decided to make my own Before i die wish list after that (which i already showed you, right here) and have been thinking more and more about ways to make each days count. One advice i found and quickly wrote down: Do something today that your future self will thank you for. Yes, there is laundry to be done, and diner to make. But just try and free 30 minutes of your time every day to work on something that really matters to you, like writing a novel, or planning that around-the-world trip. You'll be thankful tomorrow, and a lot happier. What do you think?

P.S.: You can visit the project website for more walls, tools, and resources. And i highly recommend watching her TED talk about the project! Also, i just love Ted Talks, period.