We’ve got a big announcement for you, and it’s right in the title itself.

From the beginning of the existence of the planner and this business, it was (and has always been) about one thing: human being not human doing. Helping individuals know that they are worthy. Period, as is, nothing more to be seen here worthy. 

And as an avid paper goods person, a planner was the best way I envisioned being reminded of and living from this perspective daily. 

There was a problem though.

However, explaining how a paper planner can help someone live as a human being, not human doing felt like it took three too many sentences to explain. Halfway through my second sentence, eyes would glaze and minds would shift to other things (like is that second cup of coffee a good idea or not?). Or people would make it through the entire three sentences (plus or minus two) and could only politely nod at my explanation or give a quizzical “huh?”

There was confusion. I felt mildly frustrated. And yet I didn’t feel like I had the words to even go from three sentences to one. But I rolled with it. Done, not perfect right?

Today, though, is a new day.

After my second cup of coffee (it was a good idea after all), and in the midst of updating our website, the language I’ve been looking for fell into place.

It’s not a new business or a new product or even a rebrand, it’s just better language for what we’ve always been.

Kindred & Co. – paper goods for your every day story. 

let me explain.

Each of us has a life story, one that is written day by day. In all the big moments of our lives and the smaller more mundane ones. We, as humans, tend to focus on the big ones – the flashy ones, the ones that left us sobbing for weeks, the ones that brought about the biggest shifts in our hearts and minds. 

But, all our big moments had to start from somewhere smaller, in the everyday. Each of the everyday moments builds up to create the big ones from which we base our three minute “tell me your story” stories. From which we understand who we are. And from which we see that we each are a human being, not human doing.

The big and flashy moments of your story start from and develop in the small moments of your life. 

As you sit patiently with a coworker in a 2PM Monday meeting, you are developing your heart of patience and care. When you head out for your weekly Friday night food outing with your roommate, you are developing your love for food while simultaneously building into the art of being with others. While you learn that flossing was definitely going to be necessary after your July 8th dentist appointment, you learn how to develop rhythms of self-discipline. 

these small human being not human doing moments lead to the big ones.

The patience, care, love of food, art of being with, and self-discipline might not seem as flashy or significant, but these “smaller” moments and opportunities of growth point to the heart of your being and build foundation for the bigger moments of your story.

When the wedding of a friend or the job promotion happens, you’ll get an opportunity to lean into those smaller moments of being. Patiently training the new person under you as you step into your new promotion. Caring for and being with your friend as they go through the highs and lows of wedding planning and marriage. Finding moments of joy around family holidays (even if hard) through the love of creating good food. The small every day builds towards the big.

All the mundane, while trivial, does add up to the story of you.

what does my story have to do with a planner?

And your planner is truly the best way to capture this process in action. To see your every day and connect it to how the every day builds the story of your year and, over time, the story of you. 

My heart is joyous at language that fits with who we are and our planner.

As we move towards the 2024 Kindred Planner and the rest of the 2023 year, you will see the shift reflected. In the website updates, the language and design of the 2024 Kindred Planner, and in the products we share with you (and the ones we are removing from inventory). We are using this language to guide us more intentionally and thoughtfully towards Kindred & Co. and who’ve always been at the roots. 

Human being, not human doing.

For peeks at how this is all shaping into the business and the planner, make sure you’re on our kindred letter email list – this is where all the details will come 🙂

Excited? We certainly are and hope you are too.

With joy & gratitude,

Val

PS: Still a little lost at this whole human being vs doing connection? Check out this bite size post here.