Desktop Designs: Wallpaper for your devices

I’m so excited to share the second installment of Desktop Designs! Mariah totally nailed this month’s wallpaper design, which features a quote from Coco Chanel: “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Not only are polka dots tons of fun (and totally on-trend!), but I think that rainbow-colored spots perfectly illustrate the idea of being different.

Throughout my life, my desire to fit in with the popular kids (whether they were high school classmates or big-name bloggers) has been at odds with my desire to stand out from the crowd. In my 30s, I’m finally starting to understand that, in a world of sameness, people are often attracted to those who are different, who are brave enough to speak their minds or go against the conventional ways of doing things.

Take blogging, for example. I’ve often felt jealous of the success of other bloggers, many of whom share a similar aesthetic, tone, or point of view. (Have you noticed that many bloggers nowadays sound alike?) In the past, I thought the way to attract readers was to emulate those popular blogs; however, I now understand that I’d be doing myself a huge disservice by trying to copy their style. Why? Because there would be no reason for you want to read my copycat blog when you could read their original versions. In order for my blog to earn a spot in your RSS reader, it needs to offer something different.

And, yes, I’m still working on that.

So this month’s Desktop Design is a reminder to showcase your individuality, to feel confident in expressing your unique perspective and opinions. But the idea of being irreplaceable is not limited to blogging. I think it can be applied to all aspects of one’s life, from work to friendships. What do you think?

Download this month’s desktop wallpaper here!