Developing tastes serves as a guideline for what you like in the world and finding the unexpected within your life.
So how do you do it?
- Save anything and everything to come back to or to think about later. Go down rabbit holes!
- Go back through things regularly. Whether that be YouTube likes, screenshots, pantry, etc.
- Find the edges. There are things that live in and outside of your taste sandbox. Hone in on what happens when you bring seemingly disparate things together.
- Have high standards! Taste is about the choices you make, how you think, and what you notice. It’s not reactive, it’s intentional.
- Craft your point-of-view with a well-formed opinion. Decide why you like things.
- How does it relate to me?
- What does it mean to me?
- Why does it make me feel the way I do?
- Why do I appreciate it or not? Taste is majority self reflection.
- Notice how and when you feel the most You. Be in the present moment. Taste can be a way to bring yourself closer to your true self and to the world around you.
- Is it a piece of clothing?
- Cooking a certain meal?
- Being in a specific setting?
This process is slow, iterative, and life-long. It’s never finished and there is no “done.” Don’t force it and don’t try too hard!