Design your Life

Issue #03: Editorial

Dear Tea Addicts,

Our third issue is a reason for celebration: Tea after Twelve turns one. The first exciting months are behind us, and we want to thank you all for your support, for your inspiring stories, great ideas and so much positive feedback. You have helped make Tea after Twelve what it is today, you’re fucking amazing!

To date over 100 authors from over 60 countries have been involved. We are read in over 170 countries and the Tea Facebook community has passed the 100,000 mark. Incredible.

When we started planning Tea after Twelve two years ago, opinions were mixed about our concept and probable success. Colleagues and friends from the media thought we’d gone mad, while all our non-media acquaintances couldn’t wait for the first issue to come out. Our fellow journalists felt only scandal, war, death and sex would sell – if it bleeds, it leads and only bad news is good news. No one, they contended, wanted to read solution-based story-telling meant to inspire people. And anyway, as everyone knows: stories over 5,000 characters are too long for internet readers.

Apparently though at least a few readers have been waiting for the kind of journalism we offer in our little tea shop. In recent weeks, the term “constructive journalism” has been making the rounds in the press. Ulrik Haagerup, who heads the Information Department for Danish Radio, wants to see a shift from crisis journalism to stories that offer inspiration. The response so far? Many mainstream media providers are jumping on the bandwagon with an enthusiastic “yes, that is the way forward!” Dearest colleagues, if you want to follow this path not just in word but in deed, we’d be happy to share our ideas and experience.

As Gandhi so wisely noted: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” You’ll see this quote in action in this latest issue as well in our interview with Scilla Elworthy, a three-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. This issue is dedicated to all the forward thinkers who, like us, have ignored all objections and gone on to realize their dreams:

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