Reverb '12: Days 25 - 27

Continuing with Reverb '12 with Kat @ I Saw You Dancing... Days 25 - 27.

Day 25: How will you be vulnerable? The soft white underbelly, the flaw in the armor, the Achilles' heel -- weaknesses are what make us the most human, the most beautiful. Next year, how will you tend to your vulnerabilities? How will you build them a shelter from the storm? How will you put them through physical therapy? How will you find a way to make them work to your advantage?

Textures thanks to Kim Klassen: chalkmagic, softly

This was challenging to image and even more challenging to want to divulge publicly. Vulnerabilities and weaknesses are things we try to hide, to keep under wraps, and only share with our closest friends. It's disruptive to my sense of safety to allow my armadillo shell to be cracked open.

With that said, I know I feel most vulnerable when I'm in a situation where true feelings, emotions, and mistakes are revealed before I'm ready. I might never be ready as honesty is not always best presented. You know what I mean ... when someone asks what you think and it's better to save face ... for them and for you. Sometimes keeping true feelings inside is the the best plan of action. And I never like being caught in a mistake, although I make them all the time.

These questions about how to manage vulnerabilities is something I must contemplate. Is it best to attempt to stay away from situations where one feels vulnerable? Is it better to save those times for your truest of friends? Or does it give others permission to be vulnerable if we share? Take for example Brené Brown, who let it all hang out as she did during her Ted Talk on Vulnerability, then she went home wondering why she told 500 people something quite embarassing ... something that felt like it undermined all that she'd done before ... then it went viral!

I love Brené ... but I'm still challenged to let the world know all of who I am even though I know others struggle with similar challenges. What have you stood for that you haven't shared so openly?

Day 26: How will you make time? How do you intend to carve out more time for the things that are the most important to you in 2013?

Textures thanks to Kim Klassen: finale, simplicity, autumnburst

Clock brush thanks to darkaion

I believe I will always make time for the few things that have become vital to my sense of self this year: photography, learning, creativity. But one thing I know about myself is things change. I need to walk for my general health and while I'm out I may as well capture nature's beauty, so I hope to keep that going.

Day 27: How will you honour your creativity? How did you make time for creativity in 2012? Looking back, is there one creative time or one particular creation that stands out for you? (Maybe you could share it here?) How will you continue (or start) making time and space for your creative passions in 2013?

This year I had the gift of time, so was able to share my creativity publicly with amazing consistency. I know I won't be able to keep it up with the same regularity once I get a job, but will still find time to create as I love increasing my skills and it's therapeutic to express myself through pictures and these little art pieces that Reverb '12 has afforded me. I do believe this is a sample of my greatest creative spurt.

The countdown is here. Only four more days and I will have created art every day for a full month. Upon completion, I plan on printing out each piece 4" x 4" and create a poster 20" x 28" for my wall as a reminder of the prompts and contemplations of 2012 and considerations for 2013.