brave leaps

Recently I posted a self portrait that felt risky to me, but I wound up being amazed by the effect my personal pronouncement had on others.

The risk I took - that leap?

I made public my deepest held personal desire, that for as long as I can recall I have wanted to be an artist and while it most definitely felt scary as I hit the "make public" button, in the days since I have been asking myself, "why?"

There is no greater satisfaction than taking a risk and succeeding                                                             but so often we don't because we are afraid... of failing... or embarrassing ourselves... or not being taken seriously.. (feel free to insert your personal bugaboo here)

but think about the illogic of that for a moment.

If you are not even willing to say out loud what it is that you most dearly hope to be or do, how will you possibly convince anyone else? How will it ever happen?

So, today I challenge you to be brave and take that leap. Do you have a dream you hold so close that voicing it scares you? Make your declaration today with words or a picture. It's a safe space, and I'm hoping you'll have plenty of company.

And because sometimes even the bravest among us need a little moral support, I'll be sending one of my pocket-sized super heroes out to one courageous commenter.

Peace, love and bravery!

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Today's words and images by guest shutter sister, artist, photographer, mother, Deborah Candeub.

i love to jump

1. jump, it's my birthday, 2. jump, 3. jump, 4. 193/365 - i just like to jump, 5. 132/365 - bench monday - autumn sunshine, 6. bluebells!

I love to jump and leap...

I'm often drawn to take a jump shot if the location excites me... it almost demands it.

Do you like jump? have you tried it? I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea. But if you're tempted, why not have a go?

Here's how I do it - Place your camera, aligning the framing you want... fix your focus point... set to self-timer... move into position... and only jump when you see the countdown finishing, and just before the shutter releases, so you're in the air. Sometimes magic happens and it works. Sometimes you have to try again. It comes with practice and it's all about playing & having fun.

Do you have any jumps shots you'd like to share, we love to see them!

leaping into february

Welcome, February!

This month provides us with a leap year. It's also the start of the great dreaded month of February in New England: when Vitamin D diminishes, when our woodpile slowly retreats back into the woodshed as we keep our home warm day after day and night after night. Winters are long and February is the peak of cabin fever (so I hear) yet this is me: outwardly (and somewhat annoyingly) positive about this month.

The day I took this it was warm, 35 degrees and sunny. I ventured out in long johns and actually broke a sweat running through the snow from camera to snow fort to snap this shot. All the while laughing, right? This is what I love about jump shots. They change the chemistry of your mood.

This month we are introducing leap as our One Word for the month of February. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to defy gravity. Leaping can mean taking steps in new directions, trying to adventures, stepping outside of your comfort zone.  Leap however you see fit. Leap because it’s scary. Jump because it makes you smile. Leap because it makes your heart race. Leap into life with both feet because why not? Jump because life is not about stagnation. Leap in the face of new adventures. Leap and then leap again.

Won't you play along with us this month? Show us what leaping means to you. Be sure to enter your images in the OWP flickr pool and check here daily to see if your photos have been showcased!

trust

What a great month it has been watching all 'your words' appear here and in our One Word Project pool on Flickr. However you chose it, may your word serve you well. May it guide you, encourage you, remind you, inspire you. May it whisper to your soul when you need it most. May it push you past the not so good days and help you celebrate all life has in store for you. You have only just begun your journey this year,  now you need to have faith that your word is the one, and then trust in the process. Embrace this new year, as you have embraced your word. If you are still searching for your word, it will come, trust in that. Perhaps when you least expect it, or stop trying to find it, it will find you. If you need a little extra inspiration check out all the amazing images contributed this month in the OWP pool, or perhaps re-watch that great video Chris so beautifully curated last week in her "power of one" post. (if you missed it last Tuesday, do click on over now) I love that video, it feels so powerful.

I can wholeheartedly say I really feel my word this year. It was not at all the word I thought I needed.  In the beginning of January when I began contemplating a word for me and my year, I was feeling words like simplify, center, & balance, all good things, but internally I knew something was missing and it was holding me back from fully committing to any one of those words.  Then a dear friend and I spoke and she shared her heart with me and that she too was feeling many of those words but that they did not feel proactive enough. That was exactly it!  As soon as she said that I knew that was what my heart was longing for, an action word!  Those, to me, seem riskier, scarier, therefore making me more vulnerable.  That may be true, but that is just what I need to push myself this year. On my drive home that day my word hit me, become.  Now I am embracing it, fears, nerves and all. My word is speaking loudly and I am listening.

Tomorrow we begin a new month and announce a new one word, but we have right now to celebrate all of our individual words one last time. Tell us, how do you feel about your word, are you trusting in the process? Do you feel it doing its work?

my monday word

Words... they’ve had a big impact on me this month... I’ve taken to writing them on stones and leaving them around the house... and I whisper the word as I pass by it. It may sound silly, but it’s really working for me.

Here’s the word I need today... calm... for a Monday, with a busy week ahead of work, needing to focus, and not get overwhelmed.... alongside all the life stuff that comes my way. I'd like to be calm.

What word do you need to whisper to yourself today? Please share with us today.