I’m late in posting about my three words for the year and have been living with them since the start of this visionary year. What I’ve realized is that I am finding myself embodying them and also toying with what they mean because these are simple but hard words for me. Last year they were audacity, choose and zest. I made a lot of choices that were at times audacious. But I missed the mark on zest. But I can always carry them forward as this is a journey.
Aware
This is the easy one of the three. Aware is about being intentional and observant. More in touch with what’s going on around me as well as what’s going on within me. Being a visual thinker and photographer has trained me to see light, shadow and gesture. It’s trained me to be aware of the interaction of things in the environment whether natural or built. Harder is awareness of what I’m feeling in the moment. And that’s the crux of this word for this year. To be more in touch with myself.
Trust
Trust is about trusting my creative instincts and thought processes. It’s about making decisive decisions and not overthinking them. It doesn’t translate into being reckless – but measured in my approach. It’s about trusting the process and trusting others. Mostly, though, it’s about trusting myself. Even as I doubt decisions. Analyze options. And otherwise try to rationalize the irrational. And we humans are ever irrational no matter what we tell ourselves otherwise. We just are.
Human
Perfection and attention to detail are my armor. I am reluctant to show the world – and those closest to me – my imperfections. They’re there no matter how much I squelch them. Being human is about being real, being myself. It’s about owning my innate quirkiness and creativity. It’s about piercing the veneer of my brand. Or what I think the world wants and expects of me. It’s about being real and unvarnished and not thinking twice about doing so. The fine print is that it doesn’t mean I’m not a professional. Or that I’m not kind and respectful. Being human also means being a good human and inspiring those around me.