as with last
year, i truly believe that reflection on your place in life, and what that
brings, is the reason we are given touch points - yearly reminders of where we
once were.
Sunrises: i spent a lot of time this year working hard to develop me, and my creative loves. i spent hours on hours on jewelry - but not just finished pieces. the time i spent on developing my own creative skills - with photoshop courses, practice, and getting out with a camera, and some elbow grease - was immense this year. i think that this year i invested in myself, and my loves - creativity in photography, jewelry design, graphics, and print. and i'm seeing the fruits of my hard work develop in the immersion of countless oppourtunities presenting themselves - design project work, people asking about photography, and stores seeking ME out for jewelry. i see these new beginnings as a direct result of the time and energy i've finally granted myself to focus on being the most creative me possible.
Valley: had
some unexpected health issues - aside from the back stuff - that took a serious
toll on me this year. prevented me from taking 2 trips i had planned - to NYC,
and to Florida for a wedding. riddled me with mono and
kidney stones, for over 6 months. it was unexpected, and certainly unwelcome.
exhausting to continue to work, and live life, while battling against it all
year. but it did make the good, that much better.
Mountain: i
succeeded in having re:claim
placed for sale in a store i very much respect - and had my first
taste of store front retail success. very cool, after so many years of selling
and commissioning jewelry out of my apartment, to have it stretch out to
strangers. I found some work and career related climbs – challenges that stood
in my way – but that’s the thing about mountains. The harder you fight, the
higher you get. Those obstacles met me with a ton of resistance, but in the
end, they left me at the top with a higher skill set, a more padded resume, and
so much more inner confidence and strength… so we’ll see what that means for
the future, when I reflect on this next year (hopefully)!
Swiftly moving rivers: this year was busy. in fact, that's a bit of an understatement. i filled my 'spare time' with working hard on redeveloping my blog, my business, and making tons of jewelry. i filled moments with photography, and design, and failing miserably at lots of stuff.... which, to me, means learning. i even stopped writing for awhile. It was fast paced, and crazy. It was jam packed. And it was exhilarating. Things moved quickly, and things continue to move quickly – and I learned to not fight against the current… to let it pick me up, and carry me along.
Calm
streams and ponds: I committed to the things I forced upon myself last year, and
actually took time to myself. 1 in 15 times I said ‘no’ to social engagements.
I spent time in bed. I stayed up late when I should have been sleeping to read,
or actually catch up on emails or letters. I took trips, and I took weekends
alone. I spent time dedicated to me – and this is a first. And I found, that
despite it being an insanely busy, crazy, jam packed year… I felt more at peace
with my life, and appreciated so so much more the time I had to myself. Which,
in turn, helped me to appreciate the time I spent with friends too. Time spent
with them was more calm, and longer – I committed to lengthier visits, which
meant much more quality time. I think I’ll even force myself to expand on these
things in 2013 – saying ‘no’ more often and yes in a more valuable way.
Sunrises: i spent a lot of time this year working hard to develop me, and my creative loves. i spent hours on hours on jewelry - but not just finished pieces. the time i spent on developing my own creative skills - with photoshop courses, practice, and getting out with a camera, and some elbow grease - was immense this year. i think that this year i invested in myself, and my loves - creativity in photography, jewelry design, graphics, and print. and i'm seeing the fruits of my hard work develop in the immersion of countless oppourtunities presenting themselves - design project work, people asking about photography, and stores seeking ME out for jewelry. i see these new beginnings as a direct result of the time and energy i've finally granted myself to focus on being the most creative me possible.
Sunsets: the
loss of a man who meant a great deal to everyone in my family - my uncle's
passing. he taught us how to love life, how to dance to the music - and if
there was none, how to make your own. he taught us that tie dye is never
inappropriate. i also lost a friend - pete.
that loss came with so many inexplicable feelings... and it reminded me more
than ever - and more close to home than ever before - that life is too short.