jumping into the unknown

hello all!!!

If you follow me on instagram you probably heard me talk about my word of the year: courage. I picked courage to be my word of the year for 2018 because its something that I've always lacked. I've had a habit of playing it safe for most of my life so spending the last twelve months activity pushing myself to be more uncomfortable has stretched me more than I could have imagined.

I've learned that sometimes it takes courage to be kind. That its courageous to stick up for yourself. I've found the courage to travel across the globe for the summer. The courage to try new things. The courage to reach out to new (& old) people. The courage to be myself. The courage to do whats best for me. Most of all the courage to be more vulnerable.

Its that last thing I've learned about courage that's why I am writing this today.

Growing up I was an art kid. I came home from pre school, pulled out my massive box of crayons and would sit at the kitchen table and color for hours on end. School wasn't something that came easy for me. I'm dyslexic so words weren't always my strong suit, but art was a way for me to communicate. The older I became the less opportunity I felt like I had to use my creative side. I had to shift from coloring and sketching to taking endless notes for class (but I tried to keep a little of the creativity going by using 500 different colored pens).

I have always been itching to find an outlet for the creative part of myself though, and over the past few years I've really found my love for photography grow more and more. Its always been something I've enjoyed, but before last year my camera of choice was an iPhone and my knowledge of editing software was limited to iPhone apps. Last year I got my first real camera and some real editing software and my love for capturing memories through my little lens has only grown.

I love taking photos because it feels like you're preserving a moment in time. I can look back at pictures and remember exactly what I was feeling that day. It feels like jumping back threw your memories which is probably why my walls are covered in them.

As much as I love capturing my own memories I'd love to capture some of yours! So this me taking the jump and asking for you to let me point my little camera at you and to capture some memories that you'll hopefully look back on with a smile!