Quote of the Day:  What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful. Brene’ Brown. I found this quote on Tiny Buddha’s article On Being Vulnerable. It jumped out and spoke right to my anxious heart.

I am a regular contributor to our local women’s magazine, Her Voice. I often say, I found my voice through Her Voice. It is a great magazine that highlights women in our community and their accomplishments that spread out around the world. Click over and have a read, if you like. I’m in there twice this time. Once as the subject of an article on our Primo Art Spa. My sister Joy and I started the Primo Art Spa this past summer as a place for people to take voice, art, and writing lessons, and to have a place to work on their art. We’ll be offering theatre classes this spring. 

Music Party at Primo Art Spa

I’m also in the magazine with a book review article on Divorce. I got a little anxious about it because I make it personal. I reviewed The High Road Has Less Traffic and it’s follow up book by Monique Honaman. In it she shares her journey down the mucky road of divorce. Her story is different from mine, and I point that out in the article. As soon as it was released, I started to feel anxious. I realized it was because I put myself out there. I opened myself up as a wounded and vulnerable person. And, I got nervous. I think that anxiety about revealing our inner angst and vulnerability is a huge block for many creative types. In the end, it is so important to challenge those fears and write (or create) anyway.

Other articles I really enjoyed in this issue are Yoga and More Yoga by my friend Denise Sundquist. Love her sense of humor, and great photos, too, from the awesome Joey Halvorson! I also enjoyed reading about the artist Samantha French who uses her inspiration from growing up in the lakes country in her paintings. She is now living and making a living as an artist in New York. And, the one that brought tears to my eyes, in a good way, was by my friend Sandy Opheim on two teachers who spent four years teaching in Eek, Alaska in the late 1970’s. The line that got me, “We tried to teach our students about white man culture without destroying theirs so that in the future they would not be taken advantage of.” They seemed to have a mutual love and respect for one another, and the whole village celebrated with them on the birth, and first birthday, of their first child. The article is about Sandy Odden going back to visit this village.

You have to take risks in your life, in your art, and in your relationships. I am proud to be part of this magazine and creative community.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What are you feeling vulnerable about today?