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Oct 28
in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration

The first step to expressing one’s personal vision is to ‘own’ the word “I”.

I have been asked so many times for some guidance on how others can more clearly express their own personal voice…. or express more clearly the feeling or idea that they wanted to through their images.

The first step is to own the word “I”.

I asked the question to someone who asked me “How could I make this image better?”. I replied…..”What did you feel as the sun was setting?” He replied…. “…Well.. you would feel peaceful…” Actually….. I may NOT feel peaceful. The person said to me ..”YOU would feel peaceful.” I didn’t ask him what I would feel….. I asked him what HE felt.

This person did not start the sentence with “I felt…. ” This person did not “OWN” his own personal response. I came come to realise that when I personally use the pronoun for a ‘collective’ response to something; eg WE, YOU, US, ONE – I detach myself from owning something myself.

On the news the other day a lady was interviewed after a car plouged into a shop beside where she was sitting. She was asked.. “What was it like to be sitting there having a runaway car just miss you by a few meters?”  to which she replied…. “You know….You would feel panic striken and then you would feel lucky that the car missed you…. You know……”  Well..actually I don’t know… and she didn’t answer the question at all about what it was like for her.

The expression “You know” when I think about it is rediculous, and when I catch myself saying it, I realise I am not truly expressing who I am, and I am hiding behind words which provide cover and an excuse for me to not access my feelings and express them.

This lady did not bring her experience and share it from her own personal voice. She deferred to someone else….. YOU… the collective of somewhere external to herself. This may have been her safety net…. so she didn’t have to ‘go there’ within herself.

Regardless of how much shock she was still in – this is a clear example of how saying WE, YOU, US – instead of the personal pronoun “I” actually not only prevents a person from truly acessing one’s feelings and expressing one’s personal voice…. but also prevents others from experiencing, sharing, supporting, and getting to know another person.

I don’t know how this woman felt about her experience… All she said was that “You know..” (when I didn’t know)… and made an assumption by telling the reporter that “YOU would feel panic sticken”… nothing about how she actually felt. She did not OWN her own feelings or expression.

I have found that to share my own personal voice … not only through my photographs, but in my life as well… it is important for me to OWN my experience and expression of it. I am conscious and aware of using the word “I” as a powerful tool for self knowledge and expression.

Just try this little exercise to feel the power of the word “I”. Say to someone …. “Love you”…….. and now say… “I love you”. Can you feel the difference? For me, when the “I” is added – it seems for me to have more strength and power. It seems watered down just saying ….. “Love you”…. as has become an accepted way of speaking and acknowledging Love for another. I hear “Love you” all the time…and it is wonderful, because it seems to be more accepted to be able to express our love for one another in that way – but for me, I have realised that I want to own more fully my expression and not water it down by removing the “I” …. so I now say “I love you”… rather than the ‘generic’ “love you” which detaches ME from my expression.

As I become more aware of ME… and owning my own feelings, emotional response and expression….. I can then have a greater ability to then express that through my photographs and artwork… and in my life. If I firstly don’t “own” these things.,.. what hope do I have of expressing my own personal voice? Zip !

… So for those who are struggling with expressing your personal voice through your work, I have shared above my experience in learning the importance of ‘owning’ the word “I”.

I hope that will be of some benefit to you so that your life may be more enriched with experiences and expression which is more meaningful, honest and fulfilling.

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About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

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skeinydipping

I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have t I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have touched; have loved; have created; have worked; have nurtured. My hands.   

I looked down and saw on my wrist and fingers items from around the world which have so many stories; items which have all been created from the heart and made by the hands of others. 

I looked down and saw beautiful yarn. Yarn which has been handled carefully through shearing, dyeing, skeining, balling; and now being knit in my beautiful hands. 

My hands are one of my gifts. This year I’ve really missed the touch of another with my hands, to feel the heart of another through my fingertips; but so grateful and love my hands which touch and feel; work and play!

What do you see when you look at your hands?

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Knitting a fabulous  #slipstravaganzamkal by @westknits .
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#gratitudeattitude #westknitsarethebestknits #westknitsmkal2020 #knittersofinstagram #knittersoftheworld #knittersofaustralia #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #handmade #handmadejewellery #fromtheheart #createeveryday #livetotravel #healing #healinghands #creativehands
My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories. I’ve had adventures on all continents. Slept being rocked by the sea; felt the ice on my skin in both polar regions, and felt the silence of the deserts. I’ve walked stone steps in monasteries at altitudes where each step I’ve taken consciously and mindfully; focussing on treasuring every molecule of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere. 

COVID has paused those adventures, but I draw upon my experiences as I navigate adventuring my days in a different way, on our ‘home range’. 

I recall my steps in Tibet as I walk through our bushland. I am mindful and conscious of my surroundings. I listen. I feel. I feel happy here. I am content.

My new stories may not hold the same experiences of connection with others; and may not be of extreme challenges or crazy things  (which I am rather prone to doing! 🙂 ) but they are not less wondrous… as I smell the warm eucalyptus waft from under my feet. 

I weave my stories, and this story is of my personal journey on my daily walk through our bushland. 
You can see some of my other woven stories on my website - link in profile. 

How do you express your life’s stories?
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#weaversofinstagram #indiedyedyarn #indiedyed #rigidheddleloomweaving #ashford #inspiredbynature #contentcreator #emotionalbalance #homedeco #handcrafted #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #wellbeing #travellerlife #journeywoman #weavingaustralia
“....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those “....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those times in your life when you need a meditative and healing knit. Assookinakii (ass-s-oo-kin-uh-k-EE) means ‘healer’ in the Blackfeet language, thank you to Cut Woods School in Browning, MT for the tradish language support”. –  Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers 

Knitting this beautiful cowl by Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers for @sistersunitedmt ; WAS healing. 

As my hands gently formed the repetitive stitches I reflected on the word ‘Assookinakii ‘ - healer. I am a healer. I don’t understand it. It’s something unseen. Something within me which has been recognised by Ngangkari and ‘clever men’ here in Australia; and shaman and healers around the world as we travel. This recognition always has caught me by surprise; as I seem to walk a line between two worlds. 

As the stitches slipped from one needle to another and the beautiful colours of @spincycle_yarns revealed themselves; in the pauses between the stitches I heard a voice whispering to continue to seek connection with the natural world and listen deeply. 

What has been healing for you this year?
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#healingjourney #meditationpractice #dyedinthewool #assookinakii_cowl #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #livinglifetothefullest #happydays #shaman #healer #healersofinstagram #listentoyourheart #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersoftheworld
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2017 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.