Had the opportunity to attend Sarah Vedeler’s “Power Word” workshop and stitch along with Dr. Jea Arzberger. A two day workshop, we spent the first session learning to identify a word to bring focus and clarity to our individual lives.

The word I chose is ‘courage’

I am a very shy, very private person, so this type of workshop triggers all sorts of anxiety for me. I originally was not going to do the workshop for all the reasons I just mentioned. After much self deliberation and encouragement from my Hubby, I signed up for the class. There were several moments during class I thought I would just leave the meeting – but the content of the meeting, the very topic of moving past the fear, kept me connected.

Covid left me isolated and I know how important human connections are, I chose courage because I want to push beyond my fear (and perfectionism) in order to grow as part of a community.

There is a great article, in the Harvard Review, about finding and practicing courage. The author is Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries. It explores the neuro-science behind courage.

For me, courage is something I work hard to achieve – I am good at blending into situations without standing out. This is why I chose a color for my letters that is more muted. The vibrancy of the threads are intended to remind me to emerge and be more courageous.

I chose the following thread colors for their qualities:

Turquoise symbolism
Turquoise is the color of compassion, calmness, clarity, and communication.

Teal symbolism
Teal is the color of individuality, renewal, morality, and practicality.

Mustard symbolism
Mustard is the color of warmth, creativity, optimism, and diversity.

Red symbolism
Red is the color of action, strength, energy, and passion.

Pink symbolism
Pink is the color of compassion, love, femininity, and playfulness.