The BE Project 2021 – Kerry – Beautiful Evolutions Photography

The BE Project – In a world where you can be anything…. what will you be?

Meet Kerry. She’s got a heart of gold and just recently started treatment for breast cancer.  When she booked her appointment with me, her first question was whether or not she should wear one of her wigs or head wraps… I’ll be really honest – it’s super awesome to embrace your journey and the way your body reacts to it.  So, I opted for the natural beauty that I think she is.

What word did you choose and why?

Kerry chose the word Brave.

“Being brave is not innate to my personality.  As a child, i was extremely shy.  I realized if i wanted to enjoy life, I had to be brave and get out into the world.  I used my faith in God and the love of family and friends.  To this day, with fighting cancer,  I had to go back to being brave. Last week was a rough week for me, on one of the days that I was at my lowest…I received no less than 8 text messages from friends just checking on me.  That is no accident, that came when I needed it the most.  I want other women going thru cancer to know that you have to be brave enough to love yourself, to indulge yourself, to take care of yourself.  Do not get sunk into the depression of cancer.  For me, cancer has been the scariest thing in my life.  It has taken so much from me.  It has taken my health, my sense of wellbeing, my hair, it’s scarred my body.  However, cancer can’t steal your spirit.  It can’t take the love you have from friends and family.  I’ve been so very blessed with the support of everyone.

I decided I wanted my journey to be a story of hope.  99% of healing is attitude.  I’ve decided to keep a smile on my face when I can.  If I decide to be happy and decide to be brave, then that is what I will be. “

Where do you find your strength to continue to be brave?

“I pray. During that prayer I thank God for every good thing in my life.  For me it is my blessings from God: my family, friendships, my precious boxers Halle and Echo, my job, my home, the medical advances that are helping me live through cancer, the simple things like watching the birds preen in my bird bath out the window, watching our kitties play on their cat tree, my pups snuggling with me.  I could go on… but what I want women to know is no matter what you are going through, you have been blessed.  Concentrate on gratitude for what you have been blessed with and you will be lifted out of the pit.  For me the blessings pour in after, like texts and phone calls of encouragement that I told you about the day I fell into that pit.  Those calls weren’t a coincidence – it was a God thing.  We never know why God is putting us through life changing challenges like cancer.  I do know it has happened for a reason.  I will come through a better person who has been shown the power of love, and I am anxious to spread that love to everyone possible. “

What would you tell your grandkids for advice to hold thru their lives?

“Follow and listen to your intuition.  Often, it is the catalyst of divine intervention.  I know that, because when I haven’t listened… It has been a mistake.”

What would you tell the 12 year old Kerry?

“Love yourself. Be Brave.  Being brave is to just do it. Include yourself in the things that you are frightened to do or scared because you’re are worried about people will think of you.  More often than not, you may fail.  But that will teach you to be better at what you want to do.  Trust in God and love yourself.”

What is The BE Project?

Have you ever stopped to think about who or what you want to be?  Most often there is a word that drives you.  If you sit in the silence and really think about what type of person you want to be… there will be a word, sometimes more than one word, that will guide you along and push you to keep being a better version of yourself.  This photo project has become something that has touched my heart and hopefully those that have participated. I chose to shoot all of the images in black and white because I wanted the least amount of distractions.  Just the human and the word.   This project is the stories of some amazing people, their stories, and what these words mean to them.  Some have participated each of the 3 years we have done this, some are new each time.  It’s an amazing honor to follow along in their journey and document who they are becoming.

Want to read more stories from others in our community and their BE words?  Head over to the BE Project Page and read the stories of the amazing humans that have participated. 

I challenge you to find a word that resonates with you.  Who do you want to strive to be?  What word leads you day to day?  Join us in our project – what word will describe who you want to BE?

 

The BE Project with Beautiful Evolutions Photography

The BE Project was created in 2016.  Two crazy girls had an idea and it came to life on a napkin at lunch one day. They partnered with a local jeweler, Woolards Custom Jewelry and a beautiful necklace was created.  What began as a marketing campaign turned in to an annual photo project that has allowed people to share a word that is important to them and why that word guides them.  Each year, in January, the project opens back up for registrations.  One week is dedicated to photographing the incredible people that want to join us.  All images are black and white to keep from any distractions.  Just the human and their word.

Head over to THE BE Project page read some of the incredible stories that have been shared with us. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email at brooke@beautifulevolutions.com or give us a call at 817-564-3068. 

 

Please joing the waitlist for this next years project by clicking here: BE Project Waitlist