So if you read my Year Of Fear Post, you’ll get why the latest Ray-Ban Campaign #ItTakesCourage, really spoke to me! And – I really needed the reminder!!! (Slight set back with travel & lack of sleep)

Ray-Ban’s 2016 #ItTakesCourage campaign roots itself in the ethos that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the triumph over it. Courage is not just physical bravery, but is what pushes people to face their fears and to go beyond their limits.

While I don’t have any tattoos myself,  I love their series of tattoo inspired campaigns! I can’t wait to see the next installation.

And speaking of my favourite sunnies brand, I’m so enjoying my new Erika Ray-Ban frames. Something a little different from my go-to Wayfarers. I’m usually not a fan of a thin frame, but these feel super comfy, even on a run and I love the clean, minimal styling.

 

A few more styles I’m loving.

Check out Ray-Ban Here for more on the #ItTakesCourage campaign and latest styles!

NOW, you stand the chance to win a pair of Ray-Ban Clubrounds of your own plus !

WIN:

Here’s your chance to wear your heart on your sleeve! Using the hashtag #ItTakesCouragesa & #KimGrayWin, tell me what tattoo you’d get or what it would say, inspiring you to face your fears, and stand the chance to win it (Yup, the tattoo of your choice!), plus the below pair of Ray-Ban Clubrounds! YEAH!

Open to SA only / Winner announced 29 July / Prize cannot be exchanged for cash / tattoo is CT or JHB based/ Be Brave – Good Luck X

 

 

26 Comments on #ItTakesCourage

  1. Kimber-Lee
    July 15, 2016 at 15:17 (3 weeks ago)

    The tattoo I really want, is the Floral Mandala tattoo. There is such great reason behind it. It signifies wholeness, eternity, balance and feminity.

  2. Kimber-Lee
    July 15, 2016 at 15:18 (3 weeks ago)

    mandala floral tattoo 🙂 #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  3. Lindsay
    July 15, 2016 at 15:25 (3 weeks ago)

    Done!

  4. Julia Minnaar
    July 15, 2016 at 15:30 (3 weeks ago)

    Hi Kim,

    I am facing my greatest fear everyday. A fear I have grown to accept and live with.

    My husband and I are struggling with infertility. This has always been a fear of mine as I have always had such a deep desire to be a mom.

    As we step into a new chapter of treatment, I feel powerful and fearless for the first time in a long time.

    I have wanted to get a tattoo for a long time now. A journey like this has broken me, but it has also made me. I would like a tattoo that symbolises the strength I have gained and the fight I have given to be a mom.

    I would love to get a line from my favourite poem. “I carry your heart with me, I carry it in my heart” – EE Cummings

    I feel that this is not only relevant to me now, but it will relate to me when I am a mom one day – Which I hope is very soon! 🙂

  5. Julia Minnaar
    July 15, 2016 at 15:33 (3 weeks ago)

    Hi Kim,

    I am facing my greatest fear everyday. A fear I have grown to accept and live with.

    My husband and I are struggling with infertility. This has always been a fear of mine as I have always had such a deep desire to be a mom.

    As we step into a new chapter of treatment, I feel powerful and fearless for the first time in a long time.

    I have wanted to get a tattoo for a long time now. A journey like this has broken me, but it has also made me. I would like a tattoo that symbolises the strength I have gained and the fight I have given to be a mom.

    I would love to get a line from my favourite poem. “I carry your heart with me, I carry it in my heart” – EE Cummings

    I feel that this is not only relevant to me now, but it will relate to me when I am a mom one day – Which I hope is very soon! 🙂

    #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  6. Ashishta Gokhul
    July 16, 2016 at 08:24 (3 weeks ago)

    #ItTakesCourageSA #KimGrayWin
    I would have a tattoo on my right wrist with the Famous
    Bob Marley song ? One Love.
    This song means a lot to me as it has got me through many
    Phases in my life.

  7. Kim Dyer
    July 16, 2016 at 10:08 (3 weeks ago)

    #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin
    My late grandfather was a difficult, pernickety old man, and for some bizarre reason, this grouchy old man had a soft spot for me… perhaps because we lived on the same property, and I had the patience to keep him company and banter along when he did what he loved so much… his garden. In war times, when he was a handsome young man, he found himself stationed in the Egyptian desert, and he managed to have a rather beautiful tattoo emblazoned on his upper left arm by one of the other soldiers – as a child it just fascinated me. It was of a large, intricate swallow, flying up and towards his heart. His chosen symbol of freedom, fortitude and heart in a time of war when helplessness and fear tried to get them all down and disheartened. This is the tattoo I want. Not only to remember to emulate those characteristics on difficult days, but as a constant reminder of that old, wrinkly, beautiful blue-eyed soul, who carried with him a lifetime of memories, and fears, and still found a place in his heart for me…

  8. Tarah
    July 16, 2016 at 17:59 (3 weeks ago)

    I’ve always wanted to get a tattoo of a protea with my sister but have always chickened out. I turn 28 on 28 July – my crown birthday- and think it’s time to face my fears and do it! The protea is a symbol of hardiness and is also uniquely Capetonian- a forever reminder of the beauty of home ? #KimGrayWin #ItTakesCouragesa

  9. Melanie Pieterkosky
    July 16, 2016 at 18:41 (3 weeks ago)

    I already have a semicolon (semincolon project: A semicolon represents a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to. That author is you and the sentence is your life.) for depression and suicide awareness, but I would love ivy leaves.

    I have suffered with depression, and everyday is a reminder that I can keep going, with help and support. Ivy grows slowly and works very hard to climb, but keeps going. It changes colour (mood, health) and even looks like it has died, but eventually in summer it comes back again to keep fighting.

    #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  10. thea lennox
    July 17, 2016 at 14:39 (3 weeks ago)

    Would choose two geckos looking at one another. Being separate but still being one. Symbol meaning even though i am a person of my own i will still being connected to my husband Being equal and that being the reason the geckos looks the same . #ItTakesCouragesa & #KimGrayWin

  11. Megan Hartwig
    July 18, 2016 at 09:35 (3 weeks ago)

    While it certainly isn’t for everyone (This comes from a tatted lady), tattoos can be an interesting form of self-expression. And since fashion is all about self-expression, it’s no surprise that some of our favourite stylish women sport tattoos. I’m a big fan of writings on the wrist and I would have ‘La vie est belle’ – ‘Life is beautiful’ on my wrist. #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  12. Sharleen
    July 18, 2016 at 10:40 (3 weeks ago)

    Very meaningful for me would be a tiny tattoo on my wrist of the letters CCL inside a circle as those are initials of my hubby – Charles
    son in law – Cobus
    daughter – Liezel
    grandson – Leo
    Family that has come fullcircle
    #ItTakesCouragesa
    #KimGrayWin

  13. Bianca Balutto
    July 18, 2016 at 23:16 (2 weeks ago)

    I have been wanting to get a tattoo for a long time now and this will really help. I want to get a tattoo of a lion reason being that every time something bad or negative happens in my life I dream of a three lions and it’s as if they are protecting me or resemble someone who is looking out for me. This helps me have a more positive mindset and makes me feel that I can achieve anything and not to worry about all the negativity as I have someone watching over me/looking out for me and protecting me against anything. #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  14. Bev Longhurst
    July 19, 2016 at 12:12 (2 weeks ago)

    #ItTakesCourage to admit our mistakes and to go back and try fix them. This is something that is very important to me lately, and so many people can learn from.
    I have a Tattoo of a Peacock that needs fixing and this would be a perfect symbol of courage to fix something that will help me grow and have confidence! #KimGrayWin

    The peacock is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics, and is a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. In history, myth, legend and lore, the Peacock symbolism carries portents of: Nobility, Holiness, Guidance, Protection and Watchfulness.

    Shared on Twitter

  15. REHANA SEEDAT
    July 19, 2016 at 20:26 (2 weeks ago)

    The tattoo I would get is “Never Give Up – there is always hope”
    Carved on my shoulder in elegant, cursive font as this tattoo is a source of hope and motivation. #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  16. Angelique
    July 20, 2016 at 13:03 (2 weeks ago)

    of birds flying on the back of my neck…. symbolic for freedom..#ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  17. Carolyn Augustus
    July 20, 2016 at 13:31 (2 weeks ago)

    #ItTakesCourage #KimGrayWin I have two tatts already but would love to get another one. My next one will be Tinkerbell fairy behind my ear, looking like she’s whispering in my ear.

  18. Claire
    July 20, 2016 at 13:45 (2 weeks ago)

    I’d get an ouroboros; the symbol of life, death and rebirth.
    #itTakesCourageSA #KimGrayWin

  19. Lynnith Andreou
    July 20, 2016 at 14:00 (2 weeks ago)

    Hi Kim, I think my tatoo would say…….just another day in paradise! x shared on fb and twitter

  20. Lizelle Van Rooyen
    July 20, 2016 at 14:28 (2 weeks ago)

    I would get a tattoo of my star sign -Aries – with stars on the inside of wrist. To remind me of 2 things
    1- Im strong!
    2- Im unique/special, there is only one of me #ItTakesCouragesa & #KimGrayWin

  21. Angela Rea
    July 21, 2016 at 07:28 (2 weeks ago)

    #ittakescouragesa and #kimgreywin
    While my baby son and I are going through the biggest challenge anyone can go through, I really want to have a small yellow helicopter tattoo to honour my husband. ?

  22. ursula strauss
    July 21, 2016 at 16:26 (2 weeks ago)

    #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin,My name means Little girl bear and so I’ve wanted this bear on my thigh, I’ve been for a consultation at my boyfriend’s tattoo artist but the money is always need for a broken car part etc (so life goes). I had my first tattoo done at 24 , a rainbow on my arm and now that I’m 31 and entering a new phase in my life I feel its the perfect timing. Would be epic to get lucky!

  23. Tammy Perry
    July 21, 2016 at 22:17 (2 weeks ago)

    I absolutely love this campaign as we all Have fears that we need to face…and the only way to do that is with courage!!

    For me personally, #ItTakesCourage to be a mom EVERY SINGLE DAY!! To get out of bed and be ready for whatever the day holds, to protect your kids every second you are with them and worry about them every second when they aren’t with you, to teach them respect and manners and a sense of humour, to be kind but not a push over, to learn to let them go but hold on tight enough are just some of the motherhood challenges that take courage! I honestly didn’t know that Motherhood would entail so much emotion and courage to raise little people! You say we can wear our heart on our sleeve but when you become a mother, your heart runs around outside of your body, whether you like it or not!

    I would get a tattoo of both of my girls’ names (Megan and Emma)! I’m a very sentimental person and they are my everything so I would love to have a tattoo to remind me of my biggest gifts! They grew inside of my body, so it’s only makes sense to make their mark outside my body too!

    As for those sexy Ray-Bans…well those will be for the blue days that I don’t have enough courage and wanna hide behind those gorgeous Clubrounds and look like I have my sh*t together! ?

  24. Tammy Perry
    July 21, 2016 at 22:22 (2 weeks ago)

    Sorry!! Forgot the hashtags…got so carried away by motherhood! Wait, what was I saying??? ?

    #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  25. Jessica
    July 23, 2016 at 21:06 (2 weeks ago)

    Once I’ve had the tattoo on my back fully removed, I will get a new one in it’s place, saying in pretty script “impermanence” It’s a mantra for me, nothing is permanent. Kind of ironic 🙂 #ItTakesCouragesa #KimGrayWin

  26. Adrian Phipps
    July 25, 2016 at 11:12 (2 weeks ago)

    I recently embarked on my inaugural overseas trip, I unfortunately left travelling until my later years not having the benefits of taking a “gap year” to find myself. However this did not deter that feeling of wanderlust and in January of this year I took the plunge and bought a ticket to Lima, Peru, I did not want to be add to the growing numbers of South Africans travelling to Thailand or Vietnam or Croatia which seems to be all the range so I bought my ticket, took 5 weeks leave and leaped into the unknown.

    Over my 5 weeks I managed to backpack and hustle my way from Lima to Cusco to Arequipa to Puno, over the border into Copacabana, Bolivia, then to La Paz, Uyuni, Rurrenabaque and back to La Paz and then finally a 37 hour bus ride all the way to Lima. The highlights of my trip are too multiple for this forum but let’s just say I had my cultural operating system rebooted so many times and I am definitely a better person and South African for the trip. Being the only Saffer my foreign friends have encountered I felt it necessary to give a good showing of myself as well as convincing them to come visit our lovely country.

    To cut a long adventure short I will admit #ItTakesCouragesa to let go of your fears and venture 10 000km away from home not speaking the language or knowing the culture. I shaped my trip on the following quote from Shelby Lynne “Leap into the unknown and know that where you land is where you are meant to be”.

    Goodness just repeating that quote makes me remember the morning I landed in Uyuni with no reservations or plan and 5 minutes after stepping off the 10 hour bus I saw my name spraypainted on the wall, kismet indeed. #KimGrayWin

    Oh the tattoo I would like to get is the outline of Peru and Bolivia map on my calf so I will forever remember that wonderful adventure, I would also like to incorporate the jaguar, condor and anaconda which is very sacred to the Andean people.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *