Lessons Learned

Today it was a beautiful gloomy day outside. I truly enjoy gray skies and a bit of chill in the air. We don’t get very many days like this in Arizona, so this afternoon I took a break from my computer screen, stepped outside and took some photos. I thought about my life. My family, my friends, my business, my words, my actions, my journey, my blessings. It was a good day. It’s a good life. There’s always so much to learn.

For a while, I felt like I had to keep working hard to get to one specific place. A place I could stop and say, I’ve arrived.  In some sense, I felt like I was starting out late and had to catch up. Something similar to a marathon with a finish line. And then it hit me that I don’t want to ever be finished, I don’t want to cross that line. Not only because that would mean it’s over, but also because I’ve finally realized that place doesn’t exist. Instead, I decided to thoroughly enjoy my run, to keep a steady pace, and maybe even slow down some times to really take it all in.  And a few sprints are fun too. I’m just looking forward to it all, and this does not mean I don’t have a direction in mind. I do. But instead of focusing on a final destination, I am now happy to know this will be a multi-destination journey. Kinda liberating, isn’t it?I had a lovely lunch with an amazing photographer and dear friend today. While catching up on what’s going on in our lives, naturally work came up. I shared with Melissa Jill the lessons I’ve been learning and how blessed I feel to realize that God has been guiding me all along to the place where I’m at now. I have also been given some big lessons that I just need to have trust in Him and faith in Him. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I have at times worried. Worried that things might not work out. Shame on me!Don’t get me wrong. Hard-work and determination are super important, but I can’t forget to have faith. Faith is quite possibly the best cure for stress and anxiety

Recently someone asked me on formspring “How did you muster up the courage to quit your job and follow your dream? What advice do you have to someone in overcoming that fear?” I answered the question, but I don’t think I was able to convey what I was really thinking. However, during our conversation today, Melissa pretty much summed it all up and I think this would have been a much better answer to that question: “Weather you are working for somebody else, a big corporation or for yourself, the one providing for you is always God”. She is much more eloquent than I am. Anyways, the truth is I never really stopped being afraid, I just took a leap of faith. And yes, I did receive a few nudges from those around me who love me.

Thinking about framing the next two and hanging them side by side:One of the main reasons why I cherish my clients so much? Because I know they are hand-picked for me. The first time I met with a client who didn’t book me, I was sad. I liked them. Why didn’t it work out? I analyzed everything I said, everything I did. I was determined to learn from this. I wanted every client I liked to like me back.  I now know, I certainly cannot be the right photographer for every client, so I just have to be myself, do my best, let it go and be happy that it’s really not up to me. It’s great knowing that what’s meant to be will be!Success. Do you have your own definition? How do you know you’ve succeeded? Can it be measured by the number of comments on your blog? By how much money you make? By how others perceive you? Do you have to be famous to be successful?

To me success is synonym with happiness. My number one marker of success is how happy my clients are. The happier they are, the happier I am. And that’s what I work for. What would make you happy? Define it, achieve it and be the happiest version of yourself Any journey is more fun when the people I love are with me. Enjoying my own journey is great, but I can’t forget to share in my friends’ journeys as well, sacrifices included . The more I give, the more gratifying it is.

The more I do what I love, the more in love with it I am. I give it my all each and every time and I hope it shows. I know not everyone may see it, but I’m grateful for those who do. Thank you for the encouragement and the much needed “nudges”.This post in itself is a leap of faith. A “nudge-less” leap. Maybe I’m learning.