Change - it’s constant and unavoidable. Everything changes! The time, the weather, the date, the stock market, careers, our moods, our kids, our relationships.... Each and everyday brings change in some way. Some changes are good and easy - we may never give those changes a second thought.
Other changes are hard - a struggle. Often leaving us with a profound sense of loss that makes us question everything we know to be true.
These last few weeks have been a personal struggle of change in many ways (hence the lack of blogging)
I have had to do some (a lot) of self examining and questioning. It would be far easier to pick up my emotional carpet and sweep it all under it but the reality is that is not healthy. These past weeks have been spent spending time with my husband, kids, friends and family asking questions and having great conversations. All of which have been amazing, open and honest. When big changes happen and you really don’t know why, you have to dig deep and try to figure it out. The work is important - it helps us grow into better people.
I must have been sprinkled with some miracle grow because I feel like I have been doing a lot of growing with all this self reflection.
I believe people come into your life at different times for different reasons. Some people may be a part of your life for a long time and others will be there for only a brief time.
It can be very painful trying to figure out why some relationships end but it can also be a relief when you realize that some of those relationships were no longer healthy or serving a positive purpose in your life.
I have taken away a few lessons over the years with the growth and loss of different relationships:
My recent lessons have been:
- Do not judge others because being on the receiving end of harsh and unfair judgement is very hurtful.
- Be true to yourself. Only you live your life every moment of everyday. No one walks in your shoes. Only you know your heart or thoughts. Be true to who you are.
- Have a very short memory for bad things and a very long memory for good things.
- Hold the good times close to your heart - a parting of ways does not change good memories.
- Let it go peacefully. Everything happens for a reason and maybe the reason has nothing to do with you.
- Know that someones perception is often a reflection of their own issues and not yours.
- It’s okay to let go. Letting go of one thing may mean that the universe is making room for something else in your life.
This past week I have decided not to train for the July show. It was hard for me to make this decision because I so enjoyed the first show and I felt that stepping back after committing to train was in some way a failure on my part. Upon further reflection I realize stepping away from something I know I can not give 100% to is a wise decision. I do plan to train again at some point but this July is not the right time for me.
Some of the other big changes I have been experiencing is in the photographic industry.
I have watched an amazing industry over the past several years undergo a massive shift. It’s like an unstoppable tidal wave.... Digital imaging, technology, social networks undercutting prices and the economy have changed the face of professional photography forever. An over saturated market of inexperienced and underpriced newbies have diminished the value of what it means to be a professional photographer in the mind of the general public. It is a battle so many of us are fighting and with each day it begins to feel much more like a war. Everyone and anyone with a decent camera and a couple of PhotoShop actions are promoting themselves as a “professional”. Due to over saturation, diminishing education and people literally giving their work away good photographers all across the country are struggling. It makes me so sad to see what is happening here. The average consumer has become alright with substandard photography because it has become so “cheap”
There are so many of us who refuse to come down to this new level. After 23 years of education, investing in equipment and building a business I refuse to lower my standard of business practice because my “new” competitor is selling their digital files and their souls to the devil. Even new photographers just getting into the industry will realize that time, talent, education, and customer service are worth something. Giving away sessions and CD’s for almost nothing is no way to run a business. Let’s be honest here- if they did the math on time invested vs. income generated they could work at a fast food chain for more money and less hours.
In addition to working in as a full time professional photographer and staying true to my art and talent I have found other passions that I enjoy. Cooking, working out, health and fitness. I am exploring the options that might be available to me in the health and fitness world. I love creating healthy clean recipes. I have been photographing my dishes and recording all my recipes... Who knows - maybe there is a book in my future. I am also coaching two women who are on a weight loss journey. We are working on changing their lifestyles, throwing away old bad eating habits, trying new clean foods and examining why food is an issue.... Both of my coaching clients have lost 15 pounds each. This is a huge accomplishment for both of them. They have done it by increasing activity and learning to eat the healthy way. These are all big changes for me. Helping someone reclaim their health is probably one of my proudest accomplishments. I took something I am interested in and helped someone change their life because of it. That is awesome and I hope I can continue to do it for others.
Some new recipes to follow-
Thanks for reading...
