You Will Need The Marauders..

DAY 205

“Take life one day at a time because every day is a different day with new challenges.” – Penny Streeter

“Give 100 percent to everything you do and never give up.” – Mark Mills

“Sometimes I feel like before my dreams take flight, I’m stapling, gluing, and taping wings on fragile hope.” – Jasmine Star

“Work hard but make sure you enjoy life too.” – Ted Smart

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” — Milton Berle

I know I’ve gotten to the point where I post an almost overwhelming amount of quotes some days, but I would just feel “off” if I didn’t share what I’ve discovered. Every once in a while, I find the words that someone else needs to hear. [Or see, in the case of a blog : )] I’ve been quite lucky to have so many people in my life who know just what to say when I need to hear it – even if I don’t admit it at the time.

Something Tamara Lackey mentioned yesterday during her CreativeLIVE course was that she keeps a folder (in this awesome little creation called Evernote) of nice, uplifting, encouraging things others have said about or sent to her. She was on the topic of being knocked down – an unfortunately common circumstance for many artists in particular. As soon as she began speaking about the subject, I remembered back to when I first got Baby, my camera. I was experimenting, learning all about the camera’s capabilities (which I’m still learning to this day). My work wasn’t always accepted with open arms and congratulatory words. And that’s what I was used to. With everything in my life, I’ve always done well. I became comfortable with knowing I was good. No, great. I was always great in others’ eyes, so I became great in my own. I don’t think it was really until my belief about myself (and my abilities) was challenged that I really had to take a time-out and truly think about why I was great.

I took a few unintentional months off from photography. Passing by the camera daily, thinking back to what others had said. And not wanting to pick up the camera until I knew I could do better, be better, take better pictures. That plan lacked one small detail – I could not develop my skills as a photographer, or even become self-confident again, until I picked up that camera and started clicking. So I did. I spent a weekend watching one of Jasmine Star‘s CreativeLIVE courses. Hearing her speak about how she started out, the path that had brought her to success and happiness, I was so incredibly inspired. Truly touched and forever changed. I started doing the silliest things – photographing any and everything that was near me. I made more posts to this blog. I started to think ahead of time about what I wanted to focus on or set up for a picture.

CreativeLIVE and their knowledgable, inspiring, touching artists that they feature have put me and so many other beginning photographers at a great advantage. I’m no where near where I want to be, but thanks to the multitude of helpful tips and tricks and real-life stories, I know that it’s going to be OK. I just have to stay true to me and remain focused on my passions.

Watching Tamara Lackey’s CreativeLIVE course yesterday especially, I had another moment of clarity (and then my eyes welled up with a tactile expression of my emotions). She was speaking about a holistic approach to living. Taking care of yourself, so that you can better take care of everything else in your life that you have going on. We cannot forget about ourselves! We are people too! It doesn’t matter what your profession, background, goals, dreams, crazy password combo – we ALL matter. Tamara got to one point where she was discussing a list of the top 5 regrets a particular Australian nurse had discovered over the course of her career. I started tearing up, moreso for all those I know who do have those regrets, or for those I feel might have those regrets down the road. I feel quite fortunate that I’ve managed to realize that I don’t want to have those regrets mentioned at a young age. I’ve chosen to follow a path that fulfills me and allows me to help others as I dream to do. I’ve gotten up daily for a period of time faking that I was happy until that was effortlessly true. I’ve decided to kindly express what is on my mind because I don’t want to wake up one day wishing I’d told someone that one thing that might have made all the difference.

So to CreativeLIVE, Jasmine Star, Tamara Lackey, & all other teachers, friends, & family (also to the marauders) – I thank you.

I should also take this time to mention my little car buddy I had over the weekend – I named him Jiminy, but wasn’t able to get a good picture of him. He was my little grasshopper friend (who freaked me out a couple times). I ended up discovering that if a grasshopper comes across your path, it is a sign that you’re being asked to take a leap of faith (relationships, views of ourselves, career, etc.). It’s usually in an area that we’ve been avoiding – some type of big-scale change is typically associated. Grasshoppers are a sign of good luck all over the world. They are reaffirming that whatever steps you’ve taken have been the right ones, and also to be that little kick in the pants that you may need to start taking some steps.

I am thankful for: people & their different stories.

B.

PS: I found a puzzle that puts the “which came first – the chicken or the egg?” debate to rest..

2012

07/24

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