For the first 50 years of my life, my perfectionist self mistakenly believed it was all about knowing more, getting it right, planning, attempting to prevent bad things from happening, and keeping all of my chicks in a row. It took me this long to discover that the JOURNEY is all that matters. This quote from Gilda Radner sums it all up:

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. "

Monday, January 21, 2013

Bring on 2013!

I'm flying high after a very meaningful, relevant,
                                     and beautifully choreographed Inaugural Ceremony.
I'm flying high after a quick trip to Burlington on Saturday
                                     to have lunch with my two children there.
I'm flying high as I continue to knock task after task off my To Do List -
                                    things I've been putting off for way too long that have
                                    been weighing on my mind and my spirit.

I'm flying high after a year of uncertainty, learning, surprise, happiness, pride,
                                    and fulfillment.


A year ago, I was trying to set up my photography business.
I didn't know what to expect.
I knew very little about running a business.
I was trying to work out logistics - locations to take pictures, release forms,
                                   credit card readers, advertising - my head was spinning!
So many details to think about!

After many years of being a stay-at-home mom, I didn't have a lot of confidence.
   
Would people think highly enough of my work to hire me?
Would I be able to consistently produce good portraits?
I had so many fears to swallow before I could move forward.

When school got out in June, I waited.
I was grateful when I got a few bookings.
I was scared too.

Then the calls and emails started coming in - more than I had ever dreamed of.
I was happy, but more than a little overwhelmed!
I just kept plugging along, doing the best I could.
I made plenty of mistakes too.
There were times I looked at the photos and wished
I had done things differently that day, kicking myself.
Other times I was sooooo excited about the wonderful images before my eyes!

Now I sit here with all that experience under my belt,
                                                                in awe of how much I learned last year.
Surprised that I had so many customers.
Proud that I was able to swallow my fears and face the uncertainty.
Happy to have met and worked with so many nice people.

And despite the long hours - MANY more than I had anticipated -
I feel fulfilled.  I had fun too!

I accomplished something that has been kicking around
in the back of my mind for many years.  YEAH!

With the infant stage behind me, I will keep growing into toddlerhood.
There's so much to learn. So much to try. So many more mistakes to me made!

I am stronger, wiser, and much more confident.
So bring on 2013!













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