17/08/2022
𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 as well?
I never planned to be a full-time business owner. This photography business was always just something on the side.
Until it wasn’t.
Until it took off, I got brave and ended up doing this malarkey full-time. It has been a great privilege but also a nightmare.
If you know, you know!
The panic when you realise you don't have a regular payday coming, all the doubts that emerge - am I diving head first into failure, humiliation and bankruptcy?
𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲?
This summer has been particularly hard for me. I have more than once had the urge just to give up and go back to a regular (𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯) job. I may still do that but I don't want that decision to be made from a place of fear or panic.
𝘚𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘥𝘰?
𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗜 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴.
My community of small business friends is so crucial. It gives me support, understanding and perspective and reminds me that 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘇𝗶𝗴 𝘇𝗮𝗴𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.
Drinking coffee is my reminder to 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁. Coffee is a habit and ritual for me every morning. It is a time to sit, be quiet, pray and reflect on my life, my work and my priorities. It will be at this moment the answer will come to me in time.
And finally, no matter what don’t give up, keep going and 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗜 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲.
I can pick myself up, pivot and try something else. But if I give up before I even try that will haunt me, and affect me for a long time.
𝗦𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁.
𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴.
We got this, even if it doesn't feel like it!
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.
