09/27/2021
The post.
The post I’ve been putting off.
The post I have dreaded.
The post that is scary.
The post that is uncomfortable.
The post that holds so so many unknowns.
The post that makes me super emotional.
Here it is.
I have been putting this off for awhile. For many reasons. One reason is because I don’t know if I’m making the right decision. What if I regret it? What if miss it so bad it hurts? What if all my clients don’t understand?
The second reason is because I really don’t have the right words to say. I can’t put my emotions into words. I can’t put my hesitations yet excitement in the way that everyone will understand.
But here it goes…
I have decided to take 2022 off from photography.
After 12 years, I am ready for a break. Not a break from my clients. Not a break from capturing life’s most precious moments, not a break from dancing and sneezing to make your littles laugh, not a break from talking to mama for an hour after our session ends- those are the things that I will miss the most. And honestly is what makes this so incredibly hard. It makes me SO sad.
But I need a break from missing out on my kids. A break from being gone a LOT of evenings during the week. A break from coming and going and a very unset schedule. A break from scheduling family and friend outings around sessions and weather. A break from spending countless hours editing, emails, responding to texts, requests, filling orders around the clock. Around.the.clock.
There is no doubt that my clients are family. I have made many many lifetime friendships. I have watched toddlers graduate from high school. I have shot 100’s of weddings and 1,000s of family, engagement and child sessions. I have watched so many of you become moms and dads. Lots and lots of mini sessions. Agh. I cherish every single one of these moments and every single one of these clients.
Agh, this isn’t easy.
It’s scary.
In fact, this last week I have prayed a lot. I have asked for a sign that my heart is being pulled in the right direction. And every time I pulled up Facebook, there was a saying at the top of my newsfeed. Every.single.time.
I decided to save the images that popped up- because there is no doubt that these were signs. I saved them so I could go back and read them when my emotions become overwhelming.
I decided to post them here too. For some reason they seem to wrap up my emotions.
Clients, I love you all SO much. The support and love you have showed me over the past 12 years… the way you continue to support me in my new business and cheer me on always.
I am so so thankful… I love you all. So damn much.
I will shed a lot of tears in the upcoming days and weeks. So give me a hug if you see me.
And if I have taught you anything, I hope it’s is this…
if you have been wanting to take a chance,
Step.
Leap.
Jump.
Fly.
You’ll be okay.
I’ll be okay.
And… who knows what 2023 holds? 💕
So much love,
Michelle
**This does not include the milestone sessions for 2022 that are scheduled or need to be scheduled for babes with 2021 birth dates**