These days I find myself struggling with motivation and direction in different areas of my life.
Motivation to get moving on ANYTHING...
And this irritates me. Mostly because I'm usually a highly motivated and super go getter. If there is something I want in life, I work hard and I get it. If there is a goal I want to meet, I figure out what plan I need to do to achieve it and go for it.
Being someone who is unmotivated and unhappy is just not me and it really ticks me off to feel this way.
So over the last couple of weeks I have been doing a lot of soul searching. Figuring out where this is stemming from, so I can make a change. It would be a lie if I said I was out of the funk. But I'm not. This morning I still woke up with an uneasy feeling of being unmotivated to do the things I needed to do.
So it comes down to WHY.
Not why do I not want to, but WHY am I doing what I am doing in the first place .
Why am I a business owner. Why am I a photographer. Why am I a stay at home mother. Why am I someone trying to strengthen my faith.
It's funny, because so many times we go through life thinking we have this whole thing figured out. We graduate high school, go to college, get our degree, start our career, meet our spouse, get married, have children, retire early, and live well. Obviously this doesn't pan out as many can attest, but it still all comes back to our WHY.
What is your WHY? What is the Why factor that makes you want to work extra hours? What is the Why factor that makes you get up early to workout? What is the Why factor to start your own business and work from home? I believe if we all start to identify WHY we are set out to do things in our lives, the motivation will follow.
Figure out your WHY and you will find your way.
So I'm here to figure out my why and tell you! I am always someone who is trying to practice what I preach. So here we go.
Why am I a business owner?
I chose to start and run my own business purely for the flexibility. I knew being able to set my own hours, meant I could do the things I needed to do without the structure of a 9-5 job with just 2 weeks vacation. I also chose this b/c I knew at the time(I wasn't married yet or had children), that I wanted to be home with my kids when I had them. I remember my mom being home with us 3 girls while I grew up, and I enjoyed her being able to pick me up from school, take me to practice, or dance class, or really wherever we need to go. I knew at an early age that I wanted to do that for my children. I also know I like to do my own thing. I like to be able to do things my way, in a certain way, and hell or high water, you aren’t telling me what to do. I love working for myself, but it does come with a price. A price you pay with long hours, where YOU have to motivate YOU. A paycheck is never guaranteed, or even available the first 3-5 years in business. But I would not have this career any other way. It’s something deep down inside I know I am meant to do.
Why am I a photographer?
In our world where literally EVERYONE has a camera and EVERYONE is a photographer, why did I chose this as my career path? I know many great studios or individuals who have packed up shop and no longer take photos because it seems that the mass population does not value what us as professionals do. There is no standard to be a professional anymore. If you have a SLR, you are a pro. So why go to someone who has dedicated years and much $$, practice to being the best? The hours we have spent learning our craft, attending workshops, conferences, learning to create art, understanding prints and products, and how they are made to last can sometimes be overwhelming if it never feels appreciated. Does it have a purpose, or is our iPhone's good enough?
As a business owner AND photographer, can almost break you. Between having to be all aspects of your business sometimes(from janitor to CEO), and then trying to create something that others will love, your passion can die. There are times when I feel like giving up.
Then I think about my WHY for being a photographer. I am passionate about capturing an image of someone, and being able to change how they see themselves. Giving them a glimpse into who they are from the eyes of someone else. Proving to them they are beautiful, worthy, and cared for in this world. I want to create magic, dreams, and ethereal art in the form of the person I am photographing. It really is one of the highest honors to be chosen to capture a portrait of someone. I truly believe what we do as photographers is valuable because we are giving people a tiny piece of their life to save for the future. I also believe that there is no replacement for a tangible product to hold in your hand and see EVERYDAY. In our world of everything electronic and digital, your memories, your loved ones, should NOT require electricity to look at. So that is my Why. I want to create portrait art for your home to see and love everyday of the most important things in your life. I want to create portrait art for those who feel like they can't or shouldn't get their portraits created, or feel like they aren’t good enough to be in front of the camera. I want to create portrait art so that you know you are valued and worthy of an amazing life. I want to create portrait art so that you can leave an amazing legacy behind for your children, family, friends. This is my WHY and I love it.
Why am I a stay at home mother?
This is something I totally struggle with. I feel like even as I type this blog, my children are upstairs watching TV and I’m not doing what I need to do. Like clean the house, put away the dishes, fold and put away clothes, make dinner, play with the kids, and the list goes on and on. But I do get small glimpses into why I do what I do everyday in the small faces that stare at me. Even though I feel like I’m constantly yelling at my son to listen to me, or my daughter to stop taking off her diaper and trying to get herself on the big potty, I don’t want to change it. I want to be here in the mess of my house, with my kids yanking on me. My Why at being home is so I can remember the small things. Like when Teddy would put the old blackberry phone of John’s to his ear and hold it with his shoulder and ear, or now when Emmy comes charging down the hall and with a flying leap jumps right on my stomach. I want to be here for those small moments. Even if sprinkled in those small moments are times I have to focus on work, or something else. My Why is their faces that I am with everyday.
Now that I have shared my Why’s with you, I want you to take a goal, or a big task that you want to start, or continue to work on, or make more progress in. Figure out your WHY behind it. If you want to lose weight, don’t just put a number down and say I want to lose 20 lbs. State WHY you want to do it. You want to do it because you want to be healthier, so you can run with your kids and be here when your grandkids grow up. When you identify your why, your motivation will follow.
I hope you enjoyed the post today. I think part of my Why is sharing stories and adventures like these with YOU! So please, leave a comment or shoot me a message with what you thought of it:) I always love to hear from those who read my blog/posts!
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