Friday, December 31, 2010

Believe : 2011

The new year has officially begun. I will be the first one to say I am so thankful for a new year, for a fresh start, for a time to rethink this past year and take a first step into this year. This day starts a whole new decade, and this new decade is going to be absolutely amazing.

My motto for this year is simple. It's a single word, but it's a word that keeps coming into my life a whole lot recently. Believe. I have so much to believe in this year. I have my family and friends who are always there for me, my unbelieving loving boyfriend who I believe in (and who will be graduating from college in May!), a career in a field I absolutely adore, a God who I know will always be there to guide me, a foundation that gets me through every day... But most importantly, I have to believe in myself. My biggest flaw is that I don't always believe in myself, and it's something that everyone struggles with at one point or another. I have to believe in myself that I am worth it, that I am loved, that I am good at what I do, and that I really can do anything if I want to.

And with that one word, BELIEVE, I have a very exciting announcement.

As of this moment, I have committed myself into going 100% full time as a photographer. Happenstance Portraits is now my full time "job" (if you can even call doing what you love a job), my passion, my life, my world. I believe it's a step that I have to take, a step that I am ready to take, and a step that will change my life forever. I am so excited about it, and to be honest a little nervous, but I know as long as I BELIEVE, I can do anything.


Believe 2011. This is my theme for this year. With that theme, I have created a Vision Board for 2011.

VisionBoard2011


Allow me to explain each piece of my vision for 2011...

1. This photograph of Justin and myself from this past August, and this is how I want to feel every day. That love, that happiness, that joy, that comfort, that safety, the butterflies in my stomach... I want to feel like that every day, no matter what. No feelings of fear, insecurity, nervousness, stress. I want to feel how I felt while Melissa took that photograph every single day- not only for 2011, but every day of my life.

2. I want to travel. I already have plans to go to some destinations, but I want to travel with every opportunity I get. I want to have new experiences, to learn new things, to photograph unfamiliar places. Just to get out there and see what else is in this world I live in… and maybe go to Disney World a couple more times. :)

3. This past fall I started taking yoga classes and I fell in love. Yoga makes me feel relaxed, at peace, closer to God, in harmony with the world... Every stereotypical thing you've heard about yoga, that's how it makes me feel. I want to take weekly yoga classes and take an hour or two each week to just be at peace with myself.

4. I love to read and unfortunately I don't get to read as often as I use to. I use to spend hours and hours and day after day reading, but in the past few years I've become so caught up with life I haven't had time to just sit down and read. So whether it's on of my favorite books, my Bible, a New York Times Best Seller, a silly young adult book, or the newest book my mom's book club is reading (and those girls know how to pick a good book!), I just want to take the time to read more.

5. A business goal of mine, I want to be featured on Style Me Pretty. Just throwing that out there. Which means photographing more weddings, which you all know I love to do.

6. This is something I've been saying ever since I got my driver's license but have failed to do so every year since then; I want to go to the beach once a week this summer. Whether it's a few hours in the morning or taking a whole day off the day after a wedding, I am going to take time to go to the beach once a week this summer and just enjoy the gorgeous shoreline of Connecticut.

7. I want to see more sunrises. I am terrible at waking up early in the morning. I believe seeing more sunrises will inspire me to enjoy the beauty of a full day, instead of the stress when I realize the sun is already set before I've gotten nothing done.

8. As material items go, I want more lenses. It's something every photographer longs for. More lenses to grow with, to create more beautiful photographs, and to just have fun with. The Canon 24-70 is next on my list... :)

9. For the past three or four years, ever since my friend Anna came back from a mission trip, I have been dying to go to Haiti. My heart has just been longing to go and I feel like there's something calling me there, especially after the earthquake last year. Thankfully I have the opportunity to go in October with a group called The Lazarus Project and I cannot be more excited!

10. And last but not least, my number ten. I am longing for my own office space. A place to meet with clients, to have all of my work on display, to edit in a quiet area, to blog and dance around to ridiculous music. Just a space to call my own and to head the "headquarter" of Happenstance Portraits... And I have to admit, I'd love to foursquare that I am checking-in at Happenstance Portraits. ;)


And that is it... for now! I may add more vision boards as the year progresses, but for now I will take it one step at a time.

Thank you to everyone for supporting me over this past year. With this new year, I ask that you, my family, friends, and supporters, to really PUSH me this year, to be the best that I can be, to get me to achieve my goals, and if I'm feeling down to just remind me to BELIEVE.


Happy New Year, everyone! I hope all your goals and dream come true this year. <3

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