I have been so blessed by every comment, every “like”, and every affirmation that came out of my post earlier this week.
I am truly thankful to have a community of people who actually come around me and help build me up.
But if I’m being honest, I’m so tempted to stop there.
I want to stay in this place of comfort. I want to hover over every affirmation and just rest in it.
But the truth is there is no point being built up if you are not willing to be sent out.
I just said I don’t want to settle, right?
What does that mean for me? What does it tangibly look like?
Well, my friend Gladys got it right the other day when she said that to verbalize something is powerful. It makes it real.
I want to feel the fear and do it anyways.
I want to verbalize exactly what I want, and I want to take the steps to get there, no matter how many failures it takes to make me stronger.
I want to do more editorial photo shoots like the one I styled for John and Mia.
If I’m being honest with myself, I have a deep and abiding love for fashion. For color. For collaboration.
And if I’m being really honest, I would say that this scares me.
It scares me because so many other people I look at do this so well already. Who am I to try to jump in to this?
And it scares me because I want to work with the best in the industry but I am afraid of rejection.
I want to submit an editorial idea to Southern Weddings V4.
Too often I think there is that voice that tells us that the dreams we have are selfish.
Gina hit this on the head this morning. It’s this lie that says: who am I to want more than I have already been given?
But dreaming you guys? This is the stuff we need to keep going. This is the stuff that gives us life. Makes us better.
So here is where I find myself. Dreaming out loud.
Verbalizing the dreams I have.
Fighting the lie that fashion or creativity should take a backseat to capturing “real” people.
You guys I love what I do. Hear that.
It’s so hard, especially where the photo industry is at right now, to believe that these other dreams are not as legitimate as the business I already have.
I want more.
I might fail.
but
I won’t settle.
I really want to know…. what is your dream?
Don’t rationalize it away.
Verbalize it here.
You deserve to dream it.
I want to hear it.
Go.
xoxo
Em
I think this shoot is one of my favorites of yours. Like, of all time.
I’ll have to think about this dream thing. My dream is to have a family and a home and a fulfilling career that doesn’t take over my life. :)
i dream of travel to new places and shoot a lot of street photography
and you will. and i can’t wait.
I’m not a photographer so I won’t say I want to be able to create the kind of work that you create and capture. But I know God has given me the passion and skills to achieve something great in the world of education and nonprofits. I’m not 100% sure what that is but, like I mentioned to a friend today, this month has revealed some of what could be in store. And it took a HUGE attitude adjustment over the last few weeks to see the doors that are in front of me, to see the opportunities and possibilities. I’m not sure which ones I will open or keep closed or that God will open/close but I dream that each step will be taken with courage and faith. And that each step will provide clarity in what my purpose is, for now and for the future. Oh and my other dream is to have a healthy, happy, loving family one day.
btw….Can I just say that was scary to even type that out…and will now be published for you (and your readers) to see?? Yikes! And hitting “Post as…” now….
P.S. I would love to be a subject of any shoot you style. I would honestly be so happy and honored!
proud of you, girl. really. we’ll take some photos together someday soon. until then, xoxo.
Em, LOVE THIS POST. Seriously. It’s like you took a page out of my notebook on thoughts and feelings I’ve been going through lately. I think there’s something amazingly powerful about verbalizing your dreams, and I need to do that more too. I need to cast aside what I think other people think of me (I get caught up in this TOO MUCH!) and just dream. Out loud. I, too, love collaborating with other creatives to produce something beautiful, no matter the scale. I’ll admit that my business isn’t where I dreamt it would be. Yet. But it’s my passion that drives me to keep on moving forward. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. I don’t want to become complacent and comfortable with where I am. I think the in the last several months, I’ve learned that failure is okay, and that it helps me grow even more than if I succeeded. I think there’s a lot of noise in the industry, people fighting over things (too many things), and I think positivity and encouragement needs to be fostered, instead of criticism (for the sake of bringing someone down not the constructive type) and negativity. For me, I know it’s sometimes difficult to see past the noise and do what I want to do, for fear of being criticized…but it’s not worth that worry. Haters are gonna hate – they must be bored and jealous, at least that’s how I see it. Thanks for this honest and open post. I think I’m going to go write my own now :) Oh and my dream(s). I dream of having a business that feeds my soul – working with amazing couples who get it, vendors whose passion shows, and documenting the many faces of love. I dream of never having to worry about money. I dream of living in the south of France four-six months out of the year, traveling, eating, and savoring life. :)
Hey Emily – Amazing Post! I like that you not only challenge yourself to keep going but you challenge others along with you!! I can see you doing what you want to do one day – keep at it and you’ll be there in no time!!! Good luck to you and thanks for the inspiration =)
-Naphy
This post excites me so much. Just thinking about all the things to do and places to go that I’m dreaming about. Thank you for the inspiration…
LOVE!!!!! Miss ya girl!
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