GRATITUDES + BREAKTHROUGHS // MAY 3, 2016

Gratitudes

I shot my first wedding of the season yesterday down near Richmond. Jenna + Sean planned their wedding all of the way from Los Angeles. The weather forecast was threatening their day but it all held off and they were able to say their personal hand written vows under a might pine tree dripping in ribbons and lace. If this wedding is any indication of what my season is going to be like I’m excited, lucky and hopeful.

I purchased a plane ticket last week to one of my favorite places in the world. I’ll be there this summer wandering the streets, practicing the language and taking portraits…but more on that next week. #normantravels

Indoor house plants. Yup, I said it, indoor house plants. I am grateful for them. I have this new found appreciation for nature being indoors. It’s become sort of a ritual now to check out the home + garden section of the store to scoop out which plants are on sale to bring back.This week I picked up a Snap Dragon plant with a few indigo buds and a few days later with a little water they’ve already begun to open. There is something so peaceful and simple about surrounding yourself with greenery indoors, I’m slowly falling in love with it and I think these plants will make the perfect addition to my sunroom where I practice yoga.

New week, new polish. This dreary weather makes me sleepy and I’ve been missing the sunshine like crazy so I picked a yellow polish. Fiercely Fiona – from the Shrek Forever After Collection – seemed fitting to bring a little brightness back in to my week and the name gives me that added girl power to push through my first wedding workflow of the season. Try it out, it’s funky and fun!

Breakthroughs

Fear is a funny thing, it always presents itself in me as resistance. Resistance to really anything big. I had it when I dreamed of starting this business, when I knew I wanted to get my Masters degree, when I wanted to travel to Istanbul for a wedding and more recently when I knew it was time to move back out on my own. Fear and resistance are diabolical partners that work at slowing you down and prevent you from accomplishing your goals. This past week resistance was stuck on me like the static on the hem of your skirt, I couldn’t shake it. I had made the big decision to move in with my boyfriend, which meant leaving the financial freedom/support of my parents house that helped me start this business into unknowns of cohabitation and additional financial responsibilities. I don’t want to give you the wrong impression, I was happy to move out and even more thrilled to day dream about future possibilities. I was pumped to have my own space again with my things neatly placed around the house and my favorite coffee mug unpacked, but I felt resistance. I felt it in packing, with ever piece of clothing that I folded I felt tired. I felt in loading up my furniture on the truck, I felt tired. I felt it while I was at my place organizing my office, and again I felt tired. It slowed me down, I ended up taking a lot of breaks and eventually took a nap. After that I woke up feeling energized and capable of ignoring the signs of fear. Once my things were here I didn’t feel it anymore, I felt comfortable and at peace. Fear is a tricky thing, disgusting itself as resistance and then again as tiredness… I see fear though, I’m on to you, and I promise you won’t win.

p.s. For more on fear and resistance check out The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.

As always, thanks for reading. xoxo.