Just do it, Seize the Day, and other Clichés that are True

Happy New Year all!  It’s the day of resolutions, the day we set all the good intentions about bettering ourselves and not falling into the same patterns as last year.  My goal for this year?  Rev up this business.  Blog more.  Get on top of my social media.  Shoot more.  Find more like minded women to collaborate with.  

But wait, I think my phone needs updating.  I should do that first.  And that pile of papers that’s been sitting on my desk - that definitely needs addressing.  Is there milk in the fridge?  Hmm, yeah, I should probably go to the store and get some fresh milk cause I wouldn’t want for it to run out just when I need a big cup of coffee, which I will definitely need before I start all the blogging I plan on doing…

Brooklyn Boudoir was conceived several years ago while I was visiting my husband’s family in Miami.  A friend of ours had done a boudoir shoot as a Christmas gift for her fiance.  This woman was not traditionally sexy - she was rather tomboyish and I was shocked that she would choose to give her partner a boudoir portrait for Christmas.  And at the same time I was completely inspired.

It was such an ah-ha moment for me.  I had been wanting to build a portraiture business but had no real interest in photographing babies or children, or weddings.  I had already been exploring boudoir without knowing it or assigning the word “boudoir” to it in a self-portrait project.  I had no idea that boudoir could even be a business!  It was a perfect fit, something I had already essentially been doing, and a perfect marriage between all my interests - portraiture, sensuality, girl power…  and I felt so validated to know that there were other women out there who wanted to celebrate their sensuality in the same ways that I did.

Photography I felt comfortable with, but building a business??  That was a totally different story.  First I need to build up my portfolio.  And create a logo of course, and create business cards, and study the specifics of boudoir photography and of course then study what it takes to build a small business … and then I got pregnant.

And suddenly it’s 2 years later and while there have been a lot of valid delays to revving up the business (I had a baby after all), there were a lot that we mere procrastinations.  And procrastinations of course, just boil down to fear — fear of failure, fear of putting myself out there, fear of judgement, fear of not being able to provide for my family, fear of … 

How often is it that the anticipation of something is way scarier than the actual DOING of it??   I can either casually see what happens, or actively pursue the career that I’m passionate about, that I’m good at, that i can help people with.  Or, I can spend my time doing chores, browsing Facebook and letting more months pass by.  

Look, life happens, chores need to be done.  But here’s to spending 2017 working towards something for YOU, procrastinating the procrastinating and actively following your heart.  

The answer is YES - YES, this is the right time, YES you can do it, YES to whatever it is you want to do.

So let’s do this thing!  2017, yee-ha!

xoxo, Stephanie