Guys. I officially put in my notice. The title says it all, but even as I read it, I can't believe it.
Some of you may or may not know, but during my past year and a half in Seattle I have been busting my butt working two full-time jobs- one being establishing and running my photography business, and the other being a barista at Google. It's been a struggle balancing the two, but it wouldn't be right if I didn't pay my respect to this weird ass corporate day-job that ended up being one of the best things to ever happen to me. Seriously.
Let me explain.
Having a steady source of income + benefits and working for a place that went above and beyond in their endless support of my photo career afforded me the opportunity to slow down and reevaluate my relationship to photography and my business. I didn't need to shoot to survive any more. I was for the first time able to say NO when a client or situation wasn't right, and instead, only take on work that was fulfilling and fueled my creativity. I was able to grow, gain a real point of view (where I was totally lost before), refine my style and reignite my passion. This is not to say that I have my shit figured out, or that I am by any means done growing (oh hell naw), but it is important to acknowledge that without this security, I may have never learned that I am crazy about intimate engagement sessions, weddings + elopements, have never gotten over my fear of conceptual studio shoots, or felt confident enough to expand my business and plan something as ambitious as Babely. Though the idea of leaving stability IS TOTALLY GOD DAMN TERRIFYING, something in my gut tells me there is no other way. I need to give it up and lean in. I need to do things on my own time, in my own way, to see what I'm made of.
I'm not scared to be scrappy, to hustle, to get creative or even to 'fail'. It's all a part of learning and I feel a fire in my belly like no other. I'm ready for a challenge and I am not shy of hard work. All I know is that this is right right now and I owe it to myself. Time to get to really get to living, learning and growing.
My story is not unique. There are so many of us grinding and working damn hard... pushing through tough transitions as we move toward a more fulfilling future. I can only hope that sharing this little bit of real talk from my heart gives you a boost of encouragement and confidence. Keep going, following your intuition and fighting for your dream. We got this.
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."
-Amelia Earhart