01/29/2025
[This photo was taken the day before my surgery, sunflare strategically placed, metaphors abound. I am loving the ways this surgery has changed how I see things…]
\\ // WHEN I AM PASSIONATE I USE ALOT OF WORDS. So here’s what you’ll find in these words:
1. Introducing my new offering, “True Story Talks”
2. First date and topic for True Story Talks and how to sign up
3. Building intentional community will help us survive 2025…
4. … and I list all the ways we are going to do that through Story Photographers this year!
5. INCLUDING a big 20th Birthday Party for Story Photographers! \\ //
So here I am, 40 years old, having had a business for 20 years, and I find that I am starting this year off doing things in ways that I've never done before. One HUGE decision I am making is that I am no longer going to wait until conditions are ideal or perfect to take action on things I want to offer/do for the first time but have never done before. I might always want to be vulnerable with yall but historically I battle internally with wanting to wait and do things when I am doing them at my best. It’s so metaphorical to where I am in my life. We do the thing when we know in our gut the time is right- we don’t have to wait for conditions to be perfect. Life is always going to keep happening! And yall, Life is SHORT.
Having said that… I want to introduce you to my new offering this year: “True Story Talks”. IAMSOEXCITED. You’ll see the date, time and topic of each True Story Talk about a week in advance. To get access to that particular session, you’ll send in your admission fee and then the link and password are all yours. Each session I will meet you all on zoom and I will talk on topic (and take Q&A) for about an hour.
With each topic, I will be sharing from my 20 years of experience as a small business owner, creative entrepreneur, photographer… in which I have maintained a growing and thriving business despite the following: sudden loss of a parent, recession, divorce, global pandemic, depression, and more. As it’s named, I am going to be sharing the true stories… the times I built my business on practices that were unhealthy for me, the challenges, not just the success stories. I want you to take back control and peace and flourishing in your own life, and if my stories can help, I want to offer them up. Some topics we will talk about might be more niche and not pertain to you, while others might be more widely relatable: so this is why you can sign up per session, so the experience is tailored to you.
Having said that, the first True Story Talk is going to be on Tuesday February 4th at 8:00pm, with an admission fee of $17! TOPIC: I don’t think you should already have your “new years goals/resolutions” laid out by January 1st. During this session I am going to explain why I think that, and what I have been doing every winter for a really long time to set myself up for success for the year that has just begun. I post every year referring to my annual reflection time, and now I am ready to dig in and share with you what that looks like in detail. And I’ll take questions! ((this year especially, it’s been a draining and distracting January… let’s take a break and give our own personal world some attention, shall we??))
True Story Talk is just one example of a whole bunch of things that I am finally ready to let go of perfection on and just make them happen! Not just do things how I think they should be done, or how it would be perfectly done, or wait until all of the conditions are lined up just right. If I have learned ANYTHING in the last 20 years it’s that you just can’t control what’s thrown at you, AND you can still grow, thrive, create during that time with the right tools.
A huge pattern that is coming forward for me in 2025 is that we only survive, we only thrive, we only heal in community. There is a LOT going on in our world that is pointing to this, and alot going on in my personal world around this surgery that has reminded me of this daily. Building, creating, being a part of intentional community, is what keeps us going… even when things feel really impossible and hard.
Since this all only works in community, if I am talking about things that are interesting to you, please share the informational posts with people in your world that would benefit from signing up and being a part of the conversation with us. I want these conversations to feel accessible, that’s why they are the price point that they are. If this gives you ideas of topics we should cover, send me a message and I’ll add that to the topic list. What questions do you have? What do you want to talk about? I am so excited to dig in!!
Lastly I want to share a SNEAK PEEK into other community opportunities through Story Photographers this year… adult photography classes return, we will finally debut the HIGHLY talked about and anticipated kids photography classes, we will have community service opportunities together, coworking meet ups,a big 20th birthday party for Story Photographers (if I’ve photographed you, you’re invited!) and MORE.
Say it with me, we survive and thrive TOGETHER.