Have you ever sat in a room surround by a hundred people listening to someone speak. The room could be set at a comfortable temperate but the words spoken are musical notes to your soul, which in turn makes your palms clammy? Every other body in that room, even the two you could touch elbows with, disappear, and you’re are fixated on the speaker. You listen to every word they say and without even realizing it, you shake your head in agreeance. And those nods allow gravity to pull tears from your eyes because the words are so true you can’t help but cry.
If you’re not ready for probably the second deepest post I’ve written in my five year business then I suggest you close the window now. Because it’s about to get real friends. Really real.
On Monday July 25th I attended Creative at Heart in Denver Colorado. Katelyn James was the second to last to speak, and her topic is one that I have actually heard once before. But it had a much different impact the second time around. As she began talking to a room of about hundred creatives from all across the country, I was excited! I made it through almost two full days without needing a tissue. Until thirty minutes into her chat.
You see, Katelyn James is a fantastic wedding photographer. I love learning from her, and it’s the knowledge that I have gained from her that has helped my business grow into what it is today. She hustles, and it’s quite evident. She has an incredibly success wedding photography business, and an educational business teaching other photographers and small businesses.
Katelyn likes to talk about small changes she has made that have resulted in huge impacts. She said “hustle doesn’t have to equal heartache”. And from this point on, the room of a hundred people disappeared and my heart began to race, my palms went clammy, head began to nod, and the tears began to fall.
I learned a very valuble lesson that late afternoon. “Non-stop hustle is rooted in fear” Katelyn said. Putting my business before my husband because i’m terrified that if I step away from my computer to stop blogging, or if I miss responding to an email in the first 15 minutes means the doors on this dream of mine fade away. When in reality, none of that is true. It’s fear, and fear isn’t rational thought.
While Katelyn may have wanted to speak on micro changes that reflect macro results, her impact was so much greater for me that day. I realized that since June, I haven’t been the wife my husband deserves. I have closed myself off in my office, my nose in my computer, tracking how many likes and comments my facebook posts get, how many people read my blog posts, and counting my inquires. Because my irrational fear told me they mean something more than quality time with my husband.
From this week on, you may notice some changes, and I sincerely hope that everyone understands. For starters, email correspondence is going to slow down a tad. I will answer emails at 9 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm. Tuesday through Friday will be dedicated days for engagement sessions, and Mondays are husband days which means the doors of LJP will be closed. If a blog is posted it will be because it was prescheduled, and emails will be answered on Tuesday at 3pm. This means that if you send an email on Saturday and I’m shooting a wedding, please be patient, as I will respond to your email on Tuesday, at 3 pm.
These changes just aren’t to keep my marriage happy and healthy, but to also better serve my Brides and Grooms. What kind of wedding photographer would I be if my marriage first wasn’t a happy marriage?
Woo..thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest. It’s going to take some adjusting to, and a LOT of self discipline to stick to this plan (especially emails….), but I know in the long run, this is exactly what needs to happen. Because after all, “hustle doens’t have to equal heartache”!
