Welcome
I would like to welcome you to my personal blog, I am very happy that you found your way here and I hope you will enjoy every moment you spend on this blog. On this blog, people can find all kinds of photographs from my world and they all come with a little backstory to explain the reason what inspired me to take the photo. I think that a back story is always a good thing to have.
Promoting Your Chiropractor’s Service: What Do You Need To Know?
Having a service in today’s world includes more than having an office where you will provide the service, as you need to attract people and show them that you are working.Here on Chapel hill chiropractic you can read a lot of new news. Before the internet, things were simple: you make some flyers and you send them out.
Now, things are different as you need to invest both time and money into the online promotion of your business. We have prepared the practical tips for the promotion of your chiropractic service online!
Generate your leads
The leads are potential customers who end up on your website when searching for something. Considering that you already have the website that presents you and your service, the next step is to offer the visitors something valuable. For example, you can offer them the free download of an ebook that describes the 10 easy remedies for lower back pain. In order to download it, the lead/visitor needs to leave you an email and name.
Once he downloads, you can send him periodically the emails with useful content that might be interesting to him. Over time, in case a visitor finds the content useful, he will buy something from your website, will order your service and will recommend you as a reliable service to his friends and family! And that is exactly what you need for business promotion!
Press releases
Press is still a reliable source of information, no doubt. When some important event takes place, especially one that is in some way related to your service, you need to send out the flyers, brochures and other forms of our business presentation.
You can present your accomplishments or awards and share these with the rest of the community. It would not be a bad idea to give an award (a free examination, for example) to the lucky 1000th visitor! This attracts people and renders you as a reliable, useful and valuable service!
Social platforms must be updated
Yes, there is no successful business without the presence of social media! People use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and you must be within their reach if you want to become a good company.
You can allow them to schedule arrangements through these apps, as well as to communicate directly with you. This creates a new layer of confidence and increases your reputation. Additionally, you can invest some money into Facebook ads and Google Ads to increase your visibility and get more clients.
Write newsletters
Email newsletters are not expensive nor hard to write, but these are highly effective strategies for building a reputation and getting more followers and clients. Collect email addresses from your leads/potential clients and send them newsletters.
Try to write from the patient’s perspective so you could get closer to them and identify their problem. You can include a short survey, offering the patients to share their thoughts and ideas about the problems and upgrades. The communication with the leads is the best way to establish the reputation, confidence and the right service!
Combine Your Passion with Blogging
As a blogger for many years, I have been gathering experience and I was testing all kinds of things just to see how people would react. One of the things I have learned during my blogging career is that people like reading the truth, or your real-life stories. If you try to make up a story just because nothing interesting has happened, then people will see that, and they won’t like it as much as your real stories. At first, I was trying to paint a picture of some perfect life that I was always chasing, but later I realized that the life I am living right now I far more interesting, especially for people who are reading.
Also, I have realized that combining your ultimate passion with blogging is really great because you get closer to your readers. If you try and focus on one thing in particular such as photography in my case, then you will have readers who are all interested in that. I believe that all the visitors on my blog have a passion towards photography. Here is how and why you should combine your passion with blogging.
Special Community
A very unique thing about blogging is that you get to meet a lot of your visitors through the comment section of your posts. That’s why it is crucial that you always leave the comments open even if you get some hate comments from time to time. You can actually have some really adult and nice conversations with the readers of your blog. The first time I started combining photography with my blog, people were confused because they were used to reading different posts. It didn’t take long for them to realize this is the path that I choose and some left, but luckily for me, I gained a lot of new visitors since then.
BY combining the passion with your blog, you are creating a unique community that will grow much faster because you have a theme that you follow the entire time. In my case, photography helped me out a lot because I was able to not only talk about my experiences but also to show people some images of what I was talking about.
Be Brave and Patient
Being patient and brave enough to start a blog where you implement your passion is the key to success. If you are into sports, then talk about sports and make your posts interesting with the latest updates and your stance on some news. After some time, people will start to follow you and they will start to like the content that you put out. You just have to keep in mind to post quality content over quantity.
What are the Limits of Blogging
As a blogger myself I can give you all kinds of information and guidance on how to start your own blog, but lately, a lot of people have been asking me what some of the limitations for bloggers are. Well, answering this question is not easy, there are not that many limits as a blogger, but still, there are some things that you shouldn’t do. What I like about blogging is that I have a freedom to write anything that I like whether people like it or not. Of course, I decided myself that I want an audience that appreciates the work and effort that I put into my posts, so I try to make everything interesting to them. I have done some thinking and I think I came up with a short list of things that are limiting me as a blogger and that I would like to change.
Terms of Service
Just like anything else that is on the internet blogs also have to follow some certain rules such as the terms of service. In case you violate some of the terms of services, your account or even your entire blog can get suspended permanently. That is the worst nightmare for every blogger because you will lose all of your followers and you will have to start over from scratch. That’s why I suggest that you always have a backup account where you can let your followers know that you have moved to a different location. Also, starting social media accounts is a huge help in case things go wrong. There is a high chance that even if you violate the terms of service that you will get a notification that you did something bad. In some cases, you won’t get any notification and you will just get removed.
Storage Limit
One of the things that are frustrating to me is the storage limit they have because it is around 1 GB I believe and that is more than enough if you are just posting text. However, if you are a photographer or you are posting pictures that 1 GB will not be enough. Luckily there is an option to use some additional features and services that will allow you to expand the storage of your blog in case you need it. For me, that was the solution and now I can post everything that I want, however, I still need to pay extra for that expanded storage space. So, in conclusion, there isn’t a lot of things that will keep you from posting wherever you like. The limitations won’t get in your way, especially when you first start your blog because you will have a fresh canvas
Best Camera for Nature Photography
As a photographer, you will need to have a whole arsenal of cameras and equipment that will allow you to take pictures in every environment. If you are not ready to take on some nature shots, then you better wait because the pictures won’t look that good if you don’t have the right camera. So, what is a good camera for outdoors and what makes is so different. Well, there are a couple things that you need to look out for when buying a new camera for nature photography, one of them is to have low light capabilities. That’s right, even though you are using natural light, in most cases with regular cameras you won’t capture the essence because of the bad light. However, with the proper camera that wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Here are some cameras that you should check out for nature photography.
Nikon D500
This camera is one of the all-time favorites for most people because it allows you to do so much outside. When taking pictures in nature, you never know what you are going to capture, and you always have to be ready, this camera allows you to stay focused at all times. It has huge capabilities and a great autofocus system that will make your life so much easier. If you want to capture things that are moving fast, such as birds, then this is definitely something you should consider buying.
Canon 7D Mark II
This is also a fantastic camera with a crop sensor and it offers an outstanding 10 frames per second shooting. That type of shooting speed is definitely what you need for nature photography. It has a 20-megapixel sensor that will bring out the true colors and make your shots look perfect even when working in low light.
I would strongly suggest that you pick one of these two cameras for your nature photography because I had experience with both of them and I can tell you from experience they are unmatchable. Not one other camera can get you great pictures as these two.
How to Become A Successful Blogger
People think that blogging is easy and that they can do it even better, the reason why I know that is because I was once one of those people. Of course, the moment I started my personal blog, I realized how wrong I was this whole time. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to scare off people from blogging, I think it is a very unique and beautiful experience, but it is not simply that is for sure. In case you want to just share your thoughts with people and not take care of the aesthetics or what other people think, then you can have a pretty easy time, but if you are like me a perfectionist, you will have to work hard.
Posting a picture or a story on my blog is a process that can take up to few days. In some cases, I start to write something, and I never end up posting it because I don’t feel like it will be interesting or entertaining for my audience. That’s why I decided to share some of my experience with blogging and maybe help you how to become a successful blogger.
Quality Content
I believe that the most important thing about blogging that will get you successful is to have quality content over quantity. Nobody really cares if you have posted 1000 articles in a year if there is nobody to read them. Of course, you have to be consistent and put out a post at least once per month, but even then, you have to make sure that the post is high-quality, and that people will enjoy it. Making a lot of bad posts won’t get you or your blog anywhere because nobody will want to waste their time reading some nonsense.
In some cases, you need to sacrifice your time to create a quality post. I sometimes spend over a week designing a post, but the feedback that I get from my readers makes everything worth it. Once you start blogging, you will understand the feeling. If you like to write stories and share your experiences with other people, then I strongly suggest starting a blog because there are people who want to learn from you or heard your interesting stories.
Listen to Audience
In the start, you might not get a lot of people visiting your blog, but that is completely normal. You cannot just grow overnight a huge audience that loves you. This is a process that takes time and patience. The key to growing your audience is to always listen to them and make changes that they suggest. There will always be people in your audience who will say what they think about your posts. Even if the feedback is mean, you don’t have to start an argument, everyone has the right to say what they like or dislike. Take that critique and turn it into something better. If they don’t like that you are too detailed, then start telling stories that are simpler and easier to understand maybe they like that.
How to Capture the Best Shot
Light Sources
The most professional photography tip that I can give you that will definitely help you improve your pictures and get that best shot is to always pay attention to the light sources. As a photographer, your best friend and your worst enemy will be the light source because in some cases, the light will shine just perfectly and will make the picture 10 times better and, in some cases, it will ruin the picture. Well, the key here is to find a way to get the picture, so the light is in your favor. To do this, you will need to have a lot of experience and even quality equipment, especially when shooting inside.
Taking pictures inside other than outside is a completely different experience because outside you have natural light and inside you rely mostly on the lights that you have. That’s why it is very important to always be prepared with the right equipment. If you are going to an indoor shot, you need to bring all the light equipment with you because you don’t know how the background will look like.
Practice
The second tip that I have for you that I discovered not so long ago was to just simply practice. That’s right, you don’t always have to wait for someone to call and hire you. I always take my camera and some basic equipment with me because I take pictures of every place that I visit. I don’t want to wait because I need to improve my skills and the best way to get the perfect shot is when you know what to do. By practicing, you will get a lot of experience and when the time comes to take that one perfect photo, you will be ready.
Always Be Ready
This tip is similar to the previous one because when you are practicing you are always taking pictures of meaning that you are ready at all times to capture a moment. If you wish to become a better photographer, you will need a lot of materials to show off to people. If you are always ready to take a picture, then not one good moment will be missed. You just never know when the perfect picture will line up and missing it because you are not ready is the worst feeling that you will ever get. I did make that mistake once and it will never repeat.
Nourish – Light And Dark
I’ve been looking at a lot of my work lately, and I’ve been uncovering a pattern I’ve known was there but that I never really thought to work on. I’m finding a truthfulness in my images that denies the trendy “no-contrast, everything-overexposed” approach to photos and embraces both light and dark. I like it, and I am looking forward to nourishing that element more fully in my 2016 work.
The more that I look at the work that I have been doing, the more I realize how much I have changed and improved over the years. I’m very happy with the results so far because the difference from the first year of my photography career is quite big compared to the today’s work.
I’m not just looking at my work, though. I know that I have a dark side, or at least an introverted side, a part of me that can only grow softly with silence and needs just as much attention as my “light” side that is always out there doing things. I think this darker side of me was better cared for at the beginning of my days with my baby, when I had to create time for her and for me to simply be, when nothing else could be done in our world or our house because nourishment was the only important thing for both of us in those moments.
I’m missing the space now even though I’m the one depriving myself of it, thinking that now that the baby is older and more independent, I should be able to do all those things I put off. But in order to live from that “shadow” side of me, I need to nourish it, give it what it needs to be alive.
It is getting more difficult to determine what is required to nourish all the things. The more I think about it, the less I understand what is needed, and the more I see that needs to be nourished. I’m going to have to sit with it a while before I understand it, I think.
Wedding and Engagement Photography
Weddings are one of the most exciting events for people, especially for photographers like myself because we get a chance not only to test our skills but also to capture some really special moments of this special day. Without photography, a wedding day would be forgotten in just a few weeks, but luckily for us, we have pictures that will live on forever and remind us of those great moments. When it comes to weddings and engaging the key thing is to capture the essence and the mood of people in photos, if the photographer cannot capture the mood, then they are just wasted pictures. In this article, I want to show people or educate them about how to properly take these wedding photos and what are some of the things that you must not miss.
If you have a wedding coming up and you are hired as their photographer, you better not let those people down. Weddings are a great place to build up your reputation as a photographer because you get to shoot many pictures and if people like your work they will contact you. At weddings, there are a lot of guests and you get the chance to prove yourself in front of them as a professional photographer.
Private Moments
You have to realize something, as a wedding photographer, you should be allowed to go and take pictures of every single moment even if those moments are private. This is a very unique opportunity because people won’t get mad that you are invading their privacy. Of course, there are some limits to this “rule” however, you can feel free and capture some really cool and private moments of the bridesmaids or the grooms. The reason why this is ok to do it because later on in five or ten years those people will want to remember every single moment of that day and those pictures play a key role in that. You have to think about what you would like to remember from that day, at least that’s what I always do when I go to a wedding.
Five Minutes With Strangers: Le Papillon Vert
On Monday, I shared about five minutes with a couple Pete and I asked to photograph at the Charleston Farmer’s Market. Today, I’ve got another five minutes to share with you – a vendor from one of the market stalls whose booth and colors caught my eye as we were walking past.
Le Papillon Vert – The Green Butterfly – is a little shop I never noticed at the market before (mostly because we are usually chasing kids and racing our parking meter). The shop is one of a few jewelry shops featured at the Farmer’s Market and stands out from the rest with its bright fabric appeal and classic booth design. Evita Smith, a local designer/craftswoman, handmakes everything for this little shop (which is also an Etsy shop – how FUN is that??!), and I mean everything from silk fabric flowers to custom corsets.
Sometimes I get the inspiration to take a picture of the most random objects around me and people think that I am crazy because of that, but when they see the finished product they are stunned. Well, I guess that is something that I have as a unique gift to see the world differently and not treat everyday objects like they are nothing. I like to think that everything around us has a story just like that jewelry store and when taking a picture, that picture can tell a thousand stories about that one item. That is the beauty of photography, even if you don’t know the real story behind a photo, you can make up one yourself if you just let your imagination flow freely. Just take a look at the pictures below and tell me what type of story you see when you take a look at the picture.
Her antique mannequin with the soft green corset stopped me in my photographin’ tracks – I had been DYING to shoot one of those. Once I had shot that, I just got carried away while Pete carried on the conversation. (I mentioned my husband is good with people?)
That classy feminine feel of her work? I’m falling in love here. I’m so seriously going to have to ask her to share some for a shoot sometime!
Lavender-Grey
I’ve had a High Calling Photoplay prompt floating around at the edges of my consciousness since Claire posted the thing last week, but I’d not had time to even read it thoroughly before this morning. I figured I’d just need to pick a color and shoot a photo in that color. I didn’t expect that I’d need to get EIGHT images! And for an added bonus, we were collaborating with Tweetspeak Poetry this week, writing catalog poems about our colors.
Seriously? Claire, L.L.? That’s asking for a LOT of creativity in one place!
I had to do a full shoot this morning, and I picked “lavender” as my color. Apparently, it is my favorite color. It comes from the ultraviolet in light, and since “light” is not really a color, I went with the closest thing that hit my eye – the sun coming in on the dried lavender bundle I’ve got in my office. Once I was three shots in, I realized I’d run out of lavender stuff in the house, so I had to get creative. I took a trip around the house, dug through some old stationery, headed outside to my neighbor’s house, and finished with one of the prettiest shots I’ve ever done!
Photography can sometimes be more complicated than most people might think, it requires not just a lot of skill, but also a lot of patience because you will not get straight away from your best shot. In some cases, I was spending a whole week before I got the right shot. To be a good photographer you will need to be judgmental and the reason why you need to be like that is that you have to judge your own photographs in most cases. If you think that every photo you take is perfect, then you probably are doing something wrong. I have met a person who was passionate about taking photos, but the problem he had was that he thought he was a professional when in reality the pictures were not even mediocre level. People like that just need few pointers to show them the beauty of photography and at what level they need to be at with every photo.
Wedding Favorites | Rani & John
Rani and John (who had the most gorgeous light ever for their oh-so-wonderful engagement session!) were married in a beautiful cosmopolitan wedding here in Charleston last October, and I’ve been saving their feature post until we got their wedding published, which happened yesterday at The Wedding Row. This wedding was one of the most joyous occasions I’ve ever witnessed – and I don’t use that word lightly. Everyone who came was genuinely glad to be there, and the love that got passed around that group of people was incredible to witness. The pictures didn’t do it justice, but here is some of the beauty, and a few of my favorites from their day.
Creating a wedding is a very complicated process, especially because you want everything to be perfect that day just like this wedding was. Every guest seemed satisfied with the entire experience because they were dancing, drinking and socializing the entire day. I would like to go to more weddings because I feel like they are a very special occasion where you get the chance to meet a lot of kind people.
Unfortunately, everything has to end at some point, but I really didn’t want the wedding to end that day because it was such a blast. Only the pictures and the videos that were taken will live forever as a reminder of that special day for Rani and John. I am really happy for both of them and I think they are meant for each other because they have many things in common and share the same passion which is most important.
Mood Board | Real Life – The Summer And The Wild
I have been wondering lately if my brand and my business and my desire to be kind and godly and non-offensive has tamed me. My passion is missing, a passion I need to push me out of bed in the morning, passion required to make art and to make it well. I haven’t been taking risks; I can’t tap into desire. Living a boring life isn’t time well spent, I want to do things that will make me feel excited and to do that I need to make some changes. These changes don’t always have to affect the type of person I am, but just the way I handle things with much more confidence.
I tell myself I have too much to lose if I… well, fill in the blank. But if I’ve got too much to lose, then I’ve already lost sight of the most important thing: The God who is big enough to hold me together even if I do lose.
I wanted to live recklessly. Why oh why do I keep waiting for a dare? Why do I so consistently pass up abundant life?
When I was away in Texas for a week last fall, Pete planted me a garden. When he planted it, everything was rather uniform in size – I guess plants come that way from the nursery, kinda like babies. But in less than a year, the garden has taken on a life of its own. The mums are fighting to survive the summer heat, the variegated trivet is filling in the garden floor with some crazy, and the purple butterfly flowers have been drooping over the sidewalk haphazardly all year.
But none of them have done what the sunflowers (or whatever these things are) have done, growing up tall (it’s over three feet now) and making a statement. This thriving perennial has been daring me for weeks to photograph it, but I’ve opted to ignore it. Still, it teases me with its vibrant un-Kelly colors until I laugh at its audacity.
It is not a well-behaved plant.
I rebelled this morning. I looked at Pete and told him that I hate my job right now, accepted the fact that I have failed (and OH so gloriously) at something I wanted. And when the sun came in on my monitor to force my morning break, I went out and misbehaved right along with my plant.
I used my old camera. I broke compositional rules. I shot colors and not neutrals. I zoomed in close and tapped into a life that plant has been teasing me with for months.
It is not a well-behaved plant, but it is a Kelly plant. It is chasing the light, living real life just as it was meant to live without care for anyone’s approval. It’s filling up my garden with passion.
There are too many “right” ways to live. Everybody has an opinion about what is okay and what isn’t okay, and some people may be able to fit the “okay” mold just fine. But for me? I can’t stay the same height as all the other plants. I can’t pull off the sweet-and-wispy droop or the elegant filler.
A friend asked me on Friday what I have to lose by living passionately, by saying what I think, by letting go and just BEING, wherever I am. I didn’t have an answer for her.
“You’re living out of fear,” she said pointedly. She was right.
My heart begged an explosion, reached again for the God who wants me free, who called me to GO.
Reckless living requires reckless trust that I am – and can be – love with a reckless love right where I am. It demands growth undaunted by heat, full-out abandon to the light. It thrives on questions and third-day hairstyles and tears running out my nose when Pete tells me I am “the most beautiful mess” he’s ever seen.
Abundant life, real life – it isn’t tame, behaved, organized, or branded. But it IS exquisite. And it is worth it.
A Lovely Workshop Photography
If you are into photography like I am, then you will appreciate this article because I will be sharing my experience from the time I visited a photography workshop. In case you are new to this hobby and you are just starting to learn about photography, don’t worry I will try to keep everything simple. I will first explain what a photography workshop is for the people who have never been to one. I like to refer to photography workshop as a learning class where you get the chance to learn from professionals about the art of photography. When you are just getting started, this is one of the must do things because it will teach you a lot of things about photography that you wouldn’t know otherwise.
There are some people who might think this is not necessary, and they might not be wrong, it is not necessary, but if you don’t go to one of these classes, you will have a really hard time understanding photography. By yourself, you can learn certain things, but here you can learn from professionals who have many years of experience.
Unique Experience
My first time I was part of a workshop photography was definitely one of the best days of my life and that is not exaggerating. I truly loved every second that I spend in that class, it was a whole new experience that I will never forget. I strongly suggest other photographers try out these workshops because not only they are educational, but they are a lot of fun too. You get to hang out with a small group of people and all you talk about is photography which is amazing if you are really passionate about it.
What made that day so special were all the people I had the opportunity of meeting. I even made friends who are now a big part of my life and it is all thanks to that lovely workshop photography. Since then I have been to couple more workshops and each time I had a blast and surprisingly every time I learned something new.
Gift Guide Round-Up: For the Photographer
Buying gifts for your loved ones is always a difficult time, especially if you don’t know their taste. However, you have to remember that it goes both ways, people who are buying gifts for you also are struggling to find the perfect gift. In case you have a friend, who is a photographer, or he is just into photography, I can help you find the perfect gift that will most definitely make him/her happy. To buy a photographer a gift may sound easy, you just visit a store where they sell photography items and buy something. Well, it’s not that easy because when you do visit a shop you will be presented with another problem and that is choosing the right item once again. That’s right, photography has a lot of accessories and items that you can purchase and each of those accessories have their benefit.
Luckily for you, I am a photographer myself and I have a lot of experience with gifts related to this hobby/job. I will try to give you a guide on how to pick out the perfect gift for your friend who is into photography. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that you will make the best choice, but I can definitely help you out.
Don’t go Cheap
The first advice is to not go cheap when buying anything that is related to photography, especially when it is the equipment or accessory. Also, I am not saying you should get the most expensive equipment, but never get the cheapest one. The reason for this is very simple, your friends will know how much you paid because there are not that many good brands that produce quality equipment. My advice is to choose between some of those quality brands and get a smaller piece of equipment than to buy a “large” gift that is of low quality.
Quality is Important
Like with any other gifts quality is important, but with photography equipment, it is even more important that you get quality items. You cannot produce good pictures if your equipment is bad. Your best chance is to ask the employees for some professional advice.
We Heart | Kinfolk Magazine
I’ve got a theory that living in such an internet-saturated world is actually recreating a desire to hold printed things in our hands. Of course, I say this because I assume that the rest of the world thinks like me, that you all get tired of the screen that tethers us to our jobs and connects us to all the noise we could ask. I say this because I think it takes your breath away to page through a printed book with beautiful pictures, read a handwritten letter, or caress textured paper.
It is just a unique experience that I think cannot be replaced with a modern digital way. Of course, I understand that younger generations are more used to using computers and technology on a daily basis, but even they can enjoy reading a real book. Holding a book in your hand is like the part of the experience, it makes the story more enjoyable because you get a feeling like you are a part of it.
I’ve got a confession to make.
I’ve pretty much stopped reading blogs. I am buying magazines now. And books. And I am spending a little time each day with the tangible to freshen my perspective after spending so much time in a web-world that contains only itself and its ideas. But I’m remembering how not everything can be reduced to pixels and design. I’m remembering how good it feels to read slowly, without scrolling or highlighting. I am touching printed images and remembering that the world is bigger than my blog.
Which brings me to Kinfolk Magazine, my (okay, OUR – Pete loves it!!!) new obsession.
The sweetly traditional tone of the photography in this new obsession of mine has been so refreshing. Combine that with the poetic writing and true stories throughout – the authenticity offered here is unbelievably beautiful. It takes me back to times I spent at my grandma’s house, reminds me to cherish traditions NOW, to make space for them and live, instead of sustaining survival mode all the time.
You have to read it. I want you to hold it too. Take a break. Breathe.
(Oh. And I am not being paid for this endorsement. I just love this new little thing in my life and I wanted to share.)
Reasons Why to Read Poetry
If you are not into reading books, then I must let you know that you are missing out big time. Reading books, especially poems is a very healthy thing to do and if you don’t believe us, then stay here and you will find out few very good reasons why you should start. I understand that we cannot make people start reading books just because we say that it is good for them, but what I can do is show people all the various benefits that reading things like poems can give you. I have specially designed this article to talk about the many reasons why you should get into reading poetry in your free time.
Helps you Deal with Emotions
One of the many reasons why people choose to read books, especially poetry is because it simply helps them deal with their emotions. We are all humans and we all have emotions that are affecting our lives. If you have a lot of negative or sad emotions, you can read a poem and those emotions can change easily. If you don’t believe us, then just take a motivating poem and read it when you don’t have any motivation for work or even a workout in the gym. There are a lot of people who find motivation in poems and there is nothing weird about that. You can find a poem that will give you that small push that you needed to continue and finish your tasks.
You Can Learn from Poetry
That’s right, you can actually learn a lot of new things just by reading poems. You don’t have to read only the old poems, there are a lot of modern writers who have very educational poems that show you a different view on things. Not only you can learn from poems, but they can also change the way you look at the world and things around you. Your entire perspective can change if you start reading poems and that is a good thing because poems writers always speak about the harsh truth.
One Word 2016 – “Nourish”
Sometimes the sun comes out and I realize I’m a little better at what I do than I think I am on the cloudy days. I’m encouraged this morning, coming into my workspace and finding photos I really like and ideas that are ready to go in this new season. I have a lot of work to do this week, and to tell you the truth, I am still too tired to do it. My health collapsed unexpectedly last month, and my focus over the last few weeks has been on doing what it takes to get back on my feet and move forward again.
Because running a business from my home and keeping up with three kids isn’t exactly a slow job, I did a lot of neglecting to take care of myself last year. I didn’t set boundaries I should have set. I didn’t make time to nurture my artist (I’m totally going to need to start over in earnest on The Artist’s Way now…). I pushed myself too far in places I didn’t need to push. I actually forgot to feed myself and didn’t even know I had forgotten until I realized I had lost my appetite and had dropped without thinking into clinical anorexia.
So it isn’t exactly surprising that my word for 2016 emerged as “Nourish.”
I have been buying living things for my house without knowing why. I want to see the fresh green, the florals, the obvious life. But I bring them home feeling as though they will only have a short lifespan with me. I don’t think I have a green thumb, so I’ve detached myself.
But I think I’m going to try to keep them alive, even though it may not work.
When you realize you are starving on almost every level of your existence, you begin to think a bit differently about life. I have a friend who reminded me that I need to put on my oxygen mask before I put on the oxygen masks for those in my care. If I can’t breathe, I can’t help anyone else breathe.
“Nourish” means giving a thing what it needs to be alive – a plant, a body, a dream, a belief, a family.
In 2016, I plan to nourish my body, my heart, my artist, and my relationships in 2016. I’m going use my resources to bring the life back into my world and take things a step further than obligatory showers and meals and contractual deliveries and shoots.
It’s funny, being a grownup and having people who know my word telling me that “yes, this word is perfect for you right now.” It makes me feel a bit dumb, that maybe I’ve been missing the obvious for quite some time – but I guess you only know what you know sometimes, until the thing gets up in your face and makes you pay attention.
I’m glad for a word I wouldn’t have thought of, and glad for a thought to guide my goals and my boundaries and my investments this year. I have a bit (<— okay, that’s an understatement – HA!) to catch you up on, but I’ll be getting more breakfasts here and making some time to do that.
Diigo
Nikon
Evernote
