EVEN MORE!
Friday, February 12th 2010 @ 7:31 PM
I attended a spiritual retreat last weekend. It was three days of no cell phone, no computer, & no camera (!) – time to spend looking inward rather than outward. I was skeptical about the concept, but willing to give it a try.
I came away a changed person. Thanks in part to letters collected in advance from friends & family, I was able to see myself as they see me – and I realized how much gentler & kinder they are toward me than I am toward my own self. I resolve to love ‘me’ better from now on.
On Sunday night, I stopped at home, moved my toiletry bag into another (pre-packed) suitcase, and immediately headed to Portland for the annual state photographer’s convention. Again, I was feeling skeptical. I was tired and introspective after the weekend. Did I really need to go meet & greet other photographers and attend more classes?
Once again, I was amazed at what I learned. For me, it wasn’t about new techniques of lighting, posing or retouching. It was about the heart of my business – about what I love to do and how I can do it in a way that delights my clients even more.
In the next few months, I expect to tweak sessions and collections. I expect to expand art options. I expect an experience with me will feel even more personal, as I move into an even more authentic place with both myself and my business.
I have to laugh, because I repeated ‘even more’ three times in the last paragraph. That’s a taboo for writers – to repeat the same words again & again. But I can’t change it, because in each place it is exactly the right phrase. I think I’ve discovered my theme for 2010 – EVEN MORE. Even more passion for what I do. Even more love for those around me.
And this is all because of a couple of seminars that on the surface appeared very different, but were, at heart, the same – about sharing my passion and about living life to the fullest. The opportunities to grow are all around me, even if I’m skeptical.