the Rush...
It always amazes me how quickly time flies. I know its so cliche, but it's true! Slowly, I am realizing that writing is my little place to relax and just share not only of my work, but also my life. And so let me dive right in!
The last year and a half I have been putting in so much over time with work. Trying to build a brand is no easy task and although on the outside looking in it may seem easy, it certainly is not. There are so many hours and all-nighters while my little family is asleep. "The rush" from the pressure I put on myself and the rush to get it all done and now the rush of the holidays!! Some days I swear I wake up and think I can take on anything and then there are those days when reality just sets in... I am no super woman! Sometimes its almost as if I am failing at everything. But I have come to a place where I am used to that and I have learned to press on. Just as soon as I feel myself bending to that negative feeling, that's when the turning point comes. And I realize, it was only growing pains.
We all have our challenges. For me being a "momtrepreneur", a wife and struggling with some health issues is always a gentle dance...well maybe more like a roller-coaster! For years I have had my ups and downs with Lyme Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I thank God all the time for my husband when it comes to that, because he is the one that swoops in when I am feeling my worst and patiently picks up the slack for me. There have been days and sometimes weeks when business certainly took a back seat. I can honestly say it is the days that I physically cannot get out of bed that make me question if I am on the right path with my career. The idea of a 9-5, almost seems like a vacation when you're faced with some of the greatest challenges of owning your own business. It's always the chase that keeps me going; chasing the dream. That and the idea that someday I know in my heart my dreams will be an inspiration and an example to both of my daughters to fight for what they want in life and to persevere and believe in themselves. That in and of itself is easier said than done! And while I chase my goals and build my brand, I am still finding myself. There is still so much growing to do...I know that will always be.
The moments that I could take for granted are the ones I purpose to soak in and savor now. The moments that could put me over the edge, like the stress of getting ready for a family photo shoot! Can I get an amen?! I cannot be the only one that can handle so much and then something as simple as a family photo shoot will be the one thing that puts me into an anxiety-ridden circus! These are the things I have taught myself to plan ahead for, NOT RUSH, and just go with the flow. We cannot control everything, but we can teach ourselves to live for the people we love, and the memories and the things that are not tangible in life. Now, I am getting better with that, but it doesn't mean that I have it all figured out. My loving husband likes to "sweetly" remind me when I am not prioritizing well. Mainly when I spend too much of my spare time posting to my business social media pages! But like I said I still have a lot of growing to do.
I wanted to share with you a few photos from our holiday shoot for 2016. And I hope that you remember to never give up on what you are fighting for, but also to not fight against the winds if they are shifting you in another direction...because it doesn't necessarily mean you will be steered off course. Sometimes when we fall we actually fly! (That is a quote right? I definitely didn't come up with that one).
Wishing you love and happiness this holiday season, Jessica
------Special thank you to Erin Farley for these amazing photos she captured of my family------
