Finding Your Life Line: Photography

When I asked how I find the time/energy to juggle my varied obligations or when I bother to sleep, I simply explain that when you have something you LOVE in your life the inevitable hard days are worth it. I found my life line at the barn and in the saddle. Although the time I spend riding has waxed and waned over the years, I always return to this one thing that nourishes the best parts of me. So, I decided to ask my friends where they found their life line and how they kept going.

Meet Liz.

Momma of two, prior service member and now stay-at-home-mom and wife to an active duty soldier! Currently living in Hawaii and excited to see where the wind blows us next!

What are you passionate about?

My passion is my photography! I did establish a business with it, but I think I would be equally as passionate even if I didn’t have an official business.

How did you get started with it?

I have always had an artistic side. But, being in the military and doing the job I did, I very rarely got to feed into that creativity! When I finally got out of the military, I ended up staying at home with the babies. My husband had been urging me for a couple years to have a business in photography. One day, he came from work with a shiny box that had Nikon D800 written on it! He told me that he knew I loved it and that he and many others that I was good at it. It was very sweet. He was urging me and basically giving me permission to follow my dreams…So, that was the very beginning!

What are the challenges to pursuing your passion?

Oh boy! A lot go challenges. From emotional (trying to be the best and continually comparing yourself to others…apparently you aren’t supposed to do that *note sarcasm*), financial (will I have a steady income, how do I value my passion and art with a dollar amount), learning how to market and manage a business effectively (am I creating a manageable workflow and do I have a sustainable business model), and family life! All of the regular challenges most people have. I think the biggest challenge I have faced is balance. How do I balance my passion (which often times consumes me) with my business (making sure I keep up with marketing and bookkeeping), and with my normal everyday “mom jobs”.

How does it benefit you and your family?

Having my own photography business benefits me in that is allows me to have something that is “mine”. As a stay-at-home-mom, I think it so often that you feel like you don’t ever take care or cater to what your needs are since you are too busy catering to everyone else. Photography allows me to express myself as “Liz” rather than “mom” and it allows me to make singular decisions that did not revolve around anyone else in the family. It keeps me occupied and happy while putting some extra cash in my pocket to do fun things that I would not have done with our single income. I am able to fund all of the “un-necessary” and fun things that we do as a family and I do for myself while knowing that I can contribute to any larger financial decisions with the money I have earned.

Photography allows me to express myself as “Liz” rather than “mom”

How has “adult life” and your other obligations affected how you pursue your interest?

Case and Point: I sat down 3 times to answer these questions before I actually got to do it. The first time: I realized the kids hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and that I had gotten a little to ahead of myself trying to start work so early in the day. That lead to dishes and dishes led to laundry…The second time: I had to take my daughter to gymnastics. The third time: The oven started beeping, signaling that lunch was ready for the kids…which led to more dishes and then nap time…It is often hard to get un-interrupted time to actually get focused on any projects or work I may have to accomplish.

What keeps you going when it feels like you have too much on your plate?

My husband. All the way. That, and I have some amazing friends (and fellow photographers) that sometimes talk me off the proverbial ledge of what is being a business owner. It is truly nice to have a strong group of people who surround you and believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself.

What are your tips for someone with the same interests who isn’t sure if they can balance their obligations with pursuing their passion?

I would say not to cheat yourself because you have too many responsibilities elsewhere. Where there is a will, there is a way. It is simply (or not-so-simply) a matter of creating tiny pieces of time for yourself in which you can pursue your passion. 30 min here, 20 min there, and hour here, a couple hours there….You will be glad you took time for yourself and you likely won’t resent the things around you (as much) from preventing you from doing it.

[bctt tweet=”It is simply (or not-so-simply) a matter of creating tiny pieces of time for yourself “]

Tell me about your favorite life hack/organization tip/secret for success?

The best advice I ever got when dealing with feeling overwhelmed: write all your “to-dos” down…they don’t look like much once you write them down and then you have a visual picture of what needs to get done. I have taken that as far as creating a desktop wallpaper that depicts what my ideal week looks like (by day and by time of day). Do I follow it? Not always. But it is a good reminder to myself when I feel off balance or when I feel like I have been so busy but somehow haven’t gotten anything done or am not feeling particularly motivated. It is a reminder that I intentionally created time for my many responsibilities and that it is up to me to follow through. No excuses.

What are your goals for your hobby/business?

Through my photography, I would like to inspire other artists to create their own art! I would also like to be able to inspire my clients to re-connect and re-fall in love with each other, their families, and themselves. My goal is to show people they are beautiful, despite whatever imperfections the perceive.

Thank you, Liz for being the first in my Life Line series! I’m totally stealing that desktop wallpaper idea! Take a moment and check Liz’s gorgeous photography at www.clayjarsphotography.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram – although fair warning, the sun and waves will give YOU Hawaii fever, too.