It may come as a surprise to many of you that I've held a full-time job as a bookkeeper for most of my life. That is no longer the case. As of January 1, 2021 I am now a full-time photographer. I have taken a huge leap of faith and decided to build my business and pursue my own dreams! It took a great deal of time to come to terms with this notion. I couldn't have predicted this 5 years ago. I always figured that I'd work a full-time job and just squeeze in shoot when I could, compromising what little time I had available with my family and friends.
So, early 2020 Covid-19 hits, and we're quarantined. I'm working from home and my photography was practically stagnant, but then sometime in mid-June all of a sudden I started to get more bookings. It just some how started to snowball, booking after booking, just non-stop. I was ecstatic! I mean beaming with joy.
Over a short amount of time the proverbial work-life balance became nonexistent. I was working 2 full-time jobs now. Monday through Friday, 9-5 as a bookkeeper and as soon as I'd get home from that, I'd start working on my photography. I would be on my phone texting clients, emailing, editing, etc., and I did this while I was cooking or during dinner, even out on date-night. I compromised every bit of my family time over and over and over again. It was out of control and I had no time for myself and I was spread too thin, trying to accommodate everyone. I was always the happiest when I was focusing on my family or on the photography.
Then it suddenly dawned on me. Why am I doing this to myself? This is a situation that I created and therefore I can control it. So mid-December 2020 I turned in my notice and on the stroke of midnight on December 31st 2020 I became a full-time photography entrepreneur.
I am not going to lie, I am equally scared, as I am excited. Having a full-time job provided a security and comfort that I could always depend on. I could just roll up, do my job and leave at the end of a days work. Now, now I have to rely on myself more than ever, and I know I can do it! However, if I fail, I will always be able to look back and say I tried, I gave it my best and I have no regrets.
So here goes nothing!