Don't Give Up
Lately I have heard far too many photographers talk about packing it in and throwing in the towel with regards to their boudoir photography businesses. I’m here to tell you: don’t give up.
You have to ask yourself a very hard question: is it worth it? Yes? Then keep reading on, my friend.
There is a very popular lie that somehow got started amongst business owners somehow and that lie is that as a business owner you will eventually come to a place of peace in your business. A place where you can finally say, “PHEW! I did it!”
Sorry, love. That’s a big fat lie. We are not just owners of a business that is trying to sell a specific service to people; we are owners of a business that is specifically trying to sell a luxury service to a very specific population. That makes a difference.
We simply do not have the luxury of thinking we will get to a place of steadiness where we can just go on auto-pilot and let things tend to themselves. Trends change way too fast, coattails are just too short, and when you are selling a service that isn’t a necessity you have to always be on your toes.
Let me tell you: it’s worth it. The spark in the eyes of client when she finally gets it. The kick in those hips as she walks out the door feeling so fine. The Thank You notes received that tell a story of a changed life, perspective, and self-image. Soooooo worth it. Not to mention sleeping in when you feel like it, taking a last-minute day off, knowing that your boss will give you an enthusiastic YES YES YES when considering that cruise to wherever-island. Ahhhhhhh…there are the many, many perks, for sure.
More than that, there is this sort-of soul-filling thing that happens when you have this idea, and you build it, and then you see it grow and you feel so proud, so accomplished and even so purged.
It’s worth it.
For those of you considering leaving this trade, I want you to keep a few things in mind:
Think about why you started this business in the first place. Ruminate over it, meditate on it, write it down. Remind yourself why this was so important to you that you took this big risk.
If it’s just not working out, think about what the real problem is. You can put the blame in a lot of places but trust me, when you get real with yourself, your intuition will point to where the problem is. I promise you.
Everything works if you do it. Meaning, diets, marketing plans, retirement plans, pyramid schemes…they definitely work IF YOU DO THEM and do them correctly and with commitment. Find the gap where you know something is missing. For most, it’s their marketing. Find the gap and fill it.
Most important question I want you to ask yourself: do you believe in yourself? Are you a person that believes you are worthy of success, prosperity, contentment?
Let me tell you this, whether you believe it or not: YOU ARE. However, what you believe is what you are. The universe is a funny thing with a funny sense of humor (and not “funny haha” either). It wants to deliver to you what you want. It doesn’t know what you want until you tell it and it’s always listening. So when you walk around telling yourself you’ll never be successful, this will never work, and all the reasons you are a failure, the universe is listening and it thinks that’s what you want, because that’s all it hears. So that is what it delivers to you. No, I’m not crazy, and you know it.
You know how they say “you are what you eat”? Well, you are what you think.
Change your thinking, my dear.
I promise you, if you dig deep and truly take the time to do some serious introspection you just might change your life. There is so much reward to come here so just hang on, friend. The best is truly yet to to come.
You’re not only worth it, you deserve it (repeat to infinity).
Just in case you’d like to learn a few more tricks of the trade, swing by and grab my Free Posing Tips Guide for Photographers. It will give you posing tips for the body, the hands, AND facial expressions.
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