It's probably because I consider myself an "artist" of sorts that I am so vocal about my feelings and thoughts. I've always had depth in my feelings and been very open about them, no matter what the subject matter is. I am 25 years old and I am beginning my own journey to becoming a professional photographer. Though this is the start of this journey in particular, it is not the start to the search for my "niche."
At 18 years old I found myself graduated from high school with not a clue as to what to do next. I took a year off from school only to realize I was not at all ready or prepared for the "real world" of bill paying and serving others. I then attended Buffalo State College for a year. There I was introduced to many different things in the adult world and I didn't do much studying or going to class. I look back on that one year in my life as my "party" year. I think everyone is entitled to at least one of those. I got it out of my system and learned a lot all at once.
After Buffalo State I moved into an apartment and started my first "grown up" job. For the next four years I worked at jobs that allowed me to pay the bills, but I was not ever happy with my work. At such a young age I found myself in the same situation so many others get into... I was racking up the monthly bills and debt and working my butt off at a desk job I hated just to be able to afford to live. I started gaining weight, I was a smoker and I dove into depression pretty hard.
I married and had my first daughter and for once life seemed pretty amazing. A year later I was about to have my second daughter and I was laid off from my second job in a year. The work just wasn't there, the jobs just weren't around. After giving birth to my second daughter I was heavily engrossed in post-partum depression. Something about my life had to change.
I didn't want to go back to a job I knew I would hate. Just the thought of getting yelled at by unhappy people on the phones all day made me shiver. I wanted to find something that I could be happy in. I wanted to find something that the people I work with are happy. But what?
I battled through my post-partum depression with the love and support of my husband and mother. I attempted to medicate myself but that only lasted a few days. During this time I was also searching for my niche. Finally one day it hit me. I had dabbled into dreaming it before, but why not take the initiative and make it a reality? I wanted to become a professional photographer.
My husband was the first to be right on board with this idea. Now my husband is usually the first to say I need to get a job and we desperately need the money so for him to tell me to go for this dream was a huge eye opener for me. If he believes in me then I must be able to do it! Next my mother and then following was my father. Both encouraged me and even helped me get into classes and onto the path of having a business.
Now I am full fledged into my course work with the New York Institute of Photography and on a great start to creating my business, Devoted Touch Photography. I am a stay at home mother during the day. My husband is usually gone for 10-11 hours a day Monday-Friday. When my girls nap or when my husband is home I study, work on my courses or work on my business. It is hectic and busy but I am absolutely loving every single minute of it.
Gone are the days of feeling lost in a world of meaningless jobs. I am now my own boss. My success and income are determined solely on the hard work I put in. I've created this blog (I have many) so that I can document my journey to success. That may sound a bit much to say now because I am literally starting at scratch, and I know I will be a success. I believe in myself.
I invite you to follow along on my journey.
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