10 years ago my life changed- I was given a gift- someone saw some photos I took of my kids and asked me to take their kids photos. I was not a professional portrait photographer. At the time, I had a blog associated with my greeting card and boutique gift business where I sold my watercolor art on cards, baby onesies/ t-shirts, and canvas bags. I loved photography, I loved the portrait photography I saw in National Geographic, and I secretly always wanted to be a photographer, but NEVER thought I could or nor did I give myself permission on my own to pursue that idea! When I began agreeing to take other people’s photos what happened was a crazy blessing-the entire thing snowballed because of word of mouth and I had to let go of my greeting card business to completely focus on my photography business. I call this a gift because I did not have the confidence in myself to give myself permission to even dream this photography business for myself. I recently announced I was celebrating 10 yrs in business this year, and some of you said you wanted to see my old stuff. After much time spent today trying to access old images on old hard drives, I had to give up. But then I remembered I still had access to my first website slide show, and I watched it. Let me tell you- I did not anticipate the emotions that would flood over me. Tears I tell you. I can’t explain all of these deep emotions I am feeling looking at these first images from my first 3 years as a photographer 10 years ago. Viewing my old work I relived so many things- the magic I felt as I was capturing the images of little ones, the excitement of doing what I loved, and also the HONOR – the honor that I felt doing this for people, and then so humble that they chose me! And I relived the feeling of discovering this new passion, and also that feeling of vulnerability of creating not just for myself, but for others, and then I relived that first feeling of rawness- of putting it out there as a business, not a hobby. This is the first image that came through today, one of my own boys, that got my tears going. I used to just walk around my home and take photos of what was happening naturally, unposed- true candid lifestyle photos. I saw this image and memories of this this day came flooding back, and how when I edited the image to B&W how I had thought they looked like adorable yin & yang fishies swimming around. When I saw this today I got so emotional because I remember how broke we were in this first home, and how little my boys were. And now how big they are, and how far we have all come, and how fast time flies. Time keeps going- and if you have not given yourself permission to follow your dreams, or even look at your dreams, I will be that someone who gives you permission. I am giving you permission now. Allow yourself to dream, and then do it, even if it is a hobby. Do it for yourself. Give yourself that gift.