Out Of The Comfort Zone Into The Fire

Ah the early days of starting my photography journey. The world was made brand new! So much to discover and so many places and people to see though the lens of a camera. But like most things when done over and over, the magic and newness of it all started to dim a little. With all the clients and contracts it became easy for my career to become business as usual. That's why I've always made the conscious effort of trying something new. That way I always ventured into a world I was curious and eager to know about.

To this day I still master new areas of photography in order to expand my horizons which in turn feeds into all other categories of photography I already feel comfortable in. If your feeling stuck in your business then the first thing I can advise you to do is explore what you don't know while at the same time looking for the connections of how these new areas can currently help you today.

“Vision without action is just a dream”

Just like planning your day or writing down a set of to dos, putting down a list of some of the projects you would love to have happen can be the best first step you can make for rekindling that passion. The benefits are endless but one of the first things I've noticed is that it helps free your mind of all your ideas. I understand there's so much to do in a day and we might forget to make the time for putting all our thoughts in a space outside our minds but the effort will pay off in the long term.

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Making time for your ideas relives the stress and overwhelm. Make time for yourself. Find the values you possess and cherish yourself in them.

Get yourself a nice notebook, something that you will keep, cherish and write down all your potential ideas for projects in it. That way you can forget about it, have more room in your brain for more urgent tasks while always having a reference to go back to when your feeling the time is right. That very minute you write down those ideas on paper you've now taken out what was in the metal plane and given birth to it in physical form. The seed has now been created. Now that doesn't mean you have to go out and start making it happen right now but at least it's there as future potential.

Being an artist can sometimes be overwhelming with all the ideas we have coming at us constantly. Being conscious of our time with juggling our business and relationships needs us to be as organized and efficient as much as possible. Practicing patience and direct action is the only way to get things done. If you want to have the time for what your passion is craving, trust that you'll be there for it and know that it's slowly building. One day at a time if your doing all you can do in that moment keep it going while being open to new ways of approaching the same mundane things faster with the same quality.

“Change the frame change the vision”

For the most part doing the same things over and over is a great way to master skills but if you want to learn new things unrelated, your going to have to be motivated to go into new places. Meeting people who are different from you and discovering new worlds of culture gives you first hand experiences you can never get from a book or in a video. There are plenty of people out there who are not known but are truly inspirational if you take the time to meet them. The feeling of something brand new happens once your in a new environment.

Thoughts and ideas come up that can be so different you might have trouble keeping up with all the new information. Making a conscious effort of going out there keeps you on that edge. There's something quite exciting when coming into a room full of strangers. Feeling a sense of uncertainty drives your body and mind into it's full potential when making the effort to talk and meet new people. 

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It's scary going into new places. From the outside it can look rather daunting but going for it anyway will give you the sense of power. A fulfillment you spirit craves. Feed it and it will serve you.

There will be times when your mind will tell you to stay home, give the excuse of being tired or perhaps unworthy if you dive deep into it. That's only because your old brain from the cavemen era wants you to feel safe. It has its purpose but in today's age it needs to be put to the sidelines and occasionally brought forth when a real sense of danger is actually present. If you go for it anyway nine times out of ten you'll be grateful you didn't give in, Personally I love the feeling of coming back from an event I knew nobody and made some new connections with. The ideas and perspectives have helped me keep things fresh.

When it's Time Go For It!

As working artists we'll be very busy at times and then all of a sudden will naturally slow done during winter months or quiet business seasons. Use that time! Taking action on your downtime and having a fun creative project will give you the fuel for motivation on your payed gigs once they pour back in. A portfolio filled with creative projects shows your potential clients that you possess a great well of innovative ideas.

Be proactive and remember to keep these projects fun and enjoyable. That way you'll be eager to do more with the skills acquired from them. Remember to also have others on board with your projects. Other creatives love to be a part of the fun and enjoyable environments of creativity. You'll be surprised at all the potential business that could come out of a creative project. Share what you've created and give some spotlight to those who've helped make it happen!

The comfort zone can be a black hole of a state to be in but if your mindful of your emotions when your start to feel in a rut, know that there are plenty of ways to make things change for yourself. Start slow, build momentum and never stop growing. No matter the time and commitment it requires, remember…it's your life!

Live it your way in harmony with others and the fruits will come from places you had no idea was possible. Test it out and try it for yourself. Commit yourself to doing something different and new everyday. Be it big or small. It only takes that one step forward then followed by another. No matter what happens develop the strategies to roll with the punches and you'll be proud of how far you've come.

Keep Snappin'!

Chris From MKMI Photography