We all go through dry spells – creativity, inspiration, motivation.
I hit that wall pretty hard in 2024, although in a backwards way from most folks. Instead of hitting a wall of distraction or distress taking me away from my creative work, I hit a wall as soft as a plush mattress: ease.
Day job work was going easy. Taking care of kids as they’ve gotten older, easier. Photography business running smooth, steady…pretty easy.
Run gently into ease often enough, and it can take your edge.
It definitely did for me. I allowed my creative coaching work to float, allowed my sales effort to slip, and just took it easy for a while. Not that there’s anything wrong with a healthy break, but as we all know – it can be easy for a break to turn into waking up one day asking, “Wait a minute… Did I forget I’m an artist?”
My art has developed far more into coaching than photography over the years, and in case you can’t tell from the value I try to give while asking what I hope is very little, my motivation is much more love for my fellow photographers and solopreneurs than padding my bank account.
Thus, two thoughts:
Has photography gotten too easy for you? Life? Either can cost you your edge, your hunger, your spark, your fire. Friction makes fire. If your art or business or life have gotten a little too smooth, maybe it’s time to add a firestarter like a bold goal, a worthy challenge, and some next steps to spark the blaze.
If not for you… If doing this creative business thing for yourself doesn’t seem to be enough to get you moving… Who could you help, if you would just try? Who is the high school senior or family who would be blessed by a generous, free photo shoot, and an encouraging word? Whose life could you make better with the resources your photography business could be generating, if you were trying? This question has turned my creative fire from ash to blaze this summer.
What’s the biggest challenge holding you back today? Drop me an e-mail and let me know. I read every e-mail, and will help however I can.