I'm being positive by writing the "good", ha! Let me tell you, this morning has been slightly trying, but just feeling the fall-like breeze come through as I sit and write is relaxing in itself. As I have many more things to do besides sit here and write, I feel like sometimes we have to drop it all and just use our stress escapes. Writing is mine.
The kitchen needs cleaned, the house is a mess, there are emails to be returned, but the baby is in bed so I'll take this opportunity. Let's start with the baby being in bed. She had shots last Wednesday and between those and getting two molars at once (that apparently like to come through a little at a time at the slowest rate possible), my poor baby has not been herself at all. Her appetite is down, she's tired and just cranky, and that's not her. She's normally my happy girl. I feel awful for her and wish there was more I could do for her than what I already am. We just try to get out as much as possible as that distracts her. She's really sleepy today. She slept all the way through the night until 7 this morning and I tried giving her breakfast and she just screamed through most of it so I gave her a bottle so she'd at least be getting fluids and put her back to bed at 8 and she's still sleeping. Poor girl.
So, it's getting close to fall. I have a love/hate relationship with fall. I love everything pumpkin and wearing fall clothes and LOVE the weather. But it's also my most insane time of the year. Every year this time of year I wonder if I'm going to make it through without multiple anxiety attacks. Everyone wants the fall colors in their pictures and I get it totally! I love it too. I just wish I had more days, more weekends, more help....a secretary lol. So my schedule is almost packed to the gills for September and October both and there are several people that haven't even thought about it yet. And I hate to say no. And on the days I actually don't have to take pictures, I don't want to. I need a break from it. I don't like to work every day just like you probably don't either. I want to stay home with my family too. Sometimes I think people think I just take the pictures and BAM, they're all done and loaded in your gallery. Do you know that most photographers take 4-6 weeks to get proofs back and my latest turn around is normally just a week? It's because I work my butt off to make that happen. I don't want my work piling up so high I can't see and I want my customers to be thrilled that they're seeing their photos so quickly. So not only am I doing all of the duties of a stay-at-home-mom, I am also running a full-time business and doing every aspect of it. The orders aren't magically placed. That takes about 2-3 hours every Monday just doing that. The cards aren't magically custom designed. The photos aren't edited with one click. The pictures aren't packaged all pretty by themselves. I take all of this time because I want people to know I really really care. I love the relationships I've built and I want them to know I care about THEM, not just their business. It's why it's hard to do something for free. These are all hours I'm working at my job. So if I do it all for free, it's like you not getting a paycheck from your job after countless hours there. And I'm taking hours away from my family but not bringing anything home for them. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to give to people. Actually, giving brings me the most joy and especially when I know it's appreciated. I can't even explain what I'm trying to say...
Anyway, so I really think I've been letting stress steal my joy lately. Every day I've been trying to think of what I can do to make someone else's day better. Even if that's just a simple text saying "hey, you're doing a great job, keep it up", or "please know how beautiful you are and what a great person you are!" Have you ever read the 5 love languages? Do you know what yours are? Do you know that you don't have to relate this only to your marriage but in friendships as well to a certain extent? My 2 love languages are words of affirmation and gifts. This means that my heart is reached most when someone encourages me verbally and builds me up, or brings me something to brighten my day. I'm not talking like a set of diamond earrings or something. I'm talking even if it's just a piece of gum and a post-it note because they thought of me. That being said, it's been said that people use THEIR love languages on other people. I find this to be true. If your love language is physical touch, you're most likely to give someone a hug. People give what they like to receive without even realizing it. So, when my sister-in-law out of the blue last week sent me a random text just saying "thanks for being an amazing person", that was words of affirmation to me and meant more to me than she will ever know. It's the simplest things! It made my day and I think about it often. Why am I saying all of this? Because I would just like all of us to see outside of our bubbles. What certain things encourage you most? Do you do them for others? I'm not good at this. Some days I just want to sit in my bubble and not even mess with the world. But I know that making someone else's day brings me joy.
Now, with that being said, I'm really learning that with the busyness of life you can't please them all or be there for every single person. Find those certain friendships and cherish them closely. I am finding that I have to let go of draining relationships. Ones that just use me and would never be there if I actually needed them. Ones that I'm always asking how they're doing and they never ever ask about me. They will drain the life out of you. But there are those few that will always be there and you need to hold those dear.
Well folks, I hear my sweet girl waking up. Let's hope she feels better! And if you have any good forms of stress relief, please tell me :)
Have an amazing day and week everyone!
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| Can we just take a moment and look at how LITTLE my baby is here?! |
I'm not going to go straight to "I totally get it!" because I haven't been in your shoes, doing your life. But I understand what you're saying, and I want to give you major props. You don't want your work to be about the money because you like doing it and you want to do it. That doesn't mean there aren't days when you don't like it and don't want to do it, and at those times it helps to remember that you're benefiting your family through your work. And then people want favors, and it feels like it becomes more about the money, and that can send you into a mindset that sucks. You said that you were having trouble explaining what you wanted to say, and I wanted to let you know that it makes sense to me. Also, I want to say that as a mostly outside observer of your work, it is completely obvious that you work your butt off. Also, I don't know if I ever thanked you enough for all you did with our wedding pictures. That was one of those times when your turnaround was superhuman and you were already giving us service and quality that was above and beyond. You were awesome then and it's clear that you continue to be awesome for all your clients. Don't feel like your awesomeness goes unnoticed!
ReplyDeleteAnne! THANK YOU! Your comment means the world to me. I was really hoping I could get my point across without sounding really rude actually. You are amazing, thank you.
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