When people find out that I have a full-time job ON TOP of photography, I often get a bewildered look, followed with a “seriously?? How do you do it?!” or the very common “are you insane??”. The answers to those questions are “I just do” and “probably, most days”.

The truth is, I work really hard. A lot.

Monday through Friday I wake up at 630ish, head to work at my day-job, where I am an Art Director/Graphic Designer/Marketing Assistant for 8+ hours. Then I come home, figure out what we’re doing for dinner, eat, and then hop on the computer and start working the night away- catching up on social media, editing, packaging client orders, placing print orders, and on rare occasion working on marketing materials for myself… however that always seems to get the short end of the stick. I stay awake, working by computer- glare until around 11pm-1am, then pry myself off of the computer to go to bed so I can wake up and do it all over again. Weekends are generally filled with photo shoots, commitments with family and friends, and hopefully taking my dog to the park. Also more editing, networking, and catching up on blog posts (which I need to work on!), editing, culling, more editing, and sometimes a little shopping

It’s a busy life, and sometimes, I literally stop and ask  myself WHHYYYYYYY???? I don’t like not getting enough sleep, or spending enough time with my boyfriend and pup, or ALWAYS being busy. But it’s what I do. Partially because I think it’s in my blood, partially because i’m a crazy work-a-holic, and mostly because in order to do what I love, it’s what must be done.

Regardless of how much I want to scream, cry, kick and scream and quit sometimes, I don’t think that’s even a realistic possibility for me. I love it too much.  Scheduling “days off” for  myself is a normal thing for me. I don’t remember what being bored feels like, and my favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations.

But it is a labor of love.

I know that while it seems like I am killing myself now, I am sowing a seed for the future. I am building my business, so that one day, when the time is right, I can focus solely on what is most important to me, what feeds my soul. I will have more time for loved ones and doing things I want to do, like travel more, read books, relax, and grow my business.

I am so thankful to have such a supportive, understanding man to call my own. He is ever-patient with my crazy schedule, and always supportive of me and my ideas/endeavors, no matter how crazy they may seem. He never gives me a hard time about not spending enough time with him, and always offers words of encouragement when I am feeling down. He believes in me, and I couldn’t ask for more than that.

So even though some days I’d rather throw my arms in the air and say “forget it!”, I just learn to take breaks. It can wait until tomorrow. Or the weekend. Part of being successful in anything you do is taking care of yourself. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s better to just take the night off, not worry about everything, and try again tomorrow. I think I deserve it, and I know it helps.

I could never quit. I don’t know how, and I wouldn’t want to.

“On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins- not through strength but by perseverance.”
- H. Jackson Brown 

“People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.”
- George E. Allen 

That being said, this is really my most exciting autumn thus far in life. I could say that because I love to live for the day, but I am also saying that because finally in life, I have some stability. There is so much chaos and excitement around this time of year, that it feels good to finally be on a regular schedule with work, and feel like i’m finally keeping my head above water. Years in the past, I’ve either been caught up in school and multiple jobs, working the crazy retail job, or busy being a slave to the hungry at restaurants. I’ve had to work crazy hours, weekends, late nights, and all with very random schedules that changed weekly. I’ve missed out on family gatherings, fun seasonal events, and most of all having the luxury of days off. Don’t get me wrong, those times in my life, and those jobs were all very fun. I look back and miss my co-workers, the hustle and bustle of it all, and being in the prime of “holiday”. But those times are over, and I can breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.

Last year about this time, I was in the midst of being laid off from a job I truly loved. It was really hard, especially knowing I was to face the holiday season possibly jobless, and most definitely broke. But last holiday season turned out to be one of my favorites. I decided not to buy gifts for anyone except my parents, sisters, and mark. I couldn’t afford to, and while I get great joy out of giving, there was a silent bit of relief… all of that shopping gets crazy stressful!!! I made the best of it, but I still missed out on a lot of the holiday events I love so much.

This year, will be amazing. I have a full time job that I love, and excel at. My photography is doing extremely well, and I have many new and exciting things in store for my brand (so keep your eyes peeled, and get excited!!!). Mark and I FINALLY have the same days off (which has been SO wonderful, and I feel has really strengthened our relationship), and my schedule is totally and completely regular. No more working on holidays, infact now I’ll even be paid to NOT work them! (Seriously a perk I completely saturate myself with happiness over)

This year, I am embracing the season like never before. I am sure to be super busy shooting and editing photos (as my fall schedule is about half booked already!), but I will have time to do all of the fun holiday festivities that I love so much, and I’ll be able to enjoy them with Mark. Since he’s moved here, we haven’t really had any sort of “regular schedule” that allowed us to spend time planning things, and embracing this beautiful city we live in, and all it has to offer. Sure, we squeezed things in where we could, and had a great time, but there are SO many things I love doing during the holidays, and knowing we’ll be able to PLAN and actually DO these things together gives me so much happiness, I can hardly explain it! (Obviously, I keep talking myself in circles….)

So I’ve decided to share with you a few of my favorite things about this time of year, and why I love it so much. Here goes!

the smell of the air
the beauty of the changing leaves
everything pumpkin
especially pumpkin lattes
Scarfs & hats & boots & vests
candy corn
being around family & loved ones
celebrating thanksgiving
christmas music!!!
going to watch Grant’s Acapella choir at the grotto’s festival of lights (my old HS choir)
zoo lights
pumpkin patch & carving
shopping & seeing all of the holiday displays
ice skating
fires
caroling with friends
christmas eve & day with my family
decorating a christmas tree
buying & giving presents
mittens
peacock lane
Laurelhurst park, late October

there is so much more, but this post is getting a little rambly, so I’ll leave you with some fun photos from years past

my first pumpkin spice latte of the season

fall leaf marks

pumpkin patch fun

The apple festival

zoo lights & christmas fun

and yummy treats of the season

sorry about the poor quality of some photos, these are from the past couple years

I hope you are all looking forward to this season as much as i am!!! What’s your favorite part of this time of year? What do you look forward to?

<3