"You don't have to be all things to all people. You just have to be the right someone for the right people."
I recently heard this, and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. Why do we try to be all things? And to all people?
What are all things? And who are all these people?
I believe that in life I have always been a little hard on myself. A constant worrier, always thinking about everyone around me. Their thoughts, good or bad. Why they maybe like something, or why maybe they don't. Stressing over everyone else. I've found the same thing with this photography career of mine. I've got to be all things. To all people. Or who will hire me?
So much pressure.
When I am asked by someone what I do for a living, I typically reply, "I'm a photographer". I would get the typical, "Oh wow, cool", "Oh so you photograph weddings?", "Oh does that keep you busy?", "How much money do you really make?", "You should photograph my family, but for free", "Oh yea, you should photograph ______ (school photos, my aunt's second cousin's family reunion, a wild tiger, the moon from a hot air balloon, etc.). You wouldn't imagine what people come up with. That last one I may have exaggerated a tad. ;) I usually smile and nod my head, yes or no, I'm not sure which.
The thing is. I've tried all those things. Minus the tiger. And maybe the hot air balloon. ;)
I've tried to be all those things, and more. To make all people happy.
The other night however, I was asked the same question, "Now Miranda, what do you do for a living?". I simply replied, "I'm a newborn and family photographer". I felt so much relief before I even noticed the other individual's reaction. You see, I think I was so afraid to be so specific. Maybe because that was too specific and maybe I could try to be this person's photographer for whatever they did want, and now they wouldn't hire me. Or maybe because I thought they would think that wasn't as 'impressive' as being a wedding photographer, or that they would then think I definitely don't make money, and am definitely not busy doing only that. I'm not exactly sure why. But this time, they just came out, and it was so right.
The individual across the table smiled, and asked me to tell her more, to tell her all about what I do. My heart was happy, my confidence strong, my cheeks hurting from smiling so hard.
I believe that we as people often allow the outside world to influence all the things we are. We allow others to determine who we are, or allow them to measure our confidence or successfulness.
Another stresser.
We should be proud of who we are. What we do. What we like. What we don't like. Why we are the right someone, for the right people. Be you, be happy ol' you. Be confident, because you are amazing. You are smart. You can do anything you set your mind to. And know that you are the one that measures your success.
To me, success is being happy. Being happy, means being me. And being me, means that I'm just the right someone, for the right people. I am a lifestyle newborn and family photographer. I may not be the photographer to all, but I hope I am the right one for the right people.
xo
