Stop Hiding + Make It Happen

I have two social crutches in my life: my camera and my phone. I hate admitting how uncomfortable I become in new situations or when I'm alone in public. I'm the kind of girl who'll eat in the car before eating alone in a restaurant…ugh. I want to delete the sentence I just wrote, but I'll leave it in light of keeping it real.

If I am alone in public, I am usually comforted by my phone or my camera, as I can hide behind a thin veil of technology. This was the case yesterday when I was commissioned to photograph a surprise proposal at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. As I tried to camofluague my presence poolside, I was happy to be resting behind my camera and see the world from behind my lens.

In the quiet moment, I remembered an email I received from a photographer that morning worried she wouldn't be able to leave her day job and become a full time photographer. What if I'm not good enough, she asked. The email was littered with doubt, but I told her to just do it. Just make her dreams happen.

Is it not what life is about? Finding your goal or passion and then making it happen? So often we cut ourselves short because we think of a thousand reasons why we can't do something, when we should pour that energy into figuring how to make it a reality. I completely understand there are mortgages, health care, school loans, and a lingering bill for laser hair removal you need to take care of before you drop everything and run toward your dream, but don't you at least want to take one step toward it? First, set your goal. Second, vocalize your dream to your trusted allies. Third, create an action plan to make things happen. Even if it takes ten months or ten years to make it a reality, work toward it. It's liberating if you're stuck in a windowless office and a sack lunch under your desk. Trust me, I was there too.

Sitting on the rooftop at sunset made me realize how happy I was to have worked toward my dreams. I sat my camera down and instead of hiding behind the lens, I let the sun fall on my face and embraced the moment. I hope wherever you are in the process of following your dreams you don't lean on your crutches or hide behind veils of excuses…go out and make things happen.