I could paint a picture of 2016 with more adjectives than I thought I was capable of remembering. It’s been a rollercoaster, a crash course woven of dark calamity and some of the most positive and eye opening moments. I leave this year stronger, smarter, more confident and with a much clearer vision of who I want to be and what I want to do with my time.

I’ve learned that life is full of surprises, that health is not to be taken for granted, that your inner beauty is more important than your abs. That people will leave and other people will barge into your life without any warning. People will screw you over. You’ll lose best friends – those friends who were meant to be there for you, always. You’ll cry and you’ll laugh. And then you’ll realise that you can keep your head down or you can get up and grow. Refocus. Reframe your mind.

Personally I thought that creating countless boards with quotes and motivational posters on Pinterest will be a first and pretty magical step. Then it hit me, and apparently I was not the only one. For goodness sake, don’t force yourself to be happy in an attempt to follow all those people who are living their lives under different circumstances and who are in different life stages. The more you pursue happiness trying to copy somebody else’s recipe for success, the less likely you are to find it in its purest form.
It’s okay to go through tough times and admit that it is what it is. If you’re not 100% happy with your life, you’ve not failed – you’re getting there.

Jamie Varon hit the nail on the head saying:

“We act as if we can read enough articles and enough little Pinterest quotes and suddenly the little switch in our brain will put us into action. But, honestly, here’s the thing that nobody really talks about when it comes to success and motivation and willpower and goals and productivity and all those little buzzwords that have come into popularity: you are as you are until you’re not.

You don’t need more motivation or inspiration to create the life you want. You need less shame around the idea that you’re not doing your best. You need to stop listening to people who are in vastly different life circumstances and life stages than you tell you that you’re just not doing or being enough. You need to let timing do what it needs to do.”

Life is all about timing and choices so ask yourself some questions. Is this the life you want to live? Is this the project you want to spend your time on? Is this the person who makes you a better version of yourself? And more importantly – how can you be a better person? Can you be kinder? Nicer? More helpful? More compassionate? Decide. Get up and decide, make a plan and then do it. Don’t let anyone dim your fucking shine. Yes it takes motivation and will power and courage and the most important part – it takes time, but you will nail it. At least that’s what I believe.

So here’s a little plan of my own for my photography:

In 2017 I will be more courageous.

– I will do more couple sessions where I focus on the style that I want to deliver
– I will shoot more weddings and book more weddings for 2018
– I will use unconventional tools and techniques to achieve the looks I want to achieve
– I will write more and will diversify this blog
– I will grow through workshops and lectures

Of course that’s just the high level plan. I have it all planed with numbers and timelines but that’s maybe a topic for another post or just for my cork board. I have wings and this year I’m going to use them. After all, what good are wings without the courage to fly?

Let me know what you’re planning to do in 2017!