I Will Be A Photographer (Prompt 7)

Prompt:

Dare to Be Bold by Matt Cheuvront

Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Next to Resistance, rational thought is the artist or entrepreneurs worst enemy. Bad things happen when we employ rational thought, because rational thought comes from the ego. Instead, we want to work from the Self, that is, from instinct and intuition, from the unconscious.

A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. Its only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” - Steven Pressfield, Do the Work

The idea of “being realistic” holds all of us back. From starting a business or quitting a job to dating someone who may not be our type or moving to a new place – getting “real” often means putting your dreams on hold.

Today, let’s take a step away from rational thought and dare to be bold. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue? Write it down. Also write down the obstacles in your way of reaching your goal. Finally, write down a tangible plan to overcome each obstacle.

The only thing left is to, you know, actually go make it happen. What are you waiting for?

My Response:

I want to be a photographer.

Not someone who takes casual pictures on vacation, but someone who takes powerful pictures. Pictures that mean something to someone. Pictures that I want to look at years later and not just post on Facebook. When I look at work from some of the best photographers I feel something. I want to create that feeling.

What's stopping me? Lack of knowledge, lack of experience and lack of proper equipment.

You cannot be a photographer with a hot pink Canon Powershot with 12.1 megapixels. You also cannot be a photographer without surrounding yourself with other great photographers to inspire you. Also, I am a visual learner, so I don't think I can be a self-taught photographer.

I will be a photographer.

My plan: when I move back to the States, take six months to get settled and then get started with some sort of community education class or community college class on photography. Live in a big city that inspires me to go for long walks with my camera.

After I gain some knowledge about how to be a great photographer, get myself a camera that I am proud to use. Start saving for said camera now (I kind of already am, but I need to actually decide what is "life savings" and what is "super cool camera savings")

Until then - practice, practice, practice. If you want to be a writer, you write. So if I want to be a photographer, I will take photos.

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey.

Don't Waste One Minute (Prompt 6)

Prompt:

Come Alive by Jonathan Mead

Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Take them off your To Do list and add them to a To Stop list. Resolve to only do what makes you come alive.

Bonus: How can your goals improve the present and not keep you in a perpetual “always something better” spiral?

My Response:

One week, huh? Well with seven days left to live I cannot claim that I would want to spend five of them working, so I may not be doing exactly what I am doing now.

But...it would be pretty darn close. At the end of every crazy "I cannot believe my students did that today" school day I still love being a teacher. Every day my life is put into perspective by the lives of my students. I remember what it was like to be 13 and worry about what your best friends really thought of you. I remember that feeling that none of us would ever "figure it all out". I remember worrying about what high school would be like. Now, the ability to look back on those experiences fondly helps me to be a better teacher.

I tell my students not to take themselves too seriously and that things in life have a funny way of working out exactly like they are supposed to. In doing so I am reminded that tomorrow isn't guaranteed for any of us. So let's get out there and enjoy THIS MOMENT. The one happening right now.

Oh man we were livin’

Didn't waste one minute

We talked and drank and danced and said goodbye

We laughed until we cried.

-Jason Aldean, Lauhed Until We Cried

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey.

One Place in the World? Try MANY places in this world. (Prompt 5)

Prompt:

Travel by Chris Guillebeau

If we live truly, we shall see truly. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

My Response:

Ahhhhhh I don't have ONE place, I have A MILLION places. The author of this prompt says, "not everyone wants to travel the world", BUT I DO!! Here is a sampling of where I want to go.

I want to walk then run with excitement through the Alhambra in Spain.

I want to bike my way from winery to winery in Mendoza, Argentina.

I want to sail on a boat in Venice, Italy with a cute boy at my side a la the ending to Italian Job. If that boy ends up being Mark Wahlberg, well then hey, that's a bonus.

I want to road trip through all the great national parks in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, California, New Mexico and more.

I want to watch a game in every single Major League ball park in the United States (plus that pesky one in Canada).

I want to get out there and live on the Great Ocean Road in Australia.

I want to visit my friends and family wherever they end up in this world.

I don't have a single travel goal. I have life goals (or a life list, rather) that include a lot of travel.

And I am going to do them all. How? By working hard so I can play hard. By remembering that saving is important and not so hard if you put your mind to it. By investing in experiences and not in super nice things. By believing in myself, in these goals and the belief that you can do absolutely anything if you put your mind to it.

So see you out there, world.

It's going to be absolutely fabulous.

All images courtesy of Google images.

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey.