This week, I am so grateful. So very grateful. My husband has pushed me so far in my photography dream I can't even express how thankful I truly am. I could probably write a blog like this every week for the rest of my life, and it would never be untrue. Nathan pushes me past all my emotions, past the ups and downs of booking ten things in one month and nothing the next month, past the big decisions in my business, and beyond who I would be by myself.
I've never wanted to say, though, that "I wouldn't be _________ without my husband." This is partly due to pride and partly due to the fact that so many people do millions of incredible things every day, and they aren't married. Or they are married and have someone who doesn't support them. Or they were married and their spouse died and they have to face life alone. Or...so many things. But let me tell you, whether or not you are married, you HAVE to have a network for support.
For me, that network is my husband and beyond that, my family and the sweet friends I have who encourage me, recommend me, laugh with me, and cry with me. I can say with confidence and all humility that I would have given up if not for them. It is difficult to work full time and come home to hours of work. It's hard to be really busy in one area of my life and make sure it doesn't affect other areas. I say this not to complain, I say this to be real. Photography is a very up and down profession, and it's hard to not let how you feel about your work fluctuate with how busy you are. Hard for me, anyways!
That's why I need someone - and you need someone - to hear me out when I'm frustrated. To listen to me when I'm feeling down when one bad thing happened, even if ten other great things happened. And for that, I am so grateful for Nathan. He is that person for me - my steady rock no matter what. We've always said that in our marriage, I'm a bunch of balloons ready to fly away and follow my dreams, and Nathan is the person holding onto the other end and keeping us grounded.
If you don't have someone to do that, get somebody! Ask somebody to listen to you. Share with someone when you're struggling, and LET THEM help you. It's hard to let yourself be open and vulnerable, but this life is so much harder without people surrounding you and lifting you up. Today, I give thanks that I have that in my life.
This is the shelf with all my photography stuff that Nathan helped me put together the other day - now it's all in one place and finally ORGANIZED!
