The Biggest Mistake I Made As A New Business

Luci
May 27
2 min read

& Its Not What You Think.

I focused on my skills, learning my equipment and how to achieve the best results.

The bookings didn't come.

I looked at my prices and my marketing, sure that my work and transparency would do all the talking.

The bookings didn't come.

What made my books busy?

Showing up.

Being ME.

Putting MYSELF in front of the camera.

ICK!

'I didn't sign up for this' I thought.

'I don't want to be an "influencer", a "content creator".'

Tough biscuits said all the 'experts'.

You have to tell a story

You have to tell them WHY

you do what you do.

Trigger warning - mental health, mental illness diagnosis

It all clicked (no pun intended) in a therapy session.

You see, I've battled mental illness for what seems my entire life.

Being sent to the school councillor as 16, eventually lead to seeking a psychologist at 18. I'm now 37.

I was shown a technique during a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy session, with the intent on 'challenging negative self talk'. Part of the process was filling in a section titled 'proof'. At the time, the instruction was to provide examples of how the negative self talk was proven incorrect using past experiences. Memory is NOT my strong suit...

Fast forward a decade and I was revisiting the technique.. only to realise, I've been collecting snippets of 'proof' in the form of photographs since my early adolescence. I came to rely on pictures to remember to good. To remember the feelings, the details, the who what and where of the important moments. To see, I was happy. I AM happy.

If you're somebody who cannot relate, I wholeheartedly and genuinely love that for you, I do.

I'd still love to provide amazing images for you.

If you do relate? I see you. I'm sorry for the things beyond your control that have affected you. I hope that my images can provide you joy, reprive, and healing.

I was diagnosed with a personality disorder in my mid-thirties, I later learned was due to decades of living with un-diagnosed c-ptsd. It means my perception of certain experiences can become distorted due to my past. It also means I highly value authenticity, kindness, courage, the abumdance of joy and the unconditional love of a pet.

On the hardest days, it was a cat who I lived for. The one little guy, who relied on me for his needs.

So I am putting myself out there, as uncomfortable as it may be, for the people who may have once been in my shoes or still find themselves there sometimes.

so,

Get the pictures taken.

Or take them yourself.

(I will put together another blog soon of some tips and tricks!)

Have that pysical reminder of what matters & who loves you.

Because youre worth it!

With Love,

Luci xx