It seems a little silly to say in this moment as it is,literally, raining. However, I ran across this quote while on Pinterst over holiday at my in-laws...
How true? We all need rain, we all need conditioning, we all need a small drought to help remember what's important. We all need a lot of things and it's best we realize this to appreciate it before growing discouraged and essentially never growing any flowers. This was me last year. As 2015 closed and I realized how successful my businesses had become, before I could even be excited about it --- I owed it all to the government... I owed in over half of my savings. To be real, real - 3/4 of it. 3 kids, all of which were in daycare then, Dave's student loans, our house. Nothing gave - I had to pay and pay in a lot! As the shock set in, it was a slow motion panic, and all of a sudden I was paying more attention to the amount I was paying in with rent for my salon studio, photography equipment, products, the numbers (the money spent!!) were so much bigger this time to me. I really freaked out for a second, cause to me, it was over! I needed to quit both of my jobs, eat chips/drink wine, while Dave won the bread... None of which would bring me happiness, I'm still figuring out a lot about myself, but this I know for certain. Anyways, so here I am panicking at my yearly accountant meeting, when B ,my account, says - why don't you invest in a property? Is that something you had ever thought of? And in that moment, I swear to you, I realized that was my next step. Yes! That's exactly what I wanted! I think this is the moment I had been waiting for. The moment you eternally feel everything "click"...
See, since getting pregnant - the first time... 7 years ago. I really lost myself and the direction I thought I would soon be heading. I grew up in Murfreesboro, TN and I was learning all that I needed to know about Nashville. I wasn't quite certain where my dreams were heading. I just knew they included a condo + Nashville. Being a hairstylist (main gig) my options were never ending - there was no way I wouldn't end up downtown. But plans changed after meeting Dave (my now hubbs of almost 6 years) which led to us getting pregnant (I loved being pregnant the first time) and me giving birth to my first born Piper, who is 6 years old, looks like she might be 11, but acts nothing shy of 6 <3. After having Piper I really lost a large portion of who I was and what the hell was I doing?! I had awful postpartum lasting me well over a year. I felt like I was loosing my mind because my thoughts before having a child were so rich and full of color- but that way of thinking had left me. I literally stood blank. I tried so hard to figure myself back out, I really thought the day would never come, but it did and when I finally got there, we were pregnant with our 2nd daughter Emerie. We didn't find out the sex of Emerie (I can't explain how exciting that was) and the entire time we worried what my postpartum would be like, but when my eyes met hers - it was everything I had heard about. Sometimes my heart is so heavy because I didn't experience that with Piper. But Piper and I have a different connection. Just as Emerie and I have a different connection. I love them both without understanding-- it literally hurts sometimes, so don't dare assume one of them might possibly mean more to me than the other - I will pull a quick one on anyone that even dares to act crazy towards one of them...
Moving on, Feb 2013 - Emerie has now completed us. I've started my dream - Sarah Swain Photography. I've even booked my first wedding to photograph! (what?!) I was so ready to know nothing would be in my way as I, once again, found myself - this time being so much easier than after having P (I say that and I want to add that I firmly believe we all loose ourselves after each baby, for everything changes. every.thing). Dave thinks we should wait two more years - I'm not down. Fast forward -August 31st 2013 Emerie is now 6 months old, I decide to stop breastfeeding/pumping so I can focus fully on my first wedding (I'm kind of over BF'ing/pumping at this point, too). I go & shoot my wedding, everything is a major success!! Dave and I decide to stay in Chattanooga for the nigh - we have a good time - and I come back freaking more pregnant than, hell I don't know, I'm just pregnant... My gosh DAVE SAYS IT OUT LOUD. "I think we're pregnant again". My face spoke pure and utter STFU. But, I'll be damned, if this once, he was right. May 15th, 2014 Finally, our Lo bug, our Marlo Annie, the one that made us 5 - is here ready to show us chaos and love. Would I change it? I might have been a little older and been ok with how it's all gone down, but that's purely to have a little more income and wisdom.
As I'm getting older I realize there are things that will happen that are in and out of my control. Things are going to happen that alter my opinion, my mood, my outlook - but it is up to me the impact it has on my soul. On my character. I can't have this life any other way, therefore I will choose to not have it any other way. In 2017 I'm setting a goal to finally invest in property for Sarah Swain Photography + Salon Sarah, but I want to share it with others. I am looking for a space large enough to have a couple of stylist, besides myself, with studio capabilities for Sarah Swain Photography and friends a like. When I first started this venture I screamed I want an Event Venue!! That's me, being me, with this over-exaggerated dream of all dreams, but it planted a seed y'all. And like the south this year, I've experienced a drought, but right now... It's raining.
I'm ready to watch my flowers grow... I've mapped out a plan and if I can book 300 mini sessions (OR 15 weddings) in the year 2017, I will, hopefully, God willing and the creek don't rise, have enough put back, to put down on commercial property in AL. This will not be possible without the help of friends and family. Sharing on your facebooks, giving shout outs, always remembering to give credit on your sessions when posting. THIS is how small business owners make it... By being vulnerable and begging for shout outs. LOL (smh) But really, word of mouth is, will forever be, the best form of exposure.
I will have a list of ALL mini sessions planned for this year and a few extras I plan on doing in 2017. Some of these sessions will be geared towards my Middle,TN folks - the sessions will take place in Bell Buckle, TN - So, TN friends - be on the look out!
If this is something you might be interested in, please be sure to click "2017" and fill out your information for me to keep in touch with you! (no spam, promise)
I hope you find time to follow just a little bit of my journey- I hope I'm able to capture this season of your life & I hope in 2017 you create goals for yourself and if they don't happen, you roll them into the following moment, day, year, of your life.
<3
SAS