Happy New Year everyone! (not sure when the right day is to stop saying that lol) The start of a new year is always so refreshing for me. I absolutely love the idea of a clean slate, new beginnings and most importantly downtime and rest. As photographers, January tends to be a sweet spot for us. It’s finally time to decompress, unwind and relax especially following the holidays. I told myself that I would have a soft start to the new year. Most of the times I am always on go, and it was important for me to slow down as I opened the new year to not only give myself a break, but gain clarity on how I want this year to go. As I wrote down my goals for the year, both business and personal two important things came to mind and that is discipline and rest. With each goal that I wrote down, I know that both discipline and rest will be critical components in helping me achieve my goals. Of course we know discipline is required to do anything challenging, but we often neglect the rest that is equally needed as well. This year I’m challenging myself and whoever is reading this to prioritize rest and remain discipline in whatever you’re setting out to do. The way in which we do this may vary for each of us, but I want to share what has been working for me so far, and what I plan to do moving forward. Prioritize time with God daily- The way in which I do this each day will look different; however, I know that this is needed for me to quiet my mind and relieve any stress present. Don’t slack on exercise- At least 3 times I week my body needs exercise. I need to be physically fit to have the energy to sustain my goals. Block off my calendar several dates a month for just me time- This one I anticipate being tricky because I truly love what I do; however, I know it is needed. Far too often last year, I neglected my time for self care to serve others, when I realized I was doing a disservice to myself. Say no with conviction- I am committing to setting boundaries and not budging on them. I have learned that saying no is liberating, saying no is self care. Say no to what does not serve you. Period. Grace myself- It’s okay if my entire todo list is not checked off my 5pm or by the end of the week. It is okay if some moments I need to step back. I was not created to do it all and I no longer will attempt to do it all. Now I won’t lie, doing these five things will be challenging for me, but I’m confident that with intentionality it can and will be done. I want to hear from you next! How has your start to the new year been? Also, what do you want to hear/see more of on this side? Let me know below!

Welcome back! It’s been a minute since I’ve done a blog postt! So last Sunday I did a thing! I did my first vendor booth at the Washington Bridal Expo at the Washington Convention Center. There were over thousands of brides in attendance and over a hundred vendors. To say I was nervous, anxious and slightly stressed is truly an understatement. Given that it was my first time vending in a while since COVID and my first time vending at a bridal expo, I truly didn’t know what to expect. I wrestled with the thoughts, “are they going to like me?”, “will my set up be as nice I want?” and the like. To top it off the week of the event almost all of my marketing material that I ordered was incorrect. I had to do a-lot of last minute runs, some even the day before, and of the event. With my already jam packed schedule this was not ideal and was an added layer of stress. Now most people may not share so candidly because in business we often like to look like we have it all together, but I have no problem with saying and showing I don’t. As I looked around the room at the event I was incredibly intimidated. I probably was the youngest in the room and didn’t feel that my booth looked as good as others. As hard as it was to not get in over my head and freak alllll the way out, I reminded myself of something a former student (who is more like a daughter) said to me. She said, “Be you!! The photos will definitely capture attention, but your energy, personality, and smile will keep them! Trust God and trust yourself. You got this!!”. She affirmed me in such a way that I truly felt God speak to me through her. I was reminded just how true those words were. Many of my clients came my way because of who I am as a person. Yes, I deliver a quality photography experience, but for many people who have worked with me, they keep on coming back because of who I am at the core. They enjoy my aura, my patience, my personality and the like. This was my time to showcase just that! While my artwork will speak for itself, I have the opportunity to connect with guests and just be myself. l It can be challenging navigating in an already overly saturated market and wondering just how you’ll stand out or be noticed. I was reminded that being me in enough. As an entrepreneur it can be challenging to not compare yourselves to others and essentially “keep up with the Jones’”. I had to remind myself that God’s got me. He covers my business and I firmly believe each client that has come my way was sent by Him. As entrepreneurs it is important that we continue to remind ourselves that God truly will make room to grace us. While I may not have felt qualified to be in that room initially, I was reminded I was because God opened the door to begin with. I had to silence the imposter syndrome and do what I do best, which is simply show up! I could’ve allowed myself to crumble and let the voices of the enemy shrink me, but I showed up. I’m so glad I did because it was truly a wonderful experience! I connected with so many people and after conquering this event, am happy to say I want to continue doing more. If you’ve gotten to the end of this blog post, this is your reminder to show up in whatever capacity you’re being called to do so. No, you may not have all the answers and yes, it may be nerve wrecking, but trust that God’s got you! Show up and watch his hand move! November 18, 2022

Hi everyone! It’s been a minute! There’s SO much I need to catch you all up on! It’s crazy to think that a month ago today I was walking across the stage receiving my Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. This day was filled with many emotions and looking back, I wish I would’ve been more intentional about how that entire week was spent. For those who don’t know, I am a teacher full-time and during my grad program, I was a student full time as well. As if these duties weren’t demanding enough, I simultaneously run my business. It is safe to say the last two years I have been working non-stop with very little time to rest and recharge. Given that my commencement was in LA, I had every intention on simply resting the week of graduation and basking in such a precious moment in my life. Well, that didn’t happen-not even the slightest bit. If you’re anything like me and constantly have a goal in the works, it can be hard to stop and simply rest. All of the things I am involved in I am extremely passionate about and sometimes that passion leads to me not creating boundaries, which in the end negatively impacts the way I show up. As an educator, I want my students to have the very best of my because they deserve it. I often think if I don’t show up for my students, who will and how will that impact closing educational disparity gaps? As a student, the motive differs as money is on the line, my scholarship could’ve be revoked if I didn’t maintain a 3.0 and I would have been kicked out of my program all together. Beyond that, the percentage of black women was under 5% and I often felt like I had to prove that I was just as qualified as my counterparts. As far as my business, I always want to serve you all the best way. I truly don’t view my clients as dollar signs, but rather answered prayers. I remember praying and asking God to bless my business and while He always has early on, He continues to expand me. I feel like I owe it to God to give you guys my very best because I vividly remember how much I wanted my business to grow and still do. While these passions are great and I’m thankful God gave me such fervor, I ignored what I needed during that time. What I really needed was uninterrupted REST. I needed that “If I didn’t have to do it, it won’t be done” kind of rest. Instead, I let guilt sink in and didn’t do that. Instead of taking off of work completely, I was finding ways to teach my kids online, checking my email and Slack, etc. I felt guilty that my kids would be without me for a week and tried to see how I can still do it all. With my grad program, graduates still had programming every day up until graduation. While this necessarily wouldn’t have changed, I wish I was more intentional on checking in with myself to ensure I gave myself quiet time on those days. Lastly I made the biggest mistake of not taking off for my business and completely blocking off my calendar. As much as I love you guys and love what I do, I failed to set boundaries that week with my business. During my trip I was editing, drafting contracts, sending emails, and the like. While I’m thankful for the business you all continue to give me, what I needed in that moment was uninterrupted time with loved ones. What I needed was quiet mornings spent journaling and in prayer and not scrambling and trying to juggle my business, my job from afar, whilst completing my final grad school assignments. As much as I hate to say it, I didn't really enjoy my trip. Majority of the time I was incredibly anxious about what was not done, what didn’t go right, and feeling even more upset that I’m anxious in the first place. Anxiety looks different for many people, but for me it is a constant state of feeling overwhelmed. If you can imagine what holding your breathe for a substantial amount of time and your face turning red, that is as close as I can begin to describe how I felt. It literally felt like since I arrived in LA I held my breathe and by the time I could release my breathe it was over and I was back in DC. Had I put in the proper boundaries in place, I would have been able to manage my anxiety in such a way where I would process all that was occurring in a healthy manner. I read somewhere once that when you say “no” to others you say “yes” to yourself. I said “yes” so much to everyone else that week, that I didn’t realize I was constantly telling myself “no”. If I simply would’ve said “no” to a lot of things, I would have had time to properly recharge and enjoy my loved ones, who flew out to celebrate with me. Instead I was incredibly irritatable and ended up snapping on the very people who just wanted to celebrate with me. Often as entrepreneurs we’re not seen as people but as robots that should be “on” all of the time. If I can be honest, sometimes I make the mistake of buying into that and making it appear to others that I’m always on go. I think my body is naturally used to working so much so often, I almost feel guilty for taking breaks. I feel like I haven’t earned it and I always wonder what opportunities will I miss if I take a break. There is always pressure that I put on myself to be successful and while in many ways it has allowed me to accomplish a lot, I haven’t quite mastered the importance of balance and boundaries. Since returning from LA, I have been intentional about saying “no” to things that I simply cannot do. While it is tempting to squeeze clients in, responding to emails at the speed of lighting, and the like I have now learned that it is not conducive for me long term. Now this is not to say that you all will not get my best at all times, but I am also learning and accepting that my best will look different in different seasons and that’s okay. Whether I am only able to service 5 clients in one month or have the flexibility to service 20 in another month, both are my best, just different. I say this all to say boundaries are VITAL in everything you do, especially for entrepreneurs. Remember that YOU run your company and your company does NOT run you. If you aren’t intentional about creating boundaries, you will be a slave to whatever your it thing is. This season is dedicated to me enjoying the fruits of my labor and not apologizing for the boundaries I set worth. To the clients who have been extremely patient and gracious with me during this time, I appreciate you beyond words. Thank you for seeing me as not just Kim the photographer, but Kim the person. Sending love to you all ~Kim