Yesterday was the first day in a long, long time that I woke up before my alarm clock.  The first day in a reeeeeeeally long time that I didn’t get up and immediately mutter “I don’t want to go to work”.  I’ll admit, the control freak in me was slightly worried about my situation.  I’ve never been unemployed for as long as I can remember.  Even in middle school, I worked along side my dad coaching swim team and I’ve always held a job with a reliable paycheck.  I’ve always depended on that paycheck.  So of course, this is a huge adjustment for me.  Not knowing whether or not I’ll book enough portrait sessions, pet sessions, or weddings to make rent this month?  The Type A personality in me doesn’t like that uncertainty.

However, the creative in me loves the fact that this opportunity is right in front of me.  I am fully aware that the choices I make over the next few weeks could have a huge impact on the rest of my life + the ultimate success (or failure) of my photography business.  I’m doing my best to weigh all of my options and go about things strategically so that I don’t set myself up for failure.  And mostly I’m doing everything I can to avoid having to go back to a full-time job that I hate.

My first day as a full-time photographer – wow that’s really weird to say out loud – consisted of getting up way earlier than I ever did when I had a full-time job.  I fixed a bug on the mobile version of my blog and started writing this blog post before most of the world was awake.  I spent my morning reading Worth Every Penny, which I won at WPPI U last week, on Folly Beach.  Then I networked with some pet-friendly businesses in the area – something I never really had time to do while stuck at the office, analyzing data.

In the afternoon, I cleaned the house for the first time in months.  I did some research, ordered new business cards, answered emails, followed up on some pending inquiries, and set up a plan for marketing my wedding photography business.  I wrote some blog posts, worked on my pet photography price list, and submitted an engagement session for publication.  I took my camera outside and practiced, taking photos for future blog posts.  I did a lot of admin stuff for my business and you know what?  For the first time in a long time, I felt truly and utterly accomplished.  I felt fulfilled and like I was finally giving my photography business the attention it deserves.  I could certainly get used to this.