I’m always hesitant to share my “wins” because I’ve felt the losses and know how difficult they can be. And sometimes I find myself getting sucked into the comparison game on social media.
I know how easy it is to compare yourself to others and feel like you’re coming up short. But I think it’s important that we do our best to remember that we don’t have the whole story, we never know all of the facts… we just know what the highlights look like and we’re comparing that highlight reel to our real-time, bloopers and all.
So I wanted to share some real-time with you. Because I’m aware that it may look like I have it all together and that everything comes easy, but I promise I doubt myself just as much as the next person.
On July 1, 2019 I paid the deposit on my first t-shirt design. I launched three designs on November 27, 2019 and I made my first dollar in April of 2020. In those months of operating “in the red” you can bet that I thought about throwing in the towel multiple times. Those “it’s been fun and at least I tried but obviously I’m not cut out for this” thoughts were abundant. Real life: some days there are a stack of orders to package and sometimes there are days at a time with not a single order at all.
I picked up my first DSLR camera in December of 2015 (I think?), established myself as a high school senior photographer in the area I was living in, had a full calendar and steady inquiries. I moved in June of 2018 and rarely book portrait clients anymore – but not for lack of trying.
The last two lenses I have purchased have been used. Still expensive, yes, but purchased as economically as I could find… because I’m not rich.
So I guess what I’m trying to say in this long, rambly blog post is that things aren’t always what they seem, what we build them up to be in our minds based on small snippets of information we’ve been given. If you are working hard and trying your best and putting your best foot forward, you are doing enough. If what you are doing makes you happy, you are doing enough.
I know it’s not realistic to think we’re never going to compare ourselves to someone else, but I hope I can help spread the message that YOU, my friend, are enough.
