What being a mother has taught me about how to be successful at photography and life!

With Mother's day approaching soon, it seems fitting to reflect on how my life has changed since becoming a mother and what it has taught me about life, love, and the pursuit of everything!

When you become a parent everything changes!  You are always tired and you never feel like you have enough time.  Often, the stress gets to you!

But way more than that you moments are filled with more love than you could possibly have imagined existed in the world.  You find a reason for being.  Watching my beautiful daughter grow and learn has been the biggest joy of my life!  She is my little friend and companion.  The moments are going to fast and I am trying to slow them down as much as I can!

Lucy is very strong willed and very determined.  She is outgoing.  She does not mince words.  She has a super kind heart but can cut you down to size if she wants to.  I would have it no other way.  Strong girls are amazing gifts.

1. She has taught me not to give up, ever.  When she was a baby and she wanted to learn how to put her shoes on, she would sit on the floor for 20 minutes or more just focusing on her shoes.  No crying or frustration, just focus.  This is something you need to do well every day when you work for yourself and when you are at home with a million other things around you, sometimes you lose it.  Seeing Lucy work so hard at everything she does pushes me harder to try to achieve things I might not have thought possible.

2. She has taught me compassion for myself.  When you become a parent, you are forced to look at yourself in a different light.  You can see how being hard on yourself can perpetuate the cycle and lead to low self esteem in your children.  When I get frustrated or upset because I worked hard on something and it didn't come out the way I wanted it too, I have this little reminder voice behind me saying, "Aww, Mommy. It looks great.  Don't be sad mommy."  With a little heart warming support behind you, you can do anything!

3. Enthusiam and Excitement. As we grow up, we tend to lose this joy for life.  Looking at the world through your children's eyes brings that back in focus.  I was so happy when Lucy and I won 3rd Place in the international photo competition at NAPCP in their toddler division.  But Lucy's reaction to our win could not be topped.  When we called Dave to tell him, she kept saying, "Daddy! We won! We won!"  Take pause, enjoy your accomplishments before moving on to the next moment.  That joy makes life warm and full!

So today and every day.  Take a moment to pause.  Enjoy what you have.  Keep persevering toward you dreams and goals.  Know that anything is possible!