Take the Vacation! It is your WHY

Recently I was in an online professional cohort learning about being my own CEO. The comment was made, "no one runs their business from a beach!" It's funny, 'cause we all had our videos on and I was sitting on a beach. Oh, the shame!

My mentors advice is completely correct. You CAN NOT run a your business from a beach. I know, because I had this delusion I could go on vacation and still be "on top" of all my business affairs. The reality, I had almost no internet access, very little time to check emails, no time to edit pictures, work on my website, write a blog, create content for marketing... all those elements I do daily from home.

Oh my GOODNESS did it give me a good deal of anxiety to be so out of touch with the families I work with. My families are my my priority - on time communication, fast gallery delivery, answering questions is my life!

HOWEVER, what I learned is, you need to take the vacation to remember WHY you work!

Taking the vacation is so much easier said than done. Finding the time in everyones schedules is almost impossible. But, every year I make the time to go to Tahoe for one week - without fail. It is my one week to visit my dad's ashes, see my mom, see my sisters and spend time unplugged with my kids.

Remembering my WHY

For me it is hard to remember why I started this business. I get so wrapped up in it because I love what I do - my love for it confuses my WHY. I have to remind myself that the whole purpose is essentially to have the ability to go on vacations and be with family.

I mean we all do it... As a working mom I am often juggling "the office" with spending time with my kiddos. This never more true than in the summer when they are RIGHT THERE, but work is also RIGHT THERE. Suddenly, without their school schedules I lose hours I dedicate solely to my business, I am left with the impossible - trying to be a great mom and a great CEO.

Is it even possible to be great at both?

BecauseI took this time, because I could not get internet access, because we were on a beach, because we left our day to day lives and drove 16 hours - I got to sit back and watch my kiddo swim, paddle board, dig holes in the sand, play cards with his siblings and cousin. The office for me was states away, and for a week I got to be just mom. It felt amazing!

There was a moment when I just sat back, let the sun hit my legs, and looked at my son in his element - laughing with his cousin and sister. I suddenly felt so present.

THIS is what reminded me WHY I work. It also reminded me WHY I got into to photography to begin with - it was to capture our moments together and remember them forever. It is my love for my kiddos that started my entire photography life. It was being so present that I wanted to remember these moments. It is the gift I want to give to my clients - I just need to remember to give these moments to myself!

This is a photograph I recreate every year. He is my water baby, he loves to swim and always has... he gets that from me. I want to take him places we can swim together and always remembering having a great time doing that. I also want to bring home a print for him to always remember these warm, summer days too!

Taking the WHY and throwing it back into the photography

Now I am back. I feel invigorated, I remember why I am in photography. I got to spend some much needed quality time with my family (my husband, my kiddos, my sister and mom). I am refreshed and ready to work even harder.

I cannot run a business from a beach, but I absolutely need Lake Tahoe's beach to remember why I run a business!

I truly hope y'all get out there and take time with your families to remember why we all do what we do everyday!