Food shopping.
Write a Green Room article.
Clean bathroom.
Book hotel room.
Write 3 wedding posts.
Tidy bedroom.
Change bedding.
Tidy office.
Put clothes away.
Instead I spent most of the day sat in front of my computer, staring at a blank document on my screen. I checked facebook. I tweeted. I checked facebook again. And then I tweeted about zombies. I read my entire Google reader. I read the latest Photo Professional Magazine. I napped. I carried my cats around the house like babies.
Did I do any of the things on my list? Did I hell.
Sometimes the inspiration and/or inclination just don’t come and no matter how hard you try you can’t physically force yourself to do the things you know you have to. No matter how good your intentions are or how neatly your ‘to do list’ is written. Procrastination is a bitch, but you know, sometimes we just need to give ourselves a break.
If it’s not happening, I’d encourage you to just allow it. Stop pressurising yourself and take the time off you need. Get up and get out… or just flomp in front of the TV/hang out on social media if that’s what you want… and forgive yourself for your impromptu mini break.
Sometimes failure is OK. There may be no rhyme or reason to it, and you might not learnt anything from the experience, but that’s alright. Let’s forgive ourselves for our momentary lapses in awesomeness and just let them be…
I’ll come back swinging again tomorrow. Who’s with me?
Just want to give you a massive hug for this article!! Really needed to read some honesty about starting out on your todd! It’s hard but will be patient and keep learning!! Thank you!! Xxx
i’m soaking in all the words written here …very timely to remind me to keep going no matter where i stand now in my business…slowly but still enjoying what i love doing while joggling with motherhood! 🙂 always thankful to you Kat! xo
This is a great article. I hope you do this again. I found great advice from all the participants but Gala Darling and Shauna Haider hit the nail on the head. Most of the participants admit to trying lots of things that didn’t work. Fail fast and keep moving!
Great article – there’s some really useful advice here, not least in believing in your brand and remaining proactive! Thanks for such a helpful article!
Kat, this is a fabulous, insightful article, and I am so glad you wrote about it. As a young consultant whose mind is always full of ideas, it is great to read realistic advice from real girls. Keep it up 🙂
Stacey B
This was an extremely honest, personal, and great post to read 🙂 Thank you for sharing your ups and downs with us! As a small business owner myself I am always looking for blogs that I can relate to and learn from. I don’t have a degree in business and sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t have dived into something so time consuming and financially draining. However, I do love what I do which pushes me forward. I recently read an eye opening book about running and growing small business called “Liber8 Your Business” (http://liber8yourbusiness.com) by multi-award winning entrepreneur and author Laura Humphreys. Laura started as a secretary and since has grown and sold multiple businesses, so you know she knows her stuff! The book primarily works on a backwards approach to business strategy, encouraging you to look at the end goal and build your business from there. It makes sense because too often we get caught up in the day to day routines of running a business and become complacent. By taking a backwards first look at our business plan, we can then successfully plan and execute the steps necessary to reach our goals and get the business to where we want it to be. Very professionally and intelligently written, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get ahead of the game when it comes to growing a business. Wishing you all the success! Hope you will give it a read 🙂
I’m glad I knew absolutely zilch about blogging before I started. If I had known how hard it can be sometimes I really don’t know if I’d have started out of pure fear!
I can only describe my blog now though as my baby, a child I gave birth too and like any mother I’m super proud of any achievements and would fight to the death for it.
One thing I never knew is how much my blog would become a massive part of my identity and self esteem, I never want to let that go :)) XxX thanks for sharing this post!
Brilliant advice! However missed the important advice that is to set aside time to read blogs, so you don’t sit reading said blogs for 2 hours (because they’re so flaming good!) when you actually need to do some work! 🙂 Tx
Oh wow! This was such a useful post!
I am just starting to launch my business, and its very daunting! This post has been incredibly helpful and the advice of the contributors really helps! Especially the time frames.
Thanks so much for taking the time to gather this 🙂
Thank you so much for this, I have been trying to get advice, I’d trawl fb and Web for photographers that I liked the look of and messaged them for tips and advice non replied, I felt I’d hit a patch and these nuggets have really helped, I have bee a bit scared of pushing people to book me (or asking lol) and I’m Def guilty of waiting for people to come to me, I’m approaching my 3rd wedding season and this has just filled me with hope and motivation! Bring it on x
Some great advice in here loved reading it and plenty to take on board, feel a little lost right now with my business but after reading this excited to take a step forward. Thanks!
Wow Kat this is great! I love hearing the message ‘it takes time!’ over and over loud and clear from so many talented women.
Being a freelance crafter is all consuming and sometimes it feels like I’m a swan (things look good above water, but below I’m kicking ferouciously to stay afloat!) and of course by ‘sometimes’ I mean all the time hahaa
Thanks so much for linking us up to these fab girls!
This article could not have crossed my path at a better time. Having just been in the business 1 year, I found myself surrounded in self doubt this weekend after making (in retrospect) minor errors. Mistakes are a given and the more uncomfortable I feel when I make them, the more I will grow and be better as a result. Sometimes I forget that and it takes words of encouragement and little nuggets of genius like this article to remind me. That you for the little kick up the arse! 🙂
Hi Kat, Another awesome Blog post. Thank you, so much helpful information that is so relevant to us right now!
We launched our little Business {The Boutique Wedding Co.} Just two months ago, it’s still very much work in progress and at times we think ‘Can we really make this work?’ reading your article gives us hope and confidence that it is possible!
Hi I just wanted to say what a massive help I’ve found this article! My friend and I set up our business last July and have been finding our way ever since. We’ve had some ups and downs but things are beginning to pick up and it’s just about hanging on on there and remembering after all the long hours it will be totally worth it 🙂
Hi Kat!
I just wanted to say thanks so much to you and your wonderful industry friends for sharing your experience and advice. I set up a wedding blog back in 2009, and have followed your blog (and lots of other fantastic wedding bloggers) ever since. My problem was that I was too perfectionist. I had a very clear vision of my blog, but for every thought I had I found a reason why it wouldn’t be as perfect as I’d envisaged it. Suddenly, after just 2 blog posts, I found myself utterly hampered by own thoughts. I stopped. The blog is still “under construction”.
However, since then, I’ve learnt that life isn’t perfect. Two years ago I got cancer.
Suddenly, I found a totally different reason to blog. I had “fought” my rare stage 4 Primary Peritoneal Cancer and won. Thanks to incredible medial team, the amazing staff at the Macmillan Centre, healthy eating, exercise, and endless baking, copious Star Wars-related fun (YEP – I’m a geek and it makes me happy!!) plus the love and support of my amazingly positive and caring husband, family, friends, colleagues, fellow patients, neighbours and even strangers I did it. I beat cancer in May 2012.
However, following this amazing news I found myself in the wilderness. A sort of post-cancer limbo. My “fighting spirit” and Positive Mental Attitude, which had been my strength throughout my 17 weeks of chemo and surgery, suddenly seemed to have vanish completely. All that was left of my usual bubbly, ultra-positive social self was a shell of a person with severe anxiety and reactive depression. Try as I might I couldn’t “shake it”.
Thanks to help from my amazing psychologist, provided by Macmillan Cancer Support, I managed to identify all the things that helped me stay positive throughout my treatment. To help myself feel better I started doing all those things again and recorded them in my own personal Positive Mental Attitude blog (LouiseWisson.com)
Just by sheer virtue of changing my behaviour and capturing all my happy moments on my blog, I actually felt better.
I so also delighted to learn the blog helped others around me too; both to understand my cancer journey and to help boost their Positive Mental Attitude.
I must say I am so inspired by people like you and Gala Darling for sharing your passion and your positivity in the world.
Thank you so much for helping spread happiness and being my #pmatoday.
I loved reading this so much. I read a section just before I went asleep for the past week and had sweet dreams about the hopeful future success of my wedding photography business which while only in its second year I hope Itll be reaching milestones soon
… Also while I’m here chatting away I though I should tell ye how much I love rock n roll bride! Hands down my favourite wedding photography blog and it gives me so much inspiration and enthusiasm daily 🙂 so thanks for that!! And for all the great words written in this article
Michelle Walker
Great post with great advice! Thanks for sharing xx
Wel… consider yourself added to my blogroll. I have like six other blogs I read on a weekly basis, guess that number just increased to seven! Keep writing!
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting article to read. Very honest and practical, I feel much more motivated after reading this. Thanks Kat for all this positive advice.
Just want to give you a massive hug for this article!! Really needed to read some honesty about starting out on your todd! It’s hard but will be patient and keep learning!! Thank you!! Xxx
i’m soaking in all the words written here …very timely to remind me to keep going no matter where i stand now in my business…slowly but still enjoying what i love doing while joggling with motherhood! 🙂 always thankful to you Kat! xo
This is a great article. I hope you do this again. I found great advice from all the participants but Gala Darling and Shauna Haider hit the nail on the head. Most of the participants admit to trying lots of things that didn’t work. Fail fast and keep moving!
Great article – there’s some really useful advice here, not least in believing in your brand and remaining proactive! Thanks for such a helpful article!
Kat, this is a fabulous, insightful article, and I am so glad you wrote about it. As a young consultant whose mind is always full of ideas, it is great to read realistic advice from real girls. Keep it up 🙂
This was an extremely honest, personal, and great post to read 🙂 Thank you for sharing your ups and downs with us! As a small business owner myself I am always looking for blogs that I can relate to and learn from. I don’t have a degree in business and sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t have dived into something so time consuming and financially draining. However, I do love what I do which pushes me forward. I recently read an eye opening book about running and growing small business called “Liber8 Your Business” (http://liber8yourbusiness.com) by multi-award winning entrepreneur and author Laura Humphreys. Laura started as a secretary and since has grown and sold multiple businesses, so you know she knows her stuff! The book primarily works on a backwards approach to business strategy, encouraging you to look at the end goal and build your business from there. It makes sense because too often we get caught up in the day to day routines of running a business and become complacent. By taking a backwards first look at our business plan, we can then successfully plan and execute the steps necessary to reach our goals and get the business to where we want it to be. Very professionally and intelligently written, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get ahead of the game when it comes to growing a business. Wishing you all the success! Hope you will give it a read 🙂
Hi Kat,
I’m glad I knew absolutely zilch about blogging before I started. If I had known how hard it can be sometimes I really don’t know if I’d have started out of pure fear!
I can only describe my blog now though as my baby, a child I gave birth too and like any mother I’m super proud of any achievements and would fight to the death for it.
One thing I never knew is how much my blog would become a massive part of my identity and self esteem, I never want to let that go :)) XxX thanks for sharing this post!
Brilliant advice! However missed the important advice that is to set aside time to read blogs, so you don’t sit reading said blogs for 2 hours (because they’re so flaming good!) when you actually need to do some work! 🙂 Tx
Oh wow! This was such a useful post!
I am just starting to launch my business, and its very daunting! This post has been incredibly helpful and the advice of the contributors really helps! Especially the time frames.
Thanks so much for taking the time to gather this 🙂
Thank you so much for this, I have been trying to get advice, I’d trawl fb and Web for photographers that I liked the look of and messaged them for tips and advice non replied, I felt I’d hit a patch and these nuggets have really helped, I have bee a bit scared of pushing people to book me (or asking lol) and I’m Def guilty of waiting for people to come to me, I’m approaching my 3rd wedding season and this has just filled me with hope and motivation! Bring it on x
Some great advice in here loved reading it and plenty to take on board, feel a little lost right now with my business but after reading this excited to take a step forward. Thanks!
Wow Kat this is great! I love hearing the message ‘it takes time!’ over and over loud and clear from so many talented women.
Being a freelance crafter is all consuming and sometimes it feels like I’m a swan (things look good above water, but below I’m kicking ferouciously to stay afloat!) and of course by ‘sometimes’ I mean all the time hahaa
Thanks so much for linking us up to these fab girls!
Big love,
Kerry
Be Brave Creations
http://www.bebravecreations.co.uk
This article is INCREDIBLE! So much truly helpful information and advice. It’s also really inspiring to read about all these fabulous success stories!
This article could not have crossed my path at a better time. Having just been in the business 1 year, I found myself surrounded in self doubt this weekend after making (in retrospect) minor errors. Mistakes are a given and the more uncomfortable I feel when I make them, the more I will grow and be better as a result. Sometimes I forget that and it takes words of encouragement and little nuggets of genius like this article to remind me. That you for the little kick up the arse! 🙂
Hi Kat, Another awesome Blog post. Thank you, so much helpful information that is so relevant to us right now!
We launched our little Business {The Boutique Wedding Co.} Just two months ago, it’s still very much work in progress and at times we think ‘Can we really make this work?’ reading your article gives us hope and confidence that it is possible!
Thanks for the burst of positivity!
Lucy and Jesus
http://www.boutiqueweddingsinspain.com
Hi I just wanted to say what a massive help I’ve found this article! My friend and I set up our business last July and have been finding our way ever since. We’ve had some ups and downs but things are beginning to pick up and it’s just about hanging on on there and remembering after all the long hours it will be totally worth it 🙂
Hi Kat!
I just wanted to say thanks so much to you and your wonderful industry friends for sharing your experience and advice. I set up a wedding blog back in 2009, and have followed your blog (and lots of other fantastic wedding bloggers) ever since. My problem was that I was too perfectionist. I had a very clear vision of my blog, but for every thought I had I found a reason why it wouldn’t be as perfect as I’d envisaged it. Suddenly, after just 2 blog posts, I found myself utterly hampered by own thoughts. I stopped. The blog is still “under construction”.
However, since then, I’ve learnt that life isn’t perfect. Two years ago I got cancer.
Suddenly, I found a totally different reason to blog. I had “fought” my rare stage 4 Primary Peritoneal Cancer and won. Thanks to incredible medial team, the amazing staff at the Macmillan Centre, healthy eating, exercise, and endless baking, copious Star Wars-related fun (YEP – I’m a geek and it makes me happy!!) plus the love and support of my amazingly positive and caring husband, family, friends, colleagues, fellow patients, neighbours and even strangers I did it. I beat cancer in May 2012.
However, following this amazing news I found myself in the wilderness. A sort of post-cancer limbo. My “fighting spirit” and Positive Mental Attitude, which had been my strength throughout my 17 weeks of chemo and surgery, suddenly seemed to have vanish completely. All that was left of my usual bubbly, ultra-positive social self was a shell of a person with severe anxiety and reactive depression. Try as I might I couldn’t “shake it”.
Thanks to help from my amazing psychologist, provided by Macmillan Cancer Support, I managed to identify all the things that helped me stay positive throughout my treatment. To help myself feel better I started doing all those things again and recorded them in my own personal Positive Mental Attitude blog (LouiseWisson.com)
Just by sheer virtue of changing my behaviour and capturing all my happy moments on my blog, I actually felt better.
I so also delighted to learn the blog helped others around me too; both to understand my cancer journey and to help boost their Positive Mental Attitude.
I must say I am so inspired by people like you and Gala Darling for sharing your passion and your positivity in the world.
Thank you so much for helping spread happiness and being my #pmatoday.
Best Wishes,
Louise
I loved reading this so much. I read a section just before I went asleep for the past week and had sweet dreams about the hopeful future success of my wedding photography business which while only in its second year I hope Itll be reaching milestones soon
… Also while I’m here chatting away I though I should tell ye how much I love rock n roll bride! Hands down my favourite wedding photography blog and it gives me so much inspiration and enthusiasm daily 🙂 so thanks for that!! And for all the great words written in this article
Great post with great advice! Thanks for sharing xx
Pleasure and happiness are the aims of love relationships. Remember it. Congratulations on the wedding!
nice
What great advise in here for newbies, the wedding industury can be a touch one when just starting out due to such competition.Northamptonshire DJs
What great advise in here for newbies, the wedding industury can be a touch one when just starting out due to such competition.Northamptonshire DJ
cced
Wel… consider yourself added to my blogroll. I have like six other blogs I read on a weekly basis, guess that number just increased to seven! Keep writing!
Great article – wish I had seen this a few years ago – have to share this with other photographers
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting article to read. Very honest and practical, I feel much more motivated after reading this. Thanks Kat for all this positive advice.