How do you know you’re on the right path?
I ask my sleeplessness, “What are you trying to tell me? What do I do next? Which path should I choose?”I would love just to do what needs to be done and fall back asleep, but it isn’t always that simple.
Sometimes we don’t know what we need to do next.
Restlessness often accompanies the unknown.
I could blame it all on pregnancy insomnia, but the truth is, I have noticed this feeling of restlessness as part of a pattern in my creative process.I’ve come to embrace it as something that is possibly even good for me.
Restlessness usually follows a period of rest and contentment. It begins the creative cycle anew. It is taken up by action and later achievement.
I wonder if we never had a feeling of restlessness, would we ever have the will to create?
Creation isn’t born of inertia.
Creation is born out of movement.
It is the result of doing.
I realize my old friend restlessness simply dawns upon me when I’m stuck. When I have a new road to travel, but the path isn’t yet clear.
Restlessness comes when something is about to change, but we can’t yet see the end of the journey.
How do I get started when I don’t know if I’m even on the right path?
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path; and that will make all the difference.”– Steve Jobs [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]
So what do I do?
I get busy making dots.
What about when I’m not sure which path to choose? Which direction to move? Where to place my effort?
I start with my enthusiasm.
What lights me up and makes me happy?
What am I most passionate about at this moment?
I get busy doing THAT.
I start “doing” and I trust that the dots will connect in the future.
And I hope that it will make all of the difference.
Creative drive, inspiration, and enthusiasm are our true connections to our own inner guide. They are gently telling us what we need to be doing. We just have to listen.
What dots are you making this week? I want to hear from you! Let me know in the comment section on the blog (so I know I’m not talking to myself!).
Your friend,
Heidi
PS: No FAQ Friday today 🙁 Shaun and I are headed to a family wedding. I’ll be back next week so get your questions ready!
Early Bird Registration
for all 2016 Workshops ENDS TODAY!
The Boutique Baby Studio Workshops are limited to 12 photographers.
Here’s what past attendees are saying:
The Online Workshop
“Thank you for such an amazing, inspiring workshop opportunity! I’ve taken quite a few workshops and although they were very helpful and resourceful, yours is the top contender! I loved how it was live and we were able to interact with you as if we were in the same room in person. You opened up everything you knew about being a business owner and photographer and not many people are willing to do that and I want to thank you. I cannot wait to see what 2015 has to bring for my business. I’ve been telling everyone about the workshop and will continue to do so. So many positives that came from this workshop and it has really inspired me to work harder, be more organized, know that things take time and that every photographer has had their struggles but have worked hard to be where they are today! From the worksheets to the videos on how you conduct your session were so helpful to visually get to see how things are done and hear how you interact with clients instead of having to read how it’s done and try to paint a picture of it! Another positive was meeting new people from around the world. I love how we have been helping each other, supporting each others’ photography pages from Facebook to Instagram to Pinterest, etc. I can’t thank you enough and I look forward to attending more workshops!!!”
“After being in the photography business for over 15 years, Heidi and Shaun are the most genuine people I have ever met in this industry. They are an open book and beyond willing to help others. It was such a pleasant surprise to finally take a workshop that the teachers are real, honest, and even willing to share their actual numbers with you. NO ONE does that. No one. They literally will give you the steps to take to create a profitable and enjoyable photography business. I was a little nervous about 5 days online. I wanted to be sure I stayed focused. Clearly that wasn’t a problem. Heidi nailed it and had us all on the edge of our seats the entire time.”
~ Jenni Maroney Portrait Boutique
“I cannot say enough good things about the Heidi Hope Workshop. It was the first full workshop I have taken and I have since held every workshop up to it in comparison – and none of them have topped – or even come close to – my experience at Heidi’s. What caused the HH workshop to stand so high above the others was a combination of the breadth of material covered (posing, shooting, creative but also marketing, business, and pricing), the organizational and planning that went into it to create the best experience for the participants, the friendliness of the team, and the information communicated to the participants both leading up to the workshop and all throughout the workshop. Everyone was an open book, very welcoming, incredibly knowledgeable and more than happy to share whatever they could with us. It was hands down the best workshop I’ve ever taken which I have continued to tell attendees at every other workshop I’ve been to! The others have been very good, with some of the other top photographers in the industry, but your workshop was truly amazing. It has been four months since I attended and I still think about it, and the things I learned in it, on a daily basis. I left more inspired that I thought I could ever possibly be. Seriously changed my life. Thank you!!!” October 2013 Workshop Attendee
About Post Author
Heidi,
I loved this last blog post about connecting the dots! I actually didn’t get two seconds from my children to read it until today (Monday). But it really was more perfect for a Monday read anyway! I actually quite love Monday’s, as they make me feel like I have a fresh start for the week.
I think more often than not I need to do better about just starting, and not waiting for the perfect time. Just starting, and worry about the dots connecting later down the road.
I loved your thought about choosing the part or ‘dot’ that excites you (me) the most and going with that. Restlessness often is the beginning of great new venture. Hopefully you will get more sleep this week though! Thanks for the great post! Xoxo, Katie