Lessons Learned

What a day, well two days, full of lessons.

1. After getting off the phone with a client who was a bit disappointed in the photos I delivered, I realized how important it was to take this and truly learn from it. I must take a step back each day to reflect on what I did and what potential lesson I was to get from the day. This client was extremely happy with the quality of my work, but I under delivered in part of the role I was responsible for capturing. I don't take this lightly. In fact, while working this gig, I was so nervous and stressed. It was a challenge and I couldn't figure it out. The clock was counting down and I took the advice of another photographer working, which I would learn to be the Wrong advice. What I am not used to, is the support of another woman in helping truly learn a lesson from my experience. What she did is explain to me what I should have done better, but also asked for my advice on how she can make the role more reasonable for what the expectation is. This was new to me. In that moment I realized the importance of a mentor- this was a true mentor moment. 

Lessons: 1. There is always a solution to a problem. 2. Ask for help 3. It is your responsibility to get things done so do whatever you can to deliver. 4. Be vocal about the challenges and how to fix it. 4. Don't to the advice from a third party 5. Show up and Show out- over deliver always

2. The next day I ran my first race in over a year. It was just a 10k, but a girl hasn't ran more than 3 years on over a year, so that's a lot for me. What I didn't know, was the challenge ahead of me. The course was in Baltimore but it mind as well have been San Francisco. The hills, I mean mountains were never ending, more uphills than downs (it felt like). My friend and I started and one by one each person passed us. just a few minutes in, we looked back and realized we were in the back. From my experience, I was okay with this, as I could use this energy later in the race to get me through. But those hills got to me, and everyone else. Slowly and surely they started to take people out and I was passing through the pack. Surely and swiftly I climbed up the hills to the ones left was easy peasy. This race was a hard one. Even if I'd trained. What I shouldn't do is doubt myself. But what I learned was this...

Lessons: You may start off slow. You may be in the back of the pack. It may take you a while. But its all to build up the momentum for when the time really counts. All the hills and mountains you get up without walking and slowly glide yourself up front. it may take time, but each hurtle teaches you something. Just because you start off slow or in the back, doesn't mean you're meant to be there forever. Real Talk. 

E