37. Uncertainty

"Nothing great was ever created by waiting around for someone to tell you it's all going to be okay or for perfect information to drop from the sky. Doesn't happen that way. Great work requires you to act in the face of uncertainty, to live in the question long enough for your true potential to emerge. There is no alternative. When you find the strength to act in the face of uncertainty, you till the soil of genius." - Jonathan Fields, Uncertainty: Turning Fear & Doubt Into Fuel For Brilliance

Knowing things = so overrated... Moving forward anyway?... Priceless.

Chew on that with your Monday morning coffee.

Loves,
V

“To know that you do not know is the best.” -Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

36. How I Found My Guy

“The world is a looking glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.” – William Makepeace Thackery, novelist (1811-1863)

Today’s the day of the shoot, ya’ll!!! Gettin’ new headshots today!

I am prepared…

• 8 hours of sleep… Check!
• Bag full of assorted clothing options… Check!
• Fully-stocked make-up case… Check!
• Check-in-hand… Check!
• Joyful sense of anticipation… Check!

Thank goodness for re-touching because I think I woke up with at least three new pimples today. Always, happens that way, right? Bleh! No matter.

“Flawed can be more perfect than perfection.” – Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

I am super grateful that it’s not raining and the sun is out! Hooray! We’re shooting outdoors… so we’re gonna have some goooood light this afternoon! Yes!!!

Who is going to be shooting these masterful photos you ask?

Answer to my photography prayers = Mr. Dylan Patrick @ http://dpheadshots.com/

I found him on Facebook. He shot my friend Anna Ty Bergman’s headshots and I thought her shots had great style, gorgeous color and really captured her essence. That’s what I’d like for my shots… ESSENCE… Thank you!

So I emailed him and inquired about getting together for a consultation. (Wanted to meet with him and see if our personalities meshed.) Like a total pro, he got back to me super fast. We set up a meeting. Chatted it up about headshots and the biz and life. He takes his business very seriously but with a sense of play, now that's my kind of guy. I was very impressed by how well he communicated his headshot-photography-philosophy. He's a generous, smart and talented guy who is very passionate about his work. He treats people with respect and professionalism annnnnnd has a sense of humor. Jackpot!!! Who could ask for anything more? 

I have learned, that when it comes to headshots… you really need to feel comfortable with the person behind the camera. Whatever emotional responses they evoke in you are naturally going to come through in the photos. 

Soooo if he/she makes you feel silly and fun… you’re going to get some great smiling commercial shots. If he/she makes you feel deep and sexy… then va-va-voom! … you’re going to get some H-O-T shots.  I’m going for open and approachable… sooooo when Dylan and I met up… and I saw how open and approachable he was… that he made me feel the same! Score! Found my guy!!! Sweeeeeet.

He shoots on the roof of his apartment on 10^th Ave in Midtown. So I’m gonna head over there, hang out with him, his wife and his on-staff make-up artist…. have some snacks, maybe a drink, shoot-the-breeze and take some photos while we’re at it. Sounds like a rockin’ afternoon to me!  Life is good. I love New York.

Can’t wait to see how the pix turn out. And ya’ll can look forward to a future post where I will ask you guys to weigh-in on the headshot options, that is, of course, after Dylan and I get the chance to narrow down the best-of-the-best.

Let’s relax, have a good time and make some photo magic! Wish me luck!

Hugs,

Virginia

“Be flexible in your plans, never blame the weather and continue to be a cooperative participant in whatever happens.” – Lena Stevens, The PowerPath

35. Post-It Note Wisdom

“You should never sacrifice yourself in an attempt to save someone else. You cannot save anyone but yourself. When you make a strong commitment for something important that represents the next step in your evolution, you need to put boundaries around it and protect it from all the energies that are not compatible. This may require some hard choices of cutting off certain relationships, practices, habits and influences. If it does not feel good, say no and don’t do it. If it feels good, say yes and go for it. You don’t need to know how or why.” – Lena Stevens, The Power Path

Ya know when you’re happily moving along in your life, thinking everthing is normal and then you get a phone call… and the universe throws you a curve ball that starts you spinning into total chaos? 

Yeah. Well, welcome to my Saturday. 

I know we’ve all been there. Sooo in the interest of being self-loving and giving myself some much-needed encouragement at this moment… I decided to pull out the above quote for sustenance.

In fact, I think I’m going to write it on a Post-it note and carry it around in my pocket today. It’ll be a good moment-to-moment reminder and hopefully help me maintain my sanity.

Me brain is struggling right now to juggle a lot of deep-emotion-triggering new information. Gotta pull out some major inspiration to counter-act the crazy.

This one’s a goodie too…

“Remember that you cannot please everyone and you certainly cannot fix or heal anyone else but yourself. In the area of boundaries, be responsible for what is yours and not for what isn’t. It is very simple even though we try and make it complicated.” – Lena Stevens, The Power Path

Complicated? Yeah. How about PAINFUL?! Bleh. Emotions are so annoying sometimes. I mean, I’m glad to have empathy… otherwise I’d be some kind of sociopath, but at a certain point... some boundaries need to be set. Truly.

Breathe. It’s all going to work out fine, Wilcox. No need to freak out. Take comfort in your Post-it note. Go do one or two of your 5 daily practices that lead to happiness. 

Let it be.

Wishing you all a sane Saturday, devoid of curve-balls… or if not… maybe you can join me in some Post-it-note-carrying-wisdom!

Loves,

V

“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.” – William Arthur Ward