Are you doing what you love?

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I am sitting here waiting on word that the credit card system is integrated and that I can test my site and go live.  I know I said you might not hear from me until then.

But I missed you. And I was just thinking…

  • I love what I do.
  • I am grateful that I am able to do what I love (be artistic, be creative and be a teacher).
  • I am thankful to have all of you as readers, fans, friends and/or customers.
  • I follow my heart in business. I try to focus on what brings me joy. I try to figure out ways to eliminate or delegate the rest.

So as we approach the new year, try to reflect. Do you love what you are doing to make a living? What aspects of your career bring you joy? What parts don’t?

I honestly believe if you do what you love, joy and success will follow.  Success may be that warm feeling you have inside as you pursue your passion, the smile you have when someone tells you that you have made a difference in his/her life, the growth of your business, or possibly more money or even fame.

And as I patiently wait for my new site to launch, I feel thankful for my family, friends, and business.  I hope you will share in the comments below your own reflections on “if you are doing what you love?” and what aspects of your career do and do not bring you joy?”

Thank you!

Jodi

MCPActions

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  1. Briana Gardell on December 16, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    I’m in the process of starting a part time photography business, so that I can do what I love! While it’s tough, I’m loving every step. I have a good day job, it pays well, but it doesn’t stimulate my creativity. People encourage and love my photography, and I’m experiencing success even in the first steps. So while I used to envy those of you who are able to make a living from your passions, I’m now inspired and am striving to end up there. Thank you for your inspiration and for sharing your knowledge and talents with us.

  2. Jonathan Golden on December 16, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    While I’m not quite there yet, I do plan on doing what I love in the very near future. Having a young family makes me have to be a little more patient but my time will come. Some of your recent posts have been very inspirational! Thanks 🙂

  3. Carrie on December 16, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    When I was a kid I wanted to be a photographer and at one point I dreamed of being paid to make scrapbooks for other people. Here I am 20 years later, doing exactly that. I don’t care for the post production busy work of photography but thanks to YOU, it’s not as tedious as it would be otherwise. I am going to try to streamline my blog book designing business a bit so I don’t have to spend SO much time working. My kids are still little and I’d much prefer to be home with them until they go to school, but my husband was laid off in January and my two businesses have kept us afloat. What I love about blog book design is knowing that I’ve provided them with a record of all the memories that would have otherwise been ‘stuck’ on a computer. Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a successful launch of the new site!

  4. Jennifer L on December 16, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    You are very lucky. I am still looking for a way to make money at doing what I love (scrapbooking). Or find something else that I love just as much. I look forward to seeing the new site!

  5. Andi Grant on December 16, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    I love love love what I get to do and that I get to be a full time photographer simply blows my mind. Finding my niche this year was especially wonderful…that niche for me is boudoir. One of the more tedious parts of my job is post processing, and even though my workflow is great and I’m good at it it bores me, so my saving grace is that I get to listen to my music as loud as I want to and it’s ok…(1 thing I couldn’t do as a 911 dispatcher) So even the least exciting parts of the job have silver linings.

  6. Amanda on December 16, 2009 at 3:49 pm

    This past year I started my own PT photography business. Although I have the “8-5 office job” this is a way to have something that is MINE! I love it, I love being creative and hearing all the great compliments. I hope one day I will be a “Big timer” in my area and have everyone lining up to schedule shoots with me, but for now I am still learning and growing. Thank you for your informative blog posts! Your one person that makes me stop and think, lol, I actually upped my prices after reading your post about pricing. Your actions are genius (I have tons and I use yours more than any other) and they have saved me a lot of time in the post processing……which was a life saver since I work FT and end up staying up until the wee hours editing after the kiddos have gone to bed. Congrats on your new site! I can’t wait to see it! In the meantime I better get back to work, lol. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  7. Alan Stamm on December 16, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    Beautifully composed, framed and presented – – just like all your images, Jodi.Not surprising, actually, that you’re a philosopher as well as a photographer/entrepreneur. Introspection, lifelong learning and appreciation for joys great or small seem to be woven into your family/business/social media lives. When we’re fortunate enough and smart enough to integrate what we DO with who we ARE, “joy and success will follow,” as you say.This post overflows with the passion and generosity that have brought you far. Thanks for sharing the seasonal smile and coaxing other bright ones.For my part, I love shaping language to explain, stimulate and motivate. It can seem, on good days, like a form of mental manufacturing that assembles words into strong, durable, functional frameworks to support business objectives. I’m glad you asked. Happy holidays!

  8. Krista on December 16, 2009 at 3:56 pm

    I so want to answer this question with a resounding yes, but I can’t. My income is not generated by the things I am passionate about, but by the dreaded “evil day job”. This is a great reminder, though, that only by striving to achieve my creative goals will I be able to live out my dream of being a stay-at-home-writer. The photography? That’s just for fun.

  9. Christy Combs - Inspired by christy on December 16, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    I never intended to start a business, I just enjoyed taking pictures for friends. But I’ve been Blessed with a wonderful opportunity to take my passion and make an income…YES, I love this new adventure I’m on….late nights, technical things I now have to learn and business stuff I never wanted to learn…but I love it all and am ever so grateful.

  10. MegganB on December 16, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    yep. I love what I do. and this year more than ever I’ve learned that it’s not one bit about the money at all for me – it’s the love of people and capturing memories. When I combine the people I love and photos I love there is just nothing better.

  11. Rebecca Severson on December 16, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    Yes and yes. I work full time for a local university and actually do love my job. I also love photography and plan to start a small, part time business in 2010. I feel very blessed that I get to do two very different things that I really enjoy. 🙂

  12. Brittany on December 17, 2009 at 5:28 pm

    I’m not quite there yet either. Over the past three years, my life has been completely turned upside by a series of unfortunate events (only one of which I could actually control). Surprisingly, I am not too discouraged (well, maybe just a little), and I am taking baby steps to get to where I need to be despite the circumstances. I cannot wait to be able to say that I am doing what I love, and I know being able to say that after everything I’ve been through, will make it so much more sweeter. ;o)

  13. Pam on December 17, 2009 at 7:10 pm

    I absolutely love what I do and am grateful that I am able to be a photographer. Of course my favorite part is the actual shooting, interacting with people on happy occasions, seeing the love and wonder of newborns, capturing personalities of toddlers to teens, and watching interaction of families.Yes, I am lucky!Thanks to all the wonderful actions (MCP being some of my favorites), my post-processing is more manageable than ever. Anxious to see the new website, Jodi!

  14. Laurie on December 17, 2009 at 9:20 pm

    I do not love what I do but it pays the bills and allows me to pursue the things I am passionate about, like photography. I’m slowly working my way to get to a place where I can do what I love to do full time…once I figure out what it really is. I think it’s great how you came into this and it really shows how much you do enjoy it. We are very lucky to have generous people like you give so much of your time to help and teach others. Congrats on the awesome new site and best wishes to you and your family for a happy holiday season.

  15. lauri on December 18, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    I quit my unfulfilling day job two years ago, I was a video game animator for Disney, of all places! But I quit to follow my photography dream. I knew I was meant for it since in my free time I obsessed about all things photography. I’ve not regretted it and LOVE what I do. I love providing photos for families that they will cherish for years. There’s nothing better than getting lovely feedback from my clients. I love pushing my creativity, and seeing how I’ve grown over the years. Going full time was the best decision.

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