Starting a Photography Business: Part 20 – Shining Light

I’ve been very fortunate in having parents who have always been supportive in everything I do. They went to all my school events, championed my dreams and bolstered me whenever my confidence has wobbled. So then it comes hard when people in my circle pick holes in my dreams.

Have you experienced this situation? You are on an exciting journey, everything is gathering pace, you are full of confidence your visions are becoming a reality with every passing day. As you radiate confidence your social circles widen, opportunities for partnerships come your way like never before, yet you suddenly discover a fly in the ointment.

Someone, and probably someone very close to you, is taking great enjoyment in being negative. They are trying their best to bring you down to their level of disbelief. In their world it is incomprehensible that all your visions and dreams could and are coming true. I remember listening to someone talking about their own transformation from wage earner to self employed and her surprise and hurt at some of her closest friends and family who didn’t want to share her vision or support her, slowly she released them from her life.

It’s never easy or comfortable to have someone trample over your dreams to show no support or just be hurtful. I had a moment this weekend where I came face to face with just such a person. At the time I was too focused on their lack of support to take a step back and see the real source of their resentment. With distance brings calmness and I realised what makes all the doubters in the world tick; fear.

Many people never follow their dreams because they are too afraid to get started. They let fear paralyse them and tell themselves they can never achieve their desires and by consequence they try and transfer that fear on to those around them who are brave enough to live their own dreams.

We ourselves have nothing to prove to anyone but by achieving our goals we do shine a light for the doubters. A light that shows them the way, if, they can take that first big step of overcoming their fears. We shouldn’t shrink from our course by taking any notice of the negative people around us, nor take on their fears; instead feel compassion for them rather than resentment.

I came across a quote last year by Mariane Williamson from her book, ‘A Return to Love’, which moved me, and I think sums up very eloquently my recent experiences. And I hope that it gives you comfort, if you are ever in the company of people living in fear of starting out, and instead resort to trying to shake your confidence.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond our means.  It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?  Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of god; your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”

“We are all meant to shine, as children do.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

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Ruth Bayley

Living in the beautiful rural county of Yorkshire it was perhaps natural for Ruth to have an affinity with the countryside and its wildlife. Creativity is Ruth’s driving force finding an outlet in television & radio she worked for many years as producer for BBC & ITV.

However a love of photography and for being surrounded by nature called her to go back to her photography training and bring pleasure and joy to people through her connection with our planet.

Staying in the moment when taking her images allows her to experience the natural magnificence unfolding before her eyes. It is this moment of mediation, of gratitude, that she evocatively conveys through her images.

www.healingwithphotography.co.uk