Here’s What I Do Know

I don’t know if it’s the time of year, looking at my bank account slowly dwindling as I travel across North America, or looking ahead at a relatively empty calendar sans a few events OR maybe a combination of all of the above, but I am in this frustrating headspace of not knowing what I don’t know. I’ve been doing a good job of staying busy and being present in all of the events and experiences I have been participating in or creating - but I know that is going to come to a relative halt eventually and while I don’t need a specific plan I need a haphazard plan so I’m not just….floating. As someone who despises labels, I find it increasingly difficult to pinpoint what I “do” if I don’t have a name for it - but what I want to do is more than just a one word label.

So here’s what I do know (and you are the first to hear it here):

-I don’t want to be a coach
-I don’t want to run a photography business
-I don’t want to travel as much as I will have in the last 3 months consecutively
-I don’t want to just talk about body image
-I don’t want to say yes to things because I have a fear of missing out
-I do want to tend to my plants regularly
-I do want to spend more time with friends just hanging out
-I do want to spend more time with my family (at least once a week)
-I do want to develop a morning routine that can carry with me regardless of if I am traveling or not
-I do want to keep writing and creating content that encourages folks to embrace their authenticity + bodies
-I do want to keep teaching at workshops, retreats, conferences, etc.
-I do want to make money that allows me to sustain my creativity & mission
-I do want to make time every month/every quarter to spend time with myself (If it’s monthly, 3 days is fine. If it’s quarterly 7-10 days is needed)
-I do want to spend time in nature/have access to nature
-I want to teach to anyone who is ready to hear
-I do want a life of creativity, authenticity, and ease
-I want to go all in on whatever it is I am working on and then take time off afterwards to recuperate and refill the cup
-I want to do a gallery show
-I want to output content that changes lives
-I want to truth tell
-I want to share my experiences
-I want to be the person I wished I had in all of my years of difficulty

This list above is one of the activities I encourage people to do in my Empowerment for Everybody course, and while it was built for photographers, this exercise has the tools & questions necessary to help me figure out what is feeling authentic and in alignment with where I need to go next. It may not have a label - but it will have a direction. Just seeing these written out makes my head feel less spinny and gives me a refined focus to say “YES!” or “NO!” to things that do or don’t fall in line with THE LIST.

So, if you, like me, are struggling with a sense of direction - simply take to writing out what you do know to be true. It doesn’t have to be rooted in possibility or practicality at this moment - this is just where you can lay out the for sure no thank yous and the things you would say yes to in a heartbeat!