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Capture What Matters

Capture What Matters helps moms rediscover themselves through photography, creativity, and self-care. Each episode features a fresh tip or technique for helping you capture what matters through your own camera. Plus, host Beryl Young, founder of Momtography, shares stories of women who have opted out of overwhelm, burnout, and the neverending to-do list through self-expression. We’re exploring motherhood in an entirely new way––through the lens of putting you and your creativity first!
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Now displaying: February, 2020
Feb 18, 2020

Quick: what would you do with 10 minutes to yourself?

Just 10 minutes to connect with the blissful peace and quiet you crave. 

We know we need it. But how often do we actually give ourselves that time?

I want to let you in on a little secret. If you aren't giving yourself this time, you aren't alone. Many of us moms have far too many responsibilities to be able to connect with ourselves and our creativity on a regular basis.

But there is hope. Because when you do make the time and you do start giving yourself those 10 minutes, your life will change. 

When I was still working full time as a teacher and building Momtography on the side, I would often rush out of my school building at the end of an exhausting day and immediately drive to daycare to reconnect with my daughter.

After the brutal commute home, I'd be met with a barrage of to do's – dinner prep, playtime, bathtime, bedtime dishes, laundry... The list goes on and on. 

I just needed 10 minutes to connect with me. 

Then one day I had the idea to try a little experiment. What if instead of rushing straight from work to daycare, I took myself out to coffee and journaled for 10 minutes before moving on with the rest of the day?

Those after-work coffee dates were exactly the reset button I needed. 

When I took those 10 minutes of creative connection, I was able to show up for everything and everyone else with more focus, energy, and attention. 

And the same thing is true for today's guest, Tammy Blefeld.

As a high-achieving, working mom, Tammy was constantly feeling like she was burning the candle at both ends. Her go, go, go attitude eventually ended in a breakdown and that's where our conversation begins today, diving into what happened when she turned this low point in her life into an opportunity to connect more deeply with her company, her camera, her family, and herself. 

Photography tip:

This month in Momtogaphy Club, Jen and I are challenging you to fill the frame more while taking photos. Today, we're exploring why filling the frame is such a beneficial compositional tool and sharing some specific ideas for using this tool in your photography

Listen to the full episode to hear:

  • How Tammy went from being the go go go, all-in working mom to being the mom who makes the time to journal daily
  • What routines, habits, and tools Tammy uses to stay connected to her creativity, even when life goes off the rails
  • The surprising result Tammy had from opening up to her boss and connecting with her company around her personal breakdown
  • How she even got a promotion because she was taking better care of herself and was in a better mental place
  • What effect the unexpected link of accountability and habit formation had on how she now connects with her family

Links:

Feb 18, 2020

Mom guilt. 

My guess is that you are no stranger to the complicated feelings of self-doubt, shame, and uncertainty that come with raising kids.

The guilt creeps in in all sorts of ways. 

You find yourself endlessly wondering: am I doing this right? Am I ruining my child? Will this be the terrible moment in their memory 20 years from now? 

As a new mom nine years ago, I naively thought that as my own daughter got older, these guilty feelings would subside, but here we are.

Honestly, sometimes I'm not sure how to fill the space besides swirling in more mom guilt, but I also know that my camera is there to help me reconnect, to actually see these challenges and transitions in a more positive light. 

This month at Momtography, we are exploring how moms connect, not only with their families but with themselves too.

And in today's episode of Capture What Matters, I'm talking to Valerie Schoenfeld, a mom of three who decided, at seven months pregnant with her third baby, that she was ready to start a photography business. 

We’ll not only look at her journey through the lens of her business success but we'll also explore her surprising realization about how a camera could bring a more meaningful connection to her family, as well as the unexpected desire she discovered for self-care.

Photography Tip:

Every episode, Momtography Club Community Director Jen and I sit down together and share a tip you can use to get more comfortable with your camera so you can capture more of what matters in your life. 

In this episode, Jen and I share a unique perspective on the photography skill of "filling the frame." We will explore some unique tips for "filling your life" with photography that encourage you to pick up the camera more this month! 

Listen to the full episode to hear:

  • How photography has helped Valerie reclaim her own creative confidence and shape her identity as a mom 
  • What made her decide to start a photography business when 7 months pregnant with your 3rd baby
  • How starting a business helped her realize how much she had been neglecting herself
  • How the camera has brought Valerie greater connection with her family as they make memories and learn to love photography together
  • And what internal tactical shifts Valerie has made to prioritize connection with herself and how she, like most moms, didn't even realize self-care was a problem

Links:

 

Feb 5, 2020

Capture What Matters helps moms rediscover themselves through photography, creativity, and self-care. Each episode features a fresh tip or technique for helping you capture what matters through your own camera. Plus, host Beryl Young, founder of Momtography, shares stories of women who have opted out of overwhelm, burnout, and the neverending to-do list through self-expression. We’re exploring motherhood in an entirely new way––through the lens of putting you and your creativity first!

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