Never in my wildest imagination did I expect to be broadcasting right now while quarantined at home.
We're currently on day 13 of my daughter being home from school, and our governor here in Virginia just made the call that schools will be closed until the fall. At the very least, a lot of our friends and their kids are grieving.
And rightfully so. There's a lot of sadness and uncertainty right now.
Because our reality right now is not ever something my imagination could have dreamed up as even remotely possible during this lifetime.
Even though they are not the same, I find myself comparing the Covid 19 Pandemic to our pregnancy loss back in 2009. The trauma of both of these scenarios then and now are real. We had expectations and plans – we had imagined how life would be. And now the reality of what's actually unfolding is totally different. It’s tragic and disappointing.
But the cool thing about imagination is that we can use it to shift our perspective even during the hardest moments and find the good again.
Be gentle with yourself.
Be gentle with yourself on the days that you can't get out of pajamas.
Be gentle with yourself when you can't wear all the hats of mom, teacher, CEO, nurse – all of them at once.
Be gentle with yourself when you watch the news and anxiety strikes.
When you're gentle, you soften, shift your perspective and use your imagination again. When you’re gentle you allow yourself to see the good that still exists.
I promise there is a gift in the eye of this pandemic and today's episode I know will help you not only to look for it but to capture it from behind the lens of your camera.
My guest today is Lindsay Davis. Lindsey is a documentary photographer who lives in North Florida and loves capturing ordinary life in an honest and unique way.
Through her photos, she will inspire you to treasure life’s ordinary moments. When she is not taking photos, you can find her homeschooling her five kids. I know you're going to absolutely be inspired and hopeful after listening to her share about her personal projects and imaginative approach to picture taking.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
Linsey’s Links:
Beryl’s Links:
Three years ago, our daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety.
Surprisingly, my reaction was not one of sadness or fear or worry. My immediate reaction was one of relief.
Our kiddo’s diagnosis brought me relief because it gave me permission to honor and advocate for who she is. Her diagnosis reminded me how lucky I am to mother a child who is so comfortable with her creativity, and it led me to my own ADHD diagnosis not too long after hers.
Here at Momtography we are champions for imagination and creativity, not only for our children, but for us as parents and role models as well.
Today’s return guest, Dayna Abraham, is the founder of Lemon Lime Adventures and creator of the Calm The Chaos Framework where she supports parents out-of-the-box kids going from just surviving to thriving.
I wanted to have Dayna on the show to talk about what happens when we infuse more curiosity and imagination into our parenting, especially when we are feeling the most defeated or disconnected from our kids.
We talked about breaking the stigma around raising out-of-the-box-kiddos so we can stop hiding the qualities in our families that often make us feel fear or shame.
We chatted about how the more we talk about these truths, the deeper a connection we can make with our communities and with ourselves.
And we talked about how when we learn to embrace the things that make us and our children different, we are granting ourselves permission to show up in life with more creativity, curiosity, and imagination.
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. Jen's unofficial title at Momtography is the Queen of Photo Projects. So with that in mind, this month Jen and I will be sharing photo projects to spark your imagination and inspire you to go capture, develop, and preserve more photos!
Listen to the full episode to hear:
Links:
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:
Links:
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:
Links: