She asked, “What do you feel were your greatest takeaways from blogging for 100 days?”

I had just posted the directory for my “100 days of photography” series on Facebook and someone had commented.

My reply was, “I learned I have a lot to say.”

A couple of days ago, I celebrated my 100th day of blogging. Last summer I had a goal that I wanted to blog 100 times in 100 days for photographers and I did it. Like, for real, I did it. And if I’m being honest, I’m absolutely shocked that I did.

I am one of those people that has BIG plans that end up no further than the notebook I wrote them in. I plan everything out, how to’s, ideas, steps to get there, and then I stop. It’s ready, set, go, but without the GO. It’s more like ready, set, take a nap and forget the whole thing.

So when I told myself, “hey, I want to blog for a hundred days straight,” I also immediately told myself “Ok you can try but don’t like, tell people you’re doing it because around day 25, you’ll fade out and people will be like, ‘hey whatever happened to that blogging for 100 days thing?’ and then you’ll have to face the fact that you quit… again…”

But then I thought, “What if I DID tell people I was doing it? And then what if I actually did it?” The cynical me scoffed, “Yes, darling, we’ve had this conversation before.” This went around and around and around until I just shut up and did it. Each day. Even on the days I didn’t want to, even on the days I thought I would throw up if Canva tried to download a PDF rather than a PNG to my computer for the 100th time. Even when I mistyped the password to my WordPress admin and it locked me out.

So today, I’m sharing what I learned in month two of being a full time photographer and that is this:

I’m more than what I thought I was.

I am not limited to the shortcomings I stamped on my own forehead in the moments of, “I guess I’m just not that type of person” or “Maybe this path isn’t for me.”

Being a full time photographer has come with a lot of control. I control everything. I no longer have a start time in the morning. I don’t have a time set for me to take lunch. I don’t have an employee handbook telling me what is an appropriate use of Facebook while I’m punched in. I don’t have a payroll team to make sure taxes come out of my check. All this control has been passed onto me and placed in my hands. A lot of it is scary, a lot of it is a mix of intimidating and fun, a lot of it is empowering, and some of it is incredibly enlightening.

Because no one is going to tell me I can’t. Or I won’t. Or I’m not good enough to have something I want. This month I’ve learned that just because someone else has an amazing business or a successful blog or podcast doesn’t mean I can’t. There’s a place for me too and it can be wherever I want it to be. Because I control the narrative. My voice can exist. And so can yours.

We are infinitely more powerful than we give ourselves credit for, friends. We are meant to be exactly what we have the desire to be. What you want is meant to be a guiding light… it leads to motivation and drive for a reason. You want what you want because you were MEANT to have it!

When I started my 100 days series, I thought I wouldn’t have anything to say, or at least anything new to say. I thought my posts would all be a compilation of tired subjects that 1,000 other blogs had already written. But as I started writing, I started unlocking things I had been waiting years to say. Things I didn’t even know where there. I started sharing my own unique thoughts and perspectives which lead to MORE unique thoughts and perspectives. I started telling my personal story because I realized I was proud of it!!

So, month two… I walk this path with confidence because if it wasn’t my path, I wouldn’t be on it. I have faith in this year because I have faith in myself. Because I’ve shown the cynical me, the skeptical me, that I can accomplish any goal I commit to.

What does your inner pessimist say to you? Does she tear you down and make you feel like you can’t? Show her you can and watch her join your side. Your dreams are totally waiting for you.