You Just Never Know

     “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are” –e.e. Cummings

Each week we share a piece of us on our photographic journey. We have titled this series, “Courage to Grow”. We hope that our own soul searching will inspire similar introspection in our readers and that together we can make our best art and live our best lives.

Today’s post is short. With the launch of our magazine “The Long Way Home”, I have been riding a wave of emotions. Many of them positive, but there is still a lot of stress and worry about “Is it worth it?”, “Will people like it?”, “Will it make a difference?”

In talking to my husband last night after a successful launch, I started running some of these questions by him and started stress spiraling. He said, “Your concerns are valid, but I think you’re forgetting that this is your first day. I think you need to allow way more time to pass before you should even begin to start worrying”. Do you know what? He’s right. Not just about the magazine , but about most crazy things we try.

We never know what will be successful or well received until we try. We never know if what we’re doing will be the biggest success we’ve encountered, or will fail miserably, until one of those things happens.

When we’re in the journey and mean really in it, we actually don’t know much at all when it comes to long term results. Things can change at the drop of a hat and what seemed like a failure can suddenly succeed beyond any expectations.

Since we have no idea the results until they, you know, result, why worry about it? Do you think this dude in the background of the photo is caring what people think of his wind wave riding? Absolutely not and I bet he is having a fabulous time.

If we are working our hardest at something we are passionate about, what more can we do to succeed and why waste the precious time we have where we could be productive on entertaining our doubts?

So, today as my “not good at the small stuff/big picture thinking brain” is trying to get the best of me, I’m going to just take away the power of those thoughts and instead remember that you just never know what will happen and the only thing I can do at this point is keep doing my best at those things I am passionate about. So listen to your heart and don’t stop trying because you just never know. I know it’s tough to feel confident in the path when going against the wind, but we can do it! “And so we beat on”, right?

Amanda Voelker is a fine art and lifestyle photographer, focusing on capturing the fleeting moments of childhood. She is currently located in the Seattle, Washington area. With her children and light as her inspiration, Amanda finds beauty in the everyday and is constantly amazed by all the wonder in her life. She strives to capture the subtleties of human emotion and connection in a beautiful way that showcases both the moment and a piece of herself. Amanda is also the Co-Editor in Chief of  “The Long Way Home” Magazine and co-founder of 30 Minutes in the Life. Aside from photography and family, Amanda is passionate about the ocean, seeing the world, diet coke, reading, and chocolate. You can find more of her work on her website and facebook