I asked the question on Facebook a while back, ‘what would have to happen for you to feel like you were really making it?’

The answers were diverse, they went from one end of a beautiful wishing spectrum to the other. While some felt the vision obtainable, others saw it a far cry from realities view. And for many of us (me) it often just depends on the day as to how far or close our dreams may seem. We each have a different version of what would need to happen, and even more wonderful is our different perspectives on what success actually is. But no matter our version, within each of us, in our own (and may I add, very personal) way, we long to find it.

It’s in our nature to want success. While success is often attributed with monetary gain, true success can only be measured in joy and contentment with oneself. And so we naturally seek for it in everything, in our relationships and our adventures, our passions and our commitments, in our waistlines and our professions. But so few are actually feeling successful and even fewer still are focusing in on where the greatest joy and success rests… At home.

I believe that success and dreams are closely intertwined… And determination and possibilities are woven from the same threads. As children, we are told we can do anything; as teenagers we believe it and as adults we so easily forget it. How is that you can look into the eyes of a child and see endless possibilities but when peering at your own reflection, miss all of the opportunities that are looking right at you?

I am not supposed to be who I am today. Statistically speaking, I am not supposed to be an active, contributing member of society… I am supposed to be lost and broken. I learned that when I was 14 years old through a book someone had given me to try to help. Those words changed me, in my stubbornness I made up my mind to prove them wrong. I decided that I would never allow myself to be a statistic, that I would never be a victim. They would not get to tell me who I would be.

Years later, when I decided to be a photographer, what was I thinking? I was married, with 3 kids (4 and under) – I’d never owned or used an SLR in my life and I was terrible with everything electronic. But I loved the possibility of it. I loved that an image could share a feeling, and a series of images could tell a story. Any story, even a happy one where happiness may not be. And where happiness was, it seemed to be able to spread light… I had found my light early into being married and now I saw a way to share light through a lens. And so I decided to believe in the possibility of me being a photographer and as if I didn’t have enough on my plate or that wasn’t a crazy enough notion on it’s own, I thought it might be fun to blog about the adventure of going for pro.

I dared to dream… And if you’re reading this then you have or are thinking about daring to dream too.

I want you to know that you are worth believing in. You’re worth fighting for. You are worth the energy… the work… the wait…  You’re worth it all! Believe in yourself… Believe in the possibility.

And then fight for it.