Dissappointment {But I Am Worth It}

 
  For the past few months I have been working on re-doing my pricing. 
  Yesterday a co-worker came to me about photos and I decided that it was now or never so I gave her my new pricing.
  She initially scheduled a session and this morning I brought a few samples to show her at work and we shot several emails back and forth about various things. (All after she had looked over my pricing).
  20 minutes after the last email (when the session was still scheduled and I am talking about giving her my welcome packet) she sends an email stating that she needs to speak with her husband, that they are low on funds and that she has a close family member who takes "beautiful photos".
  Disappointment.  Strikes me in the gut.  I can feel my heart drop in my chest.
  The knowledge that for this one last time I should have given my lower prices to her (because I really need the money) settles over me.
  But then, I remember all the times before now when this same thing has occurred and my prices were lower and I find the strength to not let remorse or anxiety overtake me.
  The simple truth is that this person is NOT my ideal client.  That's why my prices changed her mind. 
  The beautiful gallery wrap that I showed her nor the leather album I let her feel and look thru impacted her because price, not value was her priority.
  I don't blame her.  I am only recently, after struggling with justifying raising my prices, beginning to see that there is so much value in photography and most times, to get that value, you are going to pay a higher price.  However, I am beginning to wonder if the many people that let price rule out over value in their lives will one day regret it.

  As I closed the email, a quote came to mind, one by Ann Brashares (the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series).  "There are going to be moments of deep, deep doubts, and you have to have faith that your initial idea was good and just muddle through."

  I am not letting disappointment overthrow me.  I know that who I am and what I do is worth every penny that I charge. 

  My ideal clients are coming.  It's just a matter of time.

Sara ♥

Slump Time

Right now I'm going thru my creative slump.  It seems to happen every two-three months. 

I'm not allowing myself to get anxious about it though.  I'm already feeling the stirring to get my camera back out and begin working on my business.

Right now my date for having new pricing effective, new policies written and my website updated is October 1, 2012.

Excited....

Sara

Are You Wading or Jumping?

I don't know how to swim.  True story.  I can't even float.  True story.

But it doesn't really bother me.  Maybe, someday, I'll learn but it's not a priority in my life.

However, I do want to swim in the figurative sense.  I want to not have to wade at the edge of the hotel swimming pool of life, or the ocean of life (whichever you prefer).  I want to be able to take a running jump and dive, headfirst into the water

It's something I've been pondering recently.

There are lots of things I want to do.  Languages I want to learn, classes I want to take, books I want to write, photos I want to take, adventures I'd like to have and sometimes, instead of just going ahead and taking the leap to begin them (sending an email, signing up for a class, getting out my camera, etc) I start analyzing (yea, not a good word).  And before you know it, I've talked myself out of it.


I'm challenging myself (and you too, if you want to join me) to not analyze so much.   Instead, the next thing that I desire to do, I'm just going to run, jump and dive headfirst into it and see where it takes me.....

How about you?

Sara