Stick to what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. 

Like many other women out there, I am a mother, a wife and a business owner. My life is completely chaotic. There is never a dull moment in my home and there is rarely a minute spare to sit back and take in life’s simple pleasures. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Like many other women out there, I have worked tirelessly to create a name for myself and to pursue what I love. I am lucky enough to have reached a stage in life where I can say with total honesty that I am completely, blissfully happy.

But it wasn’t always like that.

Life is tough sometimes. Things don’t always go to plan, and even if they do, things rarely ever STICK to the plan. Sometimes we’re forced to cross hurdles we never saw coming, and sometimes we simply run flat and can only muster up the strength to say “Nope, stuff it.”

This week provided me with an opportunity to self-reflect on a few insights I’d apparently let slip over recent times. I have worked damn hard to be where I am today, and I am more than happy to stand up and scream that from the top of my lungs.

This week, I worked on a newborn photoshoot. I know right, what a surprise?! Just kidding. This photoshoot was particularly special for me as I’d worked with this family two years ago when I took photos of this baby’s older brother. Two years ago, those photos were taken in my dining room. Yep. My dining room. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a hectic time…

Two years ago, I was juggling the endless demands of a home business with some crazy little kids (my own) in the mix. My two eldest were in school (Thank God) and my youngest was constantly being rushed between his Dad at work and his childcare provider. For me, the biggest challenge of managing a home business alongside young kids was the MESS. For most people, maintaining a spotless household is near impossible. When you throw in a home business, a continuous flow of babies, toddlers, families and props… Well, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

I am not afraid to admit that I was a legitimate crazy person in the mornings. “Don’t leave that cup there!” and “Put your shoes away!” were my two main catchphrases. And no, Dad wasn’t exempt from them…

At the time, I knew I needed a change in scenery. I knew my business (and family!) would run far more smoothly in separate spaces. With that said, we can’t always snap our fingers and grant ourselves our deepest wishes in the blink of an eye. These things take time and these things take a lot of work.

I had to cross a few tumultuous stepping stones to get where I am today. This started with me sharing a space with other professionals 20 minutes from home, while another, far more handy location 5 minutes from home had me sharing with even more. It seemed as though chaos and “Emma” simply went hand in hand.

But now? Now I’m lucky enough to have recently moved into my very own, personal studio. It’s my own private space to do as I wish, with as little or as much silence as I want, and the best part? It’s right up the road from my home.

As I took those gorgeous newborn photos this week of this returning family’s youngest, I reflected on my crazy journey as a newborn photographer, business owner, wife and Mum. I thought back over the last few years and allowed myself the time to reflect on my successes and downfalls, though most importantly – My growth. While things weren’t always smooth sailing, I was always happy to persist through the tough times because I loved what I was doing.

Many things have changed over time, but that love hasn’t.

Every dream can become a reality. The timing may not always be perfect and things may sometimes seem far too terrifying to tackle, but I promise you it will be worth it in the end.

Stick to what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.

“Let your fear of regret be greater than your fear of failure.”
― Amelia Legend

Em x