A little while ago I had the joy of spending a good deal of time talking with one of my super sweet cousins. One of the many things we talked about that evening was writing and fear. The topic mainly came up because of this… this little space on the internet, my online journal, and the various personal posts and writings that I’ve shared with you here.

I’ve been journaling in some format or another for as long as I can remember. When I was little I didn’t necessarily write everyday or even every week, but when something weighed on my mind I would write about it. In high school the world of online journals and blogs was born and I found myself sharing little bits of myself to the world wide web. To this day I’m not entirely sure if anyone ever actually read my ramblings, but they are there for myself and others to see.

And then I started up this crazy adventure into photography. And I wanted a place to share my awesome clients with all of you. So I began journal-ing here to celebrate the many amazing seniors, couples, and families I’ve been blessed to work with over the years. Slowly over time, this space has evolved to include my personal writings and information for other photographers, but my goal here is still always to celebrate those I get to work with. And it only recently came to my attention how much people enjoy these little glimpses into my musings that I share too.

I’d be lying if I said that I was never scared about sharing some of my personal thoughts and stories in such a public format. In fact, the day that I shared about Ryan and my struggles to get pregnant was both a terrifying and wonderful day. Some battles are very personal and can be easily misunderstood if you haven’t experienced it yourself. I had no idea what people would think or say when I shared that post, and I had very real concerns about how people would interact with me after reading it. Of course in the end, it was all fine and actually quite freeing. I received many comments and messages from others sharing personal stories of their struggle as well. And it was wonderful to know that so many people felt less alone because I shared this little broken piece of myself.

But the truth is there are still many writings that I haven’t been brave enough to share for fear of what others perceptions might be. We are often so quick to judge. And the internet is a place where people all to0 often feel comfortable bashing and abusing others for simply being different. And I know that this is a very real fear for others as well. But here’s the thing… fear holds us back and sets limitations on our lives – but only if we let it.

I’ve gradually been finding my courage. Courage to be brave enough to share these little pieces of myself. And this bravery comes from a desire to help others. There are so many struggles I have been through in my brief 29 years of life, and I’m grateful for the people who have and continue to help me with my personal battles. But what good is overcoming these struggles and living this life if I can’t help others who might be dealing with similar issues. I by no means think that I can solve all the world’s problems. But I’ve been seeing what the power of words can accomplish. And if I can fight my fear and share these little personal stories here. If I help even one person feel less alone or find some kind of peace or better understanding of themselves. Then my struggles and my fear of judgement will be well worth the fight.

Today on this current site, I’ve written over 700 posts, people have left over 6,000 comments, and I have an average viewership of around 3,500 people per month. I seem to have found a wonderful little community of beautiful people. I know a few of you who read this journal of mine, and I know there are many reading that I’ve never met and don’t even know you’re here. But I’m grateful for each and every one of you and the courage you’ve inspired me to have.

So if you have a story. If you have ideas or personal stories or creative writings that even just a little part of you thinks might help one person. I’m telling you – You have more potential than you could possibly know. Don’t limit yourself. Be brave. And share yourself with the world!