Thank you Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza for providing a place for me to record this episode for y’all! No more Brooklyn closet recording!!!

I saw a meme that said “I didn’t realize 2020 was gonna be a trilogy” which I thought was hilarious, but I also thought NO I don’t want to embrace that. I am on the evidence hunt for a year of celebration, breakthrough, and lost dreams coming back to life. In cleaning up my life for 2022, I came across my tax return from 2012 and my gross income was $4300. I paused and realized that 2021 was the most financially successful year of my life. So I want to look back at where my journey started and share the story with you.

Gratitude

• Sometimes it’s hard to see your story for what it is because you’re so close to it— I know that’s what kept me from recognizing the beauty in my career journey.
• It’s important to remember where we came from and what God has done.
• Sharing my breakthrough has shifted my heart into gratitude and possibility. Hopefully it stirs your heart too.

What happens when your life doesn’t unfold the way you planned it?

How can you acknowledge the hope of what you want and long for while still being present to the here and now.

How can you stay open to the unexpected–even if the unexpected looks NOTHING like you planned?

My Unexpected Path to Photography

• After a miserable experience working at a non profit in LA, my dream for photography was growing. My friend told me to stop talking about it and do it.
• I remembered I had Mike’s card. I spoke to him and he offered an unpaid internship, which I couldn’t accept.
• I spent the summer nannying— I was broke but it was the glory days.
• Then out of the blue, Mike called and said he and his wife had been praying about it and offered me a job for $13/hour. I accepted.

A Budding Photographer

• Mike taught me everything I know. I barely knew how to turn on a camera.
• He brought me to New York Fashion Week to shoot a runway show, and I felt the magic of New York.
• I never thought I would start my own photography business, but I did and it wasn’t a success.

Be Ready For the Unexpected

• I started shooting for Carolina Herrera because a girl in my small group at Hillsong worked for her.
• I started shooting for Amy Porterfield after Jasmine Star— who I met while working for Mike— referred me to her. I still shoot for her yearly.
• Now, this is my 4th year shooting for Rockefeller Center. I take on around 5 weddings a year + a limited amount of lifestyle work.

Next week. I’ll continue the story with how I started a fashion blog that eventually led me down a road of landing a 6-figure book deal with one of the top publishers in the world. If you want to hear that episode now…go to Patreon.com/therefinedcollective and you can listen to it now and have access to a ton of other Patreon exclusive content.

Resources

• Listen to Part II early (and ad-free) here.
• Sign up for my 2022 vision casting workshop with Johan here.
• Check out Emily + Patrick’s wedding photos here.
• Check out Rockefeller Center on IG at @rockefellercenter and Twitter at @rockcenternyc

Special thanks to our newest Patreon members at the $7/month level: Jason, Rachel, Jeanna, Brenda, Danica, Jennifer, Amanda, Diana, Kelsey, Kasey, Brittany, Abi, and Adam. If you want to join, you can do that here.

If you’re in my Patreon community, you know that I recently tested my fertility. It’s time to take ownership of your fertility so you know your options for the future! Modern Fertility makes it easy to test your hormone levels at home. Modern Fertility is offering $20 off your test when you go to ModernFertility.com/refined.

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