Dreams Change And That’s OK!
“She remembered who she was, and the game changed…”
I decided to start this post with a quote I found on Pinterest, and one I used in a similar post back in the first lockdown when talking about my riding. This quote, sums up exactly what I want to talk about. And that is change. And doing what sets your soul on fire, and remembering or rediscovering who and what it is you want to be. And redefining what success, and life (and all those other questions) means for you.
Back in 2020, I discussed how I had been feeling a little lost, and that I was finally beginning to see a clear path ahead for my business, and that I was feeling a sense of calm excitement knowing I was on the right track. But a more pressing issue was what I was doing with Arnie. The gist of it was that we were starting to focus more on dressage and that I was holding onto a dream that at the time wasn’t working. I was holding onto it because I dislike change, a LOT. But jumping at that time wasn’t working well because I was really struggling with my coordination because of my dyspraxia. But actually, I was loving the flatwork so why not focus on that?
Fast forward a couple of years and guess what? Everything has changed. Again.
Let’s start with Arnie
A little further down the line we discovered why Arnie and I were struggling so much with the jumping. I had grown more confident generally, and so we started jump lessons again. Until one lesson it was like Arnie did not know how to canter. He lost all coordination behind. Queue vet visits and scans and it turns out that he really hated a more forward cut saddle, and there’s a potential for some pre-arthritis in the hocks that isn’t showing up on x-rays yet (but bone scans did suggest something was amis there). There could be a whole number of reasons for this but on speaking with my vet, I got his hocks medicated and touch wood, we haven’t had an issue since the injections and change in saddle! To be quite honest, since that point he’s gone from strength to strength. Arnie is loving his work, regardless of what we’re doing (but he seems to come into his own when going cross-country), and so there are thoughts that at some point I might event him… Which I must admit I’m very excited about. Past me would be horrified! So the plans I had with him have all changed, again, but I’m definitely feeling alright with it and I’m very much going with the flow and seeing where things take us!
And now onto the business
A lot has changed in the land of Beth Hicks Photography. Back in 2020 I was adamant that I would stick to being purely an equine photographer. Having dabbled in a few other genres at the time I was sticking with my guts and focussing on the equine side of things. Now? After discussions with friends and a session with Alice Benham (if you’re a business and need help bringing clarity to your business strategy I definitely recommend a session with her) things became much clearer. I no longer wanted to focus purely on equine photography. My passion for photography has changed from only enjoying photographing horses, to loving the ability that photography has to get creative, and to tell a story. Because I wasn’t focussing on this, there was a lack of creativity and motivation to keep producing content, which if I’m being really honest was getting me down. But creative storytelling is what I am now focussing on. Whether that be through portraits (equine and non-equine), weddings, or through brand partnerships.
At first, I was a little worried about whether this would work, but it felt right so I decided to stick with it. With changes to the website (more like a whole new website) and the messaging throughout my online presence I’m pleased to say that things are back on track. I’m starting to get my creativity back and there are so many more projects I’m wanting to start on. And I’m attracting more clients who are aligned with my brand values which feels amazing.
Over the past few months there have also been some quite big changes, starting with the fact that I’ve taken on a part time job as Digital Marketing Executive over at Herd It Here Creative. I never thought I would hear myself say this, especially as I have previously thought about applying for roles and then hadn’t because I couldn’t bring myself to have another job alongside the photography, but this feels SO right. It couldn’t be a better fit for where I am now and it’s amazing how at ease I’ve felt with the decision to take this on! With announcing this I want to make something clear, though. I am still taking on photography clients. I just have the capacity to take less clients on. Which isn’t.a bad thing as it means I have more time to dedicate to the clients I do have, and create an even better photography experience for them!
I’ve also started having an urge to go back to my roots and write more. Back in my teens, before I was a photographer, I was a blogger. Granted, it wasn’t the most successful of blogs but I enjoyed it all the same. And I’m wanting to incorporate more of that within the business. What does this mean? To start you can expect more content like this, lifestyle content surrounding the business, and content surrounding country life. Alongside all of the blogs that accompany the photography business and photoshoots I do. I also have a new email list starting, designed to drive more honest conversations online (you can sign up using the form below this post). They’ll be a little more vulnerable, and by signing up you’ll get access to the blog posts like this, before they go live on the blog! I’ll then be taking this content and adapting it for social media. It’s time to take creative control of the content I’m producing and this feels like the best fit at the moment!
What have these changes taught me?
Firstly, how we define success can differ from one person to the next. There was a point that I thought if I had to have another income stream alongside the photography, I would be deemed a “failure”. The reality? Success is different for everyone, and different people need different resources around them to achieve those goals. For me, having the security of the work with Herd It Here Creative has been invaluable. It’s meant I’ve not felt so alone during the working week, as I am working as part of a team that have the same goals and interests. It’s meant I’ve had better security financially, as we all know that working as a freelancer isn’t always the easiest at times. It’s meant I’m no longer desperate for the next job and if anything, it’s brought more focus to my own work. I can’t wait to see what comes next with both businesses.
Next, creativity is a journey. What inspires you to create at the beginning, even what you enjoy creating at the beginning won’t be the same a month, 6 months or even a year on from that point. This is ok. It’s how you grow as a creative and as a person. Or certainly, that’s been my experience of it.
I’ve learnt to embrace my dyspraxia and ADHD with open arms. What I once used as an excuse for why I couldn’t achieve things, I now view as a strength. So what if I struggle with coordination, or I focus in a different way to others, or view things differently. It doesn’t make me any less successful, or any less a person. It just makes me different and that is my greatest strength (expect more posts on this in future).
And finally, great things never came from comfort zones. Cliché but true. The more you push yourself, and the more you stretch that comfort zone, the more you can create and accomplish. Just don’t forget to rest, because that leads to burnout and that’s not fun.
That’s all for now.