Continuing our Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self series, is the sweet Nicki Rohloff - the creative eye & brain behind the LiveLight Photography. Nicki works alongside her husband, Brian. He is her post processing mastermind (hooray for the together-working couples!). Because Nicki gets to work with incredible couples who trust her to document one of the most memorable day of their lives - in return, she makes sure that their one of a kind love and personalities show in the wedding photos so that they bring back all the feelings and special moments of the day.
Read below what Nicki would love to tell to the little self.
Dear Me: Nicki Rohloff
In just a few months, I will be celebrating my 30th birthday. It seems like a flash, but also an incredibly winding road that is finally starting to make sense. For so many years, I felt like I had something to prove to everyone around me....now I realize that the only person who is actually focused on or measuring my success in life is me. I'm not saying it isn't a constant struggle not to compare myself, because it is, but I am definitely learning that we are all unique and have to find the sweet spot for ourselves. I am thrilled at how far I have come in reaching my goals, but there are definitely a few main points that I would have loved to tell little me, or at least used to empower her.
1) Create a plan and then JUMP in. We can spend years (literally) planning to turn an idea into real life. A plan that could take a day to drum up. I'm not saying that you should jump on your dream career without any backup whatsoever, but what I am saying is that if you spend the time to create a reasonable plan and then give it your all, then you can make it work.
2) When you make a mistake, learn and grow...and then move on! I have spent days freezing in the horror of a mistake, but there are almost always ways to correct it or turn it into a valuable experience.
3) Keep an eye out for opportunity and always be genuine. There have been so many chances that have come my way from the most unexpected of people and places.
4) Spend time alone. Give yourself the right environment and time to get inspired.
5) Here's the biggest one for me. Know that you are strong, and powerful, and talented ....and that you don't always need to feel like you are the best at everything you touch. There is always going to be room for growth and that is what keeps you going. Work for what makes you happy and it will shine through your career and your life.
As a teenager, I was definitely not in a great place. Struggling with the ever so common voice telling me that I wasn't good enough. By the end of my teens, I also had a baby to take care of so the constant urge to overcome "everyone else's" doubts about me had hold of my every move. I did finish college with honors and went on to landing a reliable job, but the creativity that I once had such a passion for was definitely missing and took me far too many years to get back. We each have our own paths and I am grateful for mine, but I do wish that I would have allowed myself to live more...to take chances. Life is full of ups and downs, but if you are willing to shake the fear and put yourself out there, you can flourish in more ways than you had ever imagined.
