Let’s be alive in the dang moment // with Dublin, Ohio Family Photographer
Do you ever make it to the end of your day and realize you didn’t have a single moment where you felt entirely present, awake and alive? I’ve been having a lot of those lately, in part because of the busyness that seems to come with the month of May, the adjustment of going from a more relaxed, slower winter pace to the spring rush, but also for other more obscure reasons I couldn’t put my finger on until recently. And then I listened to this episode of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast and realized they were speaking directly to me. BURNOUT. That’s what I’ve been feeling.
Hyacinth petals on black and white Santa1000 film, shot for the Film Photographers Supporting Ukraine project
Completely unrelated to burnout from my job as a family photographer in Dublin, Ohio and the greater Columbus area, (this job inspires me and gives me life, and missing it during the slow season of winter actually contributed to my burnout), this is burnout from years of living in a pandemic, struggling to find balance with my partner and his workload, feeling the burden of doing most of the caretaking of our two young children, our home, and everything involved in living “adult” lives in our modern world. Add to that the constant barrage of terrible news… It felt a bit like I had lost myself. Like I was running on autopilot without much time or space for nurturing my own needs, desires and inspirations.
I knew I needed to find a way to find peace and daily moments of joy. If you are an empath, introvert, sensitive soul like me, you can probably relate to much of the above. Here are a few things I’ve found that ground me to the present moment and make me feel more fully alive. If you need more ideas, I wholeheartedly recommend listening to the podcast I mentioned above. My recommendations are intended to be VERY short and accessible, for parents like me who are constantly running from one thing to the next.
Just breathe. I try to take a moment between transitions to close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, and prepare to be present for my next interaction. This is something I always do before my family photography sessions. It’s a way to become neutral again and go into a situation with eyes wide open, leaving all of my own baggage behind. Lately I’ve been doing it at home as well, before I go to pick up my daughter from school, or sit down at the dinner table. It’s a little reminder to be present and it becomes habitual after a few days of doing it intentionally.
Look your child/children/partner in the eye for several minutes each day. In the midst of rushing off to work, school, lessons, meetings, making dinner, getting ready for bed, we can actually go a whole day without sitting down and looking our most beloved people in the eye. This is mind-blowing to me but not actually that surprising. The greatest gift I’ve given myself lately is the task to INTENTIONALLY hold space for my favorite people, even if it’s only a few minutes each day. Quality over quantity. I need them to know that I see them, I love them, and I am here for them. That’s kind of the whole point, right?
Make yourself a little playlist. Music has always been a shortcut to happiness for me. Sometimes I can’t think of what I want to hear and so I play nothing at all, which is why a little playlist (LITTLE - honestly, my kids won’t let me listen to more than 2-3 songs without demanding “Encanto” be played so you don’t need hours worth of music) stacked with a few songs that always bring me into the moment is all that’s needed. Choose melodies that reliably either boost your mood or astound you with their beauty, that you can’t help but stop all else and listen to.
Words of wisdom. Lately whenever I hear or read something that stops me in my tracks, I make a little note of it either in my phone, a notepad, or a word doc. I haven’t done it yet but my goal is to print a few of these out and post them in places where I look regularly. Little reminders to focus on what’s good in life.
Journaling. This does not have to be earth-shattering content, lengthy, or have any point at all. You’re not going to re-read it or share it. It just needs to be regular. I got into a great habit over the winter of waking up and journaling for a few minutes most days. I kept my journal right in bed next to my pillow, which helped remind me and made it super accessible. I used prompts as I was following the book “The Artist’s Way,” but found it equally effective to just get up and brain dump. It helped relieve anxiety, kept me from morning doom scrolling, and helped me be present throughout my morning. I literally only devoted about 5-10 minutes each morning to this, and if I missed a morning I would just do it at night instead. I suspect it’s similar to meditation, but for whatever reason writing quiets my mind more easily than sitting in silence does. I need to get those thoughts OUT so I can move on.
I hope this is helpful to you. If you’re experiencing burnout you are not alone. But it is no way to go through life. Join me in these small acts of presence so we can awaken to the lovely moments that happen each day when we are paying attention.
Want to combat burnout by spending some time intentionally connecting with and celebrating your favorite people, and have it documented? I am all about honoring the simplest and best things in life (a quiet afternoon on the couch with your family, a walk in the park, a swim in the creek, etc), and am here to help you capture it in a way that is relaxed and feels natural. Let’s talk! I’d love to hear a bit about your story and what you’re hoping to capture.
