This blog is something I have been wanting to do for so many years. In fact, this post draft had an original date of June 6, 2011. That’s a long time ago. Originally, I had wanted to name this endeavor In My Rearview. My friends and brand experts at Untuck Design talked me into keeping it simple and close to my business brand. So it has a secondary name, and I’m sticking to it. Because this will be so much more than just about my business. But Kelly Hennigan Photography provided the platform and I jumped off. I’ll explain with two words. “Four eyes.” Not the reference to adolescent teasing of those who wore glasses. This four eyes explains my connection to In My Rearview and the origination of the concept in the lyrics of a Jack Johnson song.
Four eyes total. Two sets. That’s what I see In My Rearview mirror everyday. They belong to my partners in crime. My cohorts. My team. My passengers on this amazing road. More than anything, they are the reason this business exists. Not because I picked up a camera when I had these wonderful kids. Not even close. I’d picked it up long before that. But they are why I have been able to get here. Because in that mirror, I see nothing but motivation for chasing my dreams. Not only because they back me unconditionally. But more so because I catch myself almost daily wondering where their thoughts take them and what their dreams will be. Hoping they’ll have the guts to pursue them. Hoping they’ll see their Mom as another role model for doing just that. They already have one in their Dad.
In addition, In My Rearview, there are so many experiences and people that became the building blocks for this life. Each step and each stumble taught me more about how much I not only wanted to be here, but how to get here. In My Rearview, I faced the fear of failure and let it take a backseat to the fear of stagnation. To the fear of not being the best version of me. To the fear of 10 years from now, looking back and wishing I had done it. I knew the worst thing I could do for myself, my husband and those four eyes was to never do what I kept telling myself and others I “hoped” to do someday.
In My Rearview, I found that someday was now.
Now was actually five years ago and what a ride it has been. It’s gone beyond what I dreamed it could be so quickly and I cannot wait to find out what else it has in store. So I’ll keep looking In My Rearview. It has yet to steer me wrong.
“I gave you your life, but you gave me mine.” – Jack Johnson, Go On.
