OK, kids, I’m putting it all out there today. Are you ready?
We all have dreams, hopes and ways in which we imagine we could be living our lives but often I find standing up to those dreams and announcing them to the world is far more risky than actually going after them. I have a ton of things I’d like to do in my life and very often I’m plagued with the “you can’t do that” voices whispering in my ear. You all know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
Usually, I don’t like talking about what I really want because the self esteem eater inside of me tries to persuade me that it won’t happen, so I keep it to myself. I just roll them up into a little ball of yarn and keep them tucked away out of sight.
“Why tell people about your dreams when they likely won’t happen? Don’t put yourself through the embarrassment! You won’t find that kind of success and happiness, so why put it out there?”
That’s what my head tries to convince me of all the time. Today I say, “Screw you, head.”
Today I am going to tell you what I really want. Are you ready?
- I want a magazine/ publisher to send me around the world with my camera. I want this magazine/publisher to send me to a foreign country to shoot a series of photographs that said magazine/publisher will then publish in magazine or book.
- I want to own a photography studio where I photograph imaginative, quirky kids in natural light. There will be clouds and handmade ships and floating carpets. And a long table filled with donuts and chocolate milk. And giggles, lots of giggles.
- I want to shoot and write another book. I have ideas for at least 3.
- I want to shoot with medium format. I want a Contax 645 to make this happen.
These are the things I want today. I don’t know if any of them will ever happen but life is a work in progress, right? I will keep working my way towards them. Of course, if there is anyone out there that could help to make this happen, please email me.
And now…I want YOU to tell me what you want. Go on, be brave! Put it out there for this little pocket of the world to see. Come on, you know you want to…Maybe I’ll even turn this into a list of all our wants in another post. Wouldn’t that be fun to just see all our dreams out there? Tell your friends to come by and tell us what they want. I want a big list of happy wants and dreams and hopes! Tell me! Tweet this so others can join in too. What do you want?
You hit the nail on the head for me – it’s always been an utter dream for me to get paid to travel around the world and photograph where my feet take me.
Most of my dreams revolve around some combination of the things I love + photography. Travel, food, animals… I would love to have any successful and stable business dealing with photography and those things.
You are an inspiration for us all, to have put your hopes and dreams out there like this! I don’t even like to say what’s for dinner, in case it doesn’t happen. ;)
Your idea for a photography studio to shoot kids sounds fantastic! If I had kids, I would take them there for photos. Heck, I want photos of ME with flying carpets and chocolate milk!
As for me, my wants and dreams are varied and change, but here are some for today.
- I want to own a bookstore, with a bookstore cat. I want people (young, old, in between) to come for book readings. I want to open up the world of stories and the adventures of words to people who are just learning them or have perhaps forgotten them.
- I want to travel to so many, many places. I want to collect these travels into articles, books, memoirs and photos, lots and lots of photos.
- I want a house with lots of windows and beautiful light, where kids and kittens and puppies play. With a garden where we grown veggies, and a tree with a swing.
Of course, my self-doubt tells me that while each of these is possible, none of them are possible at the same time. One can always dream though.
I want the contax 645 outfit too! LOL
I want more babies. I do, really.
I want the sun to shine way more than it does here. I want Florida like light in Central PA, and I want it now!
Someday, when my babies are grown, I want to be a street photographer for a magazine, going to really cool places, maybe bumping into one of my sons, out in the world doing awesomeness(like I raised them to do), and when they are shocked to see me in Africa, or Vatican City, or what not, I will just act all composed, and say, “Hello dear.” ;)
this is soooo good ! the universe is going to be really busy with all of us and what we want…..
1. i want to share the stories of the strangers i photograph.
2. then i want that to be a book.
3. i want to travel to a third world country and take photos of the children in the orphanages.
4. i want to work with a group to get those children adopted.
5. i want a new camera.
6. i want a studio in a old warehouse with tons of windows and old wide plank floors and battered bricks on the walls and use that space all winter to do enough shoots to pay for something big…like a vacation in a hut that sits over clear blue waters and comes with its own butler……
So inspiring! Dream big and never stop! I know you will get everything on your list. Heck, start your own magazine; I would buy it! :)
I want… I want to exclusively photograph conceptual shoots for creatives. Boutique owners, artists, musicians, anyone with a creative heart. Sigh, baby steps…
And, I want that awesome studio space that Beth was talking about! Amazing!
I want to be accepted into the photography school I have just applied to get in and I want to get the scholarship that will allow me to pay the costs…I always thought it was too late to go back to school again but I am happy I am at least trying
And I want to start writing that collection of short stories that has been going around my head for years, now but somehow they’ ve always been shut up by the sadly famous voice that says I am never gonna make it and I am too lazy and not talented enough to be a writer or a photographer or anything special for that matter
I love your blog Amanda because it’s like hearing a friend talking about the same stuff you’re going through. I have been absent from the blogging world for a while for lack of inspiration or just because I was a little tired generally but this post makes me feel like starting all over again. Thank you
:)
lovely lists! you will do it! (you are closer than anybody I know!)
mine:
1. I want to get a little more focus, like this MAYBE I will do more ( lots of energy goes on dreaming and not doing, imagining is ok, but I get so much procrastination! ) I want to sew, paint, take pictures, etc, etc, etc, etc.
2. I would love to write a children’s book and illustrate it
3. I would love to get my picture books published.
4. I would love to get paid to do just what I like to do.
5. Would like to have an “Atelier” with a place to take pictures, another to paint and a corner to sew. :)
(these are the “easy” things, what I would love to do is make this world better)
oh! I forgot….I guess my list can just keep growing and growing!
I would LOVE to have a café-library
Wonderful idea! We should never stop dreaming big!
I dream about…
… travelling the world for a long period of time
… after that move back to Singapore (or Asia in fact!!)
… become more professional about my photography and inspire others to do the same
or maybe travel the world as a photographer and even get paid for?? That would certainly be the best :)
As I said, never stop to dream big :)
I want to travel the World and make documentaries. I want to write stories that inspire others and FIND stories that should be heard.
I want to be a better photographer and blogger.
I want to be a mother.
Hi Amanda,
I’m a little late to the party, love everything everyone is writing thus far! Here is my wish list:
1. I would love to be blissfully in love, not just casually love someone because life is to busy, but have our love get in the way of life. If that makes any sense at all. :)
2. I would love to see the future and know I what I’m doing today as a mother has a positive impact on my two girls.
3. I would love to be mentored/work with/ then become the next Annie Leibovitz.
4. I would love to be recognized for my work without having to sell myself to get ahead.
5. I would love to travel to distance lands more often.
6. I would love to have my dearest friends live closer so we could laugh face to face rather than over the phone more often.
:) my list goes on and on so I’ll stop here. Such a wonderful blog post to get people thinking!
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I love this… and I love reading everyone else’s lists!
1. I want to earn enough money through editing & writing that I never have to get a job outside of the home again.
2. I want to have my first article published in a magazine by the end of 2012.
3. I want to learn to be a better photographer.
4. I want to teach my children to embrace their creativity & that they can do anything in the world they want to do!
Dear Amanda, thank you so much for this post. you are so brave to say aloud your dreams! i do believe hope they will come true! i enjoyed very much reading about everybodys dreams here as well. i cn relate to many of these and most of my dreams i would never dare to admit even to my close friends. so much easier to pretend it is not important. ok, here comes my list:
1. i would love to be a photographer. i would love to do it for living, would love to be good enough to get well paid for it. i would love to participate in diverse projects, do regular photoshoots for magazines or books, covering areas such as travel, interiors, lifestyle, fineart and food. i would love to see my photos in some magazines, i would love to see few of my pics as a cover of a book. i would love to have many clients and take many family, couples, babies shoots in natural light.
2.i would like very muc to be very patient with my kids and never raise my voice. this would include that they would listen to me and do what i say from the first time i tell so. i of course want them to be happy and healthy and grow up decent people.
3. i would love to cook deliciuos meals for my family. i would love to be so good there that everything i cook wold turn into deliciuos meal without putting to much effort and time.
4. i would like my home to reflect my personality, our personalities, to look stylish and creatively decorated without it costing much money and being fun while doing it.
I also want the exact same thing as point number one!
I want a Hassleblad (film and digital!)
I want to move to the mountains in France
I want to shoot 12 really beautiful and creative weddings this year and next
I want to be able to speak French
I want my new little fuji instax to be delivered now instead of having to wait!
There are also loads of less selfish ‘i wants’ but I feel like being selfish today!
What a beautiful and brave post! Thanks for sharing and for inspiring me Amanda!
Here’s my list :-)
- I want to speak French fluently very soon to take optimal advantage of my current Paris-adventure!
- I want to work as a photographer for a magazine!
- I want to find some peace of mind!
- I want my travel alone this summer to be fantastic!
I do. I want just one thing – to live back near my parents in a country city that is big enough to offer anonymity but small enough and friendly enough to offer a sense of community.To be able to own our own lovely home for much less than the cost of a one bedroom unit in Sydney. The other night, my aging father told me that he misses us dreadfully (the first time I’ve heard him say that my whole life). He doesn’t keep good health and I think now more than ever he is aware of his own mortality. He understands we probably won’t move and doesn’t expect us to, but it has really affected me. Every time I bring my young daughter home, we pick fruit, go roaming through the forest, eat local produce, feed birds and sleep like babies. The reasons I used to love city living are now at odds with who I’ve become and where I want to be. With another baby on the way, I’m suddenly starting to despise that ‘compromise’ word. My husband hates it here – we’ve lived here before – because he remembers it as a ‘redneck’ town. But the demographic is changing and hopefully one day, so will his perception of the place – just yesterday I was talking to a beautiful woman from Mexico city who had fallen in love with an Aussie from rural NSW and moved here six years ago to be with him. We couldn’t stop talking – she is the sort of person I would like to call my friend.
Thank you to everyone for all these amazing posts. I’m working on doing something with them soon. xo