{"id":29009,"date":"2016-05-12T12:04:39","date_gmt":"2016-05-12T19:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=29009"},"modified":"2016-05-12T12:04:39","modified_gmt":"2016-05-12T19:04:39","slug":"its-up-to-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/12\/its-up-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Up to You!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Berkeley,
Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I wanted to write you a letter (to hopefully empower you). My suggestion: realize that everything in your life is up to you; nobody else.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You have control<\/h2>\n
\"Berkeley,
Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is nobody smarter, more capable, or more knowledgeable than you.<\/p>\n

There are probably things about your life that you hate\u00e2\u20ac\u201d working at a job you dislike, having a shitty boss, or certain lifestyle habits that you might not like (wasting too much time on the internet, being distracted, not enough time to be creative).<\/p>\n

But know that you have the power to change any aspect of your life.<\/p>\n

To do more creative work is up to you. You might not necessarily have the power to suddenly quit your job (and no longer put food on the table for your family), but you have the control not<\/em> to waste time.<\/p>\n

I think it is hard for all of us to find time to do things we are passionate about. But it is easy for us to figure out what to remove<\/em> from our daily lives.<\/p>\n

Avoid what causes you (dis)pleasure<\/h2>\n
\"Berkeley,
Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, one of the things that brings me the most pleasure in life is to study, write, reflect, and spend time with loved ones.<\/p>\n

Certain things that get in the way: obsessive social media checking up, browsing blogs (as mindless entertainment), being distracted by new apps in the app store, or wishing that I had someone else\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s life. Or wanting to be in a different city (than the one I currently live in).<\/p>\n

I find one of the best ways to find more pleasure in my life is knowing what not<\/em> to do in life. So for example, I find the less<\/em> time I spend on social media, blogs, and other forms of entertainment\/distraction\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the more<\/em> time I have to do meaningful and empowering work (reading and writing).<\/p>\n

Even now, I wanted to write you this letter, but I got momentarily distracted by a tech blog (the Verge). As much as I love the blog, honestly none of the information on the site will radically change my life (I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m obsessed with technology, but if I already have a smartphone, a digital camera, and a laptop\u00e2\u20ac\u201d what else do I really \u00e2\u20ac\u0153need\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in life?)<\/p>\n

Change your life (for the better)<\/h2>\n
\"Vancouver,
Vancouver, 2015 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I find that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re swimming in a sea of discontentment\u00e2\u20ac\u201d thinking that we will find the answers (or at least distractions) online to alleviate our dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n

But no, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you will not find any answers to your life problems but inside yourself. Not this blog, not any other blog, not social media, and certainly not earning a billion dollars.<\/p>\n

It is up to you to change your life (for the better).<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t torture yourself<\/h2>\n
\"Berkeley,
Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One thing I never understood is why people sign up for exercise classes. To me, it feels like you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re paying someone to do something you dislike, because you feel like you \u00e2\u20ac\u0153should\u00e2\u20ac\u009d be exercising (rather than exercising because you enjoy it).<\/p>\n

Only do physical activity which empowers you (for me, that is powerlifting). If you dislike \u00e2\u20ac\u0153working out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d but enjoy sports; sign up for some local sports group.<\/p>\n

If you want to work on some photo project\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you have to be brutally honest with yourself. Do you really<\/em> want to work on that project? If so, why haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you started? Are you such a perfectionist that you haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t started because you are afraid that you will fail?<\/p>\n

Sometimes we just say we are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lazy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Honestly, I feel that laziness can be a good tool\u00e2\u20ac\u201d if we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spontaneously do something on our own, perhaps we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really want to do it?<\/p>\n

I do believe we should live a life full of passion-driven activity. Anything that we do that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have our soul infused into it is apparent to others.<\/p>\n

For example, when I work on my e-books, or articles\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I try to bleed onto the page. I share my personal life experiences, my struggles, my frustrations, and try my best not<\/em> to put a filter on what I say. I feel this makes my words more genuine, less forced, which I hope helps you connect to me more.<\/p>\n

What habits do you want to foster?<\/h2>\n
\"Photo
Photo by Emilio Aparicio \/ NYC, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Obviously there are a lot of habits that you might want to do. You might want to make more photos, you might want to travel more, you might want to be less distracted online, you might want to eat less junk food, or you might want to exercise more.<\/p>\n

Personally I think the best way to build up positive habits is to do it for yourself\u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than following some arbitrary rules put onto you by society.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do anything because you \u00e2\u20ac\u0153should<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d do it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d only do things because you want<\/em> to do it.<\/p>\n

Know your life is up to you. Nobody can craft your lifestyle, how you live your life\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but you<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Make the photos you were destined to create. Disregard what others on social media think about your images. Be true to yourself, and know that your creativity is in your own hands.<\/p>\n

Always,
\nEric<\/p>\n

Thursday, May 12, 2016 \/\/ 11am<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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