There. I said it.

Guys, this is the big one. The HUGE one. I can't believe what I am about to write and share with the whole wide world.

I. Am. A. Writer.

There, I said it. Or wrote it... Anywhoo, I have always admired published authors, popular bloggers and the like. I have read amazing books and felt my heart plummet to the depths of despair because I was certain I could never write that well.

Well, something has happened. I follow a crap-ton of blogs (seriously guys, it's unhealthy) and all of these women are incredible with fashion, crafts, cooking, hair, make-up, mommying... Let's be honest. I am not good at any of those. These women who write so well about this outfit, that meal and their cute crafts are talented. And they intimidated me to death!

Until I realized something. Who have my heroines been? Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery (She is my favorite. I know we are going to be best friends in heaven), Jane Austen and most of all Erma Bombeck (this lady is my biggest hero. Ever.) I love these women because they share real, human experience with humor and honesty. They open up the world to brighter, more positive thinking and yet they do not skimp on the human suffering. They make it so beautifully clear how brutal yet wonderful life can be. 

I want that. I want to write. Guys, I can't help but write. I have to do it. When I am mad, I write. When I am happy, I write. When I am sad, I write. And I have been storing up the wonderfully flawed experiences of life, my own experiences as well as others. I have observed people and their many eccentricities. I have read both well written and poorly written books. And I am ready. 

I am ready to stop feeling like no one would ever read what I wrote. I am ready to put away my perfectionism that does not allow me to freely express myself. I am ready to tackle with confidence the wonderful story I have been working on for over four years now. 

I am going to stop trying to be like all these other blogs and just write and write and write and write. And y'all might get heartily sick of this. But that's ok. I am writing cause I love it. Not cause I need everyone to read it. (Though I love it when you do!)

I had this huge realization last night while I was procrastinating a bit of my homework. Now, no one judge me (you hear! No judging! This is a safe place, and I have the talking stick). I was reading Twilight (stop that sniggering!) because while incredibly flawed and rather crazy, that Stephanie Meyer sure knows how to punch you in the gut with raw emotion. Judge her story (which, let's be honest was actually quite original in some ways if not overdone in others) and characters as you will, but she knows how to express raw, human emotions in a way that a ton of people connect with. I have read and re-read those books trying to find her secret. Ferreting out exactly her style, word choices and expressions.

And then it hit me. No offense to Stephanie, I could totally do better. I knew love. I have experienced heartbreak many different times to varying degrees. I have held crying friends through tragedies. I have watched their love stories unfold. I have had ups and downs and I have so much to learn, but I have learned enough that I know I could write the story in my head. And I am not going to worry about if people will like it or not because I am writing for me! Because I want to know all the details of this plot line in my head. And I won't know those details until I have written it all out. (at the same time I know people would love it. Not all people, that is impossible, but the important people.) 

I'm not sure what happened, and I know it has been a work of months and therapists visits and all, but suddenly I am no longer afraid. I've got this. I am going to write. It is going to be epic.

Hello brand new world of opportunity and dreams come true! I'm so glad I finally found that hidden door.

(Linking up today with Lisa Leonard. I love her positivity.)

Kylie Elizabeth: Chasing Dreams and Taking Pictures

I am so excited! Everyone, today you have the wonderful honor of meeting one of the classiest, graceful-est, kindest people I have ever met. Her name is Kylie. I have known Kylie since high school. Funny thing, we weren't ever "close" friends. In fact, we never actually hung out unless it was in a big group or something. But since the first time I met her I have been in awe by her whole, awesome self. She was always put together, always kind, was a high achiever and I did not know one single person who could say a bad thing about her (did I mention she is drop dead gorgeous? Cause she is).

Seriously, she is that awesome. I have stalked her from a distance for several years now, and I wasn't surprised when suddenly she was posting these incredible pictures and had a successful photography business to boot! I wanted her to tell us all how she has managed to go after her dreams and maintain a balanced life. And mainly, I wanted to share with you this wonderful person who has quite unconsciously touched my life.

I want to first say what a priveledge this is to be writing to you all today! It really suprised me when Jeannie asked me to do this, I would have never thought that someone would want me to share my story publicly, or would look up to me that way. I really want to thank her for this oppurtunity.

I will start off by introducing myself. I grew up in Fairview, UT and graduated from North Sanpete High School in 2008. I attended Snow College for one year before I married the love of my life. Together we attended the College of Eastern Utah located in Price, where he finished his pre requsites for pharmacy school and I graduated with my associates. My husband Chris was then accepted into the Roseman University of Health Sciences in South Jordan where he began Pharmacy Shool.

Meet Kylie!

 We moved to Taylorsville during the Fall of 2010 and it was around that time that my adventure into the field of photography began, but more on that in a minute. Now that we are in 2012 Chris will graduate with a Pharm D degree in June 2013, I own a thriving phography business while working a FT job and... we have a baby!

Okay I know some of you just had a heartattack, but really we have a baby, at least he is my baby. His name is Zorro and he is a year and a half old! And he is the cutest little Yorkiepoo you have ever seen!

So you are probably all wondering how I can own a business, work a full time job, have a husband in pharmacy school and still have time to breath. Well I will tell you it is no piece of pie, but I do manage. First off I want you to know that photography has turned into my passion. You could say it was a hobby gone completely insane! I have always liked taking pictures, I was that girl that had one of those disposable camaras on field trips and last days of school. I bought my first digital camera when I was around 17 years old, I loved it! And could fill an SD card faster than anyone I knew.

 I never in a million years thought that I would turn my hobby into a career. In May 2009 my wonderful husband bought me my first DSLR, a Canon T1i, it was love at first sight! For that year I just practiced away learning everything I could from the functions on my camera to mastering photoshop. I have never read so many blogs, watched as many YouTube videos or tutorials in my entire life. I believe an important aspect to my story is that I am 100% self taught. I never took any courses and I didn't go to photography school. I was bound and determined to make my dream of being a professional photgrapher a reality. It was a very hard journey but I made it! All of this is how Kylie Elizabeth Photography came to be.

As you know I do have another full time job on top of Kylie Elizabeth Photography. The reason for this being that Photography is an exspensive career to get into, my husband is currently in rotations right now (so free labor, yay...) and we kinda need food to live. So with that being said I have to have a second full time job. My daily schedule goes a bit like this: I work my FT job Monday through Thursday from around 7am to 3:30pm. When I get home I either have a shoot to go to or I edit my life away for a good 5 to 6 hours.

Now I want to talk a little on how I keep a handle on my busy, stressful, beat-my-head-against-the-computer-constantly life. But what gets me through it is knowing that I am doing something I absolutely love! Photography is my release, it let's me express myself in ways that I didn't know I could. I love capturing special moments between people and making those moments last a lifetime.

Photography is a major part of my life that sometimes I let run rampant, I do have to make sure I make time for other aspects of my life. This is something that is somewhat of a challenge for me. If I let myself I can sit at the computer all day editing and not get one other thing done, that inculdes eating or taking care of my physical health. I have to be sure that I MAKE time for those things, this is a daily struggle but I am getting better at it. One thing that seems to help is to have a planner, I write in it everyday making lists of things I need to get done. I also have made the commitment to try and take an hour or two for myself everyday, wheather that includes making a nice dinner, watching a TV show I love, or working out. I love what I do but I have to keep certain priorites a must or I probably would go crazy.

I would like to encourage all of you to make that leap in making your dream come true. It may be a tough road at first, but I know you can do it! I have first hand knowledge of this. I could have given up so many times, there were times I would compare myself to other photographers and think, why can't I be that good? Or I will never be as good as them. I think that those questions or statements are struggles in every aspect of life. You have to put you first in those situations, it won't do you any good thinking about how much better someone is than you. Say to yourself how can I make MYSELF better today, but do this without thinking I want to be like them so I'm going to do it this way. Sorry but it doesn't work that way. Focus on you and you only, figure out what you want to be and make it happen! If I can do it, you can definitely do it! I know you can!

I love this qoute by Walt Disney, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I believe in this qoute because I have seen it in my own life. Courage is the main ingredient in making your own dream become a reality. I honestly believe that you can make anything happen if you will only have the courage to believe in yourself. Once you have that courage, they key is to NEVER EVER give up! Hold on to that courage and with it let your dreams take flight!

I wish you the best in everything you set your mind to!

Kylie Howes
 

Kylie Elizabeth Photography
www.kyelizabethphoto.weebly.comky_elizabeth_photo@hotmail.com 

(Check out Kylie Elizabeth Photography here and here!)