holiday stress.

While the holiday season can easily be the most joyful and festive time of the year, it can also be an especially stressful time for many of us.  We can get caught up in the pressure to buy the perfect gift, the stress of preparing for out of town guests and the hustle and bustle of getting it all done. 

When you feel overwhelmed take a moment to stop and take a deep breath.  Reflect on this quote:

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.  It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. “

Yoga and yoga breathing can help you achieve that calmness.  Sit down in a cross-legged, or lotus, position.  Make your spine nice and tall, suck your belly button into your spine, close your eyes and take several deep breaths in through your nose, exhaling out with a sigh.  Do this five times.  Then sit quietly for a few breaths.  Let your eyes flutter open and notice how you feel more relaxed.

It might surprise you, but if you take the time to take care of yourself this holiday season, to get centered and to move your body and get oxygenated blood running through your veins to your brain, you will find that time expands.  You will have more energy to get your tasks done.

Taking some time out this holiday season to give back to yourself may be the best gift for yourself and your loved ones.  Because when you fill up your own well, you can give freely to those you love.  It's not about being selfish, it's about being centered and calm, and at peace.

Lisa Brownstead is a former TV news anchor who believes in the transformational power of yoga and helping young and old alike find more balance, self esteem and joy in their lives through yoga. She also believes that yoga (and a little bit of humor) leads to a significant decrease in stress and keeps those practicing looking and feeling young! As a mom of three kids who love yoga, Lisa has followed her passion teaching yoga to both kids and adults. Lisa is the founder of Pretty Postures.  For more information on private in-home instruction, classes, and yoga parties check out www.prettypostures.com.

friend Lisa on facebook



holiday. LIFE.

**all images in this post copyright: Emilee Fuss. **
 

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear.com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as i do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

NEXT WEEK:  Natalie Norton

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Emilee, You have been in business a short 2.5 years and already you've grown your studio. You photograph families, children, and pets...you especially love pets!  I'm so excited to have you here and I'm so grateful for the breath of fresh air that you have about you in terms of just loving who you are, where you are in your life, and making your business fit into your life in a very natural way.  Thanks for being here on Women and Business.

Are you in a storefront space or home studio? What made you decide to on the space that you have? 
Home studio! I love the convenience of working from home and getting to be with my family and pets while I work. I use our living room to set up all of my gear when I’m doing a studio session with a pet, and I also use that space for ordering sessions with clients.

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?
I upload and organize all of my RAW files in Lightroom 3. After deleting the rejected photos and deciding on the keepers (about 40-50), I do a light edit in LR, then export to Photoshop CS3 to add final touches and resize and watermark images for my blog and the client’s online gallery. As for outsourcing, I do it all myself. I’m way too much of a control freak to outsource, at least at the moment!

How long have you been a professional photographer?
About 2.5 years now. I got my first DSLR in 2007, and launched my business later in 2008. While I had a business name and blog early in 2008, I don’t say that my business really started until later that year, when I began going to events and really getting my name out there.

What made you get into photographing pets?
How could I not? I’ve loved animals since I was in the womb and always wanted to work with them while growing up. I wanted to be a vet, a competitive horseback rider, a dolphin trainer at Sea World–anything that involved animals! So, when I fell in love with photography, I knew I wanted pets to be my main subject. They are amazing creatures that brighten our lives and give us so much, and it is wonderful to be able to capture their personalities with my camera.

What is the hardest part about photographing pets?  How do you work through a dog or cat running around?  How do you get a close up (in focus!) picture of a pet?
The unpredictability has to be one of the hardest things about photographing pets, but it’s also one of my favorite things, too! You never know how an animal will respond to being photographed. They don’t say “cheese” or pose exactly like you want them to. It requires a lot of patience to work with pets, but it’s a challenge that I absolutely love.

If the dog wants to run around, great! I’ll work on getting some action shots! But, of course, I don’t want the pet to be running around the entire time. I always bring treats and toys, and ask the owners to do the same, so I can figure out exactly what motivates each animal. Some dogs will stop for a tennis ball, some for a treat, and some for affection. And sometimes, they just need to be a leash for a bit. I’ve worked with hyper dogs and distracted dogs that just won’t hold still, and while they may like treats and toys, they’ll only sit still for a second, so I have to work very, very fast!

I just love details shots. They are harder to get of those hyper pets that won’t stop moving, and sometimes I’ve had to just give up on getting that perfect detail shot that I had envisioned. Like I said, figure out what will make the animal hold still, then zoom in and fire away!

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?
Well, I try to get the owners and myself more comfortable by talking about what we obviously love best, our pets! We could go on for hours just talking about how they came into our lives and all the funny things they do. For the pets, I always spend some time getting to know them before I pull out the camera. I let them sniff me and my bag while I talk to them, pet them, and give them treats. And if they’re in a new environment, like my home studio or a park, I like to give them time to get used to the new setting before I start working.

What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?
I love watching old movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s in my spare time. About 80% of the films I watch were from that time. I also love to spend time with my family and friends, read (currently working through Gone with the Wind), play the piano, and listen to Frank Sinatra.

What are the top three things you did when you were first getting started in business to bring in clients?
Attended events, put business cards in various pet businesses, and formed relationships with like-minded business owners. I still do all three things, and am excited to see my business continue to grow!

What is something that you think women in the industry should do?
We should help and support one another. After all, we’re in this together and we can learn so much from one another. Also, learn to say no. You can’t be everything to everyone, and that is okay!

To see more of Emilee's work:

www.emileefuss.com
www.emileefuss.com/blog
www.twitter.com/emileefuss
www.facebook.com/emileefussphotography 

**all images in this post copyright: Emilee Fuss. **

it was the best of times.  it was the worst of times.

I am so lucky to have gotten to spend some time with this family.  They have six boys and lots of energy, compassion, personality, and a bit of craziness (who doesn't have craziness, right?).

In every family there are milestones and some of those milestones are all joy and some of them bring with them a bit of the bittersweet.  I'm talking about the first day of kindergarten, the first lost tooth, when your 16 year old gets their permit, when your child goes off to college or on a mission for 2 years.

It's because these particular steps mean something.  Things are really changing.  There's no denying it.  You may have been living in a little dream thinking your kids would never grow up.  And then one day they do.  And these moments have a way of making you look back and look forward at the same time. 

You know that it's time for growing up and at the same time as his life plays out in front of your eyes you wonder how the years could have gone so quickly.  You remember the sweet moments when playing with toys on the carpet was the only world he ever knew and now your world is about to change.  And it feels like the best and worst of times.  You want change and it makes you happy.  The change also means there's the letting go that makes you sad and wistful for the memories that you have tucked away in your heart. 

You wonder why you didn't hold that book on his head so he couldn't have that growth spurt...so he could just stay your small little boy. 

Except you look at the man that he's becoming and you couldn't be more proud of the life that he's creating and the path that he's walking.

So this post is for Pam.  I haven't been where you're at.  I can only imagine.

And it's also for Ethan.  Have a wonderful mission in Salta, Chile.

it's a wonderful. LIFE.

on the go snacking.

Michelle is an amazing mom and a fantastic personal trainer.  She has excellent ideas and I thought she would be the perfect addition to Move it Monday.  She knows about being busy, being a mom, AND staying in shape (that last bit seems to be the really tricky part for most of us).  She has quick and easy ways to get moving everyday as well as on the go ideas for eating more healthy. Periodically she'll be popping into Move it Monday with ways to naturally fit exercise into your day as well as healthy eating tips. So glad she's here!

Michelle:

"Snacking! Admit it, we have so much to do and so many places to be often we realize that it has been hours since we have had anything to eat and we are starving! This causes a situtation to grab food that is often not nutritious and not good for us. Over the next few weeks she's going to give us some ideas on how to create snack boxes.
 
A little preplanning and a quick trip to the grocery store allows for healthy snacks that are not hard to put together! It will provide us the fuel to accomplish all that needs to be done and allow our metabolism to keep running high! Kids love(and need) snacks. So lets put together some great  ideas, take  away the excuses, and lets get snacking the right way!

The more the kids have a role in preparation the more they are willing to try (sometimes)


apples and 1 TBSP of peanut butter

pistachios(around 20)

cut veggies and 2 TBSPs of low calorie ranch dressing

1 piece of string cheese

Move it this monday and make a trip to the grocery store!

Happy healthy snacking!"

Michelle is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of experience. She helps individuals successfully optimize thier fitness potential through personalized programs that combine the latest exercise techniques, nutrition, diet analysis and coaching. Michelle comes to you with all of the equipment needed for your workouts, so making time for yourself around a busy schedule is easy.
email: mleonhardt@carolina.rr.com  phone: 704.277.3713

 
 snack. LIFE.

ground zero.

Standing at Ground Zero takes you back to the place and time that you heard about and then saw two planes crash into the twin towers.  There was nothing like that day. It makes me grateful for heros.  The everyday kind that are unassuming and that you would never suspect of heroic deeds.

I love having my kids see that place and sit and watch and the questions they ask.

I love that the towers aren't being rebuilt and that the land is a memorial to the people who died there.

I'm thankful for the people next to me.

I love that I get to see my kids get off the bus and my husband walk in the door from work.

I'm grateful for the little things.

little. LIFE.