(The above photo belongs to me.)
As many of you know, I moved to Oregon back in July with no job and really, no plan. I was so overtaken by the task of getting settled that I basically settled for any job I could find. Call me crazy, call me stupid, but after working as a Customer Service/Sales Associate for 6 months, I quit my job. It had nothing to do with the workplace, it had to do with me. Ah yes, the classic, “It’s not you, it’s me.”
My basic personality profile is this: task-oriented, 60% introvert / 40% extrovert, highly sensitive, and creative.
What does this mean? I enjoy doing tasks. I thrive on tasks. They make me feel productive. Small talk with strangers whom I may never see again does not make me feel productive. This could be due to my dominant introversion. I enjoy time to myself. I need time to myself because it gives me time to recharge. Don’t get me wrong. I DO need social interaction. However, the kind of social interaction that I need is meaningful social interaction. Investing in relationships that are important to me, helping someone out that I just met with a problem, meeting new friends with the intent of meeting again with a mutual interest in getting to know one another better are ideal and less draining. Perhaps I prefer this type of social interaction because I am a highly sensitive person. I’m hyper-aware and sensitive to people’s emotions and the environment around me. Whenever someone walks in to a room, I take in their emotions. I’ve learned to control this, but I’m often affected by their emotions. If they are rushed, I feel rushed. If they look sad, I feel a level of sadness too.
Lastly, I have a strong creative drive. This has been a huge part of my life since I learned to hold a crayon in my little grubby hands. My parents must have loved this because I would sit at my alphabet table, tongue out, eyes glued to the page with concentration as I scribbled my masterpiece. When I got a little older, I started writing books. I would staple a few pages together, write a story and draw pictures to go with them. At age 7 I got my first camcorder and I spent hours making videos. My favorite would be my “How To” drawing videos where I taught my audience how to draw stick figure houses and scenery. My parents bought me disposable cameras when I was 8, 9, and 10. I would take them on our camping trips and photograph the squirrels, my brother playing in the dirt, and my family on their hikes. I also used to stage photo shoots with my dolls and stuffed animals in my bedroom.
With all that said, I have decided to pursue photography as my career. No looking back! I know it’s going to take awhile to build my photography business, clients, and my portfolio. In the meantime, I am going to be looking for jobs that will allow me to use my gifts, talents, and personality profile to its fullest. I will also be setting aside time to make sure I am creating regularly whether that be doing photo shoots, writing blogs, or making YouTube videos. Here’s to becoming the best me I can be!
A Lady's Journey 