New Year New Me

I love a New Year! It is a perfect time to end some things and begin others. It's a perfect time to turn a page, complete a chapter and begin another.

Here is my focus for 2010.

I am dedicating 2010 to building jSimon Photography into a business that I am extremely PROUD to have my name on. For me that starts with taking fantastic pictures. It also includes great customer service, integrity, dependability, consistency, honesty, creativity and financial viability. I have no desire to be the largest. I want to be small on purpose. I also want to be known by my peers and clients for being meticulous and delivering only the highest quality products and service. jSimon must mean great photographic art that you can't get in a mall or by a cousin with a digital camera. It must also must mean my clients "get" me. I have missed being hands-on and directly working with people to deliver excellent service. I am returning to my roots and passion.

I will get around the best photographers in the country and learn from them. I will help a few serious newbie photographers learn the craft.

I will spend time every day doing something specific that will move me toward better health. I will enter 2011 at 225lbs and in significantly better shape.

I will read at least one chapter in a book or periodical every day. I won't go to sleep until I learn and grow a little.

I will physically get down on my knees, beside my bed, and pray out loud at the end of every day. I'm not recruiting or saying it's a better way for you. It does help me focus and get specific about time with my God.

I will spend time every day with my camera in my hand shooting. I will set aside one picture from every single day and see what those 365 look like at the end of the year.

I will write down on paper something for which I am grateful every day.

I will on-purpose love and treasure moments with Kandice, Ross, Josh, Tiffani, Canton and Simone. I will do the same with my Mother, Father and my sister Joy.

I will spend significantly less time worried about what other people think of me. I will spend significantly more time asking if I am happy with what I am bringing to the table and if it would make my Heavenly Father smile. If those two things are true I am going to get good with it. This is going take work for me. I have spent too many years trying to please too many people. I'm changing that.

I am going to be more consistent on this blog. I may have to make adjustments depending on the business but this is what I am diligently working toward. I am going to try to roll out an article every Tuesday. These articles will be my take on life, love, work, leadership, family, faith, the pursuit of excellence, failures, authenticity, healthy living, and other rants and ramblings from the odd mind that occupies my skull. I will also roll out a photograph of the week on Friday. If you aren't on facebook get there! :) It is where I daily post bits of the unfiltered goofiness that is my life and thoughts. But if you start getting judgmental or critical I WILL de-friend your butt! I'm not a Pastor... I can de-friend you and I can say "butt". Get past it. :)

I stumbled across a book this past year that is going to be a big part of 2010 for me. It is called Monday Morning Choices, by David Cottrell. In it he talks about 12 choices that we can make to go from "everyday to extraordinary". It's not a "go faster, do more" book. I'm not at a point in my life where I want to go faster or produce more. I want to slow down, savor moments and deliver excellence.

Here are the 12 choices he talks about and I am sure you will hear me reference throughout the year.

1. The No-Victim Choice ... don't let your past eat your future

2. The Commitment Choice...be passionate enough to succeed

3. The Values Choice.... chose the right enemies

4. The Integrity Choice... do the right thing

5. The Do Something Choice ... don't vacation on someday isle

6. The Persistence Choice ... learn from failure

7. The Attitude Choice ... take the enthusiastic approach

8. The Adversity Choice ... conquer difficult times

9. The Relationship Choice ... connect with success

10. The Criticism Choice... embrace tough learning

11. The Reality Choice... face the truth

12. The Legacy Choice ... give your gift

That's my focus for 2010. I will succeed. I will fail. I will fall and I will get up again. So goes life.

My quote for the year "Life is an occasion, rise to it!"

My verse for 2010 ... “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”- Micah 6:8

I will see ya on Friday with a photo and next Tuesday with an article.

Blessings, Joy and Peace
Jess

Comments

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Great blog my friend. Can't wait to read more of them... It's my goal as well to blog on a regular basis ( it's been over 4 months!). Ok I will read that book if you read "A Million Miles In A Thousand Years" ... I know you and you will LOVE it. I bought it for Kandice for her birthday. I couldn't reccomend a better book for today! Please keep on blogging ... I will stay tuned.

Posted by: Ben | January 04, 2010 at 09:54 PM