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If I Can, You Can! - Attract Much More in 2007
By Tracy Woolley
It's been a little over 17 months since I decided to change my life completely
and work full time at my passion of photography. In that time I have attracted
many more wonderful things into my life than I ever thought possible.
I have won awards for my photography nationally and internationally and my
'online' photographic business, Nautilus Gallery is growing everyday. I also
started another 'online' business called Inspire Your Day in October 2006
which is also going extremely well. I have successfully brought an
International Peak Performance and Success Coach, Kurek Ashley, for an
event to the Sunshine Coast and in May 2007, I am bringing world renowned
Dr John DeMartini to the Sunshine Coast, for a new world first seminar
program.
I have accomplished all of this not from years of study, hard work or with a
bucket load of money.
What I did to Attract Much More into my Life was:
1. DECIDE - There have been many times in my life where I was tested
to breaking point. It was at those points where once I decided that I wasn't
going to put up with whatever was going on, or that whatever I was doing had
run its course, I changed my life. I DECIDED and there was no going back.
Studying a 13 week Introduction to Photography course through an Australian
University was one of those decisions. It wasn't even the main course I was
interested in at the time but the elective unit in the Undergraduate Course I
started. I decided it would be a bit of fun as I quite liked photography. Little did I
know the impact it would have!
I loved the course and was awarded a High Distinction. I decided half way
through it that I had found my 'Life's Purpose'. I would photograph the beautiful
area where I live on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia and
gradually expand to the whole of the Queensland coast and then beyond to
Australia and then the world. I didn't know how I would do it. I just would.
And it seemed that once I decided and knew what I wanted, doors just started
to open for me, where before there hadn't even been a door!
2. CREATE A PLAN - Once I decided what I wanted to do, I wrote it
down on paper.
I have always had a journal, which has helped me sort out and plan lots of
events, emotions and issues in my life. I have a photographic memory and
keep too much in my mind at times, so when I need to clear my mind I write it
all down.
Once I had found my new 'Life's Purpose' I had so many ideas and thoughts
that I wrote them all down. I also thought of where I wanted to end up with my
photography so wrote that down and worked backwards from there. I made a
plan.
3. ASK FOR HELP - The next thing I did was ask for help. I asked my
tutor from my Photography course if he would recommend any courses to
continue my learning. I went to Photographic shops and asked the opinions of
the camera experts about which cameras were the best. I subscribed to all of
the Photographic magazines and read through their articles. I searched the
internet for articles on 'How To's' and I learnt more. I set up a website by more
research, finding a Web Hosting company that included a free website
building package in the price of hosting. I asked for lots of help getting that up
and running! I joined all the Photographic Associations that suited my style of
photography and linked my website with Photographic Directories all over the
world. I bought lots of books (and read them!) on marketing yourself and
business setup and sent of lots of emails with questions. What I found with all
of the asking for help was that most people were more than happy to give their
assistance for free. Something that I now do for people who ask for my help.
4. DO IT - It's now time to get yourself known. This was one of the most
exciting and frightening things for me. I had all of the theory, had everything
ready and it was time to sell my work and myself. I believe that it's not just the
photography that I am selling it's also the person behind the camera. People
want to know who the person is and what made them pick up a camera. They
also want to know how they can take the photographs and what makes them
get up at 4 am in the dark and go and take photographs of the sunrise day
after day.
So I sent photographs and a brief story about myself to the local Newspapers,
Tourism Agencies, businesses and anyone else I could think of. They all liked
my photographs and started to contact me for interviews. I listed my
photographs for sale on Ebay which was a great start and wonderful
promotional tool. I went to business network meetings in my area and donated
raffle prizes of my photographs. My work started to sell.
5. GET A LIFE SUCCESS COACH - Around 3 months after I started my
'online' Photographic business I had the opportunity to attend a free seminar
by International Peak Performance & Success Coach, Kurek Ashley. Another
door was opening! I had always mistrusted 'Success Coaches' as I had heard
a few stories about people paying out huge amounts of money for little in
return. However, I decided again that I had nothing to lose so would hear what
he had to say. It was amazing! At the end of the 3 hours I was more excited
about my future than I had been even when I had found my 'Life's Purpose'
previously. My partner and I, along with 5 of our collective 7 children went to
one of his 2 day seminars. Kurek's teaching methods were incredible and we
went away with 'real' actions to do each day. We also subscribed to his 'Life
Success Club' which we paid a fair amount for each month, receiving a CD
with a mini seminar and actions to do each day for that month as well as
special events to attend exclusively for Members. Those actions applied to my
business kept me focused and motivated and have been instrumental in my
success.
6. HAVE YOUR PEERS GIVE YOU FEEDBACK - One of the important
things for me to do was to have other Photographers view my work and give
their critique. I have always been particularly admiring of Panoramic
Landscape Photographers, Steve Parish, Ken Duncan and Peter Lik, so to
have any of them view my work was a great honour. As well, the associations
of Professional Photography in both Queensland and Australia and the
International Association of Panoramic Photographers are of the highest
calibre and have worldwide reputations. So I entered my photographs into
competitions where I would get my photographs exposed to the world. My first
foray into the competition arena was exciting and I received a high mark
although not an award. I actually didn't understand the rules properly at the
time but soon learnt for the next competition! The next competition was the
Australian Professional Photographers Awards where I won an award. The
next was a worldwide award where I won an Honourable Mention and it kept
going. I next had the opportunity to enter a competition where Steve Parish
would be judging, so I entered and eagerly awaited the outcome. The phone
call where I was notified that I had won a 2nd place was very exciting. I now
proudly have hanging on my wall a framed certificate signed by Steve Parish
for my place.
In the last 2 weeks of 2006, I was notified by the International Association of
Panoramic Photographers that the 6 photographs that I had entered into the
2006 Photo Contest had all been awarded prizes. How's that for attracting
more?!
7. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - So that brings me to a most important and
critical factor in attracting much more into your life for 2007. The belief that you
have in your talent and abilities, and yourself in general. There were so many
times in my life previous to finding my 'Life's Purpose' where I doubted
everything about myself. I had believed what 'other' people had said I should
be and do not believing that what I wanted to be or do was acceptable, or able
to be done. However, once I started to believe in me and followed my own
path and the calling that was deep inside everything changed. I surrounded
myself with people that were positive and supportive and I rewarded myself for
the sometimes small and sometimes large steps I was making towards my
destination. My confidence in my abilities grew and now I know that I made the
best decision for my life.
Listen to your heart and your body. Take some time to sit quietly with yourself
each day and ask yourself questions about your life. If you feel happy when
you answer them you are going in the direction to reach your 'Life's Purpose.' If
the feeling is a negative one that feels uncomfortable that's the wrong direction
to go. And if you feel like you are running into hurdles and brick walls along
life's path then that is the Universe telling you that you are going in the wrong
direction.
I like the saying, "That which is meant to be in your life will be free to be so."
Now go on, attract much more in 2007. If I can, you can!
Tracy Woolley
Inspire Your Day
www.inspireyourday.com.au About the Author Tracy Woolley is an inspired Australian Award Winning Landscape Photographer, from Nautilus Gallery, www.nautilusgallery.com, Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia. She decided to get together a few friends who are experts in their fields of endeavour, to inspire others to create a life that they have always imagined, in their wildest dreams.
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