Trust the Dress Elena Sullivan

In this episode, I’ll share my personal journey of discovering the profound impact of ”showing up” in both personal and professional life. We all experience self-doubt and moments of insecurity, and I’ve been there too.

A few years ago, I made a significant career shift from traditional photography to branding photography and brand styling. It was a big change, and I started working with incredible, passionate women in business.

The common thread I noticed was that so many of us, regardless of age or background, grapple with feelings of ’not-enoughness.’ We believe we’re not smart enough, young enough, or good enough. It’s a challenging place to be.

So, how do we break free from these limiting beliefs? It’s simple yet powerful: we ’show up.’ We start small, posting on social media, sharing our thoughts, and speaking our truth. It may be intimidating at first, but it gets easier with practice.

I remember when I began my journey as a photographer, showing clients how to pose felt awkward. But with time and real-life experiences, I gained confidence. The key here is that all good things take time.

When you start showing up for yourself and your business, remarkable things happen. You become more confident, your personal brand becomes more recognizable, you attract new opportunities, and you gain practical knowledge through experience.

Why wait? Start today. The initial steps may not be perfect, but they’re necessary to reach your comfort zone. Excellence begins with the decision to start, and your future starts today. Begin practicing bravery and showing up for yourself in your life and business – you’ll find that it gets easier over time.

For more inspiration and personal brand confidence insights, visit my website at arsviephotostudio.com

”Happiness isn’t solely about quantity; it thrives in the realm of quality. To embrace happiness, prioritize enriching your life with captivating, innovative, and stimulating experiences. Challenge your own boundaries, venture beyond limiting beliefs, and explore the new. By fostering curiosity and occasionally going against the current, you can curate your unique and exceptional happiness.”

What did I learn about happiness on my journey with one red suitcase?
- Happiness is personal, and we all can define our own.
- Happiness is not a destination. It’s a way of life. It’s not permanent and frozen in time; it’s alive and active. It doesn’t go stale and has no expiration date. What made you happy in childhood will not bring the same excitement in adulthood. As long as you are enthusiastic and eager to experience life, happiness will stay fresh and evolve with time.
- Sometimes to find happiness, you must be brave and let go of old beliefs, challenge yourself to explore the world, ask questions, and create your happiness.
- Happiness has to be experienced. It’s a reaction to an action.
- At different stages of life, happiness looks different.
- Happiness is not a recipe printed in books; everyone must personally write it.
- Happiness is a feeling of abundance stored in quality rather than quantity.

If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, head on to my blog https://fineartislifestyle.com/when-happiness-is-packed-in-one-red-suitcase/ and I would love to hear it from you. Thank you for listening. Choose happy my dear. And I wish you a beautiful day!

Creativity is one of the key elements in personal growth and an amazing process that unfolds your potential in a gentle way.

Creativity is not about the quantity of something but rather about how you use what you have at your disposal. The abundance of materials is not a prerequisite for creativity; on the contrary, sometimes, the absence of something can fire up creative thinking. And the story I shared in this podcast is a good example of that. 


Benefits of creativity in every day life:

1. It simplifies the perception of mistakes.
2. It’s freedom from the steel cages of perfection and other unrealistic standards.
3. It nourishes your mind, spirit, heart, and, thus, body.
4. It can elevate your confidence.
5. It helps to maintain the balance in life.

Books about creativity:
Elizabeth Gilbert ”Big Magic”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi ”Creativity, the Psychology of Discovery and Invention”

For more inspiration, visit my blog at fineartislifestyle.com. There are lots of lovely images and stories about applying creativity in everyday life.

I often heard this question from my friends and readers: How to start?
The beginning, the first steps, carry a very beautiful energy within it. So, how to begin something new? 
1 - Just start it
2 - Don't concentrate on perfection! 
3 - Get ready to feel comfortable while feeling uncomfortable. 

Hi, my dear! This is Elena and the second episode of Trust the Dress podcast.
Today I want to talk about Enriching experiences and how they can help you feel happier and inspired.  
 

Hi there! This is Elena and my first episode of Trust the Dress podcast. 

First, I want to share a little info about myself. I am a photographer, creative adventurer, and branding assistant with a background in art. In 2013 when I was 31 years old, I had an adventure that changed my life forever in the most wonderful way.

With a one-way ticket, a camera, and 3000 USD in my bank account, I flew halfway around the world to a country I had never been to and didn’t speak the language. I stayed there for nine years, built a photography business, and learned a third language. 

That unforgettable experience tough me that it’s never too late or too early to have a new experience. There is no perfect timing when it comes to changing your life and having enriching experiences. You can start a new chapter at any point in your life, build a new career and business, have a family or travel solo, find love and be happy. The limitations and obstacles are only visible when you imagine them. But, in reality, when you act, those obstacles become a base of a goal. 

Where does the name ”Trust the Dress” comes from”? I believe in the power of the dress, and for me, the dress is one the most amazing symbols of elegance and style. The power of the dress is about the power to be yourself, a woman - strong and vulnerable, elegant and passionate, who laughs and cries, is inquisitive and loves to wonder, who fell down and stood up, who dreams and makes it happen, who knows her worth and is compassionate, who loves and is not afraid of being loved. By trusting the dress, you trust in the elegant flow of life, where personal joy, happiness, and style are as important as being financially independent, having a professional career, and having a family.

This podcast ”Trust the Dress” is a part of my creative project and website fineartislifestyle.com