1. Sally Mann (Revolutionary photographer)
2. Atonement (Beautifully cinematic movie) + the Soundtrack
3. Danielle Da Silva (Activist and photographer)
4. Saladfingers (Creepy web short)
5. Modigliani (Surrealist Painter)
6. Billie Eilish music video – When the Party’s Over
7. Ksenia Anske (Dark Fantasy writer)
8. Stranger Things (Sci-fi TV show)
9. Gillian Gamble (Illustrator, writer, entrepreneur)
10. Neil Gaiman – Coraline (Fantasy children’s book)

This was a tremendous year of growth or me and I can’t help but feel like, even on this second-to-last day of the year, I am still learning lessons that 2016 wanted to teach me. For example, I started my morning before the sun rose climbing a mountain with my love, remembering the importance of connection, vulnerability and bliss.

Here is a look at my highlights from the year:

PERSONAL

• You can never know your impact on someone else, not fully. I was reminded of that during some personal hardships that I will not detail, but taught me how to grieve, how to be stronger, and how to more closely embody empathy.
• I realized that I have too much, and that I would rather downsize, sell my house, live a more minimalist life and be debt-free completely. 2017 should be interesting in that sense!
• I lessened my “victim” response. I started to react to situations from a stronger, more decisive place that allowed me to feel less like a victim and more in control.
• I traveled to: California, India, Wisconsin, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, New York, Pennsylvania, England, Florida, Illinios, Peru, Colorado, and Washington, several of them several times!
• I started doing yoga and hiking 3-5 times a week (though still thought I might die climbing Machu Picchu in 90 minutes flat!).
• I finished writing my novel!
• I got to meet the Doctor Who cast IN PERSON. Enough said. I can die happy now. My husband is the greatest!

  • For those inquiring minds: Matt Smith, Alex Kingston, Arthur Darvill (and watched John Barrowman speak…phenomenally inspiring!)

ART

• At the end of 2015 I had a brutal portfolio review, the gist of it being that I’ll likely never be a serious artist, my images lack depth and meaning, and that a solo show in NYC would be unlikely. I wallowed for 2 hours and then conceived of a new series, complete with many layers and meanings, that I began working on in December 2015. By September 2016 I finished the series, booked a solo show in NYC to debut that series, won a grand prize award for it, printed it, and the show opens in early January. I do not, in any way, say this to brag. I say this to prove that someone’s opinions of you should never define your future. Take control of what you do and you will control your life. I see myself as the kind of person who doesn’t win things, who doesn’t come out on top – very much an underdog mentality. But I am starting to change my narrative.
• I partook in a December self-portrait challenge that I allowed to consume me. It brought me out of a slump (personally and professionally) and added half a dozen new images to my portfolio when I thought the year was finished. Challenge yourself to create. It can never hurt. Never.
• I know I put finishing my novel in the personal category, because it was a massive personal triumph, but I put it here, too. I learned this year so much about commitment through the 30 day self-portrait challenge, finishing my novel, and finishing my series. I can say, without much doubt, that I lack natural talent in many ways – but what I have is commitment in abundance, and that makes all the difference. I learned how to outline plot and characters, how to structure a novel, and how to let go of something so personal. My husband will be proofing my novel in January and then it’s off to my darling Editor.

BUSINESS

• Big changes happened this year, as I will continue into the new year with a drastic lessening of help in my business. At first I was nervous until I started doing everything on my own. I realized that I had grown up a lot since I felt I needed help. This year I learned how to set guidelines, goals, and a great routine to allow me to achieve my objectives. My routine: emails, creative time, daily business goals, writing, yoga, cooking, and snuggles. Always snuggles.
• I finished 100 weeks of Promoting Passion videos and started a 10-video series called White Wall Wednesday (most likely TBC in 2017!). They are all on my YouTube where you can subscribe to get new content!
• I started two “pay-what-you-can” challenges that have allowed me to create content from home and share it with others for whatever they want to pay for it. This allows those who can’t participate in other events to have a chance. The 20 Day Portfolio Renovation Challenge is still open for registration until tomorrow evening! Begins Jan 1!
• I auditioned for a TED talk and didn’t get it. This was the biggest blow of the year for me in business. It is my greatest dream. But I’m not done. I will work harder for it than ever before, hopefully finding a conference theme that is more in line with what I do.
• I designed a portfolio case to produce and met with several prototype companies, but as of yet cannot afford to personally fund the project. I will continue to pursue this in 2017.
• I hosted my 2nd annual Promoting Passion Convention! This year saw an increase of participants, incredibly inspiring speakers and educators, as well as the most authentic, genuine connections. It was a glorious sight, that is to be certain. I can’t wait to share the video with you!
• I directed two music videos! They were mostly for fun, but taught me a lot about film and I can’t wait to do more!
• I photographed this kick-butt opera singer in London and then got to see the pictures on a bus. Super awesome moment!
• I finally embraced Instagram!
• <Insert exciting thing that I can’t share until the new year>

CHARITY

• The Light Space had it’s first successful year running!!! TLS is a practical photography training program for survivors of human trafficking in India.
• I raised over $13,000 for The Light Space through the pay-what-you-can challenges as well as the Promoting Passion Convention!
• I raised over $2,000 for Blossomy, my partner organization for TLS.
• I donated to over 25 charities this year for causes I believe in greatly.
• I started the process of turning Promoting Passion into a nonprofit! More on that in the new year!
• I began teaching self-expression workshops to underprivileged communities here in the United States.
• Thanks to new equipment donations, I’ve got a whole suitcase of new equipment to take to India in just 5 DAYS!!

I am beginning 2017 with a flight to NYC to attend my show opening, and then I’m off to India and Thailand to teach 4 workshops for survivors of human trafficking about photography and self-expression. I’ll be gone for 3 1/2 weeks, and when I return, I’ll be diving into so many exciting projects!

Thank you endlessly for a year I will treasure and continue to learn from. It is thanks to you that I have a business that I love, a community that I cherish, and notably, together we are changing the world by helping charitable efforts.

2017 is going to be a year of power. That is my dedication. However I choose to grow, help others, change, or shed light, I will do so with as much power as I can. In doing so, I can only hope I will find others who are radically dedicated to living in their power.

HUGS and LOVE,
Brooke

When you want something and you take steps to make it happen, you are enacting change in your life. It is the scariest part of the process. We tend not to fear having the idea, or seeing it through once we’ve started, or reaping the benefits, or even failing. We fear the moment when we decide to disrupt our lives. Very much like the first step onto a tightrope, we have no idea what to expect. Will it hold me? Will I fall? Will I stay balanced? Will I hurt myself? Will I turn back out of fear?

But there is a reason why the first step is the hardest. We are programmed to fear change. We are programmed to fear the unknown. But we are also programmed to seek challenges. We are programmed to want more than what we are given. We are so excitingly human because we think for ourselves and develop our own dreams and fears to go along with them. What separates one person from another in the end is which path they chose, and how they affected others along the way.

My fear is to stay stagnant. I fear decaying in my own filth, for lack of a more graceful phrase. In other words, I don’t want to cultivate fear and live in that environment. I want to see the fear around me and step through it. I want to live a life worthy of bravery and kindness. I want to live a life worthy of who I want to be.

When I’m starting to feel too comfortable, I wake up at 5am and jump in a lake. When I think my art looks the same, I do something that I don’t know how to do. When I feel myself becoming mean I immediately do something kind. When I look more favorably in the face of greed I immediately push it away for gratitude. We are so full of contradictions. Move forward or stay behind. But in the end, it is not how far ahead we got in life, it is how strongly and willingly we made the decision to move forward at all. We might get pushed back each time we try, but the choice is still our own, and it should be in favor of betterment.

We all have infinite potential built into us right now. We could make so many choices this very day that could change our lives and the lives of others. What decision will you make? How will you challenge yourself? How will you be a positive force in the lives of others? How will you promote passion?

The question is not how much, or how little, but simply how. Do not measure your decisions on the amount of change, but on the fact that you chose change. Find the strength to move forward, no matter how many times you get pushed back. Make the decision to accept change – it will happen whether you welcome it or not. And above all else, take the first step onto the tightrope. Your dream may be closer than you think.

I used to feel inferior if I couldn’t create an image every single day. Then I started looking at other photographer’s careers and realized that many artists limit how often they create. They don’t share a lot. They keep it under wraps. I started to feel inferior for putting out too much work. I started to feel like I had no concept of how this industry works. And that, right there, was my flaw. Somewhere along the lines I started thinking in terms of an “industry” instead of a “hobby”. I started to question what others were doing instead of living my life by my own rules. I had to distance myself, and so I have. I create when I want to create. I create because I want to create. And part of that creation process, for me, is sharing. And so I share when I want to share. Because your opinions add value to the work.

This year I have created 17 images. Is that a lot? A year ago I would have told myself to slow down. Is that only a little? Four years ago I would have been upset with myself for not creating faster. Now? I just don’t care. I love what I do. I love creating. And I won’t create based on anyone else’s standards.

I love giving myself regular check-ins, to make sure that I am making the healthiest choices for me and not for anyone else. I like to knock on my own door and ask how I’m doing. Because if not me, who? Now that we are almost into April, we have hit the quarter mark of 2015. So often people say that time moves too fast, but to me, it moves at just the right pace. I always feel like whatever time it is, it is the right time. And so, with it being March, I feel quite ready for a check-in.

These are some questions I ask myself:

1. How do you feel about the work you have produced this year? Quantity? Quality? Overall aesthetic?

2. Are you happy with how much time you have dedicated to yourself? Do you need to make more time for your passion?

3. Are you unhappy with decisions you have made this year? What specifically? How can you change course?

4. How can you take a more active role in pursuing your dreams? Look back at your New Year Resolutions and move one forward. What specific steps can you take?

5. Do you feel you have a good support system in place? Sometimes friends come and go. Make sure you are loved. Don’t have a community? Start one! Join a group. Create a group. Host a meet-up. Join a competition. Message someone you admire.

Top Tips & Exercises

A. Create a creation routine in which you set aside a certain amount of time each week to create. Next, create a routine for how you create so you can get more accomplished. For me personally, if I am stuck in a rut and simply want to break free, I begin with an inspiration exercise: 10 minutes of brainstorming. Next, I spend 10 minutes sketching and writing a description of a potential image. After that, I shoot, which will take roughly 20 minutes. And finally, I begin the edit. All of this can last 1 hour, and there is no pressure to finish. But once you’ve invested time into a creative project and you’ve gone through specific steps, you are more likely to come back to it and actually finish.

It doesn’t matter what your routine is, just as long as you have one in place. Knowing how you work best and then cultivating those circumstances is going to help tremendously in your personal progression.

B.  Have a night of fear & fun. Pick one night out of the week to do something that scares you, but could also be fun. A certain photo shoot, a social gathering, or something as simple as writing an email to someone you don’t know. Take a risk, set time aside for yourself to properly do that thing, and reward yourself once you have. Make it as fun as possible. Bring a friend to make a little party out of it. Challenge others to do the same. Define what scares you, and figure out a way to playfully address that fear.

 C. Reach out to someone in your community. I invite all of you to join my new Facebook group which is an extension of this blog. I will be posting weekly challenges, both personal and artistic, that anyone can participate in. Reach out to someone in the group. Tell them how much you admire them, or simply get to know someone on a deeper level. We are all looking for companionship from others who understand our struggles and triumphs.

I would love to hear your answers to the questions, any tips/exercises you may have to keep on the right track, or even your favorite/least favorite images from this year so far!

I hope you’ll join the Facebook group so we can grow this community further!

I’ve heard people counter the idea that with imagination we can create anything we want. Someone once said to me:

“I know that imagination is nice, but it won’t make the gray clouds outside go away.”

We can see through the darkness if we bring our own light. We can imagine and create and believe and see the world as we want to see it. If I didn’t believe in this, I would not be living the life I am living, and that is a life I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. We build our own fortune. We carve our own book of words to live by. We write the song of our life.

Art allows us to manifest these desires and visions. It allows us to spread our messages. It gives us power where once we felt nothing. It gives us hope where once we saw despair. And above all else, it gives us a voice. It allows us to speak through universal words that contain a thousand different meanings.

Imagination is the life-blood that flows through the veins of an artist. I believe all people to be artists. We do not manifest our art in the same ways. We do not all see the artist in ourselves. But it is there, sometimes sleeping silently, but always there, waiting. It is up to us to wake it.

What is your relationship with IMAGINATION?

Looking back at my images this year it is easy to pick out the ones that were better than others, or the ones that I wish I had never created. But that is so far beyond the point of why we create. We create not only to capture the best of the best, but to capture a fleeting moment, even if you are not capturing reality. I create in the moment, inspired by everything around me, desperate to translate my vision into an image. And when it is finished, and I’ve put distance between the picture and myself, I never regret what I have created. I see it as a timeless reminder of who I was and who I want to be. Learning from my mistakes and pressing on with more life.

Those four images above are the ones I am most proud of – visually, thematically – and they will have a special place in my portfolio for the 2014 year. But even more, they will carry on into new years as inspiration, a reminder of the direction I want to go in, and a measuring board against which all other images will be judged.

There are images in my portfolio that I don’t like as much, not for any fault but simply because I was having fun in the moment, didn’t spend as much time conceptually, and I feel they fell flat. But I love them all the same, how much I like them aside. They are part of me.

I created images that remind me of why I love to create. This one took me nearly a whole day to put together. My memory from this day is of spinning around the tree until I got sick with one of my best friends, absurdly wrapping nature in yarn, telling a tale. I will never forget that day.

I created images that remind me of the message I want to send, and inspire me to never let go of what makes me unique. We all have something so wonderful inside. It is a true shame to let it slip away, no matter how other people perceive that gift.

There are images that remind me of how grateful I am to create, and of the people who make that possible. The kind-hearted models who give their whole selves, the friends I’ve made along the way, and the people who have so much vision I am inspired by being in their presence.

Other images remind me of special days, days that were marked in time by which photo I took, and when. Images that show me more than what the pixels represent. This image was taken on my birthday last year. I felt peace and calm. I felt strong. I see that in this picture.

And finally, there are images that remind me of how far we are willing to go to achieve something more. Images that make me reach higher and strive for better, and want to give more to others. When I photographed this image I was on top of a 10,000 foot crater in Hawaii. It was below freezing and I was in a raining cloud. And it was one of the clearest, most soul-deepening moments of my life.

I wish everyone many more moments like that. I would love to see what moments meant the most to you, either through what you created or moments that enriched your life…because you never know when your moments will help someone else, too.

10 years ago. I was picking out colleges. I intentionally looked at schools that had private housing so I didn’t have to room with someone.

5 years ago. I was just about to start my business and decided not to deal with clients for fear of puking all over them.

Today. Still feel a little queasy, but doing much better. Let’s talk about why.

Another way that I dealt with anxiety was to begin telling myself that no one cares about me…in the best way possible! It is easy to become self-absorbed and think that everyone is judging us, when in reality, that is rarely the case, especially from strangers (at least in a meaningful way).

I began teaching workshops 4 years ago. About three years ago I was asked to do my first speaking gig. It was at After Dark photo convention. This last year I’ve been to a number of different conferences and schools to give lectures. And next year, my focus will be on motivational speaking for schools and businesses. So the big questions is…WHY!? Why would I do that when I’m scared to death of social situations.

The answer is twofold. One reason is because I wanted to push myself. The other is because I believe everyone has a story to tell. If I didn’t tell mine, I would be quite the hypocrite. And I would also be holding my desire back to teach others.

It isn’t the lectures that scare me, or the stages, or the crowds so much as it is the personal interaction just before the lecture begins. There is an in-between moment when you aren’t quite saying what needs to be said, going through a PowerPoint presentation, but instead you are just YOU, vulnerable and in front of everyone. This is the same feeling I get when talking with people I just met, at a party, or anywhere, really! It is the human connection, and I’m just plain bad at it.

These are the lessons I’ve learned in those 15 minute “in-between” times, after I come out from hiding in a bathroom stall and before I begin giving a lecture:

1. No one cares about you.

I know I’ve talked about this before, but I can’t stress the importance of it enough. In the most inspiring way possible, remember that it is highly unlikely that anyone’s opinion of you will guide your life more than your own.

2. What you look like is half of how someone will judge you…so OWN it!

Be proud of who you are and what you look like. Usually accepting your own style is the best way to get others to do the same.

3. Look the way you want to feel (hair, makeup, clothes).

Think about what clothes make you feel most YOU and wear them! Dress how you want to dress, present yourself how you feel, and you will immediately come off as more confident for it.

4. Get others involved (ask questions!).

One of the best ways to deal with anxiety in a social gathering is to put the pressure on someone else. Ask them questions, but not just any old question. Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. This is very helpful for me when starting conversations with people.

5. Share your life! Even if you don’t think it’s interesting, someone else might.

Everyone has something interesting going on in their life. I try to pick something out that is positive and halfway engaging to share should the occasion arise.

6. Understand your quirks, and werk ’em!

Be who you are, completely, and then don’t be afraid to show that to people. I try to be myself, even when it means saying weird things, running around barefoot, or making stupid jokes.

7. Create a safe space for yourself after you’re finished.

I am the kind of person who needs a space to recharge. I’m very much the introvert, so I always need a place to retreat to after a big social engagement so that I can decompress.

I thought it was appropriate to put a picture from my recent CreativeLive class in this post, since that is one of the biggest ways I have personally overcome anxiety. There is nothing quite like having cameras pointed in your face and talking for 18 hours!

I’ll be posting a blog later in the week about how this image was made.

If you do take this challenge, come back here and leave a comment with the resulting image that you created…or if you aren’t a photographer, take the same challenge but create something else entirely…an arts & crafts project, a piece of writing, a painting, etc…Create….because it will awaken something beautiful within.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF.
CREATE. INSPIRE.
PROMOTE PASSION.

Growth.
Confidence.
Success.
Happiness.
Rejuvenation.
Potential.
Possibility. 

These are 5 lies we so often tell ourselves:

1. Other people know best.

How often are you quick to believe what other people have to say about you, but even faster to dismiss your own opinions? We have a tendency to hear something negative about ourselves and believe it to be true, when our own feelings play a small part in how we perceive ourselves. Stop telling yourself the lie that someone else’s vision of you is the right one. You should be the first to form an opinion about yourself, and all else is for you to take or leave.

2. The future will be better.

I love telling this to myself. I love feeling like the future is going to be better. And this isn’t really a lie, as much as it is an instigator to a bad situation. If you always tell yourself the future will be better, chances are you aren’t doing a lot to fix the situation you are in now. Instead of saying “the future will be better”, do something about your life as it is, in this moment, right now. Make changes and live those changes. Tell yourself that your life is always changing because you make it so, and that you are in control of your situation.

3. Its out of my control.

Here’s the thing. Sometimes what happens to us does feel like it is out of our control. But what isn’t out of our control is how we react to the things that happen to us. We have the power to change any situation with how we react to it, so next time you’re feeling like you’ve been dealt a bad hand – handle it differently. See the positive side of all things, no matter how difficult, heartbreaking, or irritating it might be. There is a silver lining if you create one.

4. There’s a right way, and there’s a wrong way.

Stop lying to yourself about why things aren’t going your way. In other words, if one idea doesn’t work, try again, or try another. There is no right way of doing things. Never glorify another person for their success, create your own in your own way.

5. I’m not good enough.

When I was in high school I tried harder than anyone I knew. I studied for hours a day and cared a lot about how well I did or didn’t do. Turns out, I didn’t do so well. When I’m about to tell people what my GPA was they pat me on the shoulder and say it couldn’t have been that bad…but then they always give me that face…that one that says: Oh, wow, didn’t see that coming. I went through those years of my life and some after believing that I simply wasn’t smart. That I didn’t have it in me. What I’ve learned since is that I couldn’t have been any more wrong if I tried. Certainly I have no memory whatsoever, and that hindered me greatly in school, but there is more than one way to be smart.

We are all good enough. We are all beautiful people. We all possess something unique and individual, and the sooner you stop lying to yourself about that the sooner you can blossom into the person you want to be and the person that others want you to be. If I had continued believing that I wasn’t good enough, I may never have pursued my passions in life. You never know how you are going to excel. You may surprise yourself.

So take a leap today. Stop lying to yourself about the things you can’t do. Become the person you were meant to be, and as always, promote your passion.

What lies do you tell yourself?
What lies will you stop telling yourself?