If I Can, You Can! - Attract Much More in 2007

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 caliber 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 Honorable 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."