I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You
There are so many things I want to share with you, but not all of them warrant a full blog post. I’d love your feedback, related or unrelated, if there are things you’ve been meaning to tell me too.
1. American dreamy
Remember when I used to include stock images on every post.(like this one) They were beautiful images of models living dreamy lives in dreamy lighting. With your support and feedback I stopped including images on this blog. Dan Goodwin helped me make that decision by reminding me that those images distracted from the realness of my message. He said, “I think your blog posts often have fairly generic images of beautiful smiling people, that for me personally, don’t quite fit or feel very genuine. Ironically, they’re almost like a parade of the “American Dream” types that you so obviously have rejected.”
Why didn’t I think of that?
I don’t miss those American dreamy images, and you haven’t told me that you miss them either. I have decided to share my photography in an image-only blog format. You can see the first post here and sign up for updates. It’s funny, I didn’t know what my photography blog would be about, but now it seems so obvious. For written inspiration come here and for visual inspiration, go there.
2. You can buy happiness
My friend and business partner Tammy Strobel recently finished her first print book. I’ve read it and loved it. (I’m not just saying that because I love her). It will be available in September and you can pre-order and learn more about it here.
3. Long distance friendship
One of my very best girlfriends is Australian and lives a world away in Perth. We haven’t been connecting as much as I would like, so it always makes me smile and think of her when my Aussie readers comment and say something with Australian Flair. Oh, and Anika… let’s set up a Skype date. I miss you.
4. How to work with me
I have been working with some amazing people this year. I am going to be traveling in July, and limiting client work between now and then. I’d like to work with 2-4 people interested in launching a new project or taking things to the next level with their existing business. I think this testimonial that my recent client Tara sent me really helps to explain how I can help. Let me know if you have any questions about how we might work together.
5. San Francisco
I had a great time in San Francisco earlier this month. It rained most of the time but that didn’t stop my daughter and I from taking the city by storm. I am working on a post for you about how to enjoy San Fran, or any city in the rain.
6. Move through fear everyday
I listened to a great webinar this week with Jonathan Fields and Leo Babauta. I am reading Jonathan’s new book: Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance
It is a must read especially if you are considering a new career, or direction in life. Two of the best things he said in the webinar yesterday:
- The more uncertainty you can tolerate, the more creative you can become.
- Two most important things you can do to maximize creativity: exercise and meditate.
We all get scared about sharing our work, and taking new directions but man it makes life fun when you do it anyway.
7. Catnaps are good for all of us
Thanks for letting me share these things I’ve been meaning to tell you. Anything you’ve been meaning to tell me?
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23 Responses to “I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You”
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Hi Courtney,
Thanks very much for your blog. I’m a pretty regular reader. I just wanted to say that I think pictures add a certain point of interest to your blog. While I very much admire your reasons for no longer including idealistic images via stock photos, I was wondering if you would consider including some of your own photography, much as you did in this post. I think your photography would be far more fascinating than those stock photos, and give us visual people more of a glimpse into who you are and what you love. Just a thought…
Thanks!
Lacy, Thanks for the suggestion. Absolutely! When I have an image that makes sense to include, I will. I doubt I will shoot specifically for a post that I’ve written, but if something I already have works, then I’ll put it in the post.
People love photos. I believe it is what made Facebook so popular. It is the #1 photo sharing website in the world. I agree with Lacy that adding relevant photos can add more meaning, depth and inspiration to your already wonderful posts.
I think I may have to do this on my blog. I have a lot of little stuff that I want to share with my readers (as humble as my readership is), but they never seem enough to write an entire blog about.
And funny thing. When I started out, I used stock photos because I was emulating what I saw on your blog! Eventually I just started using my own, however lame, usually snapped with my iPhone, photographs. I try to add a photo, because I think people like the visual stimulation, but if I don’t have one, I no longer go for the stock photos. I’m loving Instagram for the ability to fancy up my photos on the fly.
#6 resonates. I’m in a fearful place (in an oddly good way) and I need reminders to channel my fear into creativity and productivity. Thank you!
I’m with Lacy. For some of us, an image is worth 1000 words.
me too Elizabeth, but if it’s the wrong image, it could be worth 1000 bad words.
I will be sharing images on this site when they fit and continue to share on instagram and onemillionforgood.com. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Hi Courtney, I really like point number 6, about living with fear. The idea of turning fear into fuel to help us achieve things, as in the title of Jonathon’s book, is a good one. I recently finished a book by Australian author, Russ Harris, called The Confidence Gap, which also talked about how to convert fear to fuel for living the life we choose anyway, even if we are fearful. Living a purposeful, minimalist life often takes us out of our comfort zones, and it’s nice to get support and encouragement to keep living with authenticity.
Hi Kim, I am going to check out The Confidence Gap. Thanks for mentioning it.
I’ve been meaning to say… I look forward to your blog posts and when I see an email from you in my inbox, it makes me smile
Fiona, You just made me smile! Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks for sharing!
I don’t miss the pictures either. I too decided not to use stock pictures with my blog. Unless the pics are about the very thing you’re talking about (like the cat nap!) I just don’t think they add anything.
Plus, with mine being an advice blog, instead of American Dreamy pictures, it would more likely be people with their head in their hands, looking desperate. I’m here to cheer people up, not drag them down!
I know the head in the hands stock pics you are talking about. Dreadful! Keep inspiring and lifting people up.
Hi Courtney!
First, I want to tell you congratulations on the continued success of your blog and business pursuits. My wife and I met you over a year ago in San Francisco at a meetup for the A-List Bloggers Club. Since then, I’ve been checking in on your blog from time to time, but only now got the courage to leave a comment. You’re such an open and honest blogger, who does not come across as aggressively sale-oriented, and I truly admire that in you.
The second thing I wanted to tell you relates to #6. Six months after we met you, my wife and I went cold-turkey minimalist. We sold or gave away all our belongings except what we could fit into two 60L backpacks and two daypacks, and have been traveling continuously since last April. We really do feel we’ve become more with less, and we are sharing our message of taking bold action as a catalyst for growth and transformation in your life. We only recently started blogging about it, because it took a while to find our voice.
Thanks again for an excellent post, and offering your readers a chance to tell you something about their own lives.
Marvin! I am so glad you commented. I have thought of you and Jo many times since we met and wondered what you are up to. I just hopped over to your site and all I can say is WOW! Congrats on making such a big leap in such a graceful way.
Let’s keep in touch and give your adorable wife a big hug for me. xoxo
Hi there! I love to put my favorite articles on a Pinterest board so I can easily find them again or recommend them. I don’t know if it’s just me, but even if I know what an article was about and which blog I read it on, I can have a TERRIBLE time finding it again. So this helps me and is one reason to add photos although I’m in full support of something beautiful that is inspiring, rather than something beautiful that leaves me feeling inadequate and discouraged. I think it’s okay to have a beautiful photo that is not necessarily pertinent, like the photos that grace the pages of day-planners. Just some thoughts…I don’t know if anyone else is “pinning” articles this way, but I’ve had people tell me it’s a great idea.
Aw! My dog and cat, which look similar to yours, love to hang out and nap together! My dog just still doesn’t know what to think about the cat. I like your #2 point; of course happiness is only up to who you are, but you can buy things to have experiences which you’re going to feel happiness!
Amen to #7!!!
Love the fat kitty! That shot made me giggle. My dog and cat are friends too, although my my rotund kitty is always trying to take over the dog bed and eat the dog food. My pup puts up with a lot.
I can take or leave pictures. I always appreciate your posts whether there’s an image or not. And I agree with you, no image is better than a stock photo! Take care, Tanja
Court – thank goodness for skype! I love and miss you too. I have so much to tell you, must skype soon. Thanks for always helping me keep on track with the big picture, love your work!
I don’t miss blog photos, but I do love your photo work!
Fear is a natural emotional response to perceived danger that plays an important role in our learning processes. Whether we overcome fear or let it overcome us is in our hands. And it is a choice we must learn to make consciously and comfortably to build our lives around it.
A true story: Two friends decided to take swimming lessons from their college champ. One was a true novice who had never stepped into a pool before; the other had taken a swimming course ages ago but had never put her skills to the test. By day 7, you couldn’t tell who was who. Feeling ready for the deep end of the pool, the two decided to swim across the breadth. While one friend swam over effortlessly, the other floundered in the middle of the pool, lost it and had to be carried out. She never went back to the poolside that year. That girl, with the certificate from the swimming course, was me!
My fear of the deep still persists but I am willing to confront it at the next opportunity. Swimming seems too ‘fascinating’ an experience to give up that easily!