finding the happy medium between your comfort zone and listening to yourself

Is preserving photos something you find difficult because it's "not my thing?"  Or does it come naturally to you?  Is digital memory-keeping easy for you, or hard?  Are you tech-savvy, or do you prefer a paper, tactile method?

I've been teaching people about memory-keeping for over 11 years, and in that time I've found that there are two truths:

1. Sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone and learn something new in order to succeed.
2. Listening to yourself is your greatest chance for success.

I thought about this initially as it relates to building a team of other memory-keeping consultants--mostly because I'm an introvert to the core!  

I really discovered that doing something new requires some courage, but I also am such a firm believer in listening to yourself.  I didn't try to make myself into a bubbly, over-the-top salesperson because it's just not me.  

My business focus is more about HELPING, and it's much more about an individual than a sale.  Once I listened to that in myself, I could run with it.  So finding that balance between stepping outside my comfort zone and listening to my own strengths was vital.  And it's definitely how I lead my team.  I don't expect any of my team members to be responsible for my growth, bonuses, etc.  I believe if I do my job right, that happens organically.

So how does this apply beyond a business or a team?  HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO YOU?

If you take a picture, it needs a home.  There's a memory associated with it--a story.  The story behind your photo needs to be told in order to make that photo still valuable 10 years from now.  Nameless photos don't mean much.  (And neither do photos left to die on a hard drive or flash drive, but that's another post for another day!)  

When you give your photos and their stories a home, that's memory-keeping.

If you aren't already a regular, zealous memory-keeper, it's VITAL to your success that you listen to yourself and move beyond your comfort zone if you need to.  Don't do anything crazy, just do what you need to to make it WORK.

Let me share with you {my favorite memory-keeping options}.  They're the best!  Just click that link to learn more.  You can decide which one is most comfortable and will most easily help you be successful.  They're all heirloom-quality, so you can't lose!

Please keep in mind that memory-keeping doesn't have to be perfect.  Since scrapbooking became a thing, there seems to be a high standard for memory-keeping, an opinion that if you don't scrapbook and spend an hour on a page, you're not doing it right.

WRONG.  If you are preserving your photos and memories--PERIOD--you are doing it right.  Believe me.

If you need help deciding which one is best, contact me.  I'm pretty great for bouncing ideas off of, and I can give you some direction if you need it.  As I mentioned earlier, I've been at this 11 years, so I have a lot of solutions floating around my head.  If you need one, let me help.