If you hear that title in Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice, extra props to you. If not, it's intended to be just as friendly as it sounds! I am glad you are here. I have been wanting to start a blog for quite some time, and this moment feels just right. You know how you can't explain these things? Timing is very real. Before sharing any thoughts on career, or work, I want to introduce myself to you. Because we aren't getting to shake hands, and grab a coffee! So consider this post my intro and chance to say: "it's nice to meet you!" One thing people see pretty quick when meeting me, is that I am very passionate about the work I do. There's no other way to explain it, and at times that has made me stand out. It started showing when I got my first real job was at 13 years old. There was a photographer at my church, and he did photoshoot events for Santa, local companies, and Hospital Charity Galas. Still had braces, but stood up tall, so I think that played in my favor of being taken seriously. I stood up straight, shook hands, directed people where to go in order to keep the 'flow' of the event moving, as well as made kids or puppies "look at the camera!" and laugh, before going over to do some simple editing and then selling the customer on photos to purchase from their shoot. I learned so much from this first job. Networking, how to carry myself professionally, and building a stamina for working long events. Moving on to high school, I was one of those students that always had multiple jobs going at once. And it just never really stopped. When I needed to take on work to get by, I tried to find meaning in it. Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote helped a lot during tougher jobs:
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
People around me commented on my work ethic. Some positive, some negative, but I am content to enjoy this trait about myself.
I didn't know it, but that part of my life was so important. That skill of managing multiple jobs laid the foundation for a professional life that requires taking ownership.
If you are here, and you have something that makes you different, it is a very good thing. If you experience people commenting about it, there is no such thing as 100% positive feedback. Who knows why. But that thing that stands out might end up being your favorite thing.
From here, I can't wait to share more about different projects, and hopefully they are helpful to you in some way. But for now, my name is Hayley Finch, and it was very nice to meet you.
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Photo credit to Sunshine & Shadows Photography
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