Believe in Your Dreams!

It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else!
Erma Bombeck

by Skip Cohen

As ALWAYS, I'm way off the daily topic of business and marketing, and I've got to warn you, it's a sappy morning. I slept really well last night, and my dreams came and went like guests on an old Jerry Lewis telethon. But there was a common theme of pre-Covid life - you know, like the way things used to be.

In between the different dreamscapes, I was half awake and thinking about our industry and the business we're in. That led me to thoughts of artists who believe they've lost the ability to achieve their dreams while at the same time others who seem to be thriving.

My career path in imaging is a part of who I am. Like so many of you, and certainly my closest industry friends, we joke about it, but we really do eat, drink, and sleep photography. And here's my point...

Don't give up on your dreams! I absolutely believe we're going to get things back on track, and while there's no guarantee on the timing, I see things improving already. For me, I've shut off the news; I keep in touch with like-minded friends; I get enough sleep (never under-estimate the power of enough "shut-eye"), and I follow as many photographers as I can on social media.

Remember, if you don't like the path you're on, then change it! Nothing is cast in concrete in this business, and so often, an inspirational dream can carry you in a completely different direction from where you started. You don't have to change the world - just your tiny piece of it. And if we all work on our "tiny piece," think about how things will change.

What's my dream? I'm not slowing down in working to stay on track. Nothing has changed in the consumer's need to capture memories. The pandemic didn't take away my skillset, and it's not holding me back from growing and learning more about those things I love to do, the people I love to be with, and my future. 

So, you've got nothing to lose if you just hold focus. You know how to hold focus with your camera - now it's time to do it with your heart.

Wishing everybody a terrific day ahead and time to kick back and dream a little. The fun of daydreaming is that you're awake and can go anywhere when you're relaxed. And when it comes to the people you love the most, share your dreams. Let them be a part of whatever it is you want to build...don't forget those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and make it a day to remember!

​Happy Sunday...or Monday, if you're on the other side of the world.