When the Day Starts Out Right

​“Find joy in everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home...
it’s your responsibility to love it, or change it.”
Chuck Palahniuk

by Skip Cohen

WARNING: SAPPY ALERT!

Ever had a day that just started out perfect? Welcome to my Tuesday - and while I'm not questioning the day so far, I am trying to understand the ingredients that have me so content and simply happy. I'm off on a quest...
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• It all starts with a decent night's sleep. Individuals vary in their sleep needs but most adults require between 7 and 9 hours a night to feel properly refreshed and function at their best the next day. Many try to get away with less sleep. There are some who are genuine short sleepers while others may require considerably more than the average requirement. -SleepHealthFoundation.org​​​​

SleepHealthFoundation.org

• Busy but NOT overloaded: I've got a full plate of work to do, but I'm not fighting to stay afloat. We all have moments where we take on too much. Most of us have difficulty saying "no" to friends who need help - after all, they're always there for us. But then we run out of steam because of a few unknown variables creating stress...like last week's fight with Hurricane Idalia for Sheila and me. 
• New Projects: I'm not ready to talk about them just yet, but I've got a couple of projects I'm excited about. Personal projects, as I've written about many times, help you stay focused on everything else in your business. You have to make room for things that make your spirit soar.
• Hair of the Dog Summit - September 26-27: I'm excited to be doing an online marketing program for this year's summit. Sheila's noticed my spirit is always upbeat, leading up to a convention or workshop. Last year, they had 1,200 people in attendance. I always get charged up before any workshop, and this one is particularly exciting for me. First, I'm a big Nicole Begley fan - I've seen her in action as her students photographed Molly the Wonder Dog several years ago when their live workshop was in Sarasota. Second, the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer goes brides, babies, and pets for the top three. If you're looking to grow your business and currently not offering a regular program for pets, it's a category not to be overlooked. Join the Hair of the Dog community with a click on the link below for more information.

Great support and information is just a click away.

Molly the Wonder Dog - Captured at the Hair of the Dog Workshop in 2018

I know it's sappy, but life is good and way better than the alternative! LOL 

No pun intended following "Idalia" last week, but this really is the calm before the storm. Thanks to Labor Day, it's a short week, and holiday seasonality is still a little way away. That means you have time to do a little fine-tuning on this year's promotional efforts.

Last but not least is all of you...Barring the frustration of dealing with Facebook's algorithm and the continued challenge of how they now limit our reach - so many of you have contributed new ideas and feedback through IMs, email, and phone calls. You're responsible for a big part of my smile every morning when I get out of bed.

​Thank you for your support, feedback, passion for the craft, and especially your friendship.