Why did you choose Clare Louise’s Creating Creativity® coaching programme?

I had noticed since I set up my photography business, photography has become my ‘job’. I had lost a bit of my creativity which made me sad. I felt like I was going through the motions to earn money. I need to reconnect to my passion and why I started my business in the first place. My dream is to win awards for my work.

Tell us about the sessions?

My sessions were remote. Each session lasted between an hour and an hour and a half. I found it really helped me having them the same time each week. It allowed me to get into a routine and really focus on Me.

Did the work set in-between the sessions benefit you?

Yes. I really benefited from it. I started thinking deeper, and was able to implement changes outside of the sessions. I started taking more of the pictures I wanted to take and less of the pictures I thought I had to take!

When did you start to feel the benefits?

After the first session. I started to visualise pictures that I wanted to take for a panel of qualification images. I had reconnected to parts of me that I thought were lost, the fun feisty me came back! I didn’t realise how much of me I had shut myself off too. By session two I felt the subtle changes happening as I had reconnected my personal values to my business values. I noticed the difference in me, the passion coming back into my everyday life.

What was your biggest change?

Confidence in my business, I shoot more of what I want and am more in control of my business, I now have a clear idea of where I’m going in my business. I no longer feel like I belong to my business but that my business belongs to me! I’ve started to book time in my diary for me to switch off and have a recharge day without feeling guilty. My passion has returned, my creativity has returned and I feel like I’ve fallen in love with my business again!

I feel great, it feels like the part of me that was missing has returned. I’m making quality me time a priority. I’m scheduling my business so I can make more time and work more efficiently. I’ve had a business spring clean and really evaluated whats important to me and my business and made some big decisions on what I’m going to stop doing and what I’m going to start doing that benefits me.

What was the biggest value in the coaching?

It gave me the big push I needed, and fast. Instead of being on a downward spiral I am on the up. My mind is organised, I have clarity. The coaching has given me structure in my life and my business. My business no longer rules me! I’m able to switch off and now look forward to my working week instead of dreading it. I have guilt free days where I can enjoy doing nothing!

The coaching sessions made me realise my value and pointed out how important it was to take time out for me. This in-turn left me rested and ready for the work ahead. Instead of feeling tired and bored of being a photographer I found my passion again in photography and started taking my camera out on walks with me. The coaching pulled me out of the big stale rut that I had fallen into. I realised that buying more props and backdrops weren’t the answer I was looking for, my own creativity needed to be recharged rather than buy new things.

I remembered the importance of why I started my photography business and what photography meant to me. I’d got so wrapped up focusing on the wrong things I’d forgotten my why!

How long would you recommend in between each session?

Between one and two weeks. No more than that as the impact of this is in immersing yourself in the programme.

What would you tell others?

I am blown away on the impact this coaching has had on me and my business. Clare Louise has this amazing talent to listen, understand and take something that seems so complicated and make it make sense. Her ability to listen and get you relaxed and comfortable to open up is incredible. She truly does shine from the inside, she’s one of life’s inspirations. I 100% recommend this coaching. Her knowledge, expertise and ability to get to the core of a situation is amazing.

 

8 Month’s On :

 

‘I won my first awards, Portrait Photographer and Overall Photographer. I can’t thank you enough Clare Louise enough for all your work and encouragement. You are amazing!’ x

 

Whats changed over the last 8 months?

Over the last 8 months I have found me again! Somewhere over the years I got lost. Photography was always a passion of mine from a very young age. I have always been an optimist, but before my sessions with Clare I was slowly going down hill, having a negative mindset more and more and doubting myself each and every day!

Today I’m exited to see what tomorrow brings!

How has the coaching made a difference to your life, your creativity and your business ?

At the time, during the coaching, I couldn’t understand how all the things we covered had to do with being creative, however I soon realised that all the blocked feelings and energy were preventing me from being me.

I had this vision that I was supposed to photograph like everyone else instead of being me. I was too busy concentrating on what the rest of the photography world was doing instead of concentrating on what I felt or saw through my lens. It was frustrating, I was spending a lot of money on fixing technical issues which I already had right simply because I didn’t know how to get to where I wanted to be and where to find those answers.

What’s been the biggest value ?

The biggest value from the coaching is my self belief and my new found confidence in me! I now know how good I am, I have faith in myself and photographing what I see and not what I think everyone else thinks I should do. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still push for those advanced art based new born images, but I do it after I have the simple timeless beautiful shots that I’m passionate about and inspired me to take up photography in the first place.  9 times out of 10 parents pick the simple timeless ones anyway.

Having faith in my work and self belief gave me the confidence to adjust prices accordingly so I can do less for more.

Looking back, did you think the coaching would have had such an impact ?

No! I had no idea the coaching would have such an impact in so many area’s of my life. I hear Clare Louise’s voice everyday. Even the days I am struggling, in my head, she just pops up – I’m not sure at all why she does, but it ALWAYS makes me feel positive and ready to tackle the day or week ahead.

What are you doing now that you weren’t doing before your coaching?

I am now a yoga teacher, specialising in pregnancy and baby yoga which sends my business round in circles. The girls who come to my pregnancy yoga nearly all book their baby portraits with me or sign up for my baby’s first year promotion, then of course, after the baby is born come to baby yoga. I’m constantly building a relationship with Mum.  I now value the contribution I can bring to other people’s lives, if the Mum’s are strugggling or cry I give them a hug. I tell them about my experiences they love that I am real and they tell me this all the time. This makes me good, boosting my confidence even more. This then results in really great referrals.

What have you stopped doing?

One of the biggest changes is that I have stopped working such long hours!!! I’ve really found the work/life balance I was looking for. No more editing till 11pm. I work Monday to Friday 10am till 6pm then I switch off the phone! I now have 2 numbers, one for business and one for family and friends. This gives me time to enjoy my dinner sit down with family, go to the gym, yoga or simply a walk with my husband or dog. I finally have a life. I now rule my business – it doesn’t rule me anymore.

How does this make you feel?

These changes in my life feels amazing! Oh of course I still have difficult clients and stressful days its how I’ve learnt to cope with them better thats made such an impact  instead of wanting to run away and hide.

What would you say to others thinking about this coaching and why would you recommend it ?

If you are ‘umming and ‘awing about taking this coaching, my advise would be do it! At the time I was going through it I wondered how on earth it could help, Yet it did and the impact of this coaching has continued for so  long after it.

Have the last word … what else would you like to say ?

Clare Louise has always inspired me since the very first day I ever heard her talk four or more year ago at The Newborn Photography Show. Her talk reduced me to tears, it was so emotional yet very inspiring. Since then I always find a way to make sure I could listen to her if she was every speaking in the same event I was at.

The next time I met her properly was when I did my licentiate panel, she told me then that my images were special and that no amount of training can produce the style I was doing at that time. Instead of taking that on board and remaining to be me I jumped on the newborn band wagon and started trying to copy everyone else. I got so disheartened and started to dislike my job and fell out of love with my business. The coaching gave me back what I had lost, now I never look at my competitors. I just do what I love and my business is going from strength to strength, and I’m back in love with photography again.

Clare Louise, I can’t thank you enough xxxxxx