Project 365…And What I’m Learning About Myself

Day 1: Me

On the surface, it seems quite simple and straightforward.  Take one photo every day for an entire year.  Since smart phones are now equipped with up to 8 megapixel cameras, it’s easy to photograph those beautiful, unexpected moments…the ones I never managed to capture because I didn’t have my camera with me.

I’m not one to commit to something I don’t think I’ll follow through with, so while I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of documenting a year of my life through photos, I’ve never aspired to take on such a feat.  What would I take photos of? What if I missed a day?  What if my photos were boring?  Can I REALLY take a new, interesting photo every single day? The list of questions (and excuses) can get quite lengthy.

And then one day in early January, I saw this hashtag: #janphotoaday.  Interesting…maybe I could commit for a month just to see how it went.  And the fact that I actually had photo prompts made it all seem so doable! Since I didn’t have to worry about what to take a photograph of, I could focus on simply taking the photos.

So how’s it working out for me?

Today is January 25th…and I humbly admit that committing to anything for 30 days, let alone 365, requires discipline, persistence, and accountability.  I was doing great for the first 10 days.  I don’t really know what happened after that.

Because I don’t like empty space, I’m planning on filling in those days I missed…and hoping I at least make it to mid-February next month. Baby steps right?

So here is what I’ve learned in the less than 30 days I’ve been participating in Project 365.

1. Doing anything, every day, for any length of time, is more difficult than it seems

2. There is so much beauty in the world….even in something as simple as a mailbox…or a cup of coffee

3. And because of number 2, I must slow down to soak it all in

4. There are some absolutely incredible photographers who I know will be recognized one day for their work

5.  I have a lot to learn about photography…but I’m getting better every day (I mean I have to, right?)

6. Follow through is a desirable and necessary character trait that carries over into many aspects of life

7. I really, really, REALLY love photography.  My husband can attest to the fact that I can get very absorbed when I’m viewing photos on Instagram

8. The end result is always worth the journey

Are you participating in Project 365? If you are, I’d really love for you to leave a link in the comments so I can follow along with you on your journey.

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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