you're not that special

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Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We've been nurtured, protected and raised to believe that we are special – all of us. And while you can argue that we each bring something special to the world, the fact is that the world doesn't care. It really doesn't.

When I was approached, initially, to write my first book, Photo Fusion, the publisher came to me. Yeah, that's right – I had a big time publishing house not only know who I was, but ask me to write for them. I was stunned, literally speechless, and overwhelmed. This was my dream, the one I had since just a wee lass…I wanted to have my writing published.

I just knew that I was going to be treated well (and I was), that they were going to take extra special care of me because, after all, they came looking for me. And then reality hit. I wasn't the only one they approached. I was one of any number of photographers being asked to consider publishing with them. One in a system with hundreds of other authors and potential authors.

Not that special now, was I?

We all want to feel like we matter, like we make a difference. Some of us want to change the world, others want to change just their corner of it. We all want to be loved, appreciated and respected. But we're not – at least not many of us are.

So I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to be one of many. Rather, I want to be the exception (even exceptional). My strategy of being the best I can be while waiting for someone to notice, just isn't working for me anymore. Because no one will notice and I (you) will continue to feel frustrated in my (your) efforts to stand out.

That changes today. You're not that special…

…until you are.

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