Promoting Passion Video Blog: Living Your Dream
Isn’t it strange how hard it can be to try something new? I felt that way simply in posting this video. it’s different and vulnerable and sometimes even putting yourself out there in the smallest ways can make you feel insecure. But that is exactly why I am doing it: because in 2014 I am embracing every little thing that makes me uncomfortable. I am posting things that are different and letting the feedback come, and understanding that no opinion can define me but my own.
I decided to write a blog post as I’ve done hundreds of times but this time, I read it as I felt it. The voice inside my head.
81 thoughts on “Promoting Passion Video Blog: Living Your Dream”
Wow, this has touched me to tears. You are such a wonderful person giving joy, hope and courage to all of us. I would love to say so much to you as I have been following and being amazed by your work for years, but more than anything I am grateful. Grateful that the essence of you is the essence of everyone of us as well, and your work is touching us because we also carry the possibility of art as strong as yours in ourselves. Thank you for making my heart smile, thank you for sharing the pictures of your soul.
You have touched me as well. Thank you for writing such kind and heartfelt words, they mean more to me than I can say. Words like this give me the courage to say what is inside, and I can only hope that it resonates with others. <3
I absolutely adore your work. So inspiring and wonderful. Thank you!
Thank you so much Tobias!! That means a lot to me.
Brooke,
I have been watching and re-watching your Creative Live seminars and consuming your book. Thank you for making what was once a hobby a soul-fulfilling passion.
mh
Martin, thank you so much for saying that. It is amazing to discover a passion that fills you up so fully.
I am absolutely in love with this video. When I stumbled across your work a few years ago as a young student trying to find herself as an artist, I was in awe by the beauty of your work. Just as much, I was and still am so inspired by your passion to both create and spread inspiration. I really needed to begin my year with a video like this. Not only is it inspiring, but it is motivating. Thank you for your openness and your desire to spread what you love to everyone else. It has honestly helped and inspired me in tremendous ways.
Oh Jill, thank you tremendously. I was so nervous to share this video because of just how personal it was, and you’ve just made me feel so much better. Thank you for being you!
this is intense. in a good way. and makes me want to challenge myself. thank you for everything you share.
Thank you Abigail!! I am so glad to hear it. Challenges are what allow us to grow into our best selves. I hope you flourish 🙂 Thank you for being so kind!
Simply. Stunning. Message.
Be the change! Much ♥ to you Brooke and thank you, a thousand thank you’s, for all you share with the universe. Thank you for being you and letting that light SHINE.
Thank YOU Chandra!! You have no idea how much your words lift me up. Thank you for inspiring me!
That was awesome Brooke!!
Just I needed today. In fact I will play this everyday, to keep me focus.
Thank you
Have a Great Day !!
Thank you so much Jody! I am so glad to hear that this helped! Live on!
Hi Brooke, I love the message in this video and in fact your message as a whole! You have inspired me so much to create surreal and beautiful photos that are a piece of me being almost ‘released’ in an artistic way! My dream one day is to meet you, but I’m pretty sure if i do I’m gonna explode! Either way, Im in love with your photography and want to say a massive thank you for opening my mind to the world around me and making me feel like I can tackle my fears and be resilient in achieving that goal! Can’t wait to see more of your photos in this coming year and keep on promoting passion! 😀
Hi Thomas! You are so kind!! Thank you for brightening my day and lifting my spirit. I hope our paths do cross, it would be a real honor for me. Happy new year and let me know when some of those dreams are realized – I’ll be cheering for you from over here!
Thanks so much for sharing your dream. It truly is an inspiration to see your creative imagery tied to your words and know the same passion exists within all of us who create.
Thank you so much Dee. I agree, it is wonderful to know we are all in this together <3
I’m so glad you were able to get over being insecure, and posted this. I hope you do this more often because there’s something that’s just so personal about hearing you speak your mind, it’s different than reading your thoughts – but don’t get me wrong, I love reading your blog posts.
Thank you for posting this. I’m having a rough couple of days and even though this brought tears to my eyes, it definitely helped. I hope you know that you really do touch and changes lives <3 I hope you never stop living your dream.
Amani, thank you for inspiring me always and for giving me support and motivation. I owe you 🙂
Lost in your dreams already… Huhhhh… It was so sincere.
I have to tell you when I first saw your pic “Finding Strength” (the lady in red in the desert) it gave me an inspiration to start a campaign for a reprint of Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent in Hungarian. It was printed 10 years ago and I had to wait exactly 3 years to get one copy in a second-hand shop. I thought about all my friends and sisters who might love this book. Then I saw your picture… and that was THE MOMENT. The author of the book was as kind and helpful as possible and now it seems it will go… So thank you for that picture, too… (my favourite…)
And this was all just last year. 🙂 New one has just started. 🙂
I loved this video, too. Good to see that we are not alone with fears and that there really are ways to cope them and still go on…
Thank you Laesia! I really appreciate you 🙂
I teared up during this video. You’ve so perfectly articulated what it means to be an artist – sharing our dreams in hopes that others can live in them with us.
How is it that every time you post something it seems to find me at just the right time in my life? 🙂
Oh Samantha, I adore you 🙂 Thank you for being in my life!!
Brooke,
We have never met. You do not know who I am, but you so thoroughly know my spirit. You know my heart. You know my passion. You know the way my brain works. When I discovered your work, I felt as though I had finally found someone who understood the art I was wishing to produce. So often we get caught up in finding the balance between shooting to profit for our families and the true art that lives within our souls. As a artist, I long to create images that move me. To bring to life the vision in my head. The one that haunts me in my dreams, stops me in daily grind, the one that longs to be put to life on paper. I hope that 2014 brings me more time to capture those images in between the profit shooting and the daily life of being a Mom, Wife, Business Owner, Daughter, Sister and Granddaughter. I hope that I can find the artist who lives inside of my soul the way you have inspired me to be so. I asked for only thing for Christmas this year, your book. I have spent hours upon hours just admiring your work and the words you pour so effortlessly and poetically onto paper. Thank you for sharing your soul, your gift and your artistry with the world. Thank you for inspiring the inner artist within myself. Wishing you so much joy and inspiration in 2014 and I cannot wait to witness your art this year. Blessings. ~Stacy Shaeffer, Stacy Shaeffer Photography
Oh Stacy, you can’t begin to imagine how much this means to me. I’ve just had a smile on my face for 5 minutes! I am so grateful for you. I understand where you’re coming from – I hope that your 2014 is a year of growth and discovery and passion. And I truly hope our paths cross soon.
I would be honored!
This is beautiful, truly beautiful. Thank you Brooke. 🙂
Thank you so much Andrea!
You are such a beautiful person, and you are so brave to share your passion and speak your voice to the world. You have changed many lives already, I´m certain of that. Thank you for your endless inspiration!!! Always keep dreaming <3
ps. i love this new video-update every monday. so cool 😀
Wow that made me tear up as well, as today I too released something that is so out of my comfort zone. I am not brave enough as you to allow comments on my blog, I don’t want to read any negativity as I embark on this ‘journey for inspiration’ as I call it.
But reading your book daily, writing down endless quotes and notes from it, watching the creative live recaps and looking back through my notes the last time you were there talking about failure and growing, you have no idea how much you have touched my life and inspired me in a way that has CHANGED my life and my heart and soul. I don’t feel like something is ‘missing’ anymore, I know how to fill that spot and that is with my art to express my ideas and emotions, even if others don’t understand or even like it.
Again, thank you for your generiosity and forever giving back to our community. It is my dream for this year to meet you face to face at a workshop, or maybe even I’ll get pickd for you CL audience, but I just want the chance to meet the artist that inspired me to take that first step and push past my fears and in doing so has changed my life and heart!
If you have a second of your day to look at my blog and read the latest entry, I am introducing my first series in it, and I wrote about the thought process that went into it, the passion and the personal visions for it, I would love to get your input on it. Its located at http://www.inspirationjourney.org thank you again Brooke and may God bless you continually this year!
Tara, you have no idea the difference you make in my life. Just the other night at dinner I randomly told my husband I wanted to meet you. You are one of those people that shines so bright. Thank you for commenting. I’ll hop on to your blog just as soon as I settle on a better computer!
Oh wow! YOU want to me ME? That is amazing! I am so excited to met you as well! You have just inspired me beyond belief! thank you!
Wow Brooke.. this really hits home, again.. I have had to listen to several times and each time I “hear” something new that makes me pause and think. Thank you so much for taking the time to be an inspiration to all of us.
Christie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindaccherryphotography
Christie, thank you so much. Your words have touched me.
I have always been scared to put my art work out there and this video just pushed me to do it! You are my idol you always give me hope and inspiration and I can’t thank you enough. You have really changed my life for the better and you were one of the reason I started in photography. I’m only a teen and I hope to grow up and be like you and as good as photography as you. 🙂
Hi Carlee! Thank you so much! And I just know that you will grow to be the best YOU that you can be.
Wow Brooke, you are great with words as well as with photos. You put this in a way that touched me, made me even more determined to continue on the path I recently started to follow and be the best I can be.
Thank you so much!
Edith
Oh Edith thank you so much. I appreciate you immensely. I know you will become the best you possible!
This is amazing Brooke! I’ve been following your work for almost a year and I must say that you are the one photographer who actually inspires me to get out there and shoot without being afraid of it not working out. Thank you for this wonderful video and i wish you the best for the remainder of the year.
Aww thank you Ryan! I appreciate that a lot. I hope you have so many fulfilling photo experiences to come!
Brooke, thank you so much for you videos, I used to have so many excuses for not doing photography (getting the model, I don’t have money for the lighting. stylists…) but seeing you come up with such amazing images in such an organic way has really inspired me to take the plunge!. Hats off to you. Love from Australia 🙂
Awesome Evelyn!! I know you will always find ways to create amazing images that explode onto the photo scene!
My dream will take place this year. I’m starting my first big project in photography, but here in Portugal everything seems so hard and keeps us close to the abyss, ready to give up. And then the fear takes possession of me. We live in a period of financial and economic crisis and everything is so complicated, full of obstacles that keeps us from achieving the goal. I’m not going to accomplish the dream, I think very often. Fall and get up. It must be that way. Today I went down again, because we are living a sad day. A special Portuguese athlete, a champion, died. Our country is sad. But every time I hear your words, it’s like a hand pulling me up, and this video, once again did it. So, thank you. I admire you, not only your talent, but your personality, your spirit. Congratulations for what you are.
Paulo, I am so sad to hear of your struggles and I will be thinking of you for a long time after writing these words. I hope that your journey brings you peace!
Thank you Brooke!
Brooke,
Again and again, thank you so much for this inspirational video:)
Thank YOU rand for watching!
Expressing emotion in my imagery has become my direction for 2014. Thanks to you and your inspiring words and imagery. I have always been afraid of taking images of people but recently, again thanks to you, I have started to explore portraiture.
Most of my imagery has been devoid of people as I was trying to express loneliness and abandonment but I have realised that through portraiture I have the potential to make a deeper contention to the viewer. Thanks Brooke for inspiring me and giving me courage to explore new ideas and for adding in no small way to my future artistic direction. I firmly believe you are “one out of the box” (now there is an inspiration in itself – I often use sayings to inspire my art) when it comes to truly giving with integrity and honesty, thank you :). warmest wishes from Australia, Suellen
Suellen, thank you deeply. I love that you are thinking so personally about where you can take your art and I believe it will be very fulfilling for you. Please do share as your journey progresses! Thank you for being so kind <3
Thank you Brooke for being open, honest and vulnerable, we appreciate you!
Oh thank you Natascha!!
The only way I know to imbibe authenticity to emotion I wish to show is to allow my art to speak of me 🙂
Not being terribly computer savvy the only way I know to share is to put up the link to my website https://www.suellencook.com or my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SuellenCookCreativePhotography. I hope you will follow my journey as I follow yours.
Suellen, I am honored to follow, your creative vision is lovely.
Thank you. is that enough to tell you how deeply you touch our lives Brooke? You are the beacon of light that our own dreams connect with. I AM living my dream because I want to and these words are true to how I feel. Often I put out an image with that fearful, heart pounding experience, but I know I must do it no matter what because the art wants to be made and I am its tool… Thank you for pushing and dreaming…
Claire, this brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for showing me such loving support and taking the time to write. I know you will continue to live your dream and I am excited to hear all about it.
This is unbelievable. I just had to close my eyes in order to listen to your voice and take in your every word. You have always inspired me but this time you surpassed that inspiration. I have no words to describe how amazing and incredible your passion is to me and I’m sure to every listener. This is what life, passion, and art is all about. You have really hit home and I thank you. This is by far the most remarkable words I have heard in a very long time. I will definitely share this in our [fa] Photography group. God Bless You!
Awww Rocio thank you so much, that really means a lot to me. Thank you for being such an amazing support in my life.
Thank you for saying that! It made me smile and made my day! 😀
Aww yay thank you!
I am a photography student who was stuck in a rut. But I came across your amazing videos and it inspired me and helped me realized that if you love what you do than you can’t give up. If you are ever in Missouri please please let me know, I would love to hear you speak.
-Sandy Gutierrez
Hi Sandy! That is really wonderful to hear and I hope that you have the most amazing journey ahead of you 🙂
awesome….
i was waiting for your tutorial the whole week….just came from a shoot…..watching your video at 12am midnight…..
thanks a ton
Thank YOU!
Dear Brooke, thank you for this initiative … I am following your videos to promote your passion and are touching the fiber that i had a little covered by layers of life and I strive to recover. I Had hidden creativity and passion and the way you show your philosophy of life and photography and the message they are sharing, gradually emerges and gives me motivation to work on what I had saved: To express my passion in photography. Yesterday I was watching your video by accident on youtube creative live where you talk about how to get inspiration and this complements what you, God bless you and continue to fill your inner world that is very extensive. Greetings from Venezuela!
Hi Giulia! Wow thank you so much, you are very kind and I appreciate your words completely.
In my world right now I feel my work is not up to par as those who I look up too. I have all these ideas and dreams and I can’t quite grasp them. Thank you this and putting your self out there. That is very brave.
Thank you Heather. And just remember that your work will be different, now and always, and that is exactly what makes it special. Embrace where you are in you are in your journey, and the rest will follow. xoxo
I absolutely love this video and its message, along with all of your amazing work. The video is just incredibly inspiring and truly does give me a lot of hope. Thank you so much for that. Your work is so unique and brilliant, I admire it a lot as well as you as a person, who seems so wonderfully inspiring and I have found that to be the truth after watching this video. Each piece of your work has such an amazing story and tale behind it, and really is a work of art.
For my photo imaging class at my school, we are doing an emulation project and I decided to take on the challenge of two of your works. I think that you are truly remarkable and I hope that I will be able to capture the magnificent essence that you do in your pieces and that maybe one day I will get the honor of meeting you in person as I too live in Arizona 🙂
I can’t wait to see all the amazing works that are yet to come from you.
Best wishes x
Hi Betty! Thank you so much for leaving a comment, I am so grateful that you’ve watched the video and enjoyed it. I hope that we can meet someday too!
Hi again, Ive been wondering for a while now and just wanted to quickly ask: how do you come up with your titles? I mean, there soooooo beautiful and are just so amazing, so do you get them from somewhere, like read a word and want to use it, or do they just come naturally? I want to give my photos beautiful titles aswell but not have them just be creative for the sake of being creative… hope this makes sense XD
Hi Thomas! Great question – I absolutely adore titles. I usually pick out one word that holds a lot of meaning for me pertaining to the image I am titling, and then often I try to put that into context that sounds poetic and doesn’t give too much away. I love titles that have a rhythm and mystery to them.
Hi Brooke, I seem to have a link between making money with my photography and passion. I had a dream, but it died. I can no longer make a living at my photography and that has called into question whether or not I should continue with photography. Seems every time I look through the view finder the thought that crosses my mind is – what’s the point and I don’t press buton. In your opinion is it a good idea to just step away from it all or do you keep pushing it in hopes the spark will return?
Hi Brian, I totally understand you. I have had those same feelings countless times in my journey so far, and I expect them to continue periodically. I think that the best thing to do is to mentally unlink photography and money, even if just for a short time. Shoot what you love just because you love it, and let the rest fall into place more naturally. If you are feeling very frustrated, take a break. Don’t set a time limit. Just fill your mind with other creative outlets. I usually feel very motivated after doing something else for a time. And if you want to challenge yourself, plan a shoot based around all of the things that you love and shoot it 100% for you. Don’t worry about how it will turn out, just have fun with it. I find that business works best for me when I’m not forcing anything – when I shoot what I love and then let others know how passionate I am about it.
You are inspirational… thank you for sharing all the wonderful thoughts that speaks entirely how an artist should be. Every images you share, every speech or captions that comes with it, makes me continue to do what I am passionate about, specially in times when I doubt myself and end up comparing myself to others. Thank you so much!
Thank you for your words Brooke. I find myself at a place in my artistic and personal life where I am asking myself all the questions you so powerfully and eloquently stated. Thank you for the reminder that although we learn from the past, living life is about being in the present, stepping past our fears and just getting out there. Thank you for sharing your heart, talent and work with us. I hope one day I will have a chance to work and learn with you. Namaste
Brooke
Ive just recently come across your work while having a random evening on YouTube, and it was a case of wow, I quickly followed that with a visit to your Flickr page to take in more of your work, your such a big inspiration, and now am dying to try something different, yeah maybe follow my dream as well. Thank you once again for sharing your wonderful work
I have not checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Your are wonderful. Thank you for sharing these thoughts and poetry. I have been seeking for a message like yours. I have been confronting my fears, and not knowing if i was on the right path. Thanks for such moving support and inspiration.