LET'S GET PERSONAL - DOCUMENTING YOURSELF AND COMBATTING WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK PLUS A GIVEAWAY TO WIN A 30 DAY SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG PICTURE CLASSES!
Welcome back! In my last post, I asked many of you if you document about yourself. Some of you do and some of you do not. For those of you who do not, let's explore some of the categories surrounding that and talk a little about what could potentially be holding you back.
An excerpt from Mandy's scrapbook combining a unique way to share her story in a mix of journaling, traveler's notebook and hybrid scrapbooking! Visit Mandy's class YOUnique at Big Picture Classes to see how this page was created and grab the FREE journal template for Photoshop! Products shown include digital stamps by Kellie Stamps and paper from Felicity Jane.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HAVING A SCRAPBOOK ABOUT ME.
I totally get this. As a young married woman without any children, life is pretty much just me, the hubs and our dog. But, let's change perspective here for a moment. Have you ever wondered about your grandparents or great-grandparents lives? What dreams did they have? What did a day in their life look like? What lessons could they have passed on? If you're interested in knowing about those things, then surely those who come after you will be interested in knowing your story! Your family, friends, and spouse may not be interested right now as they are busy with their own lives, but surely one day they'll appreciate what you leave behind.
In the Scrap Gals Facebook Group, Julie said this, "Without [my scrapbook] all my children will have is what they remember for themselves about me. I like the thought of passing on more insights than what they will just remember on their own."
If this category really resonates with you, I encourage you to check out the Scrap Gals podcast, I Wish I Knew. This podcast covers scores of things we all wish we knew about those who came before us and Tiffany and Tracie lists some really great topic ideas for documenting yourself currently.
I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN TO LEAVE THESE MEMORIES FOR.
Whether you're single, married, have children or not, you do have a story to tell! Please don't discount your life and the value of it. Life is worth celebrating and worth documenting no matter what stage you are in! If nothing else, documenting about yourself is an excellent creative and emotional outlet.
In the Scrap Gals Facebook Group, Amy said this, "One day, each one of us will be gone. And our stories will matter to someone." When Anne Frank wrote her diary, she was just a young girl. She certainly didn't have children at that point and her family unfortunately passed away at the same time she did. Yet her memory and legacy lives on in history forever because of what she left behind.
OR, IF THAT DOESN'T TICKLE YOUR FANCY, THINK ABOUT THIS:
How about allowing this project all about you to be JUST FOR YOU?! Allow yourself the creative outlet, the fulfillment of tell your story for YOU to revisit later in life, not for your kids, not for anyone after you. But solely, for you. I personally love pouring through my own old memories and journals. It's rewarding to see all the work I've poured into these memory keepsakes and it's enriching to see how much I've changed. So if you don't want to document for anyone else, document for YOU!
I DON'T HAVE VERY MANY PHOTOS OF MYSELF, I AM ALWAYS THE ONE TAKING THE PICTURES OR I DON'T LIKE PICTURES OF MYSELF.
Documenting about yourself doesn't have to be about photos. It can be words, stories, thoughts or art. Don't allow a lack of photos to hinder you.
In the same respect, don't allow the fact that you aren't IN the photos to hinder you either. If you really do want to document yourself, consider self timers or having someone else take photos with you in them occasionally. If that's not possible or uncomfortable for you, you can still find fun ways to include your hands, feet and personality in photos without being too revealing.
I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT MYSELF. IT SEEMS SELF CENTERED AND SELF INDULGENT.
Perhaps it is, a little bit. LOL. I'm not going to sugarcoat that. But I think this really comes down to your reason behind documenting yourself. If it's to create memories and stories for those who come after you, then isn't that worth it? Again, YOU have a story to tell and youโre the best person to tell it!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DOCUMENT OR WHERE TO BEGIN.
Then you're in luck! Because I love helping people come up with solutions! You're welcome to contact me here and we can talk about your current situation and what might work for you! Also, in a later part of this series, I will be sharing some inspiration and ideas from myself and a few other memory keepers to help you get started or expand on a project you may already have underway!
In addition, I invite you to join me in my new Big Picture Class, YOUnique, debuting April 10th, where I cover everything from the reason behind documenting yourself, to gathering supplies and creating a workstation, getting started on your project and completing it. If you're not already a member of Big Picture Classes, you can enter to win a month long trial below! PLUS, if you go to my post on Instagram and tag a friend, they can win too!