Meet Fiona Rose Nelson

We recently connected with Fiona Rose Nelson and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Fiona Rose, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I believe that confidence is best served with a side of curiosity and playfulness. What would it feel like to FLIRT with who you are and all that you are becoming? What would shift for you if every time you saw your reflection, you gave a little wink and a compliment? Strange? Probably at first. Silly? Definitely. Fun? Well that’s up to you, darling.

Another core aspect of my own self-esteem journey has been the act of rooting into my truest, most authentic self. From this place of deep inner knowing, I find the power to walk into any space with my heart open and head held high…knowing that even if I slip into a moment of insecurity, I can and will forgive myself and move through those sticky feelings. People are attracted to REALNESS; to rawness and honesty. Rather than pretending to be someone you are not, what if you FLIRTED and FELL IN LOVE with the person you are right here, right now. And maybe even more importantly, what would it feel like to play?! We take everything so seriously, especially ourselves. I have found that many times, the magic is in the experimenting, the letting go of what we think is “right” or what will make us appear confident. What would it feel like to be truly audacious, just for a moment? Try it on, see if it fits. If it doesn’t, then you are still one step closer to finding what your truest, fullest expression of confidence and radiance feels like! “It is far better to be disliked for who you are, then loved for who you are not”-Andre Gide.

Gratitude is another key element to my own personal self-esteem and confidence exploration. When I center myself in gratitude, the world seems to open up around me. Starting the day with listing 3 things I am ALREADY grateful for softens my viewpoint for the rest of the day. Taking a moment to say “thank you” before eating meals or drinking delicious tea is another tangible tool to invite in more gratitude. I also try to show myself gratitude in any way I can…
Thank you lungs for breathing, even when I’m not aware of it. Thank you hands, for all that you give and create. Thank you mind, for all of the ideas that flow out of you, even when I try to slow it down. Thank you heart, for reminding me that the person in front of me is human too, with their own quirks and challenges. I believe that sinking into gratitude also supports a healthy balance of confidence by keeping us from veering into self riotousness or an un-willingness to learn and admit when we are wrong.

The final aspect of my personal confidence journey is showing praise and admiration for those around me. Any time I see a stranger walk past with a radiant smile, I say something! If I like the daring outfit the person next to me is wearing, I share my appreciation! If we could all learn to share our sweetest thoughts of one another without hesitation, I believe we could shift not only the ways in which we view others, but how we view ourselves.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Fiona Rose or Fio. I am a Colorado local with a passion for the arts and cultivating community. When I was asked as a child what I wanted to be when I grew up, I routinely responded with a monologue of various jobs and lifestyles including (but certainly not limited to)…

Mountain Climber, Baby Doctor, Ballerina, Airplane Pilot, etc.

You could say in some ways, I lived up to the dream! I am grateful to say I live a very full and diverse life, decorated with many loving people and my passions at the core of it all.

Through holistic portrait photography I capture the connection between nature and human beauty. I love to assist in the journey of self love and reconnecting to the fact that we ARE nature. I am honored to capture ceremonies and sacred gatherings such as intimate weddings and retreats.

In addition to photography and digital art, I am also a movement artist. I have been dancing for the majority of my life and have been teaching dance and yoga for many years. I was a part of two professional dance companies this past year and continue to pursue dance and performance art.

I am a death doula, which means that I support people at the end of their life, educate the community about death and afterlife care, and host community grief circles.

I, alongside many wise women, offer sacred feminine gatherings and retreats that inspire and empower.

I am an herbalist and help run my family’s homestead, with sweet animals, fruit orchards, and large herb and veggie gardens.

I am a multi-passionate creative and love blending my mediums and offerings whenever possible!

I am based out of Northern Colorado and travel often. I have many heart centered offerings coming up this summer and would be honored to have you join! You can stay in touch by visiting www.fionarosephotography.com and joining the email list at the bottom of the page or connecting with me on Instagram @fionelson or @fionarosephotography. I look forward to connecting!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Gratitude, believing I can do anything I set my mind to, and not being afraid of mistakes or receiving a “no”.

Rooting in to gratitude every morning is an incredibly powerful tool of manifesting the life you desire. I truly believe I would not be were I am today if I didn’t have my consistent gratitude practice. With a gratitude filled mindset, no matter where you are, you can see the magic unfolding and revealing the path to your wildest desires.

Another important piece of my journey has been truly believing that I am capable. Remembering my power, inner light and capabilities supports me in reaching for my dreams. In my heart of hearts, I believe we are ALL capable of anything we set our minds, hearts and spirits on.

I would say that putting yourself out there and being okay with receiving a “no” (or no response as all) is a super power for any entrepreneur or artist. I have received some of the BEST gigs, opportunities and connections by cold calling / emailing strangers on the internet. I booked my first international retreat photography gig by simply sending an email explaining my hopes and vision. I, of course, offered something in return for this person taking a chance on me ; using your skills and talents as a bartering tool in the beginning will take you places you currently dream of! Because of one fearless email, I got flown out to the beautiful Nosara, Costa Rica to capture magic filled moments of a dance and yoga retreat in the jungle. Since then, I have photographed retreats, ceremonies and events all over the U.S., Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras. Don’t let the fear of receiving a “no” or being looked at as silly or desperate get in the way of what you want! The worst thing that could happen, is learning something from the experience.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Recently,
I’ve been feeling weighed down by the chaos and devastation that seems to be a constant occurrence now a days…I have questioned if my offerings are even worth the time and energy when there are larger things at play. I was feeling uninspired and a bit hopeless. Of course, personal challenges don’t ease up even when greater world issues beat down like hail and rain.

After leaning into my spiral for a moment and moving it through my mind and body, I anchored into joy once again. I was reminded of the power in creativity, in community, and in joyful moments. I believe that leaning into what lights us up is going to be one of the paths out of this darkness and separation. ~Envisioning the future we want and holding to our playful, silly, raw joy!

With all that said, I have landed on a few offerings that feel joyful and authentic to me at this moment. I have been reminded of the magic and medicine in gathering as a community, of continuing to offer heart led events and artistic endeavors. I believe in the power of art and simple actions to make lasting changes.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

@fionarosephotography, Fiona Rose Photography llc

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