Meet Kimberly Xiong

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberly Xiong. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kimberly, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

I feel that when I was at the age of understanding how emotions work, I’ve always been someone who gives more good to the world. In a way of being someone who cares, is friendly to others, and always willing to help those who need it. Throughout all my years of school, every single teacher I’ve had has always described me as a caring and friendly student. I was and still am a shy person, but it doesn’t affect the generosity I attempt to give. My parents worked hard so I could have a better life, and I know not to take these things for granted. My family doesn’t come from much, so I was taught to be humble and treat everyone as equals. My mindset also plays a part in my everyday life, where I tell myself, “You never know what people are going through. Treat them with kindness.” I also surrounded myself with people who had the same values as me because what you put out into the world is what returns to you. Even when people don’t return the generosity, care, or good that I give to them, it shouldn’t falter my values and views. My generosity comes from my family, friends, and even strangers who have taught me that being a good person can be rewarding in many ways. The world needs more of it, so why not give more?

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

I have been a freelance photographer for over a few years now. It all began in high school when my friends asked me to take their senior photos. After that moment, I began to take my photography more seriously. I’ve had many hobbies growing up but photography has always been one that I feel more passionate about. To me it’s that feeling of being able to capture moments in time or for people to have these picture to appreciate for years to come. I mainly take portraits but I’ve also dabbled in a few other kinds of photoshoots. This has ranged from portraits, family photos, weddings, and even up to trying out real estate photography. I keep myself open to a variety of photoshoots so that I can continue to learn more instead of being focused on one sole thing. My photography skills aren’t anything of crazy professional, I still have a lot to learn. So, I call myself the medicore photographer. I want my trade to be more accessible to people because I know that hiring a photographer for whatever occasion it may be, gets costly. At the same time, I also want my trade to bring in a small amount of income so that I can continue to provide these services. In the end, it’s about being able to give people photos worth looking back on and creating more connections within my circle. The more connections I bring in, the more I can give back to them eventually.

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?

I feel like the best advice I can tell people who are on similar pathways whether it be being a freelancer or building up a business, is you need to be patient. Patience is such a key quality to have because none of this will happen overnight. It’s also building and learning more about the trade that you’re doing so that you can give out quality work to your people. It’s not always easy to sit down and develop your skills about what it is that you’re doing, but in the end it will be very rewarding. I often comapre my past and recent work, and I can solidfy with myself that I continue to improve and create better work. There’s going to be plenty of people who might do the same as you and the competition is tough at times. It’s okay to focus on yourself and not compare yourself to others. Everyone is always going to have something unique to them and you will still bring people into your business. It’s also good to not think of your trade as work, in my opinion. If I took this hobby/trade that I was passionate about and labeled it as work, I honestly wouldn’t be as interested in it. This is something that fullfils me and makes me happy doing, so it never feels like work. Be patient with yourself, improve your skills, and take it easy.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

If I had a decade of life left, I would try to spend most of that time with my loved ones. As of recently, I’ve been shown that time is so limited and unfortanately these are the ways of life that cannot be controlled. My grandma passed about a year or two ago, and it still weighs on me that I took that time with her for granted. I should have been there more, but I didn’t commit most of my time to her. There was also the sudden loss of my aunt recently too which was such a different grief compared to the grief with my grandma. We at least knew about the limited time with my grandma, but to lose someone so suddenly is more difficult. It made me rethink the ways about how I use my time. I never wanted to take time for granted again with the people I love. Even now, I’ve recieved difficult news about some people in my life that I care deeply for and it’s so hard. With their news, I see that they still make the best of the time they have left. I think it’s so important to surround yourself with the things you love with what time you may have left. At the end of my life, I want to be surrounded with the people who have always shown care, love, and support for me. A decade is a long time, but time flys by constantly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sunakariphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sun.akari?igsh=MTA3NzVtYTd6dDJqYw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

My own work.