Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anna Munandar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Anna , thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?
I grew up watching my mom and dad grind it out every day. Both of them came from immigrant families, so they had to hustle big time just to get by. I have vivid memories of my mom sharing tales about trekking miles through the jungle to school as a kid, lugging candies that my grandma whipped up by hand to sell.
My grandma was a total legend. She ran a store, hustling to sell anything and everything she could make, all while looking after 12 kids and a bunch of animals. She was the kindest, most amazing, and downright inspiring person.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My passion for art and photography ignited two decades ago during my time living abroad in China. Since then, photography has become an integral part of my identity and aspirations. Embracing the philosophy that ‘there is no wrong move, all paths lead to where you need to be,’ I’ve navigated numerous detours and weathered setbacks, feeling fortunate for the unwavering support of my incredible family, friends, therapist, and the uplifting San Francisco community. Their encouragement helped me discover my inner strength during challenging times.
Today, I proudly stand stronger than ever, successfully building a thriving photography business despite being a PPD survivor and a single mom, with no family within an 8,000-mile radius, except for my son.
The most fulfilling aspect of being a family photographer is the privilege of becoming a part of my clients’ families. From capturing the magic of maternity, to welcoming newborns, celebrating birthdays, and special events, I find joy in witnessing and documenting these significant milestones. It warms my heart when children remember me as a family friend, affectionately calling me ‘Auntie Photographer’ or ‘Tia Anna.’
I am grateful to have photographed thousands of remarkable individuals in the Bay Area who not only make fantastic clients but also exemplify kindness, support, and inspiration. While some prefer to separate work and personal life, I strive to treat my clients like cherished friends and family, appreciating when the sentiment is reciprocated. My guiding motto is simple yet profound: ‘Be kind and work hard.’
Currently, I am focused on establishing my online store, where I aim to spread joy through a collection of photographs and art created throughout my global journey. This includes travel photos and animal portraits from Costa Rica, China, Indonesia, and beyond. I hope these pieces bring warmth to your home and serve as perfect gifts for occasions like baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and nursery decorations.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Kindness, resilience, and courage have been the cornerstone qualities shaping my journey as a creative entrepreneur. I often tell my son that the best quality one can have is kindness. Regardless of wealth, health, or achievements, we need to treat others with kindness, as these joys are truly meaningful when shared. Equally crucial is extending kindness to oneself. I firmly believe that being kind towards others begins with self-compassion. Though I have a tendency to be tough on myself, I continue to learn how to juggle self-discipline and self-compassion.
Striving for improvement is commendable, but without the anchor of self-compassion, excessive self-discipline can lead to a toxic and unproductive cycle, eroding self-confidence. It’s important to remember that our value and self-worth go beyond just being productive, growing, or succeeding. Those outside factors don’t define who we are.
Sometimes, even when I’m putting in a ton of effort, it feels like I’m not making any real progress, and it can be a bit discouraging. But that’s where resilience and courage come into play in my journey. I remind myself that facing setbacks and failures is just part of the road to success. Embracing those failures is key to building courage and taking risks. Each time things don’t go as planned, it’s like a step closer to eventually nailing it. It’s all about learning, adapting, and sticking with it. This mindset keeps me going, pushing me to see challenges as chances to grow. The whole cycle of trying, failing, learning, and not giving up becomes my go-to mantra, pushing me to tackle obstacles and aim for new heights.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I get overwhelmed quite a bit, but I’ve picked up a bunch of tricks over the years to tackle it. It usually hits me when my self-discipline and self-compassion are all out of whack. I’d go all in, pushing myself too hard, losing sight of my goals, and getting stuck on what’s not working instead of celebrating the wins. When I’m drowning in overwhelm, a breather and a quick journal session usually do the trick.
In my journal, I jot down what I’m grateful for, my short-term and long-term goals, recent achievements/wins, and permission slips. I get specific to relive the good stuff and imagine my future goals like they’re already happening. It can be anything, big or small, serious or silly. Here’s an example:
– Gratitude list: I’m grateful for an amazing newborn photo session with Christina yesterday. Her mom and I had a great time sharing life stories while oohhing and aahhing on how cute her baby with all the outfits and props I got her in.
– Gratitude list: I’m so happy that my son came home with a big proud smile on his face while showing me something that he made at school.
– Short term goal: Launching an online art store selling my collection of animal portraits and travel photos. The store will offer canvas art, framed art, posters, greeting cards, pillows, etc. My art will soon be in people’s homes around the world! Woohoo!
– Long term goal: Hitting my financial targets with Mini Anna Photography and raking in passive income from my online store and courses. All while chilling with my son, furry babies, volunteering at school and animal rescue groups, and jet-setting to add more animal portraits to my collection. And enjoying every step of this journey without feeling burned out.
– Recent wins: Successfully photographed a celeb family, got a new car, helped a friend in need, and coached a new momtrepreneur.
– Permission slip: My name is Anna and I give myself permission to binge netflix until 3am tomorrow.
– Permission slip: My name is Anna and I forgive myself for missing the deadline for last week’s project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.minianna.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minianna.photo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minianna.photo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miniannaphoto/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mini-anna-photography-san-francisco-2
Image Credits
Photo by Anna Munandar/ minianna.com
