We recently connected with Audrey Presley and have shared our conversation below.
Audrey, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
If I were to ask a room full of women, to give me a show of hands how many of them felt sad, over worked, over anxious, and not good enough in their job, family life, or even being a Mom, how many of them would raise their hands?
All. Of. Them.
I thought it was normal to feel like that all the time. Then… covid hit.
We all have our covid stories. We were all affected differently in some way or another. While some people reveled in the quiet and solitude, some of us…. did not. Family deaths. Loss of pets. Loss of friends. Loss of job. Loss of social life. Loss of marriage. Pick all or any of these and it happened, and then some. TO ME. And to countless others.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I began counseling. Therapy was a GODSEND and was the only place where I could be completely honest about all my feelings and everything that was going on. She listened. She didn’t judge. and she helped me discover things about myself that I had NO idea about. I had depression. I had ADHD. I had severe anxiety. All things that I’d had my entire life, but since covid was the catalyst for change… it was how I found out about my mental health struggles. Apparently feeling sad, over worked, over anxious, and not good enough aren’t normal feelings to have 24/7. And so began the process of figuring out my mental health struggles.
My face is the face of adult ADHD, severe anxiety, and depression. And no one would think it unless I told them. I’m a helluva lot better now than I was, but learning and understanding how to persevere was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to navigate. At my lowest, I was taken care of by some amazing people… friends, family, specialists, baseball moms who barely knew me at the time. I am SO grateful for them. Everyone’s mental health looks different… mine looked like 30 pounds underweight, worrying about everything, not caring for any of my favorite things, being outside all day because I couldn’t stand my own walls, and crying till my eyes hurt on an hourly basis. For 2 years. Thankfully, I never wanted to take my life, even in my lowest moments. I did wish to be dropped off at an airport so I could fly away and never come back, thinking somehow that everyone would be better off with out me around. But I had my reasons to stay. Which can sometimes be the same reasons why people go.
Covid and the year that followed took everything I knew about myself, stuck it in a blender, and hit puree. It was SO VERY HARD to understand and face all the bad parts, but it helped me appreciate all my good parts that much more. I had to really get in there and deal with it before I could push past it all. I learned that I am a typical co-dependent, always trying to make others happy at the sacrifice of my own thoughts and feelings. I have a hard time making decisions, especially if I know the outcome will be hurtful or cause someone else unhappiness in any way. But that indecisiveness also applies to client galleries, movie selections, and wall paint. I learned that I hate confrontation SO MUCH that I would rather be unhappy for a long period of time than be super uncomfortable for just a few minutes. I have a hard time expressing my feelings if they are not joyful or happy ones, but am now learning that it’s really ok to be unhappy or sad sometimes. Because all feelings are valid. It’s what we do with them that counts.
All of this to say… it took work. It STILL takes work. I love my village that I have acquired around me. My counselor, my kids, my family, my besties, and now… my soon to be husband. I take nature walks. Baths are my favorite self-care. Ice cream rewards are soooo necessary. I write in my journal when I need to get out all the demons. And some days are better than others. But not only has all of this made me a better human, but a better business owner. I give myself grace if I’m having a bad day, I give my clients grace if THEY’RE having a bad day, and I take in more of the moment. Both personally and professionally. I will never EVER take my job for granted ever again, and am so incredibly thankful for being able to do what I love and share it with the world.
Now, I’d love to tell that room full of moms to put their hands down, get a babysitter, and go have a night off. Or better yet… grab your kiddos, come see me, and let’s take some candid awesomeness together to show what your life is like RIGHT NOW. Because life… can be pretty darn amazing.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hey friends!
I’m Audrey, owner of Rose Trail Images, a family and life events photographer based in Rolesville, which is juuuussssttt outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. For the last 8+ years, I’ve been lucky enough to do what I love…capture people’s memories and feelings on camera for both big events and all the normal, everyday things. I get told time and time again how joyful it is to have your photos taken with me, which makes my heart happy knowing my clients are having just as much fun as I am! Part of that fun is because I specialize in authentic, candid awesomeness which involves unposed posing and feelings rather than perfection and angles. I then take your images to my editing desk and warm them up with a great big hug…kind of like how I am in real life! My goal is for everyone to not only have a good time, but to have priceless images and memories saved for years to come, whether they are in an album or hung on your wall.
I truly feel like I have the best job in the world. How many other positions do YOU know where you experience people’s most joyous days? Get to witness a family welcoming a new member? Or just act like a big kid making others laugh while capturing their happiness? Being able to take those pictures and turn them into printable art and albums to cherish for lifetimes to come, it brings me sooooo much joy!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In my journey as a photographer and business owner, when I finally realized my worth and what I was able to provide, I was able to set expectations and boundaries with myself and my clients, This was a GAME CHANGER. When I realized that what I do comes from joy and authenticity and is DIFFERENT than everyone else in the room, it opened my eyes to understanding that there’s room for everyone. We all have a place and to be my unique and authentic self makes me stand out from everyone else.
Most important advice I can give?? BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF! Don’t try to be like everyone else, there’s too many of them as it is. Just be you, ask for help when you need it, and know your worth!
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal clients are sentimental keepers. They appreciate the candid approach, where their photos are not all posed but also show what life is like in this very moment in time. They want to have fun and show their true authentic self in their photos.
These clients value a thoughtful, local guide. They need a person who knows good locations because they often don’t know where to go that connects with them and their family.
These ideal clients are looking for a person that they resonate with. They want to form a connection with me, their photographer, and continue to work with me through life’s experiences. They are also seeking a person who has their walls down. They want to work with a real person with experience with kids and that puts their family at ease!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rosetrailimages.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosetrailimages/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoseTrailImages
