Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leah VanHoose. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leah, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I believe it was two factors that played a role in me developing confidence and self-esteem. The first, as strange as it sounds, is my Alopecia. Being a bald woman put me center stage. I could have hid from it (which I did for the first year) or embrace it. I chose the latter. Embracing my baldness forced me to be who I am and show that to the world. I could no longer hide in normalcy, the status quo, the being like everyone else.
The second factor was CrossFit. I found CrossFit around the same time I was losing my hair. It taught me to find strength in myself. It showed me how truly capable I am in doing hard things.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I feel like I have been many things in the 51 years of my life, probably because I have! Ha! It’s very hard to put me in a box. We moved to the panhandle of Florida about 9 years ago. I saw the beautiful beaches here and I knew it was where I needed to be. I sold my CrossFit gym, bought a “shit” shack here and we moved not knowing a soul. My husband got a job where he leaves for weeks at a time so I spent a lot of time alone trying to figure out what was next for me. What did I want to be when I grew up? My kids were grown, I didn’t have my business anymore, hell I barely had a husband around. I became a photographer. We moved to a tourist locale so it was easy to find clients. I joined all the local photography groups and started going to CrossFit here. I made a ton of friends and got much, much better with my camera.
I’d always been interested in houses. I love them. I decided to get my real estate license as well. I’ve had that for about 5 years now. It’s a fun little reprieve from photography.
I also made a 25-year dream of owning a rental property happen last year. All the stars finally aligned and I bought the cutest little condo in Panama City Beach.
Since I get bored easily I am playing around with the idea of writing a book. I have an idea that I’ve been mulling over in my head and I think I’m ready to start.
That’s Leah in a nutshell.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say the most important qualities/skills to get what you want out of life are: 1. Grit or determination. I’ve been called stubborn my whole life. I do not think this is and quality to have. I get what I want out of life. I enjoy it. I knew the road that everyone is told they “should” take wasn’t for me. I don’t like being told what to do. I shaped my life how I wanted it to look, not how others thought it should look.
2. A morning routine. I have had one before it was a thing. When my boys were little and my husband had left for work, I used the quiet time to read and journal. I could learn something new and write to get my thoughts straight. Later I incorporated exercise. I took the time for myself and my growth.
3. Optimism. I like to say I’m a realistic optimist. I know bad things happen. I know our dreams get derailed but I believe there is a reason for it all and if we don’t learn from it the same stuff happens over and over until we do. That being said, looking at the bright side of things is much more fun than the opposite. It allows me to dream big and believe in myself and my capabilities.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Alchemist by Paul Coelho is my all-time favorite book. It is such an easy read full of life advice. There are so many quotes to learn from in this book. A few of my favorites are:
“Everyone has a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”
“People are capable at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leahvanhoosephotography.com www.dreamalittledreampcb.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/finding_beautiful_photography www.instagram.com/dream_a_little_dream_pcb
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/findingbeautifulphotography www.facebook.com/dreamalittledreampcb
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/LeahVanHoose
Image Credits
MPH Photography
