Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Meg McCauley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Meg, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any 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.
Being where I am now, I can’t help but feel just incredibly grateful. In the beginning of the year, I struggled with a lot of personal baggage that I was neglecting. And I didn’t see how this passivity was profoundly affecting my professional life and romantic relationships. Last year after coming out to my parents and going through a heartbreak, I remember experiencing a lot of depression. I’m not saying I didn’t have any joy or relief from holding back this part of me for all these years, but there was still a lot of things I left behind in the closet. I grew up in a Christian, conservative home and so there was a lot of bad anxiety I was feeling. On top of that, for the longest time, I was that person who was very comfortable with herself, but I wasn’t happy with me. I would absorb my self-worth from people, always drown myself in intrusive thoughts, obsess over scenarios I had no control over. Just a vicious cycle with myself. But one day, I decided that I needed to choose me, to learn how to create healthy boundaries; to discover things that I wanted out of life. I just knew that I had to will myself to get out of where I was and begin making some serious changes. So, I set out on this path of doing real self-work for the first time. I joined a gym and a mentor of mine helped me come up with a fitness plan. I started going to therapy. I cut ties from toxic situations because I was going to stay lost in them if I didn’t leave. When you choose to love yourself first, when you do the work, do the hard thing – you will begin seeing the reward and those changes in you and around you. These past seven months have been the hardest, but also the most fulfilling. The journey never ends; we’re of course always learning and growing. When I start having a bad moment and I feel myself slipping back into where I came out of, I do little things to bring myself back. It can be simple breathing exercises, taking a walk, calling a friend, etc. It’s knowing how to take control of those intrusive thoughts instead of those thoughts controlling you.
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?
I’m a music photographer based in Nashville, TN. I offer photo and video services including album/single cover artwork, tour content and live shows. I love how making art in this way has been my compass. It has connected me to strangers who have become friends and I also love how it brings me to new places and experiences for sure. I remember one day having coffee with my friend Morgan and this was when I had reached a point where I wanted to do more with my art and express that in a bolder way. She asked me ‘what do you see yourself doing?’ And I said to her that I wanted to give back to the queer music community by helping them with their songs. So, several months after prioritizing my physical and mental health, I began collaborating more with queer artists shooting covers for their singles and shooting BTS for music videos. It’s healing when your world and their world crosses over and aligns to where you don’t feel so much alone in your own story. I’ve been very happy and content working locally with people that I just look up to and that’s been my main focus. I’m excited about continuing doing what I’m doing and I’m also very excited to be joining LA based singer songwriter Rosie Darling for some fun U.S. tour dates coming up!
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?
1.) Making time for self-care is so vital. I think we as creatives definitely know how to chisel away and hustle, but we don’t always make time for real rest or just taking care of ourselves the way we need to. And this kind of practice of course looks different for everyone, but for me, gym time is me time. When my workout routine became a lifestyle, I started noticing how good I felt in the work space with clients and at live show gigs. If I was at a show running around trying to get those shots, my energy level was higher and my focus was sharper.
2.) Value practicing more than performing. Some of my most cherished work has come from just consistently putting that one thing in front of me and being faithful with it. Even if it’s just taking 20 minutes out of my day to sit down and learn one thing in Photoshop or Premiere Pro, I’m already accomplishing more by just doing that. It’s all about consistency; little by little. I told myself years ago that I would never be good at learning these types of editing tools. Now, I use them for literally everything. You don’t have to start off with the most advanced camera gear to make good art. Use whatever you have in the moment and have fun with it.
3.) If a door closes and the answer is ‘no’, it’s just as good as a ‘yes’ though we never see it that way at first. Obviously, when we’re disappointed, the feeling isn’t fun, but remember to keep moving. Move on to the next thing. Keep making art that you like. Every situation is different, but if you feel like your work wasn’t a good fit for a client, yes, learn from that experience and leave room for improvement if that’s the case. But, be true to your artistry. And be ready for the next client who reaches out. You just never know!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Morgan Jergens. She is a videographer, creative director, and photographer here in Nashville. What really matters to me is working with good people who inspire me. Morgan leads with so much authenticity for what she believes in and you can quickly see that whatever she does, it comes from a good love to simply make art. We’ve collaborated on some fun projects in the past and I feel very blessed to be able to do this with friends. From day one, she has been a solid champion in my corner. I feel that it’s honestly rare to have people in this industry who celebrate your fire and who genuinely want to see you succeed. She’s also been a true reparative agent in my self-love journey.
A while back, I remember just having a really bad day and I ended up cancelling my therapy session because I just needed a friend in that moment. I called Morgan and she stopped her day to come hang out with me. That’s the kind of friend she is. I don’t know where I would be right now if it weren’t for her voice in my life. To say I’m grateful is an understatement. Everyone needs a Morgan.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/meglensphoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megmccauley143
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bluehourgirl
- TikTok: bluehourgirlphoto
Image Credits
Personal photo by Gabby Fenimore
