We recently connected with Valerie Pallatt and have shared our conversation below.
Valerie , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I’ve had my fair share of difficult and unexpected events that have strengthened my resilience significantly.
The word “loss” sums up the last few years well. Some days I would say my resilience lacked greatly; however, I never let it stay there. The biggest factor in my drive to bounce back and keep going is Jesus. In Him I have a purpose and through His word I am able to find peace, hope, and the drive to keep going despite my circumstances. It says in the Bible 365 times to not be afraid or discouraged! I find such hope in scripture! The main verses that keep me resilient are Romans 8:28, Genesis 50:20, Jeremiah 29:11. Having such an awesome support system of friends and family helps a ton too! When I can’t seem to keep going, they speak life and cheer me on. I have noticed the more I focus on taking care of myself the more resilient I am as well. Whether that is through eating and sleeping well or monthly counseling sessions, the more grounded I am to face whatever comes at me the better I handle it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a photographer by day and nurse by night. This allows me to meet and work with fascinating people from all over the country. Whether I am taking care of a patient or photographing a wedding, my intention is always to serve and add value to each interaction. I love hearing people’s stories and capturing lifes’ most special moments. If you work with me in any capacity, I hope to connect in a meaningful way and help create people’s visions come alive in a fun, relaxing environment.
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?
Three qualities I strive to embody that have dramatically impacted my journey in a positive way are:
Always willing to be teachable
Surrounding myself with people that are more skilled in the area I want to grow in
Not being afraid to take risks or step out of my comfort zone.
My biggest advice for those early in their journey is to be willing to grow and stay humble, knowing there is always more to learn and always areas to grow in.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
My biggest area of growth over the last year has been releasing the concept of trying to control everything and truly slowing down to be present. There is more unknown in my life now than ever before and for someone who likes to have things in order and know the next move this has been a daily act of surrender. Shoot sometimes an hourly act of surrender. Trusting that I don’t need to solve every problem or know the next steps ahead of time has been extremely humbling and freeing. Not having my phone glued to me, knowing it’s okay to only check email once or twice a day, and to read more books than I scroll has helped me slow down and be more present. In a world that competes for my attention, I have the ability to choose what and who gets it.
Contact Info:
- Website: vp.photography
- Instagram: vp_photography_co
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vpphotographyco
