I once heard that the leading reason of unhappiness is letting your mind wander. Yes, the simple act of losing focus is the cornerstone of anxiety and depression. After years of studying over 35,000 participants, the lead researcher of a study on happiness summed his findings into the following sentence: BE PRESENT.

Being present as a creative means to look at just what's in front of you (your passion, your clients, your loved ones) and focus on the reality of the moment, not letting your mind fill with doubt, what-ifs, or the negative things people say about your work. On days when I let my mind wander, I pour extra attention on those who believe in what I do. Nine years as a professional photographer and the only people I care about impressing are my clients. If creatives focus on being present and enjoy the moment of sharing their work with supporters, the negativity flitters away.

On a day like today, I choose happiness.

“I know I said it at the wedding, but I just wanted to reiterate how much I appreciated you and JD being there. Since the ceremony and reception, we've had some time to reflect on the entirety of events. Seeing you and Jenna work together is a memory I'll treasure forever. You put her at ease and in doing so allowed her to feel comfortable. That's not an easy task yet you effortlessly pulled it off. Additionally, I just gotta say that working with JD was better than I could have imagined. You told us that everyone loved him and I understand why. You're both a big part of Jenna (and me) having an amazing day. I couldn't ask for anything more.” – Jim