Lands End | San Francisco, CA

I've been to Lands End a handful of times and each time I go, I'm always in awe of its beauty. If I lived in the area, I would be tempted to hike every day (I would be super fit, but also super broke - SF, you are ridiculously expensive.) Living in the desert certainly amplifies the beauty of the ocean a million times over. I could sit anywhere along the West Coast and stare out at the sea for hours. And of course, sharing Lands End with loved ones makes it even better :)

Have you ever been? 

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway

After a week of recovering from major jet lag following our adventures in Asia, we made a spontaneous decision to go on a road trip from New Mexico to San Francisco to see family and friends. On the way back - thanks to a wide open summer and the conclusion of my graduate studies (finally!), we decided that this was the perfect time to drive part of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Driving the PCH was something Sherwin and I have always talked about doing together and we're so blessed that we have had the chance to do so. 

From the dreamy aqua colors of Big Sur, to that mysterious fog, and the fields full of zebras near Hearst Castle. I wanted to stop the car a million and one times to get "just one last shot."

Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M5 II  | Lens: Lumix 12-35mm 2.8 


Did you go on any adventurous road trips this summer?

Not an Artist

"The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." - Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

I don't really consider myself an artist by any means, but I enjoy attempting to create. However, struggling with perfectionism and having a fear of going against the rules have become roadblocks in feeling that freedom to create. Comparing my own work - like photography - to the work of others will often lead to frustration and wanting to give up. Come on, ladies, we're exceptionally good at playing the comparison game in every category and we lose every time.

My husband is very creative and he must be because that's the nature of his job as a filmmaker. Early on in our marriage I became frustrated because I felt that my photography wasn't as good as his and decided that I wouldn't take pictures anymore. Yes, I have the nature of a 5 year old. This made no sense to Sherwin (I'm assuming about 95% of my strange emotional states make no sense to him). But because he is so ridiculously patient with me and loving, he placed the camera back into my hands, encouraged me to learn to become better, and told me to stop comparing myself to others.

I'm slowly (ever so slowly) learning to let go and just enjoy the process of creating. Even if the end result isn't perfect, I'm learning to see the beauty and uniqueness of it all.

Do you enjoy being creative? Do you struggle with the creativity comparison trap?