Watching for open doors

2020 was a year that none of us will soon forget, and 2021 is providing open doors and opportunities.  Challenges can be negative or positive, but how we approach each issue speaks to our thoughts about outcomes.  I am CHOOSING to find the positive.  I would encourage all of you to CHOOSE to find the positive and the open door.  Jim Flynn sent through this image to me and immediately I was drawn to it.  It feels like it is filled with symbols.  A black & white image helping me to keep focus.  Gates that are open for a new journey to begin.  No one is evident because the choice is ours to make, alone and once we make our decision then our supporters will come out of the woodwork.

So here is to positivity, open doors, working hard and looking for opportunities.  I look forward to all of the collaborations that are ahead, so let's get going!

www.jimflynnphoto.com

Reflection............

September.  A time for review and a restart for many of us.  A transition to a new season.  A transition to a new school year.  A transition for our lives.

In our world, there are so many differences amongst people, yet so many similarities that we seem to forget in the heat of the moment.  As I walked our city's annual Labor Day parade yesterday, I was struck by the many people that were all along the route and although just looking at someone's exterior, one may see differences........I kept on focusing on how much we all had in common.  We were all going through some transitions and as well, preparations for what lay ahead.

Reflect on who we are, what we believe in, what we stand for and what we can all do together.  We can do so much if we just support each other and work together.  This is a transition that I would like many of us to consider..........respect others and recognize our similarities, rather than seeing the many differences.

http://www.rascona.com

Taboo conversations.............

Mental health. 

It's an issue that no one really likes to speak about, but we all are dealing with issues to some extent.  The pressures of our daily lives.  The triggers that can set us off.  The highs and lows and all the range that is in between.  I wish that I knew how to handle it all.  We all wish that we knew the right way to deal with everything that gets thrown at us, but we don't.  We all try and "act" like we have it together because if we didn't act like it, then people would actually know the real truth.

Mental Health. 

We all need support. 

We all need people to listen.  

We all need to not be fearful to ask for help and to be heard.

This is a small taste of a project that Rodney Rascona worked on.  Powerful.

www.rascona.com

A day to celebrate women.

International Women's Day.

A day to celebrate the women in our lives and all over the world.  

We are a part of everything.  We are a part of the fabric that makes the world sing. 

We are proud.  We are strong.  We will overcome.  We will resist.  We will be loud.  We will be proud.  We will collaborate.  We will be inclusive.  We will work hard.  

We will expect nothing, but the best and accept nothing less.

Rodney's world has always focused on a can do approach for all.  

Justice. Humility. Equality. Pride.

www.Rascona.com

A Helping Hand.

A helping hand.

We all could use one from time to time.

Many locales are being ravaged by a hurricane as I type this and on a daily basis there are needs throughout the world.  Rodney has had a chance to lend a hand on a number of projects.  Working on behalf of great clients and impactful projects, such as Global Relief, Red Dirt Road, UNF-GACC, Black Inside, Somalian Exile, The Indian Tsunami, as well as The Pink Door - Haiti.

Our hope is that in our own way - we can lend a hand and be there to help.  Projects that have teeth and that are looking for partners to tell a story, you have found a home.  Rodney can pull together a team that can provide you with the right catalyst to bring your project to fruition with heart and soul.

It will be time again to lend a helping hand and we will be there.

May we all find a way to be there to help.

www.rascona.com

Joshua............LIVE

Yep.  It's LIVE.

We are excited because Joshua has spent a ton of time pulling together a new site.  It calls for a few minutes of your time and yes, may be partial, but I SO think it is worth it.

Grab a coffee or your favorite libation and peruse.  Fun stuff and an adventure at every turn.  It's pretty much just like Joshua.  Fun. Driven. Passionate. Adventurer.

If you have some feedback.  We're all ears.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

Black Inside ~ RASCONA

For years, Rodney Rascona, has devoted a large amount of his time and creative efforts documenting and supporting the United Nations Foundation and other NGO's.  His film, BLACK INSIDE, will be screening at the 4th Global Conference on Women's Health and Well-being.  Quite an honor, for the veteran photographer and director.

We wanted to celebrate this screening and invite you to get involved in support of improvement of women's health and wellness issues.

www.rascona.com

blackinside-thefilm.com

It goes on.

With so much going on in the world, I feel like I am constantly trying to make sense of it all.  Many times, I can't make all of the pieces come together to "make sense."

Recently, I had a quote that popped up that actually spoke to me:

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life:  it goes on." ~ Robert Frost

It spoke to me because I realized that everything does NOT make sense.  It happens.  I need to adjust and move forward as positively as I can.  So, as I approach each day, each work assignment, each issue - I try and take it one step at a time.  Don't get overwhelmed and make more of something than is needed.  Take in that moment and make it count.

Each issue needs appropriate attention.  Each project that we work on, that is our focus.  Give time to make it the best it can be and don't over think it.  It will all fall in place.

It goes on.

www.tophercox.com

Are you in or are you out?

Aren't we always looking to be included?  I don't know a lot of people that truly are "okay" if something is going on and they are not included.  It's like Civil Rights - we are all to be afforded the same rights - no matter what.  That's pretty powerful.

We are ALL supposed to be welcomed and included.

Nature is one place that are all welcome.  In some cases, it is harder to jump in and be involved if one is dealing with a disability, yet there are ways to work around or conquer that obstacle.  Life is filled with obstacles.  Photography is filled with challenges.  Each day normally presents a certain amount of trials and it is all in how you handle working through those situations that determine the outcome.

The outcome, if approached correctly, can be fantastic.  Include all voices and perspective.  Think if it's been a collaborative process and if the answer is yes - you probably have a winner product on hand.  Pure satisfaction and teamwork.   Success!!

Joshua strives for a collaborative process with all of his jobs - he's one of the team to make it happen.  We'd love to be teammates with you on your next project.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

On the horizon........

It's a new year.  A fresh start.  Time to begin again.  Reset.

As cliche as it may be - there is something about a restart being given to you every 365 days that is amazing.  To me, it's kind of like a kick in the tush.  A reminder.  Go forth, do what you love and love what you do.  Yes, we all need to make money to help raise our families, keep a house over our head, but we also need to feed our soul.

I enter this year, grateful for all I have - my health, my family, my friends.  All of you.

We are here to help you achieve whatever it is that you want to do.  Not sure what is on the horizon, but I certainly love being on the look out, guessing and putting myself out there to make it happen.

Now go.  Who knows what's coming!

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

Another Day. Another Mountain.

Basically, aren't you being challenged every day?  Some days, the challenges are a bit more than others.  Most of the time, it is about staying focused and staying on track.  Accomplishing something, not merely existing.

I think we all need to recognize that each day provides us with choices.  What work we want or have to do and how are we going to approach getting those things done.  We can choose to just execute OR we can choose to execute with people that we want to be with, people that we believe in and people that we can count on.

Choose wisely.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

It's all about perspective.

We are all fortunate and get to "see" things from our own being.  Some of us see, some of us feel, some of us hear, some of us think.  We all do it differently, but it is all about using our senses and grabbing pieces of information and having a take-away.  Whatever that take-away is.  There is something about Joshua's "perspective" that always draws me in, wanting more.  I just read a comment from one of his followers and she said, "Your photographs are beautiful.  I feel better just looking at them."  I do too.  I also love that with each one, they allow me to create an incredible story in my head about what was happening and what else he must be seeing.  It's all about your perspective, isn't it?

www.joshuaweinfeld.com