Do you have a backstory that influences how you are today?

Hey, this is Leila. She’s my pup and my patient model as I gear up for my next photography project.

If you know me, I usually have a new idea for a project to work on or a new slant to take on an old project. For this I thank my elementary education in Connecticut.

But when I was in middle school we moved to Texas. Only then did I learn what a multiple-choice test was. The kids around me thought I was kind of weird. And I was miffed because I had to transition from creating to memorizing.

See, I was publishing my own books by the time I was in 3rd grade. For one project, I interviewed my grandfather on his life and turned that into an oral history. When I was in 5th grade, my teacher read to us Animal Farm. We had to support our answers to test questions in written essays.

To this day creativity allows me to see opportunities that others don’t.

When in a professional bind, I was able to spot an opportunity, develop skills, and pivot my career. When tough memories resurfaced through dreams, I was able to find purpose and turn a dark memory into an empowering photography project.

As I face challenges in business, I use creativity to take a step back and create products that are a better fit for my audience.

• Do you have a backstory that colors how you are as an adult today?
• Have you analyzed your backstory to find valuable lessons?
• Do you have a personal brand with clear values?

Originally published at https://backstoryfirst.com on March 7, 2020.