I can’t tell you how many times I have doubted myself and my worth as a creative. In fact, it happened to me just the other day during a conversation with my friend and fellow creative Mark Seekins. As we were enjoying some good coffee together, He was telling me how the demand for his work is exploding. On the contrary, he said many of photographer friends can’t seem to sell any prints.

As I listened to Mark, part of me was so happy he is getting the attention his work deserves because it is really beautiful and unique. The other part of me was thinking I should just shut down my website and quit doing photography. Over the rest of the day, I kept thinking back to my conversation with Mark. As I did slowly my confidence began to return. The reason was that I remembered I never started created images and stories for the money. Instead, I did it because I am curious and love exploring people and places through the lens of my cameras. Moreover, photography has been a tool that I have used to create images and tell stories that breakdown stereotypes about things that matter to me. After coming back from our first trip to India with a Muslim friend we had met at Oregon State University, I had many people tell me they thought all Muslims were terrorists. This is what prompted me to start a personal project I call Portraits of Islam.

All creatives go through times and seasons where they question whether what they are creating is really adding enough value to their lives and to the world to justify all the time. energy, and money it takes. I know this won’t be the last time I doubt myself or think photography is a waste of time. But in times like this I stop and remember that for me creating isn’t just what I do, it’s part of who I am.

So what about you? What are the situations or circumstances that cause you you to doubt yourself or your work? What will you do to help you remember your why?