My Photo Work

                                                                                 © 2015 Ivana Simone

     Here is a little bit of my photo work I have been extremely busy with hope you guys like it.
                                                                           Be good. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                                               -Ivana Simone

Knowing When To Let Go

      Energy suckers can be detrimental to your success. If not handled quickly and accordingly they can bring your goals to a complete halt. For the past couple of months I myself have been dealing with energy suckers. I felt it appropriate to come and share with you my experience and my decisions in such a case. The very first thing that I will say is to pay very close attention to how someone consumes your time, and what they try to direct it to.
     I advise this because anytime you are trying to reach a goal there is always someone or something that comes up as an obstacle. In my situation I noticed that the individual at hand would always try to disturb me when I was working on my photography, or my music, writing, etc. Once you see things like this happening you must demand that your time be respected, because you have a goal you are trying to reach.  Do not fold or bend. You have to stay driven at all cost or else you'll end up laying your goals down by the wayside.
     Furthermore if you realize that someone in your circle does not have a head on their shoulders such as yourself, it is best to end the relationship before it goes to far.  This is a recipe for disaster having friends who have no ambition or drive. You are both on different roads. When two people on different paths come together the draining begins. Someone is going to end up changing, this situation becomes the battle of the strengths.
     Ultimately I am trying to tell you that on your journey to success and prospering there are some things and people you have to drop. Keep your eye on your goals. If you don't have a list of goals to accomplish make one. Lastly, do your best to meet those goals and keep yourself in a place to get career excelling opportunities. I hope you've all been well and striving for your dreams, and please remember no dream is to big.

                                                 Be good. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                        -Ivana Simone

Success is not FINAL, FAILURE is not fatal. - Winston Churchill

     Today I was reading a fiction story and in the story a young woman was going for her  dream as a model. She did a photo shoot and built a portfolio, went on interviews with two agencies, and was simply ecstatic about the possibility of her dreams coming true.  She later received a call from one of the agencies saying that she was not accepted as one of their models and she was simply crushed. You could sense that for her the world had just ended and their was no hope of revival.  I honestly understood how she felt, I'm sure we can all relate in some form or fashion.

     But what I absolutely loved is what her husband told her after he found out that she did not get accepted to that agency. He said " You'll never succeed unless you fail. You have to keep trying.  Nobody can stop you but yourself.  If you really want it, you'll make it happen no matter what it takes."  Once I read that I found myself shouting yes out loud because it inspired me so and uplifted me in such a way.

     That line made something come alive in me in a way that I can't explain.  I myself have been doing a lot of things and felt like this isn't amounting to much. I too have been in the same position as that character down and ready to quit. But we all have to remember is that in order to get something you never had you gotta do something that you never done. So you may have to get a few doors closed in your face, you may have to go through the feeling of wanting to give up, you may have to be told by someone you don't have what they are looking for.

     All of those things happening simply make for a better story of triumph when you get to where you are going. Keep working at it even when you feel it's pointless. Keep pushing even when you're tired. Keep your head up especially when you wanna hold it down.  Ride the journey out until you get to the end, and once you do look back and be proud of the hard work it took to arrive to the finish line.

                                                                         Be cool. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                                         - Ivana Simone

Hope you've had a great day

                   
             Sending you guys some encouragement hope you all have had a wonderful day.
                                                            Be good. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                            -Ivana Simone

Forgiveness of Self

  
    I wanted to come and talk to you guys today about forgiveness of self.  A lot of times we are super hard on ourselves for mistakes we've made, things we've done, as well as things we didn't do. I know I have dealt with this before heavily. Now let me first state this is not going in a religious direction so don't get me misunderstood.  However forgiveness is not just a religious concept, it is a concept of self love, worth, and the drawing of positive things to you.

    When we don't forgive ourselves we hold ourselves back thus becoming our own worst enemy aside from anyone else on the planet.  In my opinion the concept of forgiveness has been taken out of context, and due to that people don't do it or even desire to.  Here is an example. Someone you trust breaks that trust and robs your home, and you discover that it was them.  You decide to forgive them and continue to let them into your home, come around and pretend it never happened.

     That is not at all how that should go.  Forgiving someone doesn't mean you forget about what they did because that's humanly impossible. However it does mean you don't hold on to the hurt from the action. Now how you handle the person is a matter of choice.  When dealing with ones self it is very similar to that stated above.

     You will never forget those things you did to wrong yourself.. What you can do is face the fact that you did it and let go of the pain you feel from it.  I will not say this is an easy task because I myself have struggled with it.  One thing I have done that has worked for me is I take that thing that I couldn't forgive myself for, and I let it drive me to be better and do better.  Life did not come with a handbook, and it didn't come with a mind that has all the answers.

     As we walk through life we are always presented with two paths, which represents choices.  There is no how to make the right choice guideline. In life you make the choice you feel is best for you at the time.  Sometimes that choice is the wrong one.  I encourage you to let go of the pain of wrong choices made and time wasted.

     Focus on the fact that you have today and you have the now. Right now you can get up and do something to make a difference. Right now you have the ability to get up and make things happen for yourself.  Right now is what you are living not yesterday.  Take yesterday and use it as a reminder of what not to do, and do not let the lack of forgiveness of self stop you from becoming the you you truly want to be.

     Here is a song that I listen to when I need to forgive myself and it really helps me put things in perspective. When you listen to it think about the entire song in terms of yourself. As if it's you talking to yourself.

                                                            Be good. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                                -Ivana Simone

    

Been gone. But I'M BACK!!!

Hey all :-) I am sorry I have been gone and not posting anything but I have been super busy moving into a new place. However between moving and getting settled in I have been perfecting my photography skills, which is something I not long ago got into.  I got into photography because I wanted to turn a play I wrote and directed into a short film. I was told by a friend of mine who is a photographer that the best way to perfect videography is to first start as a photographer.  I must admit I absolutely LOVE IT!!! I have some pictures from some shoots I am editing and I will post them on my flickr and post a link for you guys.  I have another cover song to post I just have to edit the video and get it up for you all. I hope that you've been inspired and went out and started on that which you desire to do. You make your dreams happen remember that. If anyone ever wants me to do a cover or sing a song for them leave it in the comments and I'll definitely get that done. Hope you're all happy. Hope you're living. Hope you're inspired daily.

                                              Be good. Be easy. Be inspired.
                                                                     -Ivana Simone

FourFiveSeconds Cover

                                         Hope you guys enjoy this I sung it live so all the vocals are unedited

                                     Be good. Be easy. Be inspired. :-) ♥♥♥ -Ivana Simone