Journey to Loving Yourself — Evansville Indiana Boudoir Photographer

If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you already know that I'm a huge advocate for self acceptance and self love. I’ve always been a firm believer that your relationship with yourself is the most important and deserves to be prioritized. The saying is true that you can’t pour from an empty cup! For me, it's crucial to be intentional about how I love and care for myself and how I nurture my relationship with myself so I can show up fully in every other aspect of my life. Can you relate?

We hear "self-love" used a lot as a buzzword, but what does it really mean to love ourselves? And why can it be such a challenge sometimes?

Right now, I'm that kid in the front row with her hand up Hermione-style jumping to be the first to answer because I find myself getting stuck in this cycle, pinballing between self-love and self-loathing. One minute it's so easy to think about all the things I love about myself (hi, I'm great!) and then I turn around and find it just as easy to list all the ways I wish I was different. And then I’m left wondering… how can I be so proud of who I am while simultaneously thinking about all the things I would rather be? The comparison bug bites me hard and it’s been a challenge to learn how to balance the positive and the negative. Even though when I find myself in those lows it doesn't feel very empowering, I do think that I can find power and value in the in-between.

Being in the middle allows me to see myself for all the great things that I am while giving myself room to grow in the areas I need to.

I find power in being able to see both sides clearly, and for me, standing in the middle is where self-love and self acceptance lies. I’m all about learning and growing and becoming. I can always clearly see that better version of myself that I’m striving to be, and being in the middle helps me get to her. Let me give you an example!

I’ve never been the type of person to make my bed in the mornings. I’ve always had the opinion that there’s no sense in wasting time making the bed when I’m just gonna mess it up at the end of the day. But I’ve always admired those people who make their beds, and as I get older, I find myself wanting to be a make the bed girlie. I’ve been working on building better habits lately so I can create the life I want to live, and one of those habits was… you guessed it – making the bed in the mornings! One day I woke up and decided that I was gonna be that person from now on. It takes all of two minutes, makes the bedroom feel so much more tidy and put together, and it’s soooo nice to get into a fresh bed at the end of every day.

Little things like keeping promises to myself to make the bed every morning (even when I don’t feel like it) strengthen my self love and help me learn how to nurture my relationship with myself. I would totally become a make the bed person for my fiancé, so why wouldn’t I do it for myself? It’s just a little something that I can do to show love to my future self.

Social media would have you believe that self-love is reckless infatuation with yourself, I think it goes beyond that superficial viewpoint.

To me, true self-love is celebrating everything about you that's the bomb dot com while working towards growth in the areas you can strengthen. Real love isn't superficial, and the love you have for yourself shouldn't be either. I’m always working to deepen the relationship I have with myself, trying to push the boundaries of my comfort zone, and love where I’m at while becoming my favorite version of myself.

This babe took the leap to connect with herself and learn how to love herself again, and one part of that journey was booking a boudoir session with me. After her session was over, she was gushing over how beautiful her photos were and when I checked in with her a while after her session she had so many nice things to say about herself. That’s exactly what I want for you too! You can read more about her experience in her own words below, and see a bit more from her incredible session!

Why did you choose Ellie to capture your boudoir session?

I loved the whole experience. I felt totally comfortable and welcomed from the very start of the session.

What were the biggest questions you had before your session?

Picking the right outfit choices to going all out on make up and hair versus just being natural and comfy.

How did Ellie make you feel throughout the process?

Ellie was a huge help. She would send me messages in the weeks before my session with information I would need or ideas for the session. Walking into my first ever session, I was filled with excitement and nervousness being I'd be vulnerable. But Ellie truly makes you feel comfortable and relaxed like you have been friends for years.

How has this boudoir experience impacted you?

I feel very comfortable in my skin. I know how truly beautiful I am, yes I have things I'd like to improve about myself but I am accepting myself for who I truly am. I am independent, strong, beautiful, confident and a sexy mother. I am a mother to my wonderful daughter and my 3 angel babies. I am not who I am today without them.

Was the experience worth the financial investment that you made?

Yes, it was. Ellie was worth the money I spent. She takes the time with her clients and works with their strengths behind the camera. She has the perfect eye for this business.

What would you say to a friend who's on the fence about doing a session?

Your first session truly is a once in a lifetime. It may seem scary but it is worth taking the journey to finding yourself and loving yourself again.

Like what you read here?

I would love to have you in the studio so you can have an experience like this for yourself! Whether you’re all in and ready to go, need some more info before we get started, or are on the fence and want to talk things through before you commit – I’m here for ya! Click here to get in touch!