On being confident

Last January, I made it a habit to start walking at 5AM on the boardwalk.

I’m not a morning person, but I forced myself to do it. Me and Adi would roll out of our beds, hoping the other would say “I’m not up to it today”, and thereby granting us the perfect excuse to roll back over. (Who wants to walk alone!)

But we surprised ourselves. And pushed on and did the uncomfortable thing.

Wonderful things happened on those mornings. We talked, Adi and I, I started to create my future in my head, and every morning, we waved hello to the morning regulars.

One morning, we walked by this beautiful man with the biggest smile. I felt some sort of magnetic connection to him, and I knew I had to photograph him.

As we went on walking morning after morning, I’d get a little more courage to ask him, but as we got close to each other, I smiled, dropped my head, and walked on. Regretting it every. Single. Time.

BASTA. (Enough!)

The one thing I don’t ever want to feel, and I preach to my kids, is regret. The worst he could say was no.

So at 5:30 AM one day, I walked past Aubrey, smiled, and then as he continued to walk, I stopped, turned around, and ran back over to him. (Sounds so dramatic!) I Introduced myself, and said, “I’d love to photograph you”.

That’s all I needed to say. He smiled back at me with that glorious smile, and said “but why me?”

Days later he recounted his freaking amazing story as a model, as one of the best interior designers this place has known, and I got to know him as I photographed him.

It’s amazing what happens when we get uncomfortable.

Thank you Aubrey…

Aniya, xo