Why You Feel Like You're Not Enough—And How Photography Can Show You Otherwise

There was a time I believed I was too much and not enough, all at once.

Too loud, too quiet. Too emotional, too detached. Too ambitious, too lost. I spent years trying to shrink myself into the version of me I thought the world would accept. Maybe you know that feeling. The exhausting tightrope walk of never quite belonging to yourself. And yet, here you are, still searching. Still longing for something more. Still wondering why you feel like you’re not enough.

What if I told you that you never had to be anything other than exactly who you are?

I don’t mean that in the casual, throwaway kind of way you see on Instagram captions. I mean it in the raw, shake-you-to-your-core, tears-pricking-the-back-of-your-eyes kind of way. The kind that makes you question every rule you thought you had to follow. Because the truth?

You were never the problem.

The stories you were told in childhood, the shame pressed into your skin by toxic relationships, the expectations that wrapped around your throat like a too-tight scarf—none of those things were ever yours to carry. But they shaped you, didn’t they? They made you question your worth. They convinced you that beauty, success, and love were things you had to earn. That you had to mold yourself into something more palatable, more pleasing, more perfect. So let’s start again. Let’s unlearn. Let’s see what happens when you stop trying to disappear and start choosing to be fully seen.

Why This Feeling Won't Let Go

That gnawing, restless sense that you’re not enough? It isn’t just an insecurity. It’s a wound.

It’s the echo of voices that told you your worth was conditional. It’s the weight of comparison, the slow erosion of self-trust. It’s the cultural conditioning that taught you to apologize for taking up space, to measure your value by your productivity, your desirability, your ability to keep everything together. Maybe it started when you were a little girl, praised for being "so good" when you stayed quiet. Maybe it was teenage friendships that taught you that love had to be earned. Maybe it was a relationship that turned your own reflection into something you feared.

Whatever it was, I want you to know this:

The voice in your head telling you that you aren’t enough is not yours. It was given to you. And you can give it back.

How Photography Can Show You What You've Forgotten

This is where the lens changes everything. I don’t just take photos. I don’t just create beautiful images. I craft a space for you to see yourself as you were always meant to be seen—without apology, without distortion, without the weight of who the world told you to be. Here’s what makes this different:

• Pre-Session Reflection: Before the camera ever clicks, we pause. We reflect. I guide you through a personalized process to explore where you are in this season of life. What are you carrying? What are you ready to release? What stories have shaped you—and which ones are no longer yours to keep?

• A Tangible Love Letter to Yourself: Your images won’t just live on a screen. Together, we design artwork that reflects your journey. A portrait on your wall that reminds you, daily, that you are whole. A handcrafted album that tells the story of your resilience and beauty.

• The Emotional Reveal: This is the moment everything shifts. When you see yourself through new eyes—not the critical ones you've used for years, but the ones that finally, finally recognize your worth.

  
  

Because when you step in front of my camera, you aren’t posing. You aren’t performing. You are becoming. You are seeing yourself. And that changes everything.

A Question for You

What if, just for a moment, you believed that you were never broken? That the story of "not enough" was never yours to begin with? What if you let yourself be seen, just as you are?

I invite you to step into this space. To let go of the old narratives and claim something new. To look at yourself through a lens of love, not criticism. Because you? You were never too much. You were never not enough. You were always, always whole.

Where to Begin

If your heart is pounding and your mind is whispering, Maybe this is for me—then LOVE it is.

Here are a few ways to step into this journey:

1. Start with Reflection: Journal on this: What are the stories I’ve believed about myself? Where did they come from? What do I want to believe instead?

2. Join a Community of Women Rising Together: Healing happens when we surround ourselves with those who uplift us. Whether it’s through the FemCity Des Moines community of driven, supportive women, a holistic wellness session at Bloom Women’s Wellness, or a transformative experience at the Lift Your Soul Retreat, there are spaces that remind you of your worth.

3. Prioritize Your Well-Being: Whether it's through movement at Victress DSM, reconnecting with your body through Resonance DSM’s massage therapy, or taking intentional self-care at Optimum Wellness DSM, you deserve spaces that nourish you fully.

4. Let Yourself Be Seen: If this message spoke to you, maybe it’s time to take the next step. To book a session that isn’t just about photos, but about reclaiming your story.

I see you. I believe in you. And I cannot wait to show you the beauty that has always been yours.

LET’S BEGIN!