Who are you? What do you love? What drives you?

If you have just met me or my husband in the past month or so, you've probably been asked one of those heavy questions listed above.  Don't get me wrong, the hubbs and I love to laugh and joke around  (hell, we know just about every southpark episode by heart), but we also love discovering and nurturing passionate people a whole helluva lot!  Artists, athletes, dreamers, builders... simply put, I am a woman inspired by passion. The very word 'inspire'  is derived from the Latin word 'inspīrāre' which means "to breathe upon or into".  Don't you just 'effing love that?  So next time when someone ask 'what fuels you?' or  'what drives you?'... don't be afraid to tell them!  Because honestly, where does you playing small or pretending to be passion-less get you? 

Passion has pushed me to be a greater photographer, a savvier business woman, and even a better athlete (ahem... dad and trish-the-dish).  So if you've ever felt bad about not knowing where to start when answering  these  b i g  questions for yourself, don't fret.  It takes some thought.  And while you're thinking up your answers, let me follow my own advice and share what moves me.  And I promise, in taking a minute to think about your own life's passions, you'll be well on your way to becoming a more focused/driven/better you <3

I am passionate about... my natural hair!   I recently decided to go 'natural' back around New Years Eve in 2010. It has been an amazing journey discovering what my natural curls actually look like.   It all started with me chopping off most of my relaxed hair and transitioning into full blown curly awesome-ness. It's been a choice that I've had to defend at times, but at the end of the day to each their own... it's the hair for me. I've started pinterest boards, hung curly-headed art; I'm a woman obsessed!  And now that I know my curls, I would not trade them for the world.

I am passionate about... roller-derby!    If you don't know what roller derby is... have you been living under a rock?!! Today's roller derby is a fast paced, high strategy, intensely physical sport that knocks the stripped socks off the fake wrestle-mania stuff from your grandma's heyday.   Forget Andre the Giant, modern-day roller derby has a posse, and it has been growing quietly  behind your back!  I've met some of the most  a m a z i n g  women through this sport, and honestly... roller derby has saved my life. Empowering women; getting into the best shape ever; learning a sport... what's not to love? <3

I am passionate about... "Shine a light"!   This tattoo (inked by Diana DeAugustine)  that sits just above the red fish on my left arm is the simplest way I've found to name a concept very near and dear to my heart. Maybe you've heard of it before?  Nelson Mandela talked about it, as did Marianne Williamson, but the idea is simple... we are all meant to shine. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." And as we shine a light, we pay it forward and we secretly give others around us permission to do the same. lovelovelove it!

I am passionate about... StopGo Photography!     I know what you were thinking... "lauren, you're passionate about a bow-tie necklace?"... and infact bow-ties are fly as all get out. For serious.  But this very necklace was the inspiration behind the brand of my wedding photography business!  I am so driven to empower couple's creative and often offbeat choices for their wedding day, that I get to make my living doing so!  People pay me to shoot them. As funny as that sounds, I wake up everyday so very very grateful to be able to do make a living doing what I love with my offbeat wedding photography.

So that's me. I'm Lauren Perkins. What about you....?

Who. are. you? 

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