In an emotional moment during one of her CreativeLive talks from 2013, talented fashion photographer Lara Jade shared some incredibly inspirational advice that is well-worth digging back up on a Monday morning.

“Live with gratitude, be thankful for what you have,” starts the then 24-year-old fashion photography rising star. “I’m thankful that I’m 24 and I’ve found my path as a photographer […] and I’m so excited about where the next few years are gonna go.”

But what begins with a reminder to be grateful for the good parts, quickly transforms into a meaningful monologue on self-worth, validation, and being confident enough to say “no”:

Jade’s words ought to resonate with any artist, young and old alike, who struggle at times to be taken seriously.

Demoralizing off-hand rejections, the feeling that you’re missing out on ‘real life’ because you’re pouring yourself into your passion, the belief that you don’t deserve the recognition you’ve received — these are problems every creative deals with on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes even daily basis.

But many rejections are just the standard prequel to your first sale; those people who aren’t missing out on ‘real life’ often envy those whose lives are ruled by passion instead of convention; and ‘impostor syndrome‘ goes hand-in-hand with well-deserved success. Jade’s presentation helps remind us of this.

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This short talk is just a small snippet of a larger presentation titled “Experimental Portraits” with Sue Bryce and Lara Jade, which can be purchased on CreativeLive here.

And if you’d like to see more of Jade’s killer fashion photography, you can find her on her website or by following her on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram.