RETURNING THE LOVE - I am a restless being

Today's blog is going to be one filled with love, optimism and excitement.


Up until Nov the 28th I was working as a free lance photographer aiming at setting up her own photography business. Its only as of the 29th of November all my hard work has finally paid off.
The last 6 months have been really difficult in regards to setting up Duniya photos as more than a side thing, I've had to deal with a lot of forms and information gathering, Ive had to chase, rewrite and complain to everyone and his dog until finally the day came that Duniya photos officially launched as a business not just an idea formed and nurtured by a young woman with big dreams.


I cannot express to you how difficult this road to fulfilling my dream has been, for me it has meant a complete change in my life and circumstances. I have gone from a well paid public sector career to pumping all my savings into my aspirations. I've had to leave my flat in London and return to my family home in Berkshire to utilise and reduce my spending. Although I love my parents unconditionally and appreciate all the support they have given me it has been hard to give up my independence. Ive had to cut back on all the things that gave me pleasure from shopping trips to nights out with the girls, I can't afford to travel or enjoy a lot of experience that previously I would have jumped at so easily.


There have been night that I have wept because of the pressure and days where I haven't wanted to get out of bed to face the world.
But regardless of how stressed out or demotivated I felt , I shook myself and carried on knowing that to achieve anything you really want in life is never easy. That Allah/God may give you what you desire but you have to meet him halfway and put in the work. Those days that I felt like giving up, when I thought that this dream was unachievable I was fortunate to have friends and family members that would pick me up and encourage me, support me in my passion and tell me that Inshallah one day all this work would pay off, to give me the strength that sometimes I didn't feel I had.
I cannot express to you how fortunate I feel to have had all of this love and support, how fortunate I am that I had a family that could and is assisting me in anyway that they can. How many people really have that?  How many people have to forget and forgo their dreams because they have no support network?


So yes it has been hard and yes I have been lucky other wise I wouldn't be where I am. About to embark on an amazing journey.


So now that everything is finalised the real hard work begins. I've only taken one step and I have hundreds maybe thousands to more to take yet.


But I am so grateful for how far I have come and how much I have achieved.
This got me thinking. Now that I have my own business is it really just about the money and the success? For me this could never be the case, I know that with the way I was brought up and the way I live my life it had to be about more.. I had to return to the universe/Allah some of what had been handed to me.


So all in all this led me to the conclusion that I wanted to support a charity through my work. I already photograph charity functions and donate shoots to raffles/auctions but I want to do something more substantial related to my business and affected by my earning.
Ultimately I decided that a bulk of my work is done through weddings, a time of happiness and love and what better way then donating a percentage to charity.


So I have decided every year of my company I will choose a different charity to support. Donations will be made via a percentage of the wedding commission and Inshallah/hopefully through some fund raising events. I will be picking smaller charities who may struggle with funding


So I sat and thought about what charity I would like to support in my first year of business and to be honest it was no contest. Restless beings was the first charity to come to mind. If you have read my previous blog post you will know all about Restless Beings and why I am so supportive of this human rights charity.


So I have hit on the idea that any of my customers who become aware of this promotion and quote "I am a restless being to me" will trigger the charity aspect of the company. I will immediately donate 15 % of my commission rate to the charity. I'm hoping as I promote my organisation I will also be promoting Restless beings. I believe many people would love this idea as a percentage of the fee from your big day will be making a difference to someones life, spreading love and positivity
As well as this as the year progresses I am hoping to do some more fundraisers for Restless beings.


So guys and girls if you are getting married and considering booking me please do not forget to tell me that you are a restless being, to help a beautiful charity.


Hopefully my first business year will be very successful and I can pass on some of that love to restless beings.




To access charity contribution please quote "I am a restless being"