Truth, Love & Insight – Susannah Conway

The camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera. (Dorothea Lange)

Hello lovelies! I am so happy to be at my computer, a candle burning and mug full of coffee close by. Our new place is coming together bit by bit. The bookcase is up and looking gorgeous! I might tackle my desk area today - a spot in need of some attention.

A few weeks ago, I launched a new series called Truth, Love & Insight. My interview with Tara Gentile kicked things off. For the second piece of the series, I am thrilled to share Susannah Conway's inspirational words. I really appreciate the care and honesty in Susannah's voice. If you aren't already a fan of her work, I highly recommend checking out her site and following her on Twitter. A little more about Susannah, in her own words:

Susannah Conway is a photographer, writer and the creator of the Unravelling e-course. She spent many years as a fashion editor and freelance journalist in London before her world shattered with the sudden death of her partner in 2005. Returning to the coast to heal in solitude, she rediscovered her passion for photography and writing when she started blogging in 2006. Susannah now shares her heart with people around the world via her blog, SusannahConway.com, and e-courses. Her first book, This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart, will be published in June 2012 by Globe Pequot Press.

1. How did your blog get started?

I started blogging in April 2006 after discovering the blogosphere the month before; I’d found so many inspiring blogs I wanted to jump in too. I started with a Blogger blog, then moved to Typepad and now I blog under my own domain using a custom-designed Wordpress blog. Yet despite all the changes, I hope the essence of my blog remains the same.

2. What motivates you to continue sharing your story/creativity/voice with the web?

The urge to share with my community, to document what I learn and have a place to figure stuff out. I’ve always shared my healing journey on my blog, and even though I am six years on from my bereavement, the healing never ends. There’s always new discoveries about life to be made!

3. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself as a budding blogger?

I’d tell her to be more confident about sharing her photography. To bravely put it out there, just for the hell of it.

4. If you could go forward in time, what is one question you would like to ask yourself? How do you imagine you might answer it?

I did an exercise recently that is similar in essence to this question, and was surprised by the answer I got. I imagined myself as an old lady and asked: Is there anything you regret not doing? And she replied: not having children. It’s given me a lot to think about.

5. What are your favorite creative resources?

Books, books and books, always. Being anywhere that is outside of my home with a camera in my hand. Spending time with my nephew. And my Google Reader is always filled with inspiration — I love that by following such a wide variety of blogs I never know what I’ll find when I open my laptop.

6. Who inspires you online?

There are so many friends, peers and mentors that inspire me online I can’t possible list them all, so I will just share the bloggers I have visited this morning: Justine Musk, Jen Louden, Susan Piver, Jonathan Fields, Julie Daley, Tara Gentile. They all write wonderfully and always give me something to ponder when I visit.

7. How do you make every day an extraordinary adventure?

I’m not sure that I do and really, if every day was an extraordinary adventure I would be permanently exhausted :) I appreciate simple pleasure like a mug of black coffee made from freshly ground beans. Burning incense all day while I write. Having Skype dates with my sister and nephew. Scanning Polaroids while listening to music. Simple things make me happy.

Images via Susannah Conway