Zornitsa Shahanska
Photographer, Visual Designer, Content Creator, and Introvert
San Francisco
Instagram: @zorymory | thislifeoftravel.com
If you could say something to every woman?
What we allow is what will continue. We need to stand up together for what we believe in.
Any advice on taking care of your spirit?
It’s important to remember that your mind will always believe everything you tell it. So feed it faith, truth, and love.
One of your greatest lessons?
Tomorrow is not promised. This is something that we all know, but somehow many of us manage to live life without fully acknowledging what it means. Life can really change in a heartbeat. Two years ago, out of nowhere, my mom was hospitalized. She was diagnosed with cancer and lost that battle within 3 weeks. The speed in which she declined and passed away was so fast, that it felt unreal, like a nightmare I was waiting to wake up from. I had a really hard time coming to terms with the fact that we’d never talk again. All I could think of was all the conversations in the future that we’d never get to have and every Christmas without her. It was a really challenging time in my life which made me realize that time was very finite indeed. As a result, I made a promise to be more intentional with my time. Since then I’m more selective about who I spend my time with and how I spend the day.
Great advice that you’ve received?
Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods. It made me realize that in life, just like in Adobe Photoshop, you can achieve the same results by following many different steps.
What does slow living mean to you?
It means living more out of intent, less out of habit, and taking time to savor the now. It’s all these little luxuries that are so easy to forget in our fast paced world
Any advice on self-care & wellness?
In order to love who you are you can’t hate the experiences that shaped you. Accept your story and your imperfections. This will bring you balance and clarity.
Any recent discoveries?
I guess one of my biggest discoveries is the power and freedom that comes to you when you don’t take things personally.
Where do you pull from when you create, or what motivates you?
I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to live a life where I can choose what I do. My mom, for example, didn’t have that luxury. She was an immensely creative woman born in a Communist country that didn’t value individuality and creativity. She taught me to count my blessings and be grateful for all the opportunities that were available to me. This is what keeps me going.
Creative tools you love?
I love the good old pen and paper. I love doodling, writing things down, and scratching things off a paper to-do list. However sometimes I lose my notes which is frustrating…but one can always start fresh.
What does slow living mean to you?
It means living more out of intent, less out of habit, and taking time to savor the now. It’s all these little luxuries that are so easy to forget in our fast paced world.
Any hobbies that you have?
I love digging for treasures at flea markets. I take great pleasure in rummaging through piles of random junk in hopes of finding that diamond in the rough.
Any advice you have for creatives or entrepreneurs?
I think sometimes creative people can have a hard time starting things. We always want everything to be perfect before we present it to the world - but my advice is to just start. Start doing, start learning, and even start failing. If there is one thing I’ve learned from my start-up days in San Francisco is that failing is okay. There is a lot we can learn in defeat.
How did you get into your field?
With a background in Visual Arts (and as an introvert), I’ve always loved creating images as a way of self expression - this was my language and my outlet. With the rise of social media - I had a platform to share and connect with like-minded people from all over the world, which I’ve embraced. Any lesson you wish you would’ve know in business, or an important business lesson you've learned. If you don't ask the question, the answer is always no. Ask “do you have a budget” and be prepared to walk away if they don’t. If someone doesn’t see the value of your work you probably shouldn’t work with them.
Any creative ideas that you love?
I love that the more creative things you do, the more ideas you get. You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. had a platform to share and connect with like-minded people from all over the world, which I’ve embraced