Running your own business is hard. Worrying at times, massively rewarding at others. It's a fine line between euphoria and insanity.
In the photography world (probably like many others to be fair) there are supporters and there are people who, for some reason or another, want to see you fail (or are just arseholes), nitpicky bitter people who love nothing more that having a moan, and projecting their own problems onto others.
When you start out and even as you continue, expect to see a healthy mixture of both.
Supporters are easy to deal with, they're nice. Arseholes not so much at times. They seem to strike when you feel a bit meh about your work or yourself or perhaps other things....business isn't as you want it to be, up pops an arsehole...struggling to stay motivated, up pops an arsehole - it's always the same.
Now, I have a couple of theories on this. Firstly arseholes pop up all the time, but while you're on cloud 9 they're kind of like little ants scurrying beneath your feet. When you aren't feeling so great these ants seem like big ass bulls charging towards you. Same person, different perception. Remember though it's just perception, that's all it is.
There's a number of ways to deal with arseholes, there's the fuckoff approach which I personally like, or perhaps the more sensible option which is to ignore and move on, they'll go find someone else to mither trust me.
I guess the point really is, there's always going to be people like that in the world, you can't control how they behave but you certainly have a choice as to how much it affects you.
Surround yourself with positive people, discard the negative ones.
Chin up buttercup - we all go through it... even me, the most cocky self assured and Worlds greatest wedding photographer (true story). You just won't see it, because frankly I don't give a shit about the opinions of arseholes and neither should you.
Peace out - stay positive 🤘