A Side of Syrup Podcast - EP 013: Finding the Right Light with Molly McCauley
Saving the best for last.
Years ago I got matched with a wedding photographer who I didn’t like. The person’s work was very traditional and dialed in. Like they did the standard shots hundreds of times. Most of all the work didn’t have soul. The brides and grooms looked terrified and no one was having fun. I took a moment and called the head of the company. I needed someone else. Especially with the investment we were taking with our photos.
I didn’t get sent any names, I got sent photo galleries. It was easy to scroll through and pick out things that I liked, but honestly many were the same old same old. That is until I got to Molly’s photographs. They were stop in your tracks, how did you do that with that light, these are moments that are for forever.
I knew Molly’s work was special right from the get go, but then I met her in person and I’ve been a fan girl ever since. Molly’s creative and soulful and real. She’s always seeking to do better, learn more, and push the boundaries of what it means to be a photographer.
The light that shines through in Molly’s photos and her quick to sell out Make Pretty Workshop’s are straight from the source - Molly herself.
I’m thrilled to chat with Molly and have her as the final guest for Season 1 of A Side of Syrup. Also, check out some of our favorite photos she’s taken. (Including the branding work for Syrup)!
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About our guest:
Split between LA, New England, and wherever else her work takes her. Molly has spent more than the last decade as a destination wedding photographer. And more recently as a wedding photography business coach, mentor, brand curator, and idea ignitor.
During undergrad, she studied Design, Retail Merchandising, and Photography and always thought she'd work in fashion photography. And she did, in both London and LA, later realizing she loved photography but not so much working in the fashion industry the way she was. That led her to obtain a Master’s in Fine Art Photography so she could teach at the collegiate level. Then enters pivot #2, as she traded becoming a professor to be a mentor, in order to fulfill her vision of hosting intimate and iconic photo editorials.
Make Pretty Workshops was created for the fashion-forward, design-driven photographer who feels more than ready to tap into a bigger market, refresh and renew your brand’s aesthetic, and gain the experiences you need to confidently go after your goals, paired with mentorship, guidance and community for fellow creatives.
Her work has been seen in People, Martha Stewart Weddings, Grace Ormonde, Glamour, and more.
Resources:
Connect with Molly:
Website: MOLLY + CO
Instagram: @mollyandcophoto
Instagram: Make Pretty Workshop
Connect with Shannon:
Website: thisissyrup.com
Instagram: @syrupcoaching
Facebook: www.facebook.com/syrupcoaching
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/syrupcoaching
Syrup free resources: thisissyrup.com/resource-library
Full episode transcript:
Hi! My name is Shannon Pfeffer. I'm obsessed with understanding the how and the why behind feeling good and translating that knowledge into strategies that help you live better.
Each week we'll dive into conversations about food, fitness, stress, career, and family. We'll learn from each other, feel more connected, and we'll explore ways to design a life you love.
So what are you waiting for? Keep listening for tips, tricks, and fun facts about feeling good, looking good, and living better. And don't forget to bring a snack. This is the A Side of Syrup Podcast.
00:00.00
syrupcoaching
It was on a rooftop. There was a happy couple beaming on top of a building in Los Angeles there are bright lights behind them. There is even a billboard lit up in spotlights. It was their wedding day a day they'll remember forever and ever and with that photograph and with that moment I knew I had to meet the person who took it. And that person was Molly Mcauley Molly went on to shoot our own wedding family photos and engagement photos and be a huge part of capturing the essence of who we were at that particular moment. But was really behind those smiles deep love and happiness and seriously some of the best photos I've ever seen I just sit anybody down with our wedding or album or engagement photos and. Family photos and Molly just she nails it. But that's true to Molly because she is her own brand she spent years cultivating her style her perspective her talent.
01:32.20
syrupcoaching
And really really dove into doing that for others. So when you see Molly style. It's it's both approachable and aspirational. You want to have it in your home and you want to learn from it too and now she's teaching others. How to do that for themselves. Molly somehow finds some doubt time and all of that but her work is so magic and so so special to me and my family have tears in my eyes just thinking about her beautiful photos. But It's really a treat that Molly gets to be our season 1 closer for a side of syrup podcast. There's so much wonderfulness in her message and her positivity just love her and adore her and just. Um, so proud of everything she's done so without further ado here is Molly Mcauley
00:00.55
syrupcoaching
Hi Molly how are you I'm doing really? well. It's so wonderful to have you on the podcast. Thank you for being one of my very very None guests.
00:02.88
Molly McCauley
And doing Well how are you.
00:12.12
Molly McCauley
I Was so excited when you emailed me I was like what I I'm ah very honored. Thank you.
00:15.84
syrupcoaching
Ah, oh my gosh I am super super Duber thrilled um I mean just a little bit of background here for everybody I met Molly now. My gosh over six years ago because Molly was our incredible wedding photographer engagement photographer extraordinaire and we looked at it. But I mean as you do when you're getting married and you look at a ton of people and see if you vibe with their vibe. And Molly's use of light was just so special. Um, and we just knew like there was something behind these photos and then we met in person and it was like this instant like synergy and just she's photographed her family and um, she's just been an awesome awesome friend. So i. I'm thrilled to have you here to get into more about you and all the creative ventures you have because it's so inspiring for someone who is not as creative but who aspires to be um of you know these brilliant ideas that you have and you know. Where you've taken your career and like literally where you have gone with your career all over the world. So yes, yeah, so tell everybody a little bit more about you and your background and I've got None questions for you.
01:31.70
Molly McCauley
Crazy. It's crazy.
01:40.93
Molly McCauley
Yeah, Okay I can't wait and I just need to preface by the fact that I still think about your wedding dress like I still think about just how beautiful like I go to weddings every weekend. So for me rarely am I. Really taken back by somebody when I see like design or details or dresses. But I remember you putting that dress on and like having an audible gasp and thinking to myself dang like she looks so good and I think we've even talked about this where I'm like I just want to. Photograph you in the dress. Um, so that's just a preface this whole thing but um, a little bit about me I'm originally from the Midwest I grew up in a very creative Family. So All of these ventures that I have taken throughout my life really stem from.
02:18.47
syrupcoaching
Yes.
02:36.31
Molly McCauley
Encouragement that I received from my mom who was an art teacher. She's a goldsmith my sister's very creative. Works has worked in events is an interior designer and I've just been very encouraged and um, just guided in the art. Scene if you will so that is how I chose a creative path but it also chose me I feel like by default. Um I am not a great student I have several different. Learning disabilities and for me I found art was really my way to express myself and it was one of the few subjects. Um that I excelled in because I could work with my hands. Um and presentations I would always excel in presentations because I could get creative and. All of those good things. So I found art really just to be a means of survival in in my early days but then really a way that I have thrived throughout the years so my business um is a wedding photography business I've done many things throughout the years I've done branding photography I've done family maternity. All the things I've really streamlined down to just weddings at this point I focus on destination weddings I travel all over the world and over this past year a passion project of mine that has been a decade in the making ah was launched and that's called make pretty workshops and that's where I orchestrate and design and um, just facilitate wedding editorials for. Other wedding photographers and videographers who are really looking to uplevel their brands and their content. Maybe they're not booking the types of weddings they want to be shooting so we're able to to facilitate a space and design for them to be inspired and create and push boundaries. Um, so that's really where where my my business is at but my background is oddly enough in photography I don't know a whole lot of wedding photographers who have multiple degrees as I do so. My bachelor's is in. Photography design and retail merchandising and they did obtain my master's degree in fine art photography with the intention of always teaching so a decade later I'm finally I'm finally at that point but I decided to go the workshop route because as I was a learner I learned.
04:55.23
syrupcoaching
Ahead.
05:07.68
Molly McCauley
Best hands on and in person and in the nitty gritty being able to touch and learn as I go um, so that's really why I've chosen this route over. Let's say a professor route which I really thought I was Goingnna go? Um, so.
05:19.34
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, yeah.
05:24.70
Molly McCauley
While I would love to have say I've had this like grandiose plan of how this life was unfolding for myself I really haven't I've just been somebody who's been willing to take chances on uncertain you know situations and I've worked in fashion houses in London I've worked um in galleries and.
05:35.16
syrupcoaching
Um, that.
05:43.97
Molly McCauley
West Hollywood Um I've I've done it all and it's all led me to here.
05:47.66
syrupcoaching
You know it's funny I was in like um, a class with the the babies and the instructor was talking about like think about your childhood and like what you really wanted to be and she's like. I guarantee 90% of you are living some sort of your childhood dream or something like that really like lit you up as a kid and her thing was like I really liked teaching kids and also teaching the adults. And she's like that's literally what I do and I've created my business but it sounds similar to you too of like you found what you were good at and you really like hone into it and now instead of like I'm going to fit in this box where I'm going to teach people and it's got to be their Way. No, here's how I learn and I'm going to teach other people. How valuable it is to learn this way too.
06:41.64
Molly McCauley
Right? And it's resonating. It's landing with people and you know I'm filling in need. There's so many different photography workshops you can attend but there were not often. The aesthetic that I was looking for So I just started designing things for myself and it's landing with other people. So I think that's something to really think about as you know, leaning into what you're good at that's something that I found I was able to do early on but also just being adaptable and realizing that you know what works for you.
06:54.82
syrupcoaching
Internet.
07:14.21
Molly McCauley
Does work for other people. You don't have to fit that mold like you just described. Um and you know it might be this major gap in an industry that then you can really you know propel yourself into. So. That's that's currently kind of where I'm at is there's just this trajectory right now for me and momentum moving forward with this education ah side of my business that I'm just I'm really really excited about and to touch on what I wanted to be as a child I wanted to be a rock Star. So I like.
07:39.77
syrupcoaching
That's awesome. It's It's super cool. Yeah yeah I mean you are.
07:46.95
Molly McCauley
Wanted to be I like I was always a performer I danced competitively for years I I Just always was putting on a show I remember I used to like perform in our living room for like when my parents had friends over I I.
07:49.00
syrupcoaching
Yes.
07:58.69
syrupcoaching
Perhaps.
08:02.30
Molly McCauley
I Always was a hustler like I remember taking drink orders from my parents' friends and then telling them how much it cost once I brought them over and like making them tip me and stuff like that I was just always working that angle but I was very.
08:14.68
syrupcoaching
Didn What? what? me.
08:18.14
Molly McCauley
Was very charismatic and that's what I found that works really well for me in my business is I am in a business people I am in a business of you know connection and that is a superpower of mine is networking and it's it's something that I've just Learned. If I put my effort there. It really does come back and reward um rather than swimming Upstream in different avenues that like I don't enjoy as much or I'm not naturally as gifted and like it's just one of these things that I found like okay, get me in front of people and I'll get the job.
08:50.40
syrupcoaching
And.
08:52.60
Molly McCauley
If I have to write an email for the job I'm not getting it but get me in a room and I'll and I'll land it.
08:55.56
syrupcoaching
Oh My gosh I want to have your skill and I want to have your will I think my childhood thing was I Really although I was like pretty quiet and I'm still pretty introverted. My thing was bossing people around. Like if I could tell people what to do and like here's what here's based on what I know here's you know what you can do or what you should be doing that was my thing and like every job I've had where I've been like had had no team to run I've just been like spinning because I'm like what I could tell myself what to do.
09:27.34
Molly McCauley
Do you know? what do you know? what? Enneagram you are.
09:30.46
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yes I am oh I'm a 5 hold on I am I think yes oh.
09:39.76
Molly McCauley
I'm an 8 wing 7 So if anyone's familiar with any and graham you know exactly the type of person I am and I live up to every stereotype of of my personality. Okay.
09:50.26
syrupcoaching
So yourinate I'm a 5 um some more like taking in all the knowledge and sitting on it and that is that is very true. So you're an 8 So is that the one where it's like learning or complication.
09:56.69
Molly McCauley
Yeah.
10:04.40
Molly McCauley
I'm a Challenger I'm I'm a Challenger so in a sense often like leaders are eights. So um, trailblazers that kind of stuff.
10:08.93
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah.
10:14.57
Molly McCauley
Um, but then with the wing 7 I'm like very loyal I want things to be done fairly like all of that kind of stuff and it's just crazy I I don't know what what I believe in astrology I don't know any of this kind of stuff but I just find those personality tests to be so fascinating.
10:15.48
syrupcoaching
Yeah, then.
10:25.74
syrupcoaching
Nice, Yeah yeah, rani.
10:33.96
Molly McCauley
Um, and it just allows you to identify and be like yes that is me you know So so funny.
10:36.63
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, no, we did it a couple I want to say like maybe a couple weeks ago like sixty eight weeks ago I listened to a business podcast and they were talking about how important it is when you're working with other people to know your numbers and I was like Aaron come on. He's like.
10:50.83
Molly McCauley
Yes.
10:56.21
syrupcoaching
Done Myers-briggs whatever and I was like this is totally different and like the numbers don't change like and myyers brigg like if you have life event or something like you your letters can change in this. You do not and um yeah I remember I got a 5 and he was like that's you.
10:58.18
Molly McCauley
Yeah.
11:05.60
Molly McCauley
Yeah.
11:14.51
syrupcoaching
And he got a one which is like all about being a good person and doing the right thing and then he was like yeah that's right, He's such a one. Yeah right? And then when I googled like.
11:18.53
Molly McCauley
Oh my god he's he's such a one he is such a 1 but just personality wise too I can just see it now. Yes, okay.
11:31.20
syrupcoaching
5 and one in a relationship. It was like this is a perfect match and I'm like and then he was really stoked and so now he'll talk about it. Um, but it's so funny. It's like those those things like.
11:31.74
Molly McCauley
Oh gosh isn't that nice. Yeah.
11:42.73
syrupcoaching
You know you can't hide who you are but you take 1 of those quizzes and you're like I could take it 5 times and it's going to be the same thing but I think yours it's also really interesting too because it's like your dream of being the rock star and you know.
11:48.77
Molly McCauley
Yeah, yeah, they're just so fun.
12:02.36
syrupcoaching
Having so many people who are leaders I think so so many of the last couple presidents have also been eights. Um, ah proudly um, and ah, you know that.
12:06.78
Molly McCauley
Yes, Obama sorry giving away my affiliation.
12:19.47
syrupcoaching
Makes sense for you to be able to start your own thing and then have people follow and you know want to be a part of the journey and want to learn from you. Um, it just.
12:26.29
Molly McCauley
Yeah, and as I look look back over my life too I'm the person in the room that like if a teacher is calling on somebody asking who wants to go first if there is silence that makes my skin crawl and I'm like I'll go None
12:34.37
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, yeah I.
12:41.21
Molly McCauley
Like whatever like that was I looking back at it. It just makes sense but I do think that that helps me and has helped me in business because I am the person that will take the risk I will be the person who jumps on something first I will be you know that 1 to stick stick my neck out there a little bit and take a chance.
12:47.16
syrupcoaching
Page. Yes.
12:57.10
syrupcoaching
You.
13:00.35
Molly McCauley
Um, yeah, and unapologetically be myself. Um, which is another big part of of that personality is that just really understanding who you are I a big a big thing for me is I've always rooted for an underdog like always and just like wanted to make sure.
13:15.61
syrupcoaching
Thank you.
13:20.23
Molly McCauley
You know under under heard voices. You know where there was a light shown on that. Um all of that good stuff like that's just something that as I look back. It's insane how much of my life and my work has evolved around these personality traits.
13:35.69
syrupcoaching
Yeah, and it's so interesting too of like your life truly is a story and you could see the start and finish of different layers of it and how these things are connected. Had someone tell me years and years ago of like your resume. You know it should be your career story and I just never looked at a resume the same again because it was like here's the path to get here instead of like here's what I've done. Um, when you really think about your life and how truly connected all the decisions are and motivations are.
13:55.88
Molly McCauley
And then. Right.
14:10.28
syrupcoaching
Really wonderful. Wonderful thing.
14:10.34
Molly McCauley
Yeah, yeah, just even thinking about it in terms of like the things that you have to let go of to make room for the things that are coming whether that's a job like you said on a resume Or. Um, ideas or relationships or whatever it is. It's just so interesting to see how that unfolds um throughout that life journey.
14:33.83
syrupcoaching
Oh totally totally totally. Yeah I mean I'd love to talk a little bit about something that totally surprised me of you guys picking up and moving somewhere really special.
14:47.81
Molly McCauley
Well, you know it kind of surprised us too. Um, and it's funny because I never made this like grandiose announcement on my business page because for those who don't know me I'm based in Los Angeles but last year I expanded to the new New York and new england market.
14:57.00
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
15:07.14
Molly McCauley
Um, for weddings and workshops and all of that good stuff I have a house now on the side of a mountain in Vermont and if you would have talked to me a few years ago about that idea I would have laughed at you just because I was in such a. Uphill climb and establishing and just really really becoming more known in my main markets and that was so so much work and effort had gone into establishing myself in Southern California and as a destination photographer. So the idea of up and leaving. Wasn't as pressing but then pandemic we were inside for None ars especially in Los Angeles it was very strict. Um, so it just got us thinking about what we wanted to do and just some adventures we wanted to have some financial freedom. We wanted. Um and what that looked like for us. Do we think this is a forever move. Maybe not but it's something that we had a gut calling towards and I have always been very very strong in my intuition. It's something that has led me. Take a lot of chances that have worked out really well and you know it's made me do some really stupid things too. But I really trust my gut and this was something that just had been pulling us. Um and we decided to move to Vermont not just on a whim and not out of the blue but we've spent every.
16:35.26
syrupcoaching
And.
16:41.59
syrupcoaching
What.
16:44.92
Molly McCauley
Thanksgiving here for the last ten or eleven years um my husband's family. You know, lived in parts of Vermont they would ski every year in Vermont they have a place up here. So it just made a lot of sense. The proximity to family made sense having something new made sense having. Clean air made sense. Um, we have 3 big dogs so giving them ah giving them none. Granted, they're not roaming that we have bears and like a lot of stuff around us too. So like I'm just scared um but it's.
17:04.70
syrupcoaching
You Also have 3 giant dogs. So. Money From. Um, yeah.
17:23.30
Molly McCauley
It's such an interesting change of pace having winter for the none time in 15 years was no joke but it's such an interesting change of pace and I think it has allowed us to slow down and really think about what next steps would be. I don't think we're going the kid route like that's just something that hasn't been pressing for us and um I I would rather have all the dogs. That's just kind of like where my heart lies and I'm I'm excited about where we are that we don't have pressure.
17:41.15
syrupcoaching
Yep. Hit. Yeah area.
17:58.12
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
18:00.77
Molly McCauley
Make a decision because we want to do this or because we want to do that. We really just have ultimate freedom right now we're about to start another home renovation and Shannon knows that.
18:12.87
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
18:15.23
Molly McCauley
Over the past six years I have unintentionally flipped 2 homes. Um, so now we're on our None and yeah, whether we whether we stay or go we we don't know but it is it was a necessary step because we would have always been wondering. Was it smart for my business.
18:21.10
syrupcoaching
Um, then ahead.
18:32.49
syrupcoaching
Yep.
18:34.65
Molly McCauley
I couldn't tell you like I don't know but I do know that it has given me really really reputable. Um or like a level of. Trust. With people knowing that I have both an east and West Coast address that I'm working on both coasts. They're constantly seeing me travel. There's just an expansion part of my business that like it. It just looks and feels good from a consumer and from a vendor side.
18:53.10
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
19:02.37
Molly McCauley
So um, for my business it ah it ultimately could be a really great thing even even though it might feel scary not being where the action is on the day-to-day.
19:10.50
syrupcoaching
Yeah, but you said that you know you really land that business when you're face to face so now having those opportunities on the East Coast even more just even people you're meeting in your network just has to be. You know you may not see.
19:24.11
Molly McCauley
Absolutely.
19:28.83
syrupcoaching
Any dividends paid now. But in six months a year or 3 years it's got to be a game changer.
19:34.35
Molly McCauley
Absolutely even just this spring I you know was able to put myself out there I happened to be in New York for um, a meeting and it was during New York Bridal Fashion week and that's where all of the new. Designs come forward from major designers and a lot of emerging designers or upcoming designers will showcase as well and I was able to then reach out to a handful of designers and shoot content because I was already going to be there. It wasn't going to be an expense of bringing me out from l a.
19:56.80
syrupcoaching
Is it? what.
20:08.83
Molly McCauley
Or any of that good stuff I was just able to be like hey I'm here and I'm available on this date. Do you need any content and how grateful they were for me to shoot for them and how grateful I was now to have content in the city that I'm targeting It was a win-win really.
20:24.37
syrupcoaching
Yeah that's it incredible. Yeah I think you know so many people are afraid to take that leap I think the pandemic push has given people that permission to be like you know what? this job's not for me or this person's not for me. Um I'm going to change things up. But there's still like that a lot of talk but no action and you know I think like you guys are one of the few who actually did it like we have but another friend who moved to Australia for a year a friend who uprooted their family to Rwanda for a year
20:46.10
Molly McCauley
Ah.
21:01.40
syrupcoaching
You know, just you know, taking that chance because why not I think we learned like how slow time could be and also how fast it can be and you know I think I just applaud you and I applaud everybody for making that change at actually doing it because. You know you don't know right now where your life will be and that's kind of an amazing feeling and to not like you said to not have that pressure to have the financial freedom to just be you guys and do what you want to do and what you're passionate about like that's so healthy.
21:35.90
Molly McCauley
I mean I would love to say that That's how it started It was more of like a ah, let's get out of L a type of thing I think we're feeling all of those things now but that definitely wasn't the case before um.
21:45.45
syrupcoaching
Yeah, okay.
21:51.43
Molly McCauley
And my husband and I are very opposite personalities where I thrive in Unknowns typically like I am very good like in an adventure setting on the go unknown while I am a planner like I like to have like an overarching.
21:55.49
syrupcoaching
I say.
22:10.80
Molly McCauley
Let's say planner control freak I like to be in control of things. But I am very good at adapting. Um, so that to me is I will seek out the opportunities I will go find how this is going to work for me I'm not going to just like sit in misery because I decided.
22:10.77
syrupcoaching
That.
22:17.56
syrupcoaching
The head.
22:29.38
Molly McCauley
Oh here's this move and now I'm in a really rural part of Vermont and I don't know anyone when I thrive around people. It's a very isolating feeling so knowing what I need to do in order to fulfill my personality and what I need as just a human.
22:34.40
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
22:46.75
Molly McCauley
Has been really crucial and that's incorporated like trips back to La for work which have which were already on the books but have come at such great times where I'm able to recharge in that like more fast-paced familiar setting.
22:51.83
syrupcoaching
Um, isn't it.
23:00.48
syrupcoaching
Try.
23:02.52
Molly McCauley
Or you know just now that I have proximity to different family and friends like quick weekend trips away that I that I wasn't able to do before because I was just always working. Um, so yeah, it's just really opened up a ah new perspective for us.
23:11.12
syrupcoaching
Or sleep.
23:17.20
syrupcoaching
Yeah I mean you and I fall in the category of girl in the go like being on a plane is oddly comforting you know and just like figuring things out of like you know what? I'm in the city for a day who could I call um you know that just um.
23:22.82
Molly McCauley
Who.
23:31.15
Molly McCauley
Yeah.
23:36.75
syrupcoaching
It's great to be able to do that again. I mean this is a random question but this is on my bucket list and I think you might be a good partner for me I've never found anybody who wants to do this, but there is a drip where you.
23:42.80
Molly McCauley
Okay, oh Lord Ok ok.
23:55.10
syrupcoaching
Take a tiny little plane to a random part like an island or somewhere with a jungle and you're left there for 24 hours and it's survivor camp and you have a backpack and they come back in 24 hours but you got to figure it out.
24:03.88
Molly McCauley
Oh my gosh. Yeah I mean what if something kills you in the 24 hours like what? ah like ah how safe of a scenario is this so like this is the control person of me is that yes I would be good for an adventure like and trust me, we'd be coming out like queens of the castle like.
24:17.50
syrupcoaching
Um, I mean Yeah, yeah, yeah.
24:28.35
Molly McCauley
Don't don't even question but the other part of me is like okay like these parameters. What are these parameters like am I gonna need but in a jungle where like an Anaconda is gonna accept aate me I don't know I don't know if I'm cool with that I don't know if I want that threat but.
24:31.95
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
24:39.47
syrupcoaching
Yeah, um, okay, here's something that may help it's run by National Geographic expeditions. So legit Legit they've got insurance. They probably don't want anyone to die or be.
24:49.80
Molly McCauley
Fine. Okay, so legit.
24:58.00
Molly McCauley
Exactly right.
24:58.90
syrupcoaching
Lose a limb I don't think it's like Tom Hanks in that movie with like Wilson um, but kind of I mean Gwyneth palrow did it her None birthday okay Okay, all right all right.
25:06.32
Molly McCauley
I mean I'd be down I'd be down I'd be down to see details I'd be down to see details. Okay I love it so much bring your wedding bring your wedding dress. We'll do an editorial but.
25:15.60
syrupcoaching
You know so someday I may call on you for this trip and.
25:25.30
syrupcoaching
Poor, beautiful dress would get ruined but it's in a box Molly and I'm I'm pretty sure I can fit back into it. So um, someday someday we will do this? Um well I mean talking about slowing down and and and you know doing these trips to make you happy like you you.
25:28.36
Molly McCauley
Um, um.
25:35.51
Molly McCauley
Someday.
25:43.83
syrupcoaching
Taking this time for yourself and you know recharging and like addressing things that you probably didn't have time to address like what what other things are you doing to like really take care of yourself and sort of like heal from the craziness that was La for so long.
25:59.15
Molly McCauley
Yeah, and don't get me wrong I'm not bashing l a like there's a very high high you know possibility that we could end up back there someday or Santa Barbara or cal anywhere right? Like we don't we don't know.
26:02.72
syrupcoaching
No, no, no. Yes, yeah, and let me let me just pause here for one second like it's it's our dream to be able to go and do what Molly did but with 3 kids we cannot go and do that? Um, so I like it's like wanderlust and I'm like oh my gosh it sounds a mate.
26:22.92
Molly McCauley
Yeah, well I mean you could you could you could though you could. It's a lot of questions and withs a lot of logistics you could. But that being said in terms of taking care of ourselves. The 1 thing I'll I'll say is.
26:25.96
syrupcoaching
Um, but also like yeah we could but we have lost. Ah yeah, it is you? yeah.
26:42.69
Molly McCauley
It's been. It's been imperative like my husband has to get outside. He has to like walk the dogs he has to be active and all of that all of that kind of stuff I have found that this truly has been a slowdown for me where I have relieved myself of pressure of having to do anything and I think.
26:49.25
syrupcoaching
Yes.
26:58.46
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
27:02.19
Molly McCauley
That is just as powerful as you know coming up with things that are self-care like I don't think that I need to assign anything specific as a self-care like Habit do I love getting reflexology Yes, but that's an La activity because there isn't a whole lot of that around.
27:14.98
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah life.
27:20.30
Molly McCauley
Where I am like I can barely find a place to get my nails done so you know I'm I'm 45 minutes from like the closest town like when I say I'm rural I am I am really out there. Um, so it's it's one of those things that.
27:29.77
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
27:35.71
Molly McCauley
I think slowing down and allowing myself to take breaks because the 1 thing I will say my brain is constantly activated and it's constantly thinking and a lot of times I will be processing processing processing and often.
27:43.14
syrupcoaching
There.
27:50.86
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
27:54.44
Molly McCauley
And can't implement because I get so overwhelmed and I think that's a undiagnosed None situation that probably should be addressed at some point but I do think that there are behavioral things that just happen because of how I'm wired that these.
27:55.76
syrupcoaching
Are.
28:09.52
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah.
28:12.28
Molly McCauley
This forced downtime ah is like very necessary for me in this stage of my life right now where you know binging a ah show on Netflix I'm not feeling guilty about that anymore whereas I used to be like oh but I should be doing this i.
28:29.36
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
28:31.29
Molly McCauley
Could be doing this. This would get this done and then I'd be able to deliver this gallery early and you know I'm one of those people that hates being late on anything I hate owing anybody anything. So um, timelines I work really good with deadlines and timelines but they also can work as.
28:40.66
syrupcoaching
Here.
28:50.69
Molly McCauley
A little bit of a Jail cell in terms of um how the rest of my life functions. So the actual act of slowing down and silence and um, just.
28:55.60
syrupcoaching
Prisoner.
29:04.51
Molly McCauley
Getting to things that make me happy seeing live music again. Really really was amazing a few weeks ago I went to Chicago for a concert I flew in on a Friday night went to the concert Saturday left Sunday morning and it was just so so giving to my soul.
29:21.56
syrupcoaching
Gender.
29:24.49
Molly McCauley
Um, in terms of of that just you know crowd experience Covid aside like Thank God I didn't get covid but like um crowd experience just having that group experience together with amazing artists. Um, it was just really, really lovely. So that's kind of.
29:27.98
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes.
29:37.55
syrupcoaching
Okay.
29:43.90
Molly McCauley
How I'm looking at things now the other part of this is we are now in a space that allows when I had mentioned financial freedom earlier. It allows my husband to now sometimes take trips with me where as before it was always. No, you either have to stay back with the dogs or if if you leave you know this cuts into our paycheck for this and our mortgage in la and blah blah blah all this stuff where we have a little bit more freedom where he was able to go to Paris with me last year for his I brought him over for his fortieth birthday on the tail end of a work trip. I had another work trip that was in London this spring and I was like you want to know what I I used to live in London. So for me that was a really really amazing like homecoming in a sense. Um, it took me years to get back and I was just very very excited to be there but I was so excited to be able to share that with him.
30:21.74
syrupcoaching
Young.
30:32.69
syrupcoaching
And here.
30:35.37
Molly McCauley
Typically it would either be myself or my mom has always been my travel buddy because you know she's around and has freedom to do so as well. So um, it's just been really nice that he's been able to join me now. He's going to Ireland with me this fall. Um, so.
30:37.30
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah.
30:45.80
syrupcoaching
Estimate.
30:51.61
Molly McCauley
It's that's more trips that we've taken in the last probably ten months than we have in and in the last ten years together we still haven't even taken our honeymoon we got married five years ago and we still haven't been able to take our honeymoon for 1 reason or another it's been planned 3 different times and canceled 3 different times.
30:54.46
syrupcoaching
A. Um, yes. Meaning.
31:10.76
Molly McCauley
So um, it's just a really really nice place to be.
31:13.68
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, that's incredible and it sounds like you have set up some like really good like personal boundaries and work boundaries too because you know we set these expectations for ourselves of like this has to be done and that you know if I don't get it. They'll think of me this way but you know. Whether it's sending an email or sending a like ah a first look. You know it's it can it can wait. You know? Yeah, totally.
31:39.24
Molly McCauley
Yeah, it can wait and or I can send one photo instead of 20 photos. So for me, it's more about this like balance and don't get it twisted like I still struggle I am like a people please where I like.
31:49.90
syrupcoaching
No enough. Yeah.
31:54.93
Molly McCauley
To be an overachiever I'm somebody who always wants to deliver more than what was promised. So for me, that's just an innate thing that I'm always struggling with but it's like hey how can I achieve this without going so overboard to where it's affecting me and this is a constant struggle.
31:58.11
syrupcoaching
Um, and the head.
32:10.10
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
32:12.66
Molly McCauley
And the seesaw of life and um I Just you know I'm ah I'm on the upswing right now.
32:16.84
syrupcoaching
You know? Yeah so I have you Also I mean I've felt this but I you know I want to ask you too like with the world changing and everyone you know, kind of changing their focus for their lives like. Have you also hope like let go of friendships that weren't serving you and that that feels great right? No I.
32:39.80
Molly McCauley
Yeah, well you know it doesn't feel great in the moment but it there's a relief. There's a relief from what you thought that that friendship was supposed to be what you were hoping it would be um I think.
32:52.37
syrupcoaching
Ah, here.
32:57.92
Molly McCauley
Some of the breakups that I've had with girlfriends over the past year have been harder than you know some of the relationships I got out of with men that I dated I was engaged once a long time ago and you know I don't want to say that that was easier to get out of but I think that.
33:08.35
syrupcoaching
Um.
33:15.90
Molly McCauley
Having those deeply rooted friendships and having some of them be some of the closest people I had been you know friends with and having to acknowledge that hey this isn't working. Um, it's not working for me. It's not working for them. It's not benefiting either of us. Um, those have been.
33:20.34
syrupcoaching
Is here.
33:25.83
syrupcoaching
Listen.
33:31.24
syrupcoaching
Are.
33:35.30
Molly McCauley
Pretty devastating but in the end I've seen how I've thrived coming out of situations. There isn't and there isn't the expectation that I hold of myself but honestly more so the expectation I was placing on other people I have a um.
33:41.11
syrupcoaching
Are.
33:49.60
syrupcoaching
You smith.
33:54.21
Molly McCauley
I'm just like a very loyal person and I think innately I just have this expectation that that's going to be reciprocated and or if I'm going to work so really hard towards something that that's going to be matched.
33:54.68
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
34:07.18
Molly McCauley
Um, and I think I've found myself being very disappointed by people. But I'm only disappointed because that's what I put on to them That's not because they didn't necessarily do their best in in the friendship. Um, it was It was what I had wanted them to be.
34:15.21
syrupcoaching
Um, the guy.
34:21.75
syrupcoaching
Right? me.
34:23.69
Molly McCauley
And they weren't so it's not fair to them to be upset. But I also recognize that it was just not a healthy place for any of us to be um am I sad that I'm not friends with them anymore. Yes, um, do I think that I want to.
34:32.28
syrupcoaching
Um, ah.
34:43.63
Molly McCauley
Turn the car around and revisit it. No and that's a really nice place to be to is just understanding that like the season they're in my life for was really impactful and that I got a lot from them and hopefully I was able to give that to them in return but that then now like.
34:44.44
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
34:57.98
syrupcoaching
It.
35:02.67
Molly McCauley
We turn the page and it is like you said that story of your life I'm now on and on a totally different you know Coast in a new chapter and just realizing that you're not meant to be with everyone forever.
35:07.30
syrupcoaching
Are.
35:15.82
syrupcoaching
Right? right? and and there are folks who do come back at a different phase or life stage and that's amazing because you have that shared history but kind of growing together or growing apart and that's okay, you know and.
35:22.54
Molly McCauley
Yep.
35:31.28
Molly McCauley
It's a very adult place to get like and the person in me who is the people person and the networker and all of that kind of stuff just for the longest time struggled with the idea of not.
35:33.69
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
35:44.44
Molly McCauley
Being friends with somebody who I had been friends with for 15 years so like to let that go um was a really difficult decision. But I also just kind of got to the point of like I'm old enough to not have to fake this like this shouldn't be an issue like this shouldn't be.
35:46.29
syrupcoaching
A hit. Yeah.
35:57.79
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
36:03.41
Molly McCauley
Um, a point of contention of when I see someone's name pop up on my phone like that is angsty like that angsty feeling I don't want to have that I don't want to have anxiety over conversations I don't want to have um expectations that are not met time and time again.
36:15.10
syrupcoaching
Um, no.
36:20.92
Molly McCauley
And then be disappointed like I don't I don't love those feelings and the great thing is as an adult you can make decisions for yourself and you can decide who is in your circle and who isn't um and and it doesn't have to be as cutthroat as that but like for me sometimes it is it Sometimes it is just it needs to be a cold cut like.
36:28.77
syrupcoaching
I should. Um, then who.
36:40.72
Molly McCauley
I've never dated the same person twice and that's for good reason I have very good willpower and as much as I might have wanted to go back to somebody I never would have just because I'm like okay if it didn't work. It didn't work for a reason.
36:40.79
syrupcoaching
Me yeah. The ha.
36:56.80
syrupcoaching
Yep.
36:56.15
Molly McCauley
And I feel that way about friendships as well is that there is something that did not work and I love them from afar and I don't need to have them um in my tightknit community because it is tight and it's getting It's getting.
37:00.92
syrupcoaching
Ah, yeah.
37:09.98
syrupcoaching
Um, business.
37:12.55
Molly McCauley
Smaller and smaller as the years go by but I do know that those are my ride or die people and and those relationships become much more stronger when I'm able to focus on them than be distracted by things that are not fulfilling me.
37:22.55
syrupcoaching
Um, totally totally and it's not like you push people out or you push things out because you've met somebody new or you have this new hobby. It's just like this isn't serving me anymore and it's okay to let go because.
37:39.59
Molly McCauley
It and hope listen.
37:42.30
syrupcoaching
Need to move forward and you probably do too. Um and it's you know it's one of the hardest things to do but None of the smartest things to do and I just I'm so happy when I open my social media and it's like actually people that i. Care about you know and it's like I drew. Yes yes, but you know the fundamentally it's just like I don't have to like you're saying I don't have to see this person's name pop up I mean like oh I wish I was there or.
38:02.36
Molly McCauley
Yep well with Instagram changing the way things are it's getting harder and harder to see that. But yes.
38:13.73
Molly McCauley
Yeah. Yeah, and it gets Tricky. It gets tricky too because even from like a work standpoint. Maybe I Just do not align with somebody but I Also don't want to be a dick and be like oh unfollow or block or whatever that mute button is there for a reason.
38:20.23
syrupcoaching
You know or I just don't want to see people. It's like yeah yeah.
38:31.76
syrupcoaching
Um, yes, right? yep.
38:37.20
Molly McCauley
And I have no problem putting anybody on mute that I don't want to impact my energy like I I have realized this about myself that as soon as I started doing that I felt a lot better I had less imposter syndrome I had less.
38:47.40
syrupcoaching
Um, okay yeah.
38:53.79
Molly McCauley
Like comparison to what other people were doing I wasn't feeling like resentful or anything I felt like it was bringing out by tolerating and allowing those people into my world whether it was on social media or in real life I was bringing myself down because of the doubt that was creeping in and.
39:08.62
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah.
39:13.66
Molly McCauley
When I started to filter like quite literally filter through and mute these people so that they were not showing up in my day-to-day I was so much happier I was so much happier. Um, and it's refreshing to be like yes to get on there and be a cheerleader for other people.
39:19.80
syrupcoaching
Ah, wait.
39:31.90
Molly McCauley
In your industry or friends or family. Um and just be delighted by social media because oftentimes it can just be such a drain and um I've done what I can to control that.
39:35.23
syrupcoaching
Okay.
39:43.51
syrupcoaching
Yeah, and and and you and I don't have the luxury like in our business we have to be on it and so it's you know it's the blessing and the curse. But years ago I switched off notifications. So like yeah.
39:48.76
Molly McCauley
Is it.
39:56.95
Molly McCauley
Oh I've never had notifications ever on anything anyone who has anxiety I would recommend just turn any social notifications off I Also do not get alerts on my phone when I get text messages or anything like that.
40:02.14
syrupcoaching
Thing It's great right? Ah huh.
40:09.40
syrupcoaching
I admit.
40:15.10
syrupcoaching
Oh that's detail.
40:16.33
Molly McCauley
So I have all of that silenced. So it's just when I pick up my phone I see somebody texted me. Um, anyone who has anxiety like I feel like this is a key thing that helped me because in my brain as soon as I see that message come in. It's.
40:21.10
syrupcoaching
Smart.
40:28.27
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
40:34.92
Molly McCauley
I Need to reply immediately. That's where my head goes is it really that important. No do those people get to interrupt my schedule and demand a response from me immediately. No.
40:37.11
syrupcoaching
Present.
40:46.21
syrupcoaching
Yeah, really.
40:48.41
Molly McCauley
So as soon as I eliminated that it was so nice or just put do not disturb on that fun little moon symbol right? like if we can if we can control that I noticed my anxiety started going way down. Um in terms of.
40:51.77
syrupcoaching
Right? what.
40:59.57
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
41:05.81
Molly McCauley
What I needed to be for other people.
41:05.86
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, totally totally. Yeah I Love I Love the idea of turning off text because that's it's so great. There's some stat out there I don't remember the stores but it came out recently and it was hunging about how much we check our email and.
41:22.22
Molly McCauley
Oh it's ridiculous.
41:25.52
syrupcoaching
Yeah, on average, it's 20 times a day on average which means in order for that to be the middle. There has to be a huge part of the population checking it even more and I'm like what like how are you doing in the panels. Yeah.
41:33.38
Molly McCauley
Yeah, so it'd be interesting I would love to track this I should probably track this and and see actually what it looks like but as a service-based provider you both you and I both know that if you are not 1 of the None people to respond to an inquiry.
41:44.54
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
41:53.64
Molly McCauley
Likelihood of you booking a job or a client goes down significantly. So I have found that inquiries that I respond to within a few hours even versus a 24 hour turnaround time the likelihood of me booking them skyrockets.
41:54.46
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, yeah.
42:04.12
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
42:09.47
Molly McCauley
So that right there just adds fuel to the fire of that awful cycle of refreshing, refreshing, refreshing. Um and all that kind of stuff so I will I will be the None to hold my hand up and say that I am probably on that high side.
42:13.12
syrupcoaching
As even yeahnna.
42:23.63
syrupcoaching
Yeah I mean and I tried to separate it out of like you know I will only check this inbox but it's a slippery slip you're already in there like no.
42:31.97
Molly McCauley
Yeah, yeah, yeah I mean it's yeah, there's no going back for me. It's just once you're in you're in um I will say like you know hopefully.
42:42.83
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
42:47.80
Molly McCauley
There is like a balance drawn at some point like I know people who are like oh I check my inbox at like 9 a m and like four p m and he's like amazing for you like that's so great for you I don't know how I don't know how to do it like I would need to like literally have that thing that as soon as i.
42:55.59
syrupcoaching
Right.
43:04.46
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, right.
43:04.98
Molly McCauley
Reach for my mouse like it slaps my hand you know so ah also working primarily on a computer with editing and all of that kind of stuff. It's just it's just too easy to not you know to not do it. But um, yeah, it's It's next level on my end.
43:15.65
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
43:21.17
syrupcoaching
Do you have your email open on a tab at all times.
43:25.26
Molly McCauley
So I don't use Tabs I'm one of the few people who actually use like the mail like thing on my eye pack. Um, so I will say once I open my mail.
43:31.99
syrupcoaching
The Oda The little. Yeah. Um, yeah, yeah, okay.
43:41.91
Molly McCauley
It's usually the box might not be open but I will get like the little slider indicators like if something comes in if I if I'm editing and I really need to focus I close out of everything I'm. The type of person that like a red dot bothers me like there cannot be a red dot on my phone. There cannot be a red dot on my email. Um, and how people function with multiple tabs open on a web Browser is like people like it gives me.
43:56.38
syrupcoaching
And.
44:13.44
Molly McCauley
And makes my head spin just thinking about it like when I would when people would like share screens with me to like show me something or whatever I would be like I can't focus on what you're saying. Because you have 13000 tabs open to where you can't even read what they are I'm like you need to open and you you need to open a new thing like I can't even look at this because I'm counting again. That's my add that can't focus but um.
44:30.27
syrupcoaching
That's me. Okay, if.
44:40.60
Molly McCauley
You and I are opposite ends of the spectrum for that.
44:41.44
syrupcoaching
We oh totally totally yeah I'm like I also have um, let me just lift up my phone here really quickly at 352 voicemails who yeah.
44:50.39
Molly McCauley
No I can't it'll no no, absolutely not like absolutely not no like the fact that I have the fact that I have 2 text messages one voicemail in 34 emails really gives me.
45:01.29
syrupcoaching
Ah, yeah, yeah.
45:09.57
Molly McCauley
Heart pathations. So as soon as we hang up. You know what? I'm doing.
45:11.64
syrupcoaching
Don't look don't look. Yeah, yes, exactly right? Um, well I have um, a couple more questions about like you know we've talked a lot about like your strategies which are so helpful and I feel like.
45:18.54
Molly McCauley
Yes, of course.
45:27.63
syrupcoaching
A lot of us can learn from um but how do you do it when you travel so much like how do you find that balance and still like make that time for yourself or find time to work out or you know just to you know.
45:35.10
Molly McCauley
Ahead Still think make this out. Yeah, now you know.
45:44.91
syrupcoaching
I Mean literally stay healthy because traveling it does wear you down.
45:46.98
Molly McCauley
Um, it's brutal and I will say that like I this past year I have not balanced it well like I can be the first to say that last year I had back surgery and my recovery took a little longer than I expected to feel better in which case like my mobility. Um.
45:53.30
syrupcoaching
Um, you did.
46:00.92
syrupcoaching
The Smith.
46:06.60
Molly McCauley
Was not great and um, even even from when I got injured in November of 20202020 or 2021 I can't even remember now 2020 um so I was injured in November from from working out during a workout. Um.
46:13.67
syrupcoaching
When.
46:20.60
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
46:23.45
Molly McCauley
2020 and then finally had surgery at the end of April so I was in a lot of pain I had a lot of nerve damage like down my leg. Um I was in a lot of pain for a handful months when I finally had my surgery. Um I I you know took time I did the pt I did all of that stuff. Um i.
46:26.40
syrupcoaching
None time. Personally.
46:39.27
syrupcoaching
Um, this is.
46:42.51
Molly McCauley
I'll be completely honest and say I have not found my new rhythm I have not found how and then add a move into this right? So you know a few weeks after surgery we moved to the East Coast and then we closed on our house a few months later and then I'm kicking into gear with all my works I'm traveling a ton so I haven't I haven't found a rhythm I really haven't.
46:48.17
syrupcoaching
Right.
46:56.73
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, you know.
47:02.00
Molly McCauley
Um, and and in in that um space I have I've gained weight I have not taken care of myself when I've been on the road as much so these are all things that I've been hyper aware of that I think I've finally come to the place of like okay like.
47:09.67
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
47:20.13
Molly McCauley
You are now in full functioning capacity. You can bend over you can lift things you're back to working you're back to shooting now. It's time to get back in the rhythm of that. So like I love Peloton So I was doing especially during Pandemic I was on like every morning not because I felt the need that I.
47:20.72
syrupcoaching
Ah, hey.
47:26.77
syrupcoaching
Okay.
47:38.94
Molly McCauley
Had to do it for like health reasons but because I enjoyed it. Um and it was a nice rhythm but you know anyone who knows that when they get out of a habit. It's very hard to get back into it. So I've you know I've been doing one-off rides here and there um but I'm excited to get back into this I'm excited to like.
47:40.54
syrupcoaching
Spring.
47:46.48
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah Toby.
47:58.26
Molly McCauley
Have that camaraderie too with people who I know that are riding all over the country that I'm not in the same place with would be like oh I just did this ride. You should do it. You know? um I I grew up I've always been like an athlete my whole life and my husband does Crossfit and we have a whole you know rig set up in our.
48:05.21
syrupcoaching
Right.
48:14.93
syrupcoaching
Um, ice. Yeah, um, yeah, right.
48:15.85
Molly McCauley
In our basement So getting back to like strength training so that I can start to feel good in my body again I think that's the biggest thing I don't care how much I weigh I don't care like actually like what size I am I just want to feel good and I think I think separating separating the guilt.
48:35.34
syrupcoaching
Yes.
48:35.49
Molly McCauley
Of not being able to move for so long and the weight gain that came with that then to like the shame of like losing the shape that I've been in and all that kind of stuff I've been able to like let go of some of that stuff. Um, but now now I know that I need to switch gears and it's.
48:42.12
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
48:52.83
Molly McCauley
In my brain I know that it's like hey Moll you got to get up and do something like you're only going to change this if you change things. So um, yeah, so I mean I wish I could have this really inspiring story about how I do.
49:02.20
syrupcoaching
Don't blame. Yeah.
49:08.69
Molly McCauley
You know hotel gym workouts I don't when I'm when I'm on the road I'm doing you know 10 to 12 hour days on weddings. That's a really exhausting day carrying 20 to £30 of gear like ah, all day maybe peeing once you know heavy having yeah.
49:20.81
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, right right? trying to shove a grailla in. Yeah.
49:27.72
Molly McCauley
Yeah, trying to drink water throughout the day just so that I don't get dehydrated like that kind of stuff So really most of my self-care when I'm on the road is finding a reflexology um place because most metro areas will have those.
49:42.80
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
49:44.89
Molly McCauley
And for anyone who doesn't know what reflexology is it's honestly just like a cheap massage but it's you know, usually like I just wear workout clothes there and they they do it over clothes they work on your feet. So after a wedding day getting that done having 30 minutes of footwork done is really really impactful on my recovery.
49:51.76
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
49:58.90
syrupcoaching
You had.
50:03.79
Molly McCauley
So I I look at taking care of myself on the road not necessarily of needing to work out but making sure that the work that I am doing that is string strenuous that I'm taking care of myself on the recovery side which usually is you know lots of like.
50:15.15
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
50:20.35
Molly McCauley
Hydration that kind of stuff but honestly Reflexology is one of the best ways for me to stay in it especially when I have back-to-back shoots or Back-to- back weddings and you know or I'm on a job where it's like literally every single day I have something and it's like very scheduled So that's the best way that I can keep myself.
50:24.39
syrupcoaching
This is China.
50:33.50
syrupcoaching
Um, it.
50:39.94
Molly McCauley
Centered focused and not feeling like my body's fall apart.
50:41.25
syrupcoaching
Yeah, yeah, when you um, are I guess planning the make pretty workshops. Do you have any time where you're like after this I'm going to stay a day or two because I'm sure those are just as intense or more. So.
50:52.96
Molly McCauley
Ah, oh yeah, yeah, it's a different type because not only is it implementation and shooting on the day but I'm also education educating I'm guiding I'm like mentoring along the way which takes a certain type of mental capacity. Not to mention the months the
51:08.50
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
51:12.80
Molly McCauley
Planning and preparation. So that's when I'm putting on my planner hat and my photography hat and then my mentor hat and it's yeah you crash hard. You really do? um so I do I take I take days for myself. Like for example I had you know I gave myself one buffer day in London and then I knew that i.
51:16.56
syrupcoaching
Ahead.
51:31.42
Molly McCauley
Since we had a handful of days there that I was like hey I just need one really low key day the day after the workshop. So let's just go walk around Hyde Park or let's not walk and like let's just sit somewhere or you know eat some food. Whatever um and then get going the next day. So yeah.
51:38.00
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah. A foot.
51:48.76
Molly McCauley
Do try to especially since my surgery I am more cognizant of needing to have those buffer days or travel days and really being mindful of how how I'm working myself.
51:50.00
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, ah.
52:00.30
syrupcoaching
Totally and I don't I you know I don't think a lot of people realize like when you are a wedding photographer. You are not sitting down. You're squatting. You're going upstairs if you are in an uncomfortable position but a shot. Yeah.
52:14.97
Molly McCauley
There's weird positions. It's weird positions and weird positions while holding you know £20 of something and it's just like you know think of just like holding ah holding you know Ellis while you're bent over and.
52:21.36
syrupcoaching
Yeah. Yeah.
52:30.35
Molly McCauley
You know, like reaching down with like one arm. Ah, it's just it's weird. The whole thing is weird like I've seen so many behind the scenes photos of myself and I was like this will never see the light of day because hey my body looks weird because.
52:33.10
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
52:44.84
Molly McCauley
I Don't know how I'm contorting myself in that position but also my face like I just have a weird shooting face like I so I stinch my face weird. It's all you know it's just like the things. Yeah that you do to get it done right? It's not cute, but it you know it. It gets done. Yeah.
52:45.60
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah.
52:53.43
syrupcoaching
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, and so you got to like decompress your body somehow and glad you find all the ways because it's so so important. Um I have.
53:03.88
Molly McCauley
Yeah.
53:11.58
Molly McCauley
Yeah, yeah.
53:12.22
syrupcoaching
1 last question for you and I asked everybody this question. Ah, if you had a button that could do anything for you I could carry this button anytime day night. You just press it and something would happen. What would it do.
53:28.50
Molly McCauley
I have to it would either be teleportation to like go and travel wherever I wanted without having to be like Jet lagged or like any of that kind of stuff or time travel like to travel back and like just like see.
53:31.40
syrupcoaching
Okay.
53:36.61
syrupcoaching
You? okay.
53:46.95
Molly McCauley
Friends and family and all that kind of stuff people who have passed away like that would just be like such an epic thing to be able to tap into that whenever whenever you wanted like how cool would that be I mean yes, another like to clean toilets sure but like.
54:01.66
syrupcoaching
Click back then here.
54:04.70
Molly McCauley
Really the ones that are most meaningful to me like I would want a button that would initiate some sort of experiential thing because I don't care if my house is messy I don't care if like.
54:12.99
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
54:20.48
Molly McCauley
I have gray hair showing although that is another self-care act I Love to get my hair on. Um, but I can go I can go weeks with like having my all my gray hair showing I don't care. Um.
54:23.40
syrupcoaching
How you the.
54:31.18
syrupcoaching
Yeah.
54:35.28
Molly McCauley
I would want my button to be an experiential thing that would just like bring like so much like joy whether it's traveling to like go see somewhere new or you know exploring exploring a place or like being able to like go to my favorite restaurant in London and come back.
54:53.12
syrupcoaching
But no.
54:54.29
Molly McCauley
Here for doing you know any of that kind. So so obviously not not super realistic. But um, those that would be that would be my choice.
54:58.15
syrupcoaching
No, but yeah, but it's like it's all grounded in who you are. You know it's like you thrive and and seeing the world and going places and why not eliminate all that stress and just be there.
55:13.86
Molly McCauley
In.
55:15.93
syrupcoaching
And then also taking you back like not back to time to experience something new. It's like let's see let's relive this memory. Yeah, let's be happy. Let's see this from a different perspective. Um, you know, maybe it's a memory of me but maybe with.
55:21.60
Molly McCauley
Like to revisit. Yeah.
55:33.58
syrupcoaching
Someone else. But then I can watch it from a different angle and you know? Yeah yeah, a hundred Christmas yeah, ah I love your answers here these these are you know? no.
55:34.72
Molly McCauley
Um, yeah to hug my dad again. Yeah, like how epic.
55:45.82
Molly McCauley
But long long winded which is you know that is a trait that I did get my from my father. But yes.
55:52.68
syrupcoaching
I know I could talk to you for hours and hours and hours. Um, one very important thing I did not mention at the top of the podcast all of the photos on my website or Molly's um Molly
55:58.14
Molly McCauley
Like their right here. Yeah, the content.
56:05.45
Molly McCauley
That was so fun. So we will We will ah you're You're one of the few people that I will revisit that for yeah, but.
56:09.80
syrupcoaching
So Fun and I can't believe we have not done another branding shoot. We will thank you everybody else close your ears. Um, but they're beautiful photos and it's just always fun to be with you and hang out. So um. Awesome! Well let everybody know where they can follow you um on social and get in touch with you because I just I I Just love you so much and I'm so proud of everything you've done and I just want everybody to know about it.
56:35.38
Molly McCauley
So much. Oh, you're so sweet. Um, so my name is Molly Macauwley and I'm actually gonna be rebranding my photo business. It's currently Molly and co photo on Instagram but it will be rebranding to Molly Mccauley I just don't know what the formal handle will be.
56:46.53
syrupcoaching
Was it.
56:55.29
Molly McCauley
Just yet. Um, but my workshop education and mentoring space is make http://prettyworkshop.com and make pretty workshop on Instagram and I offer mentoring hot seat sessions um website audits and portfolio reviews for.
57:11.15
syrupcoaching
Are.
57:15.26
Molly McCauley
You know, photographers videographers and actually creatives in general. So if that's something that you just need an outside eye on. Um, it's a really really unique perspective to have ah somebody come in and say hey this isn't working here and this is why. And then you know luckily for me I have my years of you know, working in a gallery curation being able to really narrow down and and fine tune things so that's ah, that's a strength of mind that I love being able to lend to others. So. Super excited about all the education and mentoring offers that I have going on now.
57:50.70
syrupcoaching
That's amazing I mean as you can see from our conversation like Molly just understands everything from so many different angles and it's just easy to kind of talk about things and I'm sure like you know issues that would be hard to bring up like. Your website. Really really isn't working and here's why like you know you just have a way about you where I just like I just want to listen and no more and I'm sure everybody else is coming to you just as like she gets it. She gets it and whole delivery is perfect. So.
58:17.28
Molly McCauley
We we used to this. Yeah, this phrase came up I forget it was recently like last week and somebody said like gentle authority like essentially where it's like I will tell you what's up but like.
58:26.85
syrupcoaching
Yeah, there. Okay.
58:32.56
Molly McCauley
Not in a mean way like I'm just going to say like hey I think it could be better to do this or why did you make this choice like are you maybe resonating with you know this description more than your client is and maybe maybe I can read it from a client standpoint and just be like hey this isn't landing.
58:35.70
syrupcoaching
From that.
58:50.95
Molly McCauley
Me What are you trying to get across. So yeah, just having a new set of eyes and I what I love and thank you so much for bringing me on your podcast because what I love is that we're not in the same industry but that it is universal in terms of sometimes you just need somebody who's not so close to what you're doing.
58:51.41
syrupcoaching
Right.
59:10.25
syrupcoaching
Skip.
59:10.41
Molly McCauley
Um, to help you out and just give a fresh perspective So I'll talk to anybody all day long. So it's easy for me to give my opinion as an Enneagram Eight of course.
59:21.61
syrupcoaching
Yes, yes, yes, yes, come to Molly for for the 8 staff come to me for the 5 enough wall me in the middle. Yes, yes, awesome. Well I really hope that our travels line up.
59:27.14
Molly McCauley
Yes, yeah, tag team it we'll tag team. It.
59:37.60
syrupcoaching
Soon I will be out east a couple of times this fall. So maybe maybe we can have a New York city cocktail right you know right? Cosmos and all um, awesome, okay, cool. Well thank you so much Molly this was.
59:41.94
Molly McCauley
Yay, Let us know. Ah yes, please how how sex in the city of us. Ah, perfect. Thank you same same? Yeah I'm a hugger too. Not so much during Covid but I'm a hugger in general I'm glad we can finally get back to hugging? yeah.
59:56.33
syrupcoaching
Absolutely awesome and I just I'm giving you a big virtual hug because I miss you and I and love a real hug.
01:00:08.38
syrupcoaching
Get do same same. Okay, awesome. Okay, thank you bye.
01:00:10.80
Molly McCauley
Ah, thank you? But I.