Starting Again (Even When It’s Not Pretty)
NAPERVILLE - WHEATON - GLEN ELLYN - ELMHURST - GENEVA - ST. CHARLES - BARRINGTON - BARTLETT PHOTOGRAPHER
by Alicia Staley Johnson
Hello my friend!
I’d like to say this week was calm and balanced and beautifully paced…
but in reality, it looked more like this:
Headshots.
Maternity sessions.
Planting an entire kitchen garden.
Fighting weeds like it’s a full-time job.
And stopping every five minutes to admire the 500 bulbs I planted last fall like I had nothing to do with it.
But honestly?
Watching those blooms come in this week… it felt a little like proof that the long, quiet work actually matters.
Soft Focus: The Humbling Art of Starting Again
I decided this week that it might be time—again—to take my health seriously.
If I am to be completely honest, this “again” is actually number 2,306
Which is really rich, considering I regularly share beautiful, healthy recipes… follow all the right nutritionists… and genuinely believe in wellness.
In theory.
In practice, it’s been about a year and a half of
“oatmeal and chia seeds for breakfast… and then absolute calorie chaos for dinner.”
So I thought—okay. Enough is enough.
Let’s be the woman we keep talking about.
Strong. Balanced. Flexible-ish. Glowing. The whole thing.
Naturally, I opened up the yoga app —Boho Beautiful—because it’s serene and aesthetic and feels like the kind of life I should be living. Not to mention that since I’ve been paying for it for 2 years I might as well finally try it.
And about five minutes into what was described as a “gentle, grounding vinyasa flow”… I found myself in a full-blown internal argument.
The instructor is softly encouraging us to feel gratitude for our bodies… to honor where we are… to breathe deeply and move with ease…
And I’m over here thinking—
Of course plank into chaturanga is easy for you. You weigh 110 pounds. Try lifting this post menopausal body and then get back to me.
And then—twisted chair pose.
“Take a deep inhale… and a long exhale…”
Ma’am.
Respectfully… there is a lot happening in this region.
My lungs are fighting for their lives between my boobs and my belly, and now you want mindful breathing? There is no room for inhaling!
And those hamstring stretches? Ma’am… you’re young. Wait until the estrogen has left the building and you will understand that hamstrings are not allowed to stretch but told to tear.
And the whole time she’s gently reminding me to
“honor my body… be grateful… release judgment…”
And I’m thinking—
Of course this feels good for you.
You’re in your 20’s. You weigh 110 pounds. Your joints still trust you.
All of the calm, loving thoughts I was supposed to be having?
Gone.
Replaced with grunting, side-eyeing the screen, and questioning every life choice that led me to that mat.
Because here’s the real kicker—
Ten years ago… I could have done this class.
And that? That’s the part that hurts.
Not just that it’s hard…
but that it used to be easier.
But somewhere between the struggling and the muttering and the very ungraceful attempts at “flow,” something shifted.
A quieter voice slipped in.
Not the dramatic one.
Not the critical one.
Just a simple, slightly annoyed but honest thought—
Well… here we are.
Not ten years ago.
Not age 25.
Not floating effortlessly through a vinyasa sequence like a ballerina.
But here.
Showing up. Trying again.
Doing the downward dog… badly, but doing it.
And maybe that’s the whole point.
Not to be the best.
Not to get back to who you were.
But to stop quitting on yourself every time it feels uncomfortable.
To laugh at it.
To roll your eyes a little.
To keep going anyway.
Because strength, at this stage, doesn’t look like perfection.
It looks like getting back on the mat—
with a little more humility,
a lot more humor,
and just enough determination to try again tomorrow.
Now if you’ll excuse me… I’m going to focus on the pose that really speaks to me.
Savasana—lying on my back and breathing. Strongest I’ve felt all day.
WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK
Inspiring Follow: @chateausonoma
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you already know my heart belongs to anything that feels even remotely French.
The textures, the history, the way everything feels just a little more intentional… a little more lived in.
Lately, I’ve been especially drawn to Sarah Anderson’s @chateausonoma—and if you love French living, antiques, and that effortless old-world charm, you’re going to want to follow along too.
Her world is filled with beautifully sourced pieces, the kind that feel like they’ve lived a life before finding their way to you. The patina, the character, the quiet elegance—it’s all there.
But what I love most is that it’s not just about things.
It’s about a way of living.
She hosts curated trips to France (yes, please), shares glimpses into a slower, more intentional lifestyle, and offers pieces you can bring into your own home—whether you visit the brick-and-mortar shop or browse online.
It’s the kind of account that makes you pause for a moment… and imagine your own life, just a little more beautifully lived.
What I’m Loving: Woven Wicker Market Cart
There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to romanticize even the smallest errands… especially when it involves a trip to the farmer’s market.
Lately, I’ve been loving the Woven Wicker Market Cart from Anthropologie—and truly, I can’t think of a more charming way to gather all the things.
Fresh produce, warm bread, a bundle of flowers you absolutely didn’t plan on buying… it all somehow feels more special when it’s tucked into something this beautiful.
It has that effortless European feel—like something you’d see being wheeled through a quiet village market in the south of France—and I’m fully convinced it makes the entire experience just a little more magical.
Practical? Yes.
Necessary? Debatable.
But the kind of piece that turns an ordinary morning into something you’ll want to linger in… absolutely.
Local-ish: PremOla
Some of my favorite finds are the ones that come through people I trust—and this one quickly became a new obsession.
My son Kyle, who many of you know works as a personal trainer with The Turner Method, recently brought home samples from one of his clients, Lisa Bastian of Warrenville, the owner of PremOla Granola.
And let me just say… I didn’t “try” it.
I basically claimed it.
It is so good.
You can taste the difference immediately—nutty, lightly sweet, and actually satisfying in a way most granola just isn’t. (No oat-heavy filler here.) It’s made with 80% nuts, just 2 grams of added sugar, and it’s gluten-free… which somehow makes it feel like you’re doing something good for yourself while also thoroughly enjoying it.
Naturally, one bag was not enough.
So this past Saturday, our family made a trip to the Wheaton French Market specifically to stock up… which should tell you everything you need to know.
What I love most is the story behind it.
Lisa has been making this granola for over 20 years—originally for her own family because she couldn’t find anything on the market that felt both healthy and delicious. And in 2020, her son encouraged her to start sharing it beyond their home… which led to the launch of PremOla in 2021.
It’s one of those businesses that feels personal, thoughtful, and rooted in care.
You can order online or find her at local markets (her full schedule is on the website), and if you see me walking away with multiple bags… just mind your business.
Announcing our Class of 2027 Senior Models
Every year, we quietly begin the process of selecting a group of upcoming high school seniors to represent our studio.
It’s something that has become really special to us over the years.
These seniors will spend time in front of my camera throughout the year in more styled shoots with hair, makeup, and wardrobe. And every once in a while, we take it a step further and travel.
We’ve photographed in places like New York, Ireland, Utah, and Paris… and I’m already looking forward to sharing where this year might take us.
But the travel and the styling… that’s not really the heart of it.
The part that stays with me is always the same.
It’s watching someone walk in a little unsure… and slowly settle into themselves.
It’s seeing that shift—when they realize they don’t have to perform or be anything other than who they already are.
To the parents… I mean this sincerely—raising a teenager who is willing to put themselves out there, even just enough to apply for something like this, says a lot.
It’s not easy to grow up in today’s world. There’s so much noise. So much comparison.
And yet, these kids showed up anyway.
Over the years, we’ve had past senior models reach back out—long after graduation—not to talk about the photos, but about how the experience made them feel. More confident. More comfortable in their own skin. A little more sure of who they are.
That’s the part I hold onto.
So I’m really excited to introduce our Class of 2027 Senior Models, starting with a few images from their headshot sessions.
Reagan Eertmoed · Sydney Dieter · Sophia Duncan · Payton Hayes
Taryn Hopkins · Julianna Huard · Riley Johanneson · Maggie Stables
Elle Steffen · Sophia Valentini · Lexi Van Eekeren · Sienna Yilk
with love and light,
Alicia Staley Johnson
of Alicia’s Photography
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