{"id":36039,"date":"2016-01-26T09:11:06","date_gmt":"2016-01-26T14:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=36039"},"modified":"2016-01-26T19:59:31","modified_gmt":"2016-01-27T00:59:31","slug":"redefining-success-ali-kaukas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/ko\/journal\/redefining-success-ali-kaukas\/","title":{"rendered":"Redefining Success: It’s All in a Feeling"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is part of a Q&A series featuring women who have found success on their <\/em>own terms in the mindful age. For more stories like this, click here<\/a>. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

World traveler and Wanderlust photographer Ali Kaukas<\/a> doesn\u2019t spend a lot of time thinking about success. (\u201cIt\u2019s not something I particularly strive for,\u201d she says.) Ali tends to see the world through a different lens, where her feelings\u2014rather than her mind\u2014guide her path, and challenges are conquered with quietude. Talking to Ali, it all seems so simple… And maybe it really is, if we learn a few of her photography tricks and see the world through curious but calm observation.<\/p>\n

\n

How do you define success?<\/h3>\n

By feeling really full in life. I\u2019m in the present moment, creating and evolving. It\u2019s when I feel a lot of love around me. When I am putting out good energy and engaging with the world, both with humans and nature, by being an observer and participant. And when I feel like I am in that place where I am in the flow, where all is aligned and there is not too much resistance.<\/p>\n

How did you come to that definition?<\/h3>\n

When I\u2019m in that state there\u2019s a positive charge. I\u2019m feeling good in my heart in my mind, so I know that\u2019s what I\u2019m striving for. It\u2019s feeling-based, even if it looks weird in my mind.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What does a \u201cfulfilled\u201d life look like to you?<\/h3>\n

It looks exactly like how my life feels now. I always want to be evolving and observing other human beings. I don\u2019t have too many desires for the future, but I want to be deeply engaged with what\u2019s going on right now.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are you most proud of?<\/h3>\n

I don\u2019t feel very proud of myself but I don\u2019t not<\/em> feel proud. [My pride] is in so many little moments. With photographing for Wanderlust, that was a\u00a0go with the flow<\/em> moment. I didn\u2019t see myself being a photographer for Wanderlust. I volunteered with one of their festivals and they asked me to take some photos. When I said yes, it just opened another door.<\/p>\n

How has being a photographer changed the way you see the world and yourself?<\/h3>\n

I try to observe from a blank state: where I am in the moment\u00a0photographing and not in my mind. I am feeling all that is going on around me. Not judging the situation, just watching so I can learn about life and the ways that all different humans live their lives and act.<\/p>\n

More than changing the way I see, having my camera allows me to be in a constant state of observation. It allows me to look straight into your eyes\u2014and that\u2019s where the goods are.<\/p>\n

What were the challenges you faced and how did you surmount them?<\/h3>\n

The rockiest moment of my life was after college, not knowing which direction to go in, and feeling stagnant. So I was always taking photos and I wasn\u2019t making money off of it. But my mom told me, \u201cJust get in your car and take photos.\u201d I dedicated a year to photography and self-teaching, with no goal, and no outcome.<\/p>\n

If any challenges come up in my life I really have a good ability to step outside of my own body and to look at what is happening and to make decisions outside of myself. I don’t get so lost that I can’t unravel it. This moment is going to pass<\/em>. I say that with the positive moments as well. I don\u2019t get attached to the highs either: This is just in this moment<\/em>. So for the challenging moments it\u2019s the same: This is the way it is now, but it\u2019s going to change.<\/em><\/p>\n

What do you consider your #ActuallySheCan<\/a>\u00a0moment?<\/h3>\n

The day I turned 30 I happened to be\u00a0in New York City by myself. I took myself out to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had different encounters with people that were so beautiful. It was this feeling that all I need is in myself and I didn\u2019t feel a lack of anything because I wasn\u2019t with someone. That felt so powerful in my own being.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are words of inspiration for someone else also facing a challenging moment in their life?<\/h3>\n

Be brave. Go into nature, go to the water. That\u2019s what I do. Feel the wind, feel the sunshine on your body. Try to let clarity come through the natural elements.<\/p>\n

What is the best advice you have received that you wish to pass on?<\/h3>\n

Be Yourself. If you don\u2019t know what that means, go out and be by yourself<\/em>.\u00a0 You will meet yourself there.<\/p>\n

Written for ActuallySheCan by Julie Balter<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For photographer Ali Kaukas, success is finding comfort in just being yourself and engaging in the now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1235,"featured_media":36040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1056],"tags":[68,1332,1408],"class_list":["post-36039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vitality","tag-inspiration-2","tag-photographer","tag-strength"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRedefining Success: It's All in a Feeling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For photographer Ali Kaukas, success is finding comfort in just being yourself and engaging in the now.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/journal\/redefining-success-ali-kaukas\/\" \/>\n<meta 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