legacymakerkris

About Kris LeDonne

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So far Kris LeDonne has created 37 blog entries.

“I was about to slam my computer shut…

...because I couldn’t find my photos, and then your email popped up.” I opened this message from a subscriber of mine recently. I understood. This is what I deal with all the time. Not the first message like this  and it won’t be the last.  It happens all the time. It can feel like some kind of ‘Photo Gluttony’. There are simple fixes that have lasting success and I love to help them get back on track and feel immediate hope and prompt relief! And NO you don't have to stop taking photos... it's what comes NEXT, that needs some adjusting. :)  People take more photos today than they ever have before, in addition to old devices full of thousands of jpegs. They're important and they're in lock down, in all different places. People cannot manage memories trapped in all sorts of places- out of sight; out of reach. They struggle to find the ones they are looking for, let alone sharing and enjoying [...]

I was once a bank teller- HATED IT!

Did you know this about me?  First of all- NO DISRESPECT to any bankers out there. I actually may have loved it if I’d taken a different approach. No placing blame, it’s just a story with some lessons.  I was in college and needed a summer job. I jumped at the opportunity to collect a regular paycheck -without considering if I’d LIKE the work. I can honestly say it was the WORST job experience of all time for me. Can you relate?  Looking back, it’s now easy to find so many good lessons that were waiting to be learned from every experience- even the unpleasant ones. At the top of the list- knowing what I DON’T like is just as important as knowing what I DO like.  Without a challenge, or negative emotions to help us recognize something we dislike, how else would we look for something better to aim for and appreciate? Rewards are all around us, waiting to be allowed in!  Now [...]

The Perpetual Worry Wheel

Are you stuck on the ‘worry wheel’ of emotions about losing your family photos to the next natural disaster?  Do you find yourself overwhelmed when it comes to managing and protecting your family’s stories? Insurance can never replace your lost or unprotected photos from the next hurricane or tornado. You can’t put a price tag on family memories no matter how amazing your home insurance policy is. If you’re afraid of losing all the precious memories you’ve created over the years, and don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. This is why it’s so important to have help organizing your family’s memories so they are not lost or forgotten and can weather any storm. After 2 decades of working directly with families protecting their treasured memories, I developed a system that I want to teach you. If you’re sick of worrying about losing memories and want to protect them, you may just need Digital Peace; A self paced online course (with live support)  [...]

Don’t drag emotional truckloads with you

Did you know the average American car owner buys 9.4 cars in a lifetime? Imagine if you parked every car you ever owned in your driveway or garage? How much space would that occupy? And what if they can no longer be driven? Do you keep the broken down ones, bring them with you if you were to take a job or retire across the country? Of course not!  The added expense and logistical annoyances are too great to consider this. Trade in, sell or donate them and welcome the space for vehicles that serve you.  And yet it happens all the time with our captured memories; Our photos and memorabilia are completely irreplaceable if they were to be lost, so we literally drag 'emotional carloads' from one place to another until we either decide to UPDATE the formats, edit them down, or do the unthinkable; Toss them out! Some see little value in these captured moments, but let's be honest- That's not the [...]

Doing [Scary] New Things

I was a guest on a podcast!!! You may be thinking… ‘So what, Kris; What’s the big deal? You’ve been on stage, TV, directed countless productions and are no stranger to a zoom call. Why not a podcast?’ Well, it was a FIRST for me, and I honestly got REALLY nervous beforehand. Firsts can be scary When I booked the appointment to record with the host, I was actually living in a dorm room in downtown Chicago with my younger teenager, dreaming of the comforts of home. I was excited to find a new platform to find more of the audience I want to serve. It was a small win. It seemed so far in the distant future… but then the day arrived and my nerves set in! My stress response was pretty significant, and a racing heart was only one noticeable symptom. I am coming clean when I admit that I generated so much mental drama- yikes! But then I decided to practice [...]

Demo to Delivery; Kindness shines brightly

MORE KINDNESS: It’s the soothing emotion that calms a feeling of need. It’s the gold bottle of water from a Lyft driver on a hot summer day. It’s reminiscing over a rediscovered moment, for the purpose of letting a grandchild know their late grandfather better. It’s the card my grandmother wrote me when I was away at college, that I keep in my old Bible so I find it when I open it each time and her voice is immediately brought back to mind by the sight of her handwriting. That's one way I practice kindness for myself; I allow that memory to continue to bless and affirm me. In my work, I love witnessing and delivering moments of kindness through my clients' rediscovered memories. That’s why I love #DeliveryDay. Kindness is the current that flows, but it doesn’t happen instantly. Much happens behind the scenes before #DeliveryDay can happen. Speaking of "behind the scenes," those close to me can attest to my love and adoration [...]

A Legacy of Kindness

Kindness has been a recurring theme lately. I find myself talking about it, noticing it in the others, and also encouraging my children to be above all else, kind. With this filter in place, I find myself saying thank you more ofte n, gathering more smiles, giving more smiles and attracting a kinder world around me. Even the restaurant who gave me a free smoothie because I thought I' d ordered one... (I hadn't but they still gave me one regardless.) Kindness is a happy space to live and breathe in. I also find it easier to return to this mindset when I slip up; My practice must be paying off!  I recently lost a customer (it feels strange to call her a customer because she meant so much to me.) Emotions come in waves and instead of sharing words of sadness, I’ll honor her memory by sharing a taste of the kindness she brought to my world. Judy was one of my favorite [...]

Saving the World With a Photo Album

Ok, ok. Maybe that's a bit over-the-top, but the truth of the matter is we are living creatures in an energetic world, meant for human interaction and without "touch" we would cease to exist. Literally, we as a human race cannot thrive without human touch.. sure we have discovered many things we didn't think of doing virtually until a pandemic hit, and now we are masterful at things we didn't know we would be. However the suffering from separating loved ones from one another and their communities has taken a toll. I am so thankful that my immediate family survived and in some ways thrived through new skills acquired, however I've never been more committed to my mission than I am today; Helping people live their best lives and share them with other to inspire greater connections, stronger communities and an enriched future! I just happen to use photos/videos to accomplish that. Now, back to the topic at hand: PHOTO ALBUMS. This is an [...]

Here’s Why Frustration Helps

I’ve been talking a bit about frustration this month: …Frustration not finding photos, …Frustration not having a system, …Frustration over wasted time, …Frustration that breeds frustration, But the truth of the matter is that this often perceived negative emotion serves great purposes.  The purpose I refer to is not to make us miserable, but to cause enough discomfort for us to consider looking for a solution, an improvement, or a chance to grow. It takes motivation to try something new, and a small irritation is often not enough for the average human to search for an improvement.  Sometimes our pains [frustrations] are the only things that push us to take a new action. Inspired action like this unlocks the blessings. If we don’t let it motivate us and choose to stay stuck we can slip into helpless and immobile states. That's when it's most important to seek out someone who can get us unstuck; That's when we need someone who can bring objectivity and [...]

By |2022-06-21T21:08:35+00:00June 21, 2022|finding help, managing photos, Photo Tips, photos|

Where is it?

After over two decades of working with client photos, I’m rarely surprised when I hear someone describe the frustrated state of their photos. They’re all unique to the individual, however there are always common threads of frustration that unite a large concentration of photo lovers. The common pain point I’m referring to is “Not finding what someone’s looking for” and I feel for them. Do you count yourself among that group of people? Strangely, the solution is often overlooked when a particular moment is rediscovered. We celebrate when we find a particular memory (woot woot!) but do we go a step farther to avoid that situation from happening again? Or do we move on to the next subject, and dismiss the time and energy wasted? The problem that lurks in the shadows of our captured moments and the root of the “not finding” pain remains, and possibly deepens if we don't make a shift in our systems. Who knows if you’ll be that successful [...]

By |2022-06-13T22:55:33+00:00June 13, 2022|finding help, managing photos, photos, Uncategorized|
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