The South Dakota Cowgirl

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Wedding band, Tiny Humans and Other Things I’m Lacking

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Today we have a special guest poster, and I cannot wait for y’all to read this. She’s wise beyond her years, people!

“Hannah believes in calloused hands like her father’s, working hard for your accomplishments, and loving like your heart can’t be broken. Hailing from the Lone Star State, she grew up on the Gulf Coast, relishing the smell of the sweet salt air from her family’s small cattle ranch.

She traveled around Texas in a search of a college and landed at Tarleton State for a degree focused in Agricultural Communications. After deciding she wasn’t ready for the real world, she zipped down to Texas A&M University, earning a Masters Degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.

In the midst of finishing up her degree she started working for an agricultural marketing agency as a digital strategist. In the little spare time she has, you can find her blogging on FollowingFate.com or out in the field on the back of her mare with her beagle, Reba by her side.”

I got the chance to meet Hannah, when I was in Austin, TX for the AG Chat Conference last August. We had to become friends because we are both Alumni of Tarleton State! I love how honest she is in this post, and asked her if I could re-post it here. She readily agreed. One thing to remember is that while we may make a plan for our lives, sometimes, God and circumstances change our plans. One of the things I always tell people is that, had I written my own life story, it wouldn’t be this good. Yes, my life is immensly blessed. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed I’d be an internationally published photographer, would make a list for TIME magazine, or be able to travel to various places because of my photography. Because I’m so lucky to live in a place where everyone supports whatever wild hair I may decide to pick up, I’ve gone farther than I’d ever imagined. Everyone’s schedule is different. We all have different dreams and goals. I can completely relate to the post below because, I’m at least a decade older than Hannah, and while, I have been married (and divorced),  I currently lack a wedding band, don’t have any kids of my own, but am happier and more supported than I’ve ever been.  

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Not too long ago, I shared the article by Amanda, “26, childless and not married”. I received an overwhelming amount of traffic because of the post. One of the conversations it sparked was how we all have different timelines in life related to our different goals.
If you asked me 3 years ago where I would be today, I would have told you that I’d be married or close to it, thinking about adding a tiny human to this crazy world to trot cattle around a show ring. I’d be thinking about if I should renovate a house or buy a new one. I may have a master’s degree but more likely I would be working towards running a business with my spouse. I would have a couple cows, be way ahead on my student loans and generally be winning at having an Instagram perfect life (you know what I’m talking about).
So, let’s rewind to 2013: graduating from undergrad with a long-term boyfriend by my side, three graduate school assistantships and a job offer on my plate. Fast-forward two months– the long-term
relationship ended and for the first time in a while I was back to making decisions that only affected myself. I decided grad school was a good choice, so I went ahead and put my tax-id for my new business on hold.

sunset, south dakota sunset, south dakota cowgirl photography
Those decisions have me where I am now: another degree on the wall (I really should get it framed), a good job,  and I’m a dog mom. It’s not quite the expectations from when I was the ambitious, overachieving, leader in college, and you know what? It’s OKAY. I often struggle with the idea that I’m “behind” in life but I don’t think I’m the only one, it’s something a lot of young people struggle with. So when you sweetly ask, if I’m married (knowingly not seeing a wedding ring on my finger), or if I have kids yet, it makes me feel like I’m not enough.

You didn’t ask about what my college ring is for, what I’m working towards, or what I’m passionate about right now. Depending on my life situation, I could have told you I’m working towards my career as a digital strategist for a leading agricultural marketing company, or just as easily told you I’m working towards growing my family (ahh tiny humans)! I’m sure this story is easily reversed and those who chose to get married and have babies may be looking for that rewarding career or headed back to get their degree.

So, the next time you want to ask about my life, start with: “How’s life? What are you working on right now?” Because that… that would make me think you’re a decent human being and keep me from heading to bar for another beer.

Currently Listening: Turnpike Troubadours, Down Here
Currently Sipping: TX Blended Whiskey

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Hannah, you’re doing just fine!

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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