We’re looking forward to introducing you to Darian Yochheim. Check out our conversation below.
Darian, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are dedicated to self-care, followed by quiet Bible time, either out on the patio or in my living room. I like to ease into the morning by making breakfast for my husband while worship music plays in the background, creating a peaceful and intentional start to the day. After that, I usually take care of a few house tasks like laundry or quick cleaning before fully diving into the rest of my morning.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Darian Yochheim, and I’m originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in Canada. I recently moved to Tennessee in October after getting married, and since then, I’ve been leaning into my creative side through content creation and photography. My brand centers around faith-filled storytelling and visual branding, with a heart for spreading God’s Word and bringing healing. I run a page called Heavenly Love Letters, which I started in 2023, and it’s grown into a beautiful community of like-minded believers. Alongside that, I offer hands-on photography services—mainly for women and couples in the Tennessee area—capturing candid, ethereal moments that reflect both beauty and authenticity.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
It’s funny that you mention that, because ever since I was about eight years old, I’ve had a deep love for creating. I used to dress up my friends and family for little photo shoots and would spend hours capturing moments, even at such a young age. That creative spark always stayed with me, even if it was just a side outlet. But over time, the world started shaping me into someone who conformed to societal norms—telling me how to act, how to dress, how to speak, and what kind of job I should have just to pay the bills. What I’ve come to realize is that true fulfillment often comes from the passions we had as children. Those aren’t just hobbies—they’re gifts God places in our hearts early on, meant to be nurtured and shared with others.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I believe suffering can teach you things that success never could. There are times in life when the weight of suffering feels overwhelming—like a cloud hanging over everything, making it hard to see beyond the struggles you’re facing. For me, there was a season where I tried to control everything on my own. I was operating out of survival mode, and that led to a deep, internal suffering—one that no one really saw because I was portraying a version of myself I thought the world wanted, not what was truly going on inside.
But in the middle of that suffering, when I had nothing left to lean on, I encountered something real. That’s when I truly connected with my faith and realized that Jesus was the only answer. He was the only one who could lift me out of what I was going through. That moment—of surrender and awakening—is something success could never give me. Because when I thought I had it all together, I still felt completely empty. I was striving for something just out of reach, constantly chasing fulfillment in all the wrong places.
It wasn’t until I found Jesus and began to rely on Him that I experienced true peace. My circumstances didn’t magically change overnight, but my heart did. And that’s when I understood: even in the midst of pain, life still moves forward, and you just take things one day at a time—with faith leading the way.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think one of the biggest lies society tells me about my industry is the constant push for self-reliance and self-empowerment—this idea that everything should revolve around you. In the world of photography and content creation, that message often leads to a very vain and surface-level mindset. So much of it becomes about how you look, how you act, and how perfectly curated your life appears. What people don’t always realize is just how deeply social media can impact mental health. There’s this silent pressure to meet unrealistic standards, and if you fall short, it can feel like something’s wrong with you.
But I’ve come to realize that when we lose sight of our purpose—when we forget why we’re creating and who we’re serving—that’s where things start to go wrong. We weren’t made to just serve ourselves. Our gifts, creativity, and passions are meant to serve others and glorify God, not to feed our own egos. Re-centering my work around that truth has helped me stay grounded in an industry that constantly tells me I need to be more, look better, or perform perfectly.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most peace when I’m in a place of solitude. It’s in those quiet moments that I’m able to clear my mind and really tune in to what’s going on internally. Solitude has always given me space to reflect, reset, and reconnect—and honestly, it’s when I feel the most creative. In that stillness, I’m inspired to create—whether that’s speaking in front of the camera, capturing moments behind it, or editing and bringing a vision to life.
Contact Info:
- Other: IG Photography page: https://www.instagram.com/createdbydarian/
Creative Portfolio: https://creationsbydarian.my.canva.site/portfolio
IG Quotes page: https://www.instagram.com/heavenlyloveletters/?hl=en
