​As I sometimes wander from focus, I decided to look back at my last 4 blogs to review what I said. Being someone who SAYS and doesn't DO is something I DO NOT want. So far, I have talked about sharing, a little background, commitment, massive action and a touch on goals. It is clear to me that I am taking the "road less traveled". It can get overwhelming. Being the strong willed, persistent, and downright stubborn person that I am, I WILL NOT let that stop me! As I step back, I think, what do I need to do to make success happen? How will I take this MASSIVE ACTION that I talk about? Anchored with expert guidance and my own instincts, my first step of action is to define what success means to me. The elements of success to me today are....

1. Relationship. When I say this, I am first talking about a strong sense of who I am....If you are not good with yourself, you cannot be good with others. Somehow, I managed to lose the strong sense of myself during this journey I am on....however, it is coming back BIG TIME!! To be SOLID at this point in my life involves spirituality, strength, and art. This is why I am watching nature, strength training, and practicing oil painting. Solidity towards a solid relationship.

2.Art. For me, success in Art is also defined on it's own. And for my success as an artist, spirituality comes first. My dream is to bring peace and serenity through my art, as I strive to help people remember and FEEL their vacations even when they are not on them...for moments to recharge.
Before I can even THINK about that, I have to be anchored, at peace, and with serenity. This is why I start my day with a Sunrise, Strength Training, and I AM painting. It is ALL coming together.
Success with Art is...to have a strong, consistent portfolio of oil paintings....to bring my dreams into reality. Dreams DO come true.

3. Financial. Money has never been a priority for me. I spent years as a preschool teacher and a server. Dedication and love for helping children learn to love learning and life kept me there. The benefit was LOVE. As I grow to value myself more, I strive to be more valued. So, money would be nice. My new approach is Do what you love and the money will follow. Yes.

4. Family. I love my family and always will. And I am ok with not having children or a husband. As a teacher, I taught over 1000 children. That's enough!!!....Also, my soulmate will find me.

5. Home. My dream is to have a tiny home on the sea with outdoor space for painting and gardening. When I travel with my easel, my home will be in a spot on the water in the mountains where I feel peaceful. Feelings are contagious.
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There defines what Success means to me today.

​There were thoughts of pulling this article together much sooner, but my thoughts needed a rest. The article was written. It needed to sit for a bit so I could come back to it fresh.
 
The much needed break led to clarification on what thoughts I wanted to share. I choose thoughts of MASSIVE ACTION.
 
Now that the website is underway,  and I have shared a bit of information, it is clear to me that ACTION to be taken. MASSIVE ACTION. Hiring myself as a full time Fine Artist is the beginning. No more fiddling. With massive action, there needs to be structure.
 
The first thing I will need to do is DECIDE on what I want. What do I want to happen?...keeping my current goals in mind? And I MUST write this down (I also put little signs all over my home!!)....Make goals...Make a Plan...WORK the plan (MASSIVE ACTION).
 
So here goes. Now I will share my current goals.                              
 
    First and foremost, I am working on my strength, both inner and outer. The workout plan is written out and it WILL be followed. There I said it. Now I am accountable. This is my #1 priority. Without strength, I am not being true to myself.
 
    With strength, I can paint. This is my current #2 priority...Embracing painting with an open heart to bring peace and serenity with love.
 
    This is wonderful, but there needs to be more structure in my day. Therefore, I made a schedule. With STRENGTH and PRACTICING ART being the current priorities for me, I will move forward.
 
     With that, I make a concrete schedule that is supportive of my current goals. Now....I have gone over this schedule over and over TONS....to the point where I got aggravated( And it takes a lot to aggravate me!!!!). This one is feeling right.
 
     4:45 a.m.    Rise
     5-6 a.m.      Cardio
     6-7 a.m.      Strength Train
     7 a.m.          Sunrise (research)
     8 a.m.          Breakfast
                           Prepare food for day
     8:30-12:30  Paint
     12:30-2.       Lunch/Read
      2-8.              Paint
      8-9.              Dinner
                           Foamroll/Stretch
       9 p.m.         Bed
  

​Now, there's a schedule I can follow (with a touch of flexibility). I simply need to focus and take one step at a time.....one moment at a time. There is NO STOPPING ME. As I listen to the soothing sounds of the fountain, I repeat these words as often as I remember to. It is important to be true to who we are, with STRENGTH and MASSIVE ACTION, so we can share (and be) a FULL heart at peace with serenity.🎨

As I think of giving you a bit of a background, I think, "It is in the blood and it can't get out of the system."  Wondering what? One word stands out for this essence and Passion. For me, personally, Art is the one word.
    Being someone who is always intrigued with art, it needs to be part of my life. If it is not, it is missed........Missed to be the point where it effects everything......Health, happiness, passion....Etc. We ALL have an essence and a passion. The challenges are listening to them, acting on them, while keeping them joyful.
    You must know by now, I am an Artist who works with oil paint or Prismacolor pencils. When I say the one word art, I mean my practice of painting and drawing.

    There was fiddling with it. There were articles written, art exhibit in museum, gallery, and art shows. There were paintings published in books and on scorecards. Hundreds of pieces were sold. I was getting a little famous in my hometown. There were even commissions (the first being from Mom and Dad). Fiddling was all the self design of time management allowed. The fiddling needed to STOP. Time to get serious. We design our own time.

    While I fiddled with art I held 2 other jobs....Preschool teaching and waitressing. One summer, the restaurant said, "By the way, we are closing tomorrow." As it was only a month before school started, I figured I would set up my easel on Lake Winnepesaukee...Instead of finding new waitressing. I had NOTHING to lose. Good idea.

    First night, 2 pieces were sold in 2 hours!!! All excited, a call to Mom and Dad was bubbling with joy. People kept buying....Until Labor Day. Business is seasonal. People are busy with other things. No time to hang out at the lake. Back to teaching and waitressing. The following year, I painted on the lake in the summer and the winter! It was cold, but painting at the ski lodge at the top of the mountain (Gunstock Mountain) became a regular thing. I just bundled up! Hundreds of pieces were sold. With layers of encouragement, many commissions, and the STRONG WILL to be true to who I am, I moved to Florida to be a full time Fine Artist. It was FABULOUS!!!! A dream come true!!!!!

    A year later TRAGEDY struck. With the SHOCK of a lifetime......The brush fell to the ground. Painting came to a halt. Spiraling downward with continuous setbacks, there was FINALLY a realization...."This is NOT working." Knowing what I want is not enough. Putting my wants into action will make the difference.
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    So here I am.....Melting back into being a full time artist. Moving forward with purpose, consistency, focus, production, and action. Strength persists with courage...while keeping the joy as I progress towards my goals. As a FINE ARTIST, I strive to help people FEEL AND LIVE in moments of peace and serenity with love through my art....Seeing it....Feeling it....And Hearing it.🎨

It's a BEAUTIFUL sunny day here in Florida, where only the sounds of nature are embracing my ears. I find myself unwinding. My mind begins to search for the follow up on my commitment to share thoughts and feelings from the heart. It keeps saying, "Oh my GOODNESS!!! What did I say I was going to do???!!! So much for unwinding as PANIC strikes!!!! But wait...."I am keeping this joyful!!Just BREATHE and GET CENTERED!!!! THINK." It is wonderful to share by writing a blog. It helps to stay accountable and it also helps to work thoughts out on paper....Get them OFF the chest....LET THEM GO. ALL important for moving forward. Time to STEP UP TO THE PLATE and TAKE CHARGE!!!!No time for BS.
   
     This INTENSE commitment is BIG for me as it helps to grow into a higher standard of living with hopes of inspiring others. But it is important to FOLLOW THRU with integrity. Sometimes there is initial excitement, but then it goes away. Knowing what I have to do, sometimes I get in my own way. Well NOT  THIS TIME. This time I am going for it...Just GET IT DONE.

    There is NO reason to miss opportunities. Actions towards transformations will follow. The decision has been made.

    Sometimes, there's procrastination. Personally, I don't procrastinate because of laziness. It's more from feeling overwhelmed. When I feel overwhelmed with pressure and then anxiety, I have a tendency to get unfocused and then shut down. It happens. Maybe a problem or a glitch would come up. Typically, I would stop there. With this new self awareness, I am training myself to move forward as I think "I HAVE THIS. Have a problem or a glitch???...Step back and dig to find solutions."

    To resolve a problem, sometimes I need to break down what I need to do, while thinking to myself..."Take little steps. What is the next step I need to take to achieve my goal? Focus on the tiny step. Prioritize it. BREATHE. EVERYTHING takes time. Give it the block of time it needs. Keep the joy. Zero in on the discipline and focus." When my mind gets too busy with thoughts, I think "SLOW DOWN". As long as there is discipline and focused progression, even if it's little by little, it is ALL good and the flow continues....With patience and joy...Enjoying the process and each moment of each little step.

    With making and following through on commitment, it may seem as if there is a move out of the comfort zone, where there is bound to be resistance. Growth comes from moving out of comfort zones. Recently, I came across a post by Tony Robbins, where he said, "The Path of Least Resistance will never make you proud."My "AHA moment" was the realization that I am learning to find joy in resistance rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.....While proceeding to overcome it with pride. As I proceed, I am feeling THRILLED to share this journey that I am sincerely committed to sharing with you.🔆

The professional writing folder and sometimes a purple pen (as purple is my favorite color) have come out. Time to start my blog. The decision has been made to COMMIT to being serious about sharing the words and the art that come from my heart... a heart full of love.

This concrete decision has taken a long time as I have struggles to be who I am... sincerely. Instead of "hiding out", I choose to be the full expression of myself, little by little. It certainly has not been the norm to do what I love and love my life of fulfilling my soul's purpose while helping others. As I have grown to accept always being DIFFERENT from others, I continue to write and paint with hopes of inspiring others with this contagious shining energy producing freedom and happiness that was developed from within.

Writing a blog sounds simple, doesn't it? It is similar to writing a journal, which is something that I have always felt better for doing. It is kind of like talking with a best friend who won't criticize or judge me as they are there to listen with a loving ear. It sure does feel good to LET IT GO. Easy enough, right? Then, I heard it had to be 350 words or more. Ugh! Not being much of a talker, this felt overwhelming. The solution came to me... As long as it comes from my heart, I figure it will ALL turn out OK. Staying true to my commitment to share, I move forward with courage.

After thinking, crossing out, cutting, taping, rewriting, and thinking more, the blog begins! The new journey of sharing thoughts, study, feelings, art tips and experiences. It's a process,  all with love, putting it all out there. Bit by bit, this journey has begun. How FUN!

Learning to be "in the moment" has been the foundation for expressing love through images of peace and serenity with my art. With this adjustment of focus into moments of mindfulness, the experience of feeling inner calm has become a bigger element of my time in this life. With this soothing sensation, the actions that follow are those of sharing stories with art to support a shine for others.

Stepping outside to breathe in the fresh crisp air, I hear the sweet sounds of nature while feeling the breeze on my skin and watching the water. Theses moments could be an early morning sunrise, a moment of curling toes in the warm sand, an evening sunset, or a sudden reminder as I flow through life.

While I am allowing myself to be with the beauty of nature and moments with it. I invite you to join the journey through this website and blog as we live and love deeper with peace and serenity.