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One of my challenges when doing art is that I don't know when something is finished. Perhaps it never is, and I just have to decide it's good enough for now. 🌈 Although my original intention for this piece was to add lines, I think I would have been happy if it had just been the colors underneath. However, once I put a few lines on there, I realized I wanted more, and I decided to keep going.🚆 Life and business are like that sometimes.  You think you're through with somethi

A lot of success in life and business comes just by showing up. I mean, certainly, there’s training, preparation, education, planning, and all that. But at the end of it all, none of those will matter if you don’t take action and SHOW UP! Several years ago, this message became super clear when I placed in the Top 3 in my age group at a local triathlon for the first time. Though I'd done plenty of races in the past and had been training for another event, I wasn't in top form

In our busy lives, sometimes it's easy to miss the small, wondrous details around us. This can happen to me too, as I often flit back and forth from art ideas and coaching appointments to working on consulting projects and keeping up with all the business stuff involved in all of it. However, I do my best to stop and notice the beauty around me during daily walks, runs and/or bike rides, and eating most of my meals outside. Feeling the sun, wind, and rain on my skin helps me

Earlier this week, I had the strangest experience. On a whim, I decided to go to a local spa/massage business to book a session. I'm not going to mention the name, but we'll just say it is a multilocation business. Clearly, it was a slow day or time (about 7 pm on Tuesday) as their lobby was empty and there was no one at the front desk. I literally stood in the waiting area for a FULL ten minutes before I ever saw an employee. When someone finally appeared (I'll call her "NOT

Yesterday I did a little photo shoot with my new crossbody bag and laptop sleeve. It doesn't seem to matter what I put my art on, it just makes me so happy to see the vibrant colors and feel the LOVE I put into all of it. Just a day before, I was talking with one of my closest friends. We were marveling at how just a few years ago, visual art was not a part of my world beyond admiring it.🌻   Becoming an artist and literally wearing my emotions and colors on my (laptop) sleev

WOW, what a week it's been! Since my last post, I have been fully immersed in the design, preparation, and painting of my very first mural and LIVE art installation at the award-winning, Se7enBites restaurant. (USA Today has it on their 10 Best Restaurants in Orlando, FL.) On a whim, I applied to be one of 48 artists who would transform the hip diner's parking lot into an outdoor art exhibit dedicated to love, joy, and community. I'm incredibly honored that I was chosen out o

Yesterday, I took a giant step to show that I'm really serious about my art. I submitted this piece for consideration in an outdoor exhibition in Orlando... and it was accepted!! Suddenly, my step felt like a leap off a cliff into the unknown, but it is exciting!❤️ The exhibition is a year-long tribute to LOVE, hope, joy, inclusion, and community as a response to the abrupt removal of the colorful crosswalks (and other street art) in Orlando and other cities. The art will be

I had an interesting experience at the grocery store last night. As I was checking out, I pulled out my positive thought cards to share with the cashier and bagger. The cashier read his and smiled, telling me it was a good one. The bagger, however, immediately started cheering like she'd won the lottery. Her card was "on point." While she danced away to help the next person, she excitedly told me she'd saved the other 3 she'd gotten from me. As she and I were ending our conv

Last week, I was in Dallas for the American Massage Therapy Association's National Convention. As much as I have travelled lately, I have...

A little more than two years ago, I began to use art as a way to deal with anxiety and processing my feelings. This was a huge step for...

It's no secret that sunflowers have long been a part of my brand and identity. It actually started before my books " The Sunflower...

I've been learning Mandarin Chinese since January. No specific purpose. It was just something I wanted to try. Then last week, I was in...

In my last newsletter , I shared a bit about how I’ve used art as a vehicle to step into a higher, truer version of myself. When I first...

Not long ago, I made a post  about how I buy myself flowers. It's something I do to honor myself and to create beauty around me. One...

In my last post  I shared pictures and thoughts about the atmosphere and view I've created in my bedroom. It's not the only area in my...

“Travel far enough to find yourself.” – David Mitchell If you’ve kept up with me for a while, you know that travel is in my blood. For...

I've been on something of a social media fast for the last few weeks. It was strange at first, not keeping up with my digital friends and...

I drew the piece below several months ago. It was an experiment that used tape to block off areas on a canvas. I didn't really like it...

I've been a regular runner for a long time. I'm not fast compared to most, but I enjoy running as a way to stay in shape, be outside, and...

Yesterday, I posted a drawing I did of two hearts.  I was not really satisfied with it and could not get the image out of my mind of how...