Showing Up & Staying Present

Last week, I was honored to be a part of the 2nd Primrose Night Market hosted by Se7enbites and Smoke & Donuts in Orlando, FL. It was a fantastic experience for so many reasons.🌟

For one thing, it's awesome to see two powerhouse restaurants join forces to create something so special. I love the fact that, in addition to promoting themselves, they bring in local food trucks to highlight other chefs and create a fun culinary adventure. (I got to try a delicious Cambodian soup, a Brisket taco, Coconut hot chocolate, and passionfruit-filled donut.)🍜🌮🍵🍩

From an artist's perspective, it's awesome to connect with so many kind, caring people who all want to help each other succeed. At both Primrose Market events I've gone to, I've exchanged a lot of ideas, hugs, and art with the other artists. 🎨

In that way, it's about as close to attending a massage or spa conference as I can imagine.

I've also learned a lot just by showing up and staying present. I know I'm planting seeds for my future, and helping to nurture and grow a sort of community "art garden" at the same time. This practice and mindset is something that has served me well in other areas of my career and business too.

Beyond that, I know without a shadow of a doubt that my art is touching people and making a difference in their lives. Here's one example:

At the show, a young woman from Kenya (I'll call her Jane) came to my booth with her boyfriend. I gave them each a Positive Thought Card and - as it happened, the photo on hers was from the Bog Garden in Greensboro, NC. Jane was really excited by this as she had just been to NC to see a friend who lives in Greensboro!🌿

Jane's boyfriend bought her a small magnetic print of "Love is Our Language." After looking at it for a few moments, she gleefully exclaimed, "I found Swahili!"❤️

The look on Jane's face was a mix of surprise, joy, and appreciation. I think it took her completely by surprise to be acknowledged in that way, to know that I - someone she just met at a random art show on an unseasonably cold Monday night - saw her and loved her before we'd ever met.

In the moment, I was thrilled. Now, as I write of it, tears of gratitude are streaming down my face. Moments like that are exactly why I created that piece and proved to me once more that I am right where I am meant to be. ✨️

The idea of being in the right place is not just limited to a physical location. It's also related to mindset and where your head is. In fact, being in the right place mentally and emotionally - or getting there - is often way more important than where you are.

I'm currently taking a course focused on creating the right mindset to achieve some goals I've set. One of the exercises asked me these questions, and I thought they'd be good to share here.

• What would you believe about yourself if you knew your greatest vision or goal was possible?

• What steps would you take with confidence?

• What opportunities would you pursue?

Though most of my professional time is spent on consulting and coaching, obviously, I also spend a lot of time on art and am actively integrating it into my work. I have a variety of goals that I want to accomplish with my art, so my answers to the questions above center there.

Believing in the outcomes I envision has prompted me to:

• Apply to show my work in exhibitions and shows that I might have previously ignored because I wasn't "ready" or "good enough."

• Make my art available for sale in person, online, and through email.

• Set up a new studio area.

• Visit shows and galleries I might have otherwise skipped.

• Look for opportunities to connect my art to the communities I spend the most time in.

• Apply to a unique residency opportunity - which I got into! (I'll share more about this when the time is right. For now, I am thankful for the inspiration the process and program have already provided, including me writing about it here.)

Whether or not I am chosen for the exhibitions and shows, or by people looking to buy, I am also showing up and staying present. By choosing to believe in me and my vision, I feel certain the right path will appear.

What vision or goal will you choose? Let me know if you need help figuring it out!

---

Feeling called to make a change but not sure where to start? A single one-on-one coaching session can bring you the clarity, calm, and direction you’ve been seeking. Let’s uncover what’s next for you—together.

Schedule your session today and take your next aligned step forward.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer