Tag Archives: Strength

Growth Art Journal

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I love to create in my journal in between studio projects, it’s a creative sanctuary for me. I found this image of flowers in an old Romantic Homes magazine and couldn’t resist creating a journal spread around it. I fell in love with the vibrant springtime vibe it had.

Beginning with the blank canvas in one of my favorite Strathmore watercolor journals (7.75×9.75″), I let my thoughts flow onto the page. Layer by layer, I added pieces of decoupaged tissue papers and snippets from old books, creating an interesting textured background. I used everything in my studio from watercolors to acrylic paints, pens, colored pencils, and even a sprinkle of glitter, to add depth and dimension to the design.

I finished it off with a quote by Steven McCanie:

“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”

May this glimpse into my creative journey inspire you today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Gratitude Words of Wisdom

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I am passionate about self improvement and feel there is always room to grow. This is a heartfelt quote I wrote which resonates deeply with me and is displayed on my art journaling page:

“Life is precious and if you’re not careful will pass you by if you don’t stop to smell the roses.”

These words serve as a gentle reminder to slow down and appreciate the beauty of life. Even though there may be days filled with chaos, it’s important to remember special moments, no matter how small and reflect upon them with gratitude.

As we journey through life, let’s cherish each moment and embrace the beauty that surrounds us. May we find solace and inspiration in the simple joys of everyday life.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Deer Abstract Art Journaling

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I created a new abstract in my Strathmore 8.5 x 5.5″ watercolor art journal. I used yellow and magenta watercolor paints along with a small piece of Saran Wrap to create this design. The fun part of this technique is you’re never sure what will appear and in this one I found a beautiful deer.

Deers are said to symbolize gentleness, grace, freedom and strength. So I added a few words to the design: kindness, gentleness, open your đź’– Although, I’m not sure why this deer appeared in my art, I was very happy it did!

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Moving forward Art Journal

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Most of you may know, I’m a bit of a color nut and love painting in bright bold colors. But I thought I’d challenge myself to create a journal layout using only white and gray. It was much harder than I thought but this was my creation in my Strathmore 7.75×9.75″ watercolor journal.

There are lots of layers and texture. Plus I added a quote which reads: “Sometimes to move forward we must face our innermost darkest fears.”

This wasn’t intended to be sad but instead a gentle reminder. Life will throw many obstacles in our path. But we each are endowed with an inner strength that if we will allow, it will rise up and conquer that which we fear most enabling us to move forward.

Hope this inspires you in some way, thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Words of Wisdom

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I’m a collector of inspiring quotes and came across this one which I wanted to share with you. I added it to one of my abstract paintings with bold autumn colors. It’s a motivating quote that rings so true:

“Your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” ~Unknown

You can set all the goals you want but if your heart’s desire isn’t in it, if you can’t envision your dream or get discouraged after a few bumps in the road you can bet your bippy, you won’t be successful at it.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Reach for the Stars!

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Hard to believe the New Year will be here in just a few short days. There’s so much to think about during this time as we get ready to welcome a new era into our lives. I’ve been very busy plotting and planning my goals for the coming year and working on my battle board.

I’m determined more than ever to make this new year count and to reach the goals I set for myself so that my dreams will become my reality. But you have to take the first step and set goals. Don’t set so many they’re hard to attain and don’t make them too easy, they should challenge you. I’m sticking with 3 major goals and prioritizing the rest. I’m also adding deadlines for when I’ll reach these goals to keep me more accountable.

Once you finalize your goals, you need to come up with a plan to reach them. Outline the steps, in detail on what exactly you need to do to get there. Do you need to read a book or take an online course to learn new skills to reach your goal? Or is there physical work that you need to do like start an exercise program and eat a healthy diet? What ever you need to do, write it down.

The last step for success is to actually start following the plan you designed for yourself. Look at your goals everyday and do at least 1 thing daily to bring you closer to your goals.

The sheer act of starting your plan will make you happy. After a few days you’ll be excited that you stuck to it and your confidence and self esteem will grow tremendously. So remember to keep going and reach for the stars because anything is possible!!!

Here are a few motivational clips and tutorials to help you get started:

Hope this inspires you today and thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Battle Boards

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I can’t believe how this year has flown by. We’re already in middle of September and before you know it the holidays will be upon us once again. As we get closer to the last quarter of the year, it’s a good time to take a look at your goals and where you stand on them. Are you meeting them? Did you stay on track or did you forget about them altogether?

Brendon Burchard one of my favorite coaches has a YouTube episode on creating a Battle Board. It’s never too late in the year to start because everyday is a new chance for new opportunities to come into your life. So with my studio getting closer to being done, this is one of the changes I’m implementing.

The concept of the Battle Board is basically to have your goals outlined in front of you so you can see them every day to keep you on track. If you’re not looking at your goals on a daily basis it’s easy to become distracted and veer of course. Once that happens there’s no chance for success.

Whatever your goals may be health, business, finances or relationships, assess where you are and where you want to be. Then create your Battle Board to keep you on track and successful!

Hope this inspired you today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into visible.” ~Tony Robbins

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Thoughtful Thursday Book Review

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I finished reading “Gracefully You” by Jenna Dewan. In her book she talks about her family life and her career in dancing and acting. Many think a celebrity lifestyle is easy and glamourous. But celebrities face challenges and obstacles just like everyone else. Some even worse because of their notoriety.

I enjoyed reading the book on how Jenna overcame the challenges she faced both in her personal life as well as her career. But she saved the best for last when she wrote about having grace in the worst of circumstances. Especially when it’s so much easier to just let loose and let it all out. But that’s something most would end up regretting the next day.

Life isn’t always easy but it’s up to you as to how you choose to deal with the circumstances at hand. Maintaining grace can be very challenging but it is doable. If you fail by losing grace and have regrets, do your best to make it right. Life has a funny way of giving us second chances to do better and learn from our mistakes. But most importantly, always have grace with yourself.

I highly recommend reading Jenna Dewan’s book “Gracefully You” which is available on Amazon. It was a great read with beautiful photographs and quite interesting seeing life from her point of view.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Back to Basics

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I love listening to Earl Nightingale’s coaching session called â€śThe Strangest Secret” which can be found on YouTube. There’s also a book on Amazon. This was the first life coaching session that was ever recorded back in 1956. I’ve listened to it countless times. I’m often asked “Why do you keep listening to it? It’s basic stuff and you already know all of this.” My answer is always the same, “Yes, I do know the basics but hearing this recording helps to remind me of what they are and keeps on track.”

Let’s face it in today’s world we have hundreds if not thousands of distractions each and every day. With so many distractions, it’s hard to stay focused. So sticking to your goals and having clarity can be pretty difficult when we keep running after each new shiny penny we see.

I recently listened to one of Brendon Burchard’s podcasts and he made some really good points. In this podcast Brendon said “Common sense isn’t always common practice.” And that’s so true. We know we should be doing x, y and z but often we don’t and as a result we fail in life and in reaching our goals.

Earl’s recording reminds me of how easy it really is to reach your goals and create the life you dream of. The power to create is in you, in your mind. If listening to Earl isn’t your thing, that’s ok. Then find a life coach that works for you. Or make a list of reminders that you can look at first thing in the morning to help keep you on track. But be mindful of where your thoughts take you so you can stay focused on what’s important.

Hope this post inspires you. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Perhaps the world isn’t giving you what you want because based on all your distractions and lack of discipline, it’s simply unclear what you are asking for.” ~ Brendon Burchard

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Thoughtful Thursday New Year’s Resolutions

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It’s hard to believe that there are only 23 days until the New Year and then we’ll be in 2022. With the holidays in full swing many of us have busier than usual schedules. But this is the perfect time to start thinking about the New Year and what you want to accomplish.

A good place to start is to see where you are on your resolutions from this year. Did you get to where you wanted to be? If you did that’s awesome! If you didn’t, then take a look at what may have thrown you off course. Think about how you can improve on that for the next year.

When deciding on New Year’s resolutions, choose ones that resonate with you. And I mean something that you “really” want to attain. Don’t make resolutions for things that you feel would be nice to do or have some day. Those half hearted resolutions will never get off the ground because you’ll never fully commit to them. And by not reaching them, it’ll have a negative impact in your mind.

So stick with fewer resolutions that you’re passionate about. Put all of your heart into reaching your goal and you will. Stay focused and remind yourself everyday of what you’re aiming for. Check in weekly to make sure you’re staying on course and if you need to adjust your resolutions a bit, that’s ok they’re not set in stone.

Quick Summary:

  • Set New Year resolutions that are attainable and that you’re passionate about.
  • Decide on 3 resolutions at the most. Too many are overwhelming.
  • Give yourself deadlines to make your resolutions a reality.
  • Look at your resolutions everyday to keep you on track.
  • If life throws you a curve ball, adjust your resolution a bit.
  • Most important, be kind to yourself and celebrate the journey!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!!

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“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what YOU bring to the New Year.” ~Vern McLellan

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