3 Reasons Why You SHOULD NOT Share Your Goals

By Nicole Tinkham

It’s totally normal wanting to keep your big, hairy, crazy goals to yourself. Sometimes those goals are just too huge to share with others because what if you fail? You’ll feel like a complete idiot to the rest of the world. It’s just so much safer to keep them to yourself to avoid that humiliation. You’ll also hear people recommend doing the exact opposite by sharing your goals with the world. Many people say that doing this will hold you accountable to those goals. Not wanting to let those people down actually pushes you to achieve your big goal. So what are you supposed to do? Tell people your goals or keep them to yourself? We’ll dive into this a little bit deeper in this blog as we discuss the top 3 reasons why you SHOULD NOT share your goals.

1.    Don’t share your goals with the wrong people. You may not think twice about this when a certain goal pops into your head. You’re so excited about it and you just want to tell everyone what your big plans are. But beware; it’s important that you tell the right people. Go ahead and tell the people who will support you. They are the people who even if they don’t think the things you’re doing are the right choice, have your back anyway. They love you and will be a positive influence on all that you do no matter what. If you have people like that in your life you should, by all means, tell them.

The issue comes in when you tell someone who doesn’t want to see you succeed at your goals. Do not share your goals with someone who continuously puts you down or breaks your spirit. Why would you be friends with someone like that anyway? Also, don’t share your goals with those who you know will try to get you to back down from doing them. Your mother (or anyone you’re close with) for example, may not agree with what you’re doing. She loves you and supports you but maybe she also nags you and tries to steer you in a different direction every chance she gets. If this happens, be polite and continue on with your plans anyway. When you share your goals with the wrong people, you may be holding yourself back from your full potential. You may not even get started at all which is even scarier.

2.    Don’t celebrate too much before you even do anything. When you announce that you’re about to do something big, like quit smoking, for example, people will be excited for you. That’s an incredible goal to improve your life. While it may feel awesome to get congratulated before you even get started, it can take away the excitement of the actual achievement. It’s all fun and games until you have to put in the work, right? Plus, how many of these people will still be there throughout your journey cheering you on? Hopefully a lot of them but you just never know. They could fall off as soon as things start to get difficult, right when you need them most.

Remember that this is your journey. The important thing is that you get started. Worry about that and that alone for now. You can celebrate along the way with every victory but don’t exhaust yourself before you start. Be clear to others that this is only the beginning.

3.    Don’t pretend you’ve already achieved your goals (too much). Talking about where you see yourself in the future satisfies the need to achieve that goal in which case you may never follow through with actually achieving it. The more you talk about it, the more comfortable your mind feels with staying where you’re at and not putting in the extra work. Now I don’t 100% fully believe in this but one thing I do know for sure is that it is incredibly satisfying picturing, dreaming and talking about the life you want to live and the goals you want to achieve. It really is heavenly. The trick is not getting too comfortable and finding it in you to get to work and make it happen.

We’ve talked about why you shouldn’t tell someone else your goals and they all make sense for the most part, right? If you tell the wrong people, they could bring you down and demotivate you. If others celebrate before you even start, it takes away the excitement of achievement. And if you talk about your goals enough as if you’ve already accomplished them, you’re satisfying the mind and feel at peace with where you’re at even if it’s not your reality. But all of these things can be flipped, making telling others your goals a huge benefit for you.

Telling the right people about your goals can lift you up and take you further than ever imagined.

Having others root you on before getting started and throughout the journey can motivate you to keep pushing forward even when things get difficult.

Thinking and talking about your goals often gets you in the right mindset with a clear vision of what you want. As long as you follow through, it can help you make your dreams come to life.

As long as you do it right, telling others about your goals can actually benefit you. Just be smart about it. Tell the right people, know that starting is just the beginning, and take action on those big goals to make them happen. In the end, it’s up to you on how you handle your goals and who you tell about them. Find what works best for you. If that means keeping it to yourself, that’s totally fine. Just continuously look at and work toward those goals. You can do this. Get focused on what you want and get to work!

4 Ways To Have A Better Attitude And Change Your Entire Life

By Nicole Tinkham

What if I told you that your attitude has EVERYTHING TO DO with your success in life? Looking at your attitude right now as you’re reading this, are you setting yourself up for that success?

Be honest with yourself. This is nothing to be ashamed of if you’re feeling a little down in the dumps right now. Any little thing can make us feel this way and everyone goes through it. Having a bad attitude does not make you a bad person. You just need to tweak little things you’re doing to live a happier and more successful life. Read on for 4 ways to have a better attitude and change your entire life.

1.    Change your perspective

How often do you stress out over paying the bills or not selling enough artwork? Whatever it is that has you stressed out in life will only get worse if you keep focusing on the problem.

Instead, work on fixing that problem. Have a vision of what your life will look like without that problem, create a plan, take action and make a change. You will always have that problem and negativity in your life if you do nothing to change it.

Also keep in mind that you will fail. Nothing great ever comes out of change without a few failures. You can’t avoid it. But what you can do is get back up and try again. Never give up. Sometimes there are certain lessons you must learn before figuring it out.

2.    Smile

You probably hear advice on smiling more often to be happier in life and honestly, I thought it was ridiculous at first too. Just because you look happy on the outside doesn’t really mean you are happy. Isn’t that just being fake?

It is an actual fact that smiling does make you happy on the inside as well. Your body somehow thinks “Oh, we’re smiling. We must be happy.” I don’t know how it works but it does so just give it a try!

Having trouble smiling when you’re just having one of those days you wish you stayed home in bed and don’t want to face life? Trust me, I’ve been there too. What you need to do is take some time to yourself. Reflect and think about your goals and what you want to accomplish in life. Do more of what makes you happy and you’ll have an easier time wearing your smile.

3.    Set goals for a better life

When you set big goals for yourself, you’re working towards a better future and that’s something to get excited over. But setting goals is much more than scribbling a list of things you hope to accomplish in the year.

You must set goals and have an action plan. How will you actually achieve them? Have deadlines along the way so you can measure your progress.

You also want to have a clear vision of your life once you accomplish this huge goal as well as a strong why. This is what will keep you going when you want to give up.

Understand that this is a journey that will take time. You may become frustrated in the process but it will all be worth it in the end. To really get in the right mindset, try meditation and write down daily gratitude’s. Thinking about the blessings you already have in life will help you push through to your goal.

4.    Take a break

I’ve found in myself as well as others that when my attitude is off, all I really need is a simple break. Maybe that’s taking a vacation and escaping for awhile or maybe it’s just sitting at home in silence. We work our minds so much in day to day life that we just get really burned out but we keep on going which makes the situation worse. We get irritable and that’s when we get in a funk.

If sitting at home in silence to clear your mind isn’t your thing, spend some time with positive friends. Quality time with the right people can make a world of difference in your attitude as well as your success. Become friends with people who share the same vision and passions for life as you do. These are the people who will lift you up and inspire you to live happier.

I just gave you 4 simple ways to have a better attitude and change your entire life. It’s not difficult or complicated. It’s figuring out who you are and what you want in life. This is where your happiness lies. Focus on the solution versus the problem, smile more often, set goals for a better life and take breaks when needed. It’s not always easy to implement these changes in life but would you rather take a chance on them or waste away life being unhappy?

6 Ways To Live A Creative Life Outside The Art Studio

By Nicole Tinkham

If your artwork is something you enjoy on the side of a completely different full time job or if you just have a lot of other things on your plate, it may be difficult to blend your creative side with everyday life. I know it’s difficult for me to think about my personal life while at the office and also the other way around (thinking about office work while at home). Sometimes this is a good thing! You certainly don’t want to bring the stresses of your full time work into the art studio. But what if you could bring your creative passion into what you do full time? Wouldn’t that make your day so much more enjoyable? Well I have good news because you CAN bring your creativity into every area of your life and I’ll show you how.

1.    Have a sketchbook with you at all times

You probably won’t realize this until you start really paying attention but you have so many windows of time scattered throughout the day that you most likely are wasting. It’s those 15 minute breaks at the office, the extra 5 minutes left over after you eat your lunch, the 2 minutes you arrive to work early, the 15 minutes while dinner is cooking, the 20 minute commute to and from work, and the extra 10 minutes of laying in bed in the morning that really add up. I’ve just rambled off over an hour of time throughout your day that could be spent on creative activities and I’m sure there’s even more you’ll discover.

Take these windows of time and either create art, think about art, or gain new creative inspiration. Take a walk on your 15 minute breaks and discover something inspiring. Jot down some creative ideas that you’ve been thinking of or practice quick sketches. You can even listen to art podcasts in the car for fresh new ideas.

You say you don’t have time for art but in reality, the time is there. We all have the same 24 hours a day, it just all depends on how you use it.

2.    Share your passions

Start talking about your passions to your co-workers and other people around you. You could end up being the go-to person for creative advice. Of course you don’t only want to talk about your artwork if it doesn’t seem like anyone is interested but give people helpful tips and tricks that they’ll really appreciate. You may make some new artsy friends along the way too. Never be ashamed of who you are and what you like to do. You have no idea who you could possibly help if you never open your mouth and share.

3.    Look for creative tasks

Whether it’s planning a theme for the office party or helping a friend decorate their home, you can bring your creative skills and talents into the mix. The trick is to just speak up! If you overhear someone mention needing help in an area you’re skilled in, jump on the opportunity. Even small things that you can give your opinion on will go a long way and help you enjoy the not so artsy tasks that come up.

4.    Keep learning

So maybe you can’t bust out the art tutorial YouTube videos you’ve been dying to watch in the middle of your day job. But you can strive to learn new things that do relate to your job. Any type of learning can trigger new creative ideas because your mind is working differently and taking new things in. This is where having your sketchbook on you becomes helpful. When a new idea strikes, write it down.

5.    Allow the not so fun tasks help you grow as an artist

If you don’t enjoy your day job, you could wind up feeling really down about the position you’re in and not fully enjoy what you do every day. But here’s a little secret: there are many things you can learn and apply from that full time job (or any other task you don’t like doing) to other areas of your life, like your art. For example, working with customers is a great way to learn how to deal with people in your own art business. Figure out ways you can apply your day to day work and tasks to the things you are passionate about.
Remember, you are where you’re at in life right now for a reason. There’s something to be learned in this season of your life so make the most of it and let that move you forward.

6.    Spend time with the right people

Once you start being open about your creative side, sharing what you’re doing and offering help to others you’ll probably start forming a tribe or a group of like-minded thinkers. Chat and get together with these artsy people often to get the creative ideas flowing. Be open to meeting new people and going to different art events. Spending time with others who just “get” you is so empowering.

Who says creativity has to stay in the art studio? Art is all around you in nature, buildings, packaging, clothing and more. Art makes people happy. I’ve seen it with my own eyes so I encourage you to spread the joy. Be yourself and always stay creative in every area of your life.

Tell us, how do you stay creative all day long?

Your How-To Guide For Balancing Art Time With Everything Else

By Nicole Tinkham

If your head is spinning with all the things that you want to and have to do on a daily basis, I can totally relate. It’s tough to manage a family, the bills, a job, other responsibilities, and also time for yourself (like your art time). Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like there’s enough time in the day to get it all done, right? The good news is that managing your art time with everything else that’s going on is quite simple. It will take some organizing, prioritizing, planning and dedication but it’s certainly achievable. If I can make it all work in my life, I’m confident that you can too. Read on for your how-to guide for balancing art time with everything else.

1.    Have dedicated art space

The first thing you must do is separate your art space from your family or other space at home. This can be very difficult for the artist and I understand that but there’s a reason for it. As artists, we can easily get lost in our artwork. If there are art supplies throughout the house you’ll be tempted to work on your art and put other important things off. Or if you’re stressed out because you don’t have time for your art, it’s a constant reminder of what you’re not doing which can make you feel worse.

By keeping your art space separate, you won’t feel so scattered and you’ll actually be able to focus on one thing at a time. So how in the world are you supposed to keep your art stuff together and separate from everything else in your house?? I have a few suggestions..

First thing’s first, you must get organized. Gather similar supplies (all watercolor supplies, for example) and store them together. Donate anything you never use. Invest in or create the perfect storage solutions for your supplies and save space wherever you can. If you have an extra bedroom or basement area, this is perfect for your separate art room. If you do not have a separate room, you could put up a screen or room divider to create your own little space.

One thing you can’t control is the creative ideas that flow in at the most random moments. These ideas are good though! Carry a journal with you everywhere and jot down those ideas as they come. That way you’ll get the idea down on paper and out of your mind so you can move your focus onto other things.

2.    Set your priorities

Once your space is organized it’s time to set your priorities. Many people skip over this step when getting started in something new and are disappointed when they still aren’t happy. Sometimes adding more art time to your life can hurt you if you aren’t allowing enough time for other things that you care about.

For example, if you put family as your main priority and art as your secondary, this means your family comes first. Always. If you chose art over a family birthday party, you may not be very happy with your decision because you’re missing out on something important.

Take a look at every area of your life (career, hobbies, family, relationships, health, faith, and finances) and rank them in order of their importance to you. If an opportunity comes up that takes you away from your main priority it may not be ideal for you to go after. Prioritizing will help you in the next step, blocking time in your schedule to actually get more accomplished.

3.    Block time in your calendar

Whether you’re an organized person or not, you need to invest in a good planner! If you take a look at your calendar, you’ll discover a lot of time in your day. When you’re blocking time to do certain things, understand that this scheduled time will be focused and productive time to really get things done.

Start with your main priority and block out time for those things first. If your main priority is family, you may block time in for a family party or a planned dinner out. Move onto the next priority which may be your full time job. Block out the time you will be busy with that. Then move onto the next thing and keep going until your calendar is full (or nearly full – you’ll want to keep some time open to relax).

Tip: Color code your blocks of time to differentiate your priorities. Family events are green for example while art time is purple.

When planning your calendar, it’s a good idea to leave a little buffer room between activities and leave some down time to just relax! Block your time consistently every single week. Of course things will come up and alter your schedule but having an idea of how your week looks will really help keep your priorities in line.

4.    Have a chat with your friends and family

You are now on a mission. You will get more done and you’ll start having focused time in the areas that mean the most to you. This is huge! It’s time to sit down with the people closest to you and let them know your plan. Keeping them in the dark about what’s going on could confuse them (why is she locking herself in the art room from 6-7:30 pm and not talking to anyone?). Explain your goals and what you hope to accomplish with them. Make it clear what’s important to you and share your calendar with them so they know not to distract you during your art time or whatever else you have scheduled.

I hear from artists all the time who describe their art space and life as “organized chaos”. I completely understand how that works out for you because I can be the same way. However, when prioritizing my schedule and finding time for all the things I want to do, I find it very helpful to stay at least somewhat organized. Of course you don’t have to be perfect but when it comes to your planner, have things in order to keep you on track. That’s the biggest way I’ve seen improvement in my productivity.

I would love to know, will you be using these steps to balance your art time with all the other things you do? I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

4 Common Determination Killers And How To Prevent Them

By Nicole Tinkham

Have you ever started your day with a burst of positive energy, ready to get amazing things done only to find yourself drained and unmotivated by 10AM? You then tell yourself that tomorrow will be different and the same exact thing happens and you find yourself in a vicious cycle of never really accomplishing anything at all. On a larger scale, this also tends to happen in the beginning of the year. We plan for a big, successful year and a few months in we find ourselves going right back to old habits. So the big question is, WHAT is causing our determination to accomplish these things to vanish and how do we stop it from happening? Read on for the answers.

1.    We focus on what isn’t working

In all honesty, it is extremely difficult to focus on the things going well or the things you want to see happen when everything is crashing down around you. And this will happen to you, we all experience moments of disaster. We like to think of it as a test to see if you really do care about your goals as much as you say you do. The tricky thing is, when we focus our energy on the negative things going on, we receive more negative things in every area of life.

The solution: Daily gratitude

Every single day write down or think about the good things you do have in your life and remind yourself of how lucky you are despite what may be going on. This forces you to look on the bright side and bring more positive things to you.

2.    We get stuck on the past

Why is it that we typically remember how badly others have made us feel versus the compliments we receive? Maybe it’s because the negative hits harder and it may cause you to start second guessing yourself. Even if you think you are over something that was said to you in the past, we bet you really aren’t. The next time you try to take on a big project you may begin to think “I’m not good enough for this”. This thought it coming to mind for a reason, because you’ve heard it in the past.

The Solution: Create new agreements

Flip that negative thought into a positive one and start telling yourself “I am skilled enough to take this on and so much more” even if you don’t believe in it just yet. The more you say this new phrase to yourself, the more you will believe it and the more you can achieve.

3.    We let everyday stresses get to us

It’s not just the big problems but the little things that wear us down every single day as well. It’s being stuck in traffic, oversleeping or getting into an argument with a co-worker. These things are draining and they also have the power to cause the rest of our experiences that day to be just as miserable.

The Solution: Take a break

Get yourself back in the right mindset by going somewhere quiet, closing your eyes and focus on your vision or goals. Remember why you are doing this. Sure it may be difficult now but picture yourself reaching your goals and how incredible that will feel. What you’re going through now will be worth it if you get your head back in the game and give it your all!

4.    We fear change

It is definitely not easy making a huge life change or even small changes, for that matter. The idea of change sounds incredible (finally getting that dream job or making a major move to your favorite city) but when it comes down to actually doing it, fear can stop us in our tracks. All of a sudden that amazing idea sounds like a bad idea all because we put too much thought into the bad things that could possibly happen.

The Solution: Embrace change

Instead of thinking what could go wrong, consider all the things that could go right. If you don’t go after it now, you never know what could have been. Sure, there will be some bumps along the way. There usually is when starting something brand new. But enjoy the new journey and keep looking ahead to future possibilities.

Isn’t it such a shame that we let these little things (like one thing someone said to us years ago) keep us from reaching our goals? It’s true though, isn’t it? We can easily feel so defeated by the end of the day. Preventing these determination killers really comes down to one thing, changing your way of thinking. You have to start seeing things in a different light and focus on the positive things in life. It’s the only way you’ll be able to move forward with your goals.

Tell us, what’s one thing you find that’s holding you back? Let us know in the comments!

You Don’t Have To Quit Your Day Job To Live The Dream Life

By Nicole Tinkham

SO MANY of us do this and I’m totally guilty of it myself. We put our dreams on hold and wait for the “right time” to go after them. It sounds logical but that perfect timing may not ever happen which means you just wasted a whole lot of time doing absolutely nothing. We come up with all sorts of excuses like “when I retire, I’ll do the things that make me happy” or “when I have some more money I’ll start working on my goals”. That’s great that you want to make some big things happen in your life but while you’re daydreaming about them, time is passing you by. Maybe you can’t just leave your full time job tomorrow to focus on your art but you can start focusing on your dreams right now. Here’s how!

1.    Make the most of your free time

I often hear people say they would love to work on their art, go to different events, do some writing, travel and many other things. The one thing that’s holding them back (so they say) is time. I get that most of your days are spent working but there are several more hours in the day that you could be doing something that you absolutely love. Think about the activities you’re doing after work. Are you watching mindless TV or are you exploring your passion?

2.    Do something special for yourself

Do you ever feel selfish just thinking about spoiling yourself? Maybe you feel like you don’t have the extra money or you don’t think you deserve a massage or fancy dinner. To me, these extra little things sounded so luxurious and I always thought “when I’m successful, that’s how I’ll spend my days”. But who says I can’t pamper myself right now? Sure, it may cost a little extra money that you should be saving up for other things but it’s also important to live a little and enjoy yourself.

Note: Your “me” time doesn’t necessarily have to be extravagant and expensive. Quiet time to yourself in nature could be your little escape.

3.    Go on vacation

How many times do you use your vacation days for some work around the house, to visit family, or just stay home and do nothing at all? There is nothing wrong with doing these things but every once in awhile you need to take a real vacation. Get away to somewhere you’ve never been, go on an adventure, explore, and gain some new inspiration. You will return a changed person.

4.    Change up your day job

If you’ve been in your 9-5 job for awhile doing the same thing every single day, you probably feel like you’re in a never-ending cycle. No matter what the job is, it gets boring after awhile! But there are ways you can make it interesting again and get more enjoyment out of it. You can explore different departments within the company or look for new tasks to do in your current position. Even just moving things around in your office (we suggest sitting near a window and bringing in a plant) can go a long way. If you can, see if you’re able to work from home or cut back your hours to part time. All of these changes can improve how you view your full time job and make it more exciting.

5.    Make a difference

There’s no greater feeling than being able to help someone else out. I always said that if I had the time I would volunteer more and if I had the money I would donate more. I think many of us say these things and we don’t follow through as often as we’d like to. Remember that every little bit counts so do what you can! Even chatting with a friend when they’ve had a bad day is helping someone else and it feels so rewarding to be able to do that.

6.    Do things that scare you

When you think about the “dream life” it probably doesn’t include things that scare you but when you get stuck in the day to day grind, there’s nothing more exhilarating than doing something totally insane. Maybe you jump on a plane next weekend and visit New York City for the first time on a whim. Or maybe you sign up for a cooking class when you’ve been using your kitchen as your art studio and haven’t cooked a thing in ages. By doing these crazy things, you will gain so many experiences, meet incredible people and have amazing stories to share.

Don’t let life get boring before you dare to have fun. You only have one life to live so you better start doing all those things you ever hoped and dreamed of right now! You are never too old, too young, too broke, or too busy to enjoy life. You can live the dream life without quitting your day job and you can start right now!

6 Easy Steps To Enjoying The Stress In Your Life

By Nicole Tinkham

We write many blogs on ways to rid stress from your life so you may have read this title, thinking what gives?? We often view stress as a negative thing in our lives and it certainly can be. It sucks the time right out of our day, turns our hair gray, and prevents us from living the care-free life we want to live. However, if you switch your mindset just a little (we’ll show you how), you can actually begin enjoying the stress in your life. Read on for 6 easy steps for making stress your friend.

1.    Focus on what’s going right

We all experience different feelings when going through the stages of stress, but one thing that we all have in common is that it effects us, whether we admit it or not. In most cases, we experience sweaty palms and a racing heart. Use this stress signal to switch your way of thinking! When stress tries to take over, instead of focusing on all that is going wrong, channel your thoughts to think about all that is going right in your life. A simple re-direct of your thought patterns can actually change the way you think about the stress you may be facing.

2.    Use it to propel you forward

Sometimes being too comfortable where you’re at is a bad thing. You may not want to make the necessary changes for a better life because you’re just content. When stress pops up, you can use it to make a change because you decided you aren’t comfortable in the situation you’re currently in, and want something different!

3.    Embrace the feeling

We are often trained to feel a certain way in different circumstances. When we’re stressed, we automatically assume it’s a bad thing. But what if we could embrace that feeling and know that it’s good to feel that way every once in awhile? Of course you don’t want to be in a constant state of stress but from time to time it can be beneficial. Next time you’re stressed out, remember that it does not have to have a negative effect on you!

4.    Accept the challenge

Sometimes stress is brought on by a new challenge in life. Get your competitive spirit on and give it all you got! See what you’re really made of and all the incredible things you can accomplish when you aren’t scared to face the obstacles that get thrown your way. Remember, change can be a good thing!

5.    Be more productive

Stress gives you a boost of energy. Use it to your advantage! Get focused and be productive. Stress also puts pressure on you to reach your goals which can be very motivating.

6.    Get really good at future situations

The more you handle stressful situations, the better you’ll be at getting through future situations that come up. It’s all prep for whatever is coming up next.

While we just talked about the 6 easy steps for enjoying the stress in your life, it’s important for us to mention the negative side effects of stress as well. Even though there are benefits of stress such as increased energy, focus and motivation, too much stress can have a negative impact on your health. Be careful! You know you need to chill out and relax when you start getting headaches, body aches, and are sick more often. When you do reach this point, do these 7 simple ways to a peaceful mind