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?

3 Popular Art Subjects That Sell

By Nicole Tinkham

Are you struggling to sell even your absolute best pieces of artwork?? We’ve written so many blogs on the subject (Like How To Price Your Artwork To Sell) because it’s one of the most common struggles we hear among artists. One thing that you may be curious about is “what does sell?” That’s our topic in this blog but honestly, we’ve had mixed feelings about writing it. Sure, we could tell you the subjects in art that tend to sell but how will this impact who you are as an artist? Will it change your own personal style? Or will it help form new creative ideas? Since these things could help your business, we decided to share. Of course you don’t have to incorporate these ideas into your work. You should always strive to be yourself! But take them into consideration and let us know your thoughts on whether or not an artist should implement them. Read on for 3 popular art subjects that sell.

1.    Landscapes

We see a ton of absolutely brilliant landscape/seascape paintings here in Bradenton, Florida. We also get to see beautiful northern landscapes as well from the snow birds that flock down to visit us so we really have the best of both worlds! Local scenery of a street, shops, or towns tend to be popular too as the buyer is most likely to purchase the painting after recognizing the location. It brings back memories and that’s something really special to capture in your painting.

2.    Pets (in particular, dogs)

We think pets are a common theme in artwork because people can connect with their furry friends on a deep and personal level. Detail and personality of the pet can shine through in a painting and make the work really fun. If you love painting furry creatures, consider getting into custom pet portraits!

3.    Abstracts

Here’s one that’s really not for everyone (artist and viewer alike) but a talented artist can have much success with abstract art when marketing to the right audience. Keep this in mind – not everyone appreciates abstract art. Many people see the talent and emotion behind it but not everyone does. This is why you must get in with the right people for it. Once you hit the right crowd of abstract lovers, you’ll be golden.

Should you paint based on which subjects sell?

After talking about the different art subjects that typically sell, the big question now is “will you follow the trends?” To be honest, there never really is a correct answer when it comes to art and we’ll tell you why. Everyone has a different motive. Some people will purchase a painting from you to match their couch and others will find a deep connection with your artwork. You just never know.

You also have to be true to yourself. Just because landscapes, dogs and abstracts may not be your cup of tea you can always give it a try anyway and see what happens. You may end up falling in love with the subject and selling it right away! But in the end, it’s important to go with what you enjoy doing.

In our opinion, what will sell is something you’re passionate about. The more passion you have for that subject, the better the piece will turn out and the more likely it is to sell.

With that being said, we’d love to know your opinions! Please leave a comment below and let us know whether or not you think an artist should follow what typically sells or just do their own thing.

Write Your Own Story – 4 Steps To Discovering Who You Really Are

By Nicole Tinkham

When it comes to knowing yourself, it makes perfect sense to say that you’re the one who knows you best. We’d be willing to bet however, that you don’t know yourself as well as you think you do. When we’re born we are open to so many different possibilities in life, even down to the language we speak. But as we grow, our surroundings shape who we are. We pick up on the language and activities around us and that’s who we become. We’re told what to do and what not to do. We tend to follow along with society and what everyone else is doing. While knowing who you are sounds simple enough, can you see why discovering the real you can be a bit challenging? Instead of making up your own story, we’ll explain how you can write your true story and really figure out the person who you are.

Why is it important to write your story?

Do you ever feel lost and wonder how you ended up on this particular path? Maybe you have little excitement in what you’re currently doing or maybe you just feel like you were born to do more. To discover your calling, you must first dig deeper and discover yourself. Once you figure that out, everything else will start falling into place. This also allows you to put your time and energy into the right things that will shape who you are and who you want to become. You’ll find that you’re more confident being the unique person you are and you’ll start challenging yourself more, striving for bigger and better things in life.

FIRST: Spend time with yourself

This doesn’t mean stay home and watch TV all day. When we say to spend time with you, we mean get yourself in the zone in a nice quiet area with no distractions. Be still, clear your mind of any stresses, and just be alone. For some people this can be quite uncomfortable but being alone with your thoughts can reveal information about yourself that you normally wouldn’t notice. Embrace the silence and become one with yourself. You can do this step often just to check in with where you’re at. Every once in awhile do a longer session and more frequently you can do shorter sessions, or whatever you feel is needed.

SECOND: Get honest with yourself

Still alone in a quiet area, grab a journal and start jotting down notes on who you are. This shouldn’t be who you want to be, someone else who you admire, or who you’re striving to become. Make a list of every single unique thing about you including both the good and the bad. Sometimes it can be difficult to open up about the things you aren’t proud of but remember that this list is for your eyes only. Plus you must be aware of these areas so you can work on them.

THIRD: Consider how you make people feel

This next step is crucial when making self improvements. How you make others feel says way more about you than your success and money. People don’t remember those things but they will always remember how they felt around you. Seriously consider how you currently make people feel and then think about how you’d like to make them feel.

FOURTH: Determine what you have to offer

The final step will take some time and could change as you go through different seasons of life. You may not have an answer right away but what we can tell you is that you were born with a special gift to share with the world. Even if you see a ton of other people doing the same thing you are, creating and selling art online for example, there’s a certain unique quality that only you have. To discover this, write down a list of everything you’re good at whether it’s a certain art technique or baking killer chocolate chip cookies. What do people most often compliment you on? What do they ask your advice on? What are some things you absolutely love doing? Keep asking yourself these questions and with time, you’ll discover what you were meant to do and how to give that unique thing to the world.

One last piece of advice, actually write these things down! Literally write out your story. Take your brainstorm notes and put them all together. Also keep in mind that your story can and will change. As we go through different life events who we are and what we have to offer also changes. So whether you’re trying to figure out your next career move or just trying to be a better version of yourself, walk through these 4 steps to writing your own story and discovering who you really are.

Calm Down Your Mind And Stop Worrying – Here’s How!

By Nicole Tinkham

Do you overthink every single little thing to the point where you can’t get anything accomplished? Fear can stop you dead in your tracks from doing just about anything in your life. If you have some big goals for the New Year, listen up! You need to let go of the past and stop worrying about the future. Live in this moment right here right now TODAY. Easier said than done, right? Don’t worry; we put together this guideline to help calm down your mind and stop worrying once and for all. Read on for how to accept the things you cannot change, be fearless of the future, get rid of your limiting beliefs, and enjoy the things you already have.

Accept the things you cannot change

Let’s face it. If something has happened in the past, there’s no going back to change it now. It’s impossible. That leaves you with two options. You can either make improvements and better the situation or just let it go. Here’s what you need to know. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just let it go. For instance, when someone else is involved you will not and cannot change that other person. Don’t even try.  When it comes to you personally though, there’s always a chance to change and grow as a person. It may not fix the past but it’s a way to move forward without dwelling on past situations.

Note: Accepting the past will not just magically happen overnight. Forgiving and moving on will take time and the best thing you can do is take baby steps, moving forward a little bit each day.

Be fearless of the future

Fear is the number one thing that holds people back from going after their goals. People not only fear failure but they also fear rejection and ridicule from others. When it comes to failure think of it this way; if you aren’t taking the chance, you’re always going to be where you’re at right now. Is that what you really want? To create a better life for yourself, you will have to make a change. If you fail, you have the opportunity to start over and try something different.

When it comes to worrying about what other people think, you have to remember to think of yourself first. What do you feel in your heart is right? What were you born to do? What makes you happiest? You know yourself better than anyone else. Sometimes loved ones are only looking out for you and they don’t want to see you make a wrong decision. Take what they have to say seriously but remember that at the end of the day it’s your decision.

Get rid of your limiting belief

So many people worry about money, time, and careers. We would say those are the big three although you may have others to add to the list. One reason why you could be stressing out in these areas could be because of your limiting belief. You don’t think you’re worth more money. You seem to never have time and always have a ton of things to get done. You don’t have the skills to get a better job that you enjoy. With this mindset, you really won’t get far.

You need to look within yourself. What kind of person are you really? What incredible qualities do you possess? What are you good at? Know that there’s always room for improvement but you are already amazing just the way you are. You were born to do great things now it’s time to do them!

As with everything mentioned in this blog, your belief in yourself will take time. Lift yourself up by reading something inspirational every day, dream about your future life (and make a plan to turn it into your reality), and repeat positive affirmations to yourself daily. The more you believe in yourself the more you will achieve!

**You are good enough!**

Cherish what your life already has to offer

Stop spending your time worrying about cleaning your house, running errands, ironing your laundry, and just being this perfect person. Start paying attention to the things in your life that really matter, like your friends and family. Sometimes it feels like everything is going wrong so stop yourself for a moment and seriously think about this. Think of all the wonderful things you do have in your life and think of others who don’t have those things. You are so incredibly blessed, it’s time you start appreciating it. Think about this; would you rather be remembered by the impeccable home you’ve kept up with or the way you made others feel? Consider what your real priorities are and adjust the way you’re living your life.

When you are faced with an issue…

Ask yourself what the absolute worst thing that could happen is.

Now make a plan in case that was to actually happen. Having a plan written down for the worst case scenario will ease your mind.

Chances are you’ll realize that even the worst thing isn’t the end of the world and you’ll feel better about the situation.

Stress, worry and anxiety are all part of life but the way you handle them says a lot about who you are. These are all difficult things to overcome but once you can let go and fully enjoy what life has to offer, the little things won’t even bother you anymore. Remember to accept the things you cannot change, never fear what the future brings, realize that you are good enough, and be grateful for all the wonderful things you already have. If you focus on these four things the stress will start to melt away.

Why Dreaming Big Is Getting You Nowhere And What You Need To Start Doing For Success

By Nicole Tinkham

You’ll hear us say it all the time and it’s definitely something we believe in and stick by. It’s important to love this life of yours, to do the things that make you happy, and to dream big. You may have already started dreaming big by writing some goals down, creating a vision board, and visualizing your future. That’s great if you have and something we still encourage you to do. But what happens when you’re doing all this dreaming and nothing ever happens? If you’re feeling a little defeated and frustrated, this blog is for you. We’ll explain why dreaming big is getting you nowhere and what you need to start doing for success.

Dreaming big is the first piece of the puzzle. It’s figuring out what you really want in life and it’s certainly a crucial step. But if you stop at your dreams without taking action, you will never move forward. How do you expect these dreams to actually happen? Think they’re just going to fall into your lap? We can tell you from experience that’s not how this works. What you can start doing though is thinking big.

For example, it’s so easy to get lost in the excitement of a new career opportunity. You’re creating this new life for yourself and you have a list of things you’re dreaming of accomplishing. But the question is, are you taking those dreams and strategically planning what exactly will happen in your future? When you don’t have a plan one of two things typically happens. Either you get burnt out on this big dream or you fall behind trying to adapt to these new changes in your life.

What you need to do is get out of your head and get “all in” on the things you want to accomplish. You must give it your all. You must have a plan and take action. You must get focused. You may even have to make sacrifices like TV time, sleep, and extra vacations at least until you get things rolling. If you’re not 100% in it, it’s still all just a dream. You need to switch from dreaming big to thinking (and doing) big!

There’s no way of predicting the future but it doesn’t hurt to have a game plan either way. Know exactly what your next step is if you succeed and what your next step is if you fail. Sure, there will always be little surprises that come up along the way but you can handle them confidently when you have a strong plan. Don’t just wait around to see what happens. Be prepared.

So while dreaming big paints the picture of how your life could look, it’s also important to think big. Take action on those dreams, follow through with them, and plan for anything the future may bring (good or bad). It may be impossible to predict exactly what could happen in the future but think through every possible situation you can imagine and plan for it. If you’re a dreamer but feel stuck, start doing these things to finally see success in your life.

9 Essentials To Living The Good Life

By Nicole Tinkham

As we go through life, we have our ups and we have our downs. The scariest thing of all isn’t going through difficult times, but just going through life without truly enjoying it. Have you ever woken up in the morning not wanting to get out of bed, just dreading the busy day ahead of you? That’s no way to live! Now’s the time to get your passion back and start living the good life. It’s simple: love what you do, do it with good people, give often, treat yourself well, continue moving forward, do the things you want (even if they’re crazy), keep smiling, and be yourself. Read on to see how you can make these 10 essentials a habit in your life so you can finally enjoy every single day.

1.    Wake up with passion

If you aren’t excited about starting your day, what’s the point of even getting out of bed? We understand that it can be a challenge to do exactly what you want every single day but you have got to find something you can get passionate about. Even a hobby on the side is something that should put a smile on your face. But if you find yourself constantly dreading your day, every day, it may be time to make a career change.

2.    Spend time with good friends

Laughter is the best medicine and a group of positive friends who you can be yourself around is sure to bring more joy to your life. Good times will allow your stress to melt away. You can relax and just have fun. A good group of friends will also lift you up and inspire you to do more with your life, things you may have never considered before.

3.    Give more than you receive

The power of giving far outweighs the act of receiving. You may be thinking that you don’t have much to give but we bet you have more than you realize. Something as simple as a helping hand or a compliment goes a long way. The more you give, the more you’ll put others in a better mood as well as yourself.

4.    Be good to yourself

You are so worth spoiling yourself! Eat healthy, be active, and you can even work on your mind while you’re at it. When you treat your body well everything else starts to improve in your life. You gain more energy, sleep better, experience less aches and pains, and just feel happier. And don’t forget to pamper yourself from time to time too! Get a nice massage or take a long restful nap to help you feel your best.

5.    Keep moving forward

So maybe you feel content with life and that’s a wonderful thing. However, staying in the same spot is just as bad as moving backwards and living an unhappy life. There are times to be happy where you’re at and times to move forward. If you never move forward, you’ll start to feel stuck. Sometimes moving forward means taking a risk which is scary. But you’ll never know what could possibly happen if you don’t make that change.

6.    Don’t miss out

Get out there and experience life! Don’t pass up opportunities when they come with lame excuses. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you’re ready or not. Some experiences are just worth it and may never present themselves again. Make time for the things that could possibly change your life.

7.    Do something crazy

We can get so wrapped up in what other people (and society) tell us we should and shouldn’t do. But this is your life and you have every right to make your own decisions even if they are a little out there. If you feel it in your heart, go after it. Do something different. Get out of your comfort zone and discover a new side of yourself.

8.    Smile even on the bad days

When you start the day off poorly, it’s so incredibly easy to let the whole day go downhill from there. But if you proudly wear a smile all day long no matter what, we can almost guarantee you’ll have much better days. Just try it today and see how you feel. A smile can instantly put you and those around you in a better mood.

9.    Be unique

You were born for a reason and you’re different for a reason. The world desperately needs what you have to offer so stop hiding in the shadows, afraid to be who you truly are. Some people may not agree with you and that’s totally fine. Just think about all the lives you can impact of people who can relate to you.

There’s a better life out there for you if you open your heart and allow it in! Stop closing off all new opportunities. Start taking more chances, keeping your own betterment in mind. If you’re not growing and improving as a person every single day, there’s something wrong. You need to pay attention to yourself more! If you’re feeling stuck, follow these 10 essentials for living a good life and put them into action right away. You deserve to do this for yourself.

How To Set Goals In As Little As 7 Days

By Nicole Tinkham

Let us first begin by saying it does not matter when it is; it’s always the perfect time to start setting goals. We’re writing this blog just in time for the New Year but if you’re reading at a later date, that’s perfectly fine! Goal setting is something you should do throughout the year anyway. Our golden rule is to start setting goals whenever you feel ready to do it! We’ll walk you through goal setting in 7 simple steps (or 7 days) but just beware; you do not want to skip one of these steps. Not following through with the activities on each day could result in you not reaching your goals and just feeling frustrated. We’ll start with a mass brainstorm to figure out what your main goals are, break those big goals into smaller ones, create an action plan, take action, keep the momentum going, and then evaluate your performance. Ready to get started? Read on for your day #1 agenda.

Day #1: Brainstorm

BEFORE you get started today, you should get in your thinking zone. Find somewhere quiet with no distractions. Get away from clutter and straighten up the room if you have to. Turn off your phone and anything else that may distract you during this session. You can listen to some calming music, light your favorite scented candle, grab a coffee, and whatever else comes to mind to put you in your happy place.

Once you get in the right mindset, it’s time to brainstorm everything you would like to see happen in your life in the next few years. Write anything and everything down! We’ll be narrowing down this list later so just go crazy with it. Think about health goals, career goals, relationship goals, and financial goals. Anything that pops in your head should go on your list. It may be difficult to think of ideas at first but once you get rolling, the ideas will flow.

Now that you have a long list going, we’re going to prioritize your goals. Is there one thing on the list that will help you achieve some of the others goals you have written down? This would be your ASAP goal, or the goal you’ll want to get working on right away. This should also be a very specific goal. Ask yourself “By doing this, what do I aim to achieve?” This will narrow down any broad goals even further. For example, if you have “I want to become a painter” on your list, you may end up changing it to “I want to become a landscape painter”. Being clear on your goals will help you in the following steps of breaking it down and creating an action plan.

Before moving on, we want you to start BELIEVING in yourself. If you don’t do this, you’ll be doing this entire goal setting session for no reason. Believing that you can actually achieve these goals is the key to being successful. We know this can be difficult to do especially with those big goals you have written down. Some of them might seem crazy! Keep in mind working on your belief is something that you should do daily and it does take some time to switch your limiting mindset. Based on your goal, write down an affirmation. Something like: “I am an incredible landscape painter with amazing skills”. Repeat this over to yourself for at least 10 minutes a day, every day.

Day #2: Break it down

Welcome to day #2! This is our favorite part because now you’re probably excited about the goals you wrote on your list yesterday. That big goal probably seems pretty daunting though, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, we’ll be breaking that goal down into mid term and short term goals which will make it easier for you to tackle it.

Take that main goal and dissect it into several short term goals. Consider the different phases of achieving that goal. What will need to be done along the way?

Your short term goal should be a SMART goal meaning is should be Specific (clear on what you want to achieve), Measurable (must be able to review progress), Attainable (can you get it done with the resources you have?), Realistic (can it actually be done?), and Timely (must have a deadline). Now take that SMART goal and break it down even further into action steps. What is the process you’ll need to take in order to reach that specific goal by your set deadline?

Day #3: Action Plan  

Now we’re getting into the good stuff! This should excite you. You are literally planning for success in reaching your goals. This is where some research comes in. We’ll all have very different goals but you may need to look into different strategies for achieving your goal. Weigh the pros and cons of different ways of doing things to figure out what will work best for you. What exactly do you need to do in order to reach your goal? You may start with learning something about what you want to do. Maybe it’s educating yourself on different nutrition plans or a system for saving money.

Make sure the action items on your list are detailed so there’s no second guessing yourself when doing them. You’ll know exactly what needs to be done. You also want to organize the action steps so you know what you should be getting done first.

Based on your action items, create a daily checklist of what you need to be doing each day. This just narrows it down even further to help keep you on track. You can transfer this to do list to your phone so you always have it on you and can check things off throughout the day.

Day #4: Take action

This is where the magic happens! Without this key step, none of your goals would ever be accomplished. It’s great to have a solid plan in place (what we’ve been doing up until now) but none of that matters if you never get started. We know it can be scary but just start with the first task on your list. Don’t think twice about it, just get it done. There’s no time for procrastination so make this the first thing you get done in the day.

Days #5 and #6: Keep going

Congrats!! You made it through one day following your action checklist. Now it’s time to celebrate your completion. You did an amazing job. Go ahead and do your happy dance 🙂
Now it’s time to move on to the next list. Keep on going!! Each day may only produce small results but those results add up over time. You have to build up your momentum so you can become unstoppable. If there’s ever a time you feel like giving up, remember why you started in the first place.

If you find yourself procrastinating, work on tasks in 25 minute chunks of time. This will keep you focused and little breaks in between will keep you from burning out. Continue to check in on your action plan to be sure you’re still on track and in line with your goals.

Day #7: Evaluate your performance

The final step in this process will determine how quickly you reach your goal. And that last step is to reflect on what you’ve done so far and measure your progress. Without doing this step, you won’t be able to adjust and improve on the areas you are weak in. That’s the whole point of reflecting. To look at the areas in which your strengths lie, where your weaknesses lie, and where your errors were made. From here, you can tweak and improve your action steps. By the way, your action steps are never set in stone. It’s important to update them when something just isn’t working out. It’s ok! Do not give up when things don’t go your way. Make the appropriate changes and move forward.

There you have it; How to set goals in as little as 7 days. But don’t think that your work ends there. Continue to work on your daily check lists and action plans. Keep evaluating your progress and make adjustments when needed. And most importantly keep adding to your list of goals! There’s so much you can accomplish in this lifetime if you put your mind to it. Stop pushing them off thinking they’re too big for you to actually achieve. Following these steps and breaking down each goal makes them more manageable so you can totally do this!