In My New Year's resolution post I made the statement: "My resolution this year is: To create a piece of art every week."

I am notorious for not sticking with my resolutions, so I wanted to check up on myself to see how my progress is going so far. It is now April and there has been 91 days since my resolution started, 13 weeks. I am not too hard on myself so I will be counting the number of pieces and not how many per week I made.

Here are all the pieces:

If I know how to count...and I think I learned that in college. I have 13 finished pieces! 1 for each week. I was thinking I hadn't been keeping up, but surprisingly I have stuck to my goal.

My portfolio is expanding and I'm using new techniques and learning about myself as an artist. That is good enough for me.


Have you stuck to your New Years Resolution? Tell me what it is.


Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the hardest to follow through with. Although most people agree that to live in the moment will lead to more joy than constantly thinking about the past and worrying about the future they don't actually live in the moment.

Living in the moment means turning off cell phones when you are spending time with a friend, thinking about what you are doing while you are doing it, and quitting creating scenarios about the future.

Remember, what is going to happen will happen so stop wasting your life planning every detail and rerunning your memories.

LIVE IN THE MOMENT.


Love Joy Peace,


Kristiann

Even with so many ideas constantly going through my head I still get blank paper syndrome, AKA feeling uninspired. 

It seems like the times when I have absolutely no way of drawing my idea out or when I am too busy to jot something down is when I have the best ideas for art projects.

I think that the reason why this is when the good ideas start flowing is because you aren't trying too hard. When you feel like you need to start a new project and you just have a blank piece of paper in front of you it is almost impossible to think of a great idea.

Here are some ways to stop Blank Paper Syndrome:

1. Go outside! take a walk, go on a hike, soak up the sun if you have some

2. Clean the house! when my home is too messy I can't concentrate and good ideas seem to stop

3. Read a book! creating images in your head of characters can be a great way to come up with new ideas


I am always open to new ideas to find inspiration. What works best for you when you are having artist block?


Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

While I am at home on the weekends I usually listen to pandora while cleaning and web surfing. I love music but I hardly ever know the name of the song I'm listening to or the name of the band. This song started playing and I had to take a minute to listen to the song a few more times and really think about the lyrics. This isn't a new song and I have heard it many times, but today this song really was meaningful to me. I hope you enjoy it too.

Have a great weekend!


Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

Happiness would seem to be a very easily understood emotion. Everyone knows when they are happy and most people can tell when others are happy too. But what is it that really makes us happy? 

I watched the movie Happy this morning and I thought it was really interesting. I took some notes during the movie and thought I would share them with you.

-aerobic exercise can increase happiness by releasing dopamine

-Flow: pushing yourself to you limits

-performing acts of kindness is one of the best ways to increase your happiness.

-Once you have basic needs met money doesn't make a difference in happiness

- Denmark is the happiest country in the world

-Caring about things bigger than yourself is a huge factor

-Count your blessings

-Close family and friends was found in every person that had high levels of happiness

-Important factors: play, new experiences, friends and family, doing things with meaning

It was said in the movie that only ten percent of our happiness depends on our income, where we live, the home we have, and status. Why is it that those are the things most people focus on the most? Why would we care about those things so much, but then when asked what is truly important to us the overwhelming answer is "to be happy." 

It was said that the biggest difference between people that are happy and people that are not happy is whether they focus on things intrinsically or extrinsically.

Extrinsic  = money, image, status
Intrinsic = personal growth, relationships, sense of community

People that who value money, image, and status were found to be much less happy than people who value personal growth, relationships, and community. So let's start focusing on Intrinsic goals.

People who were able to be thankful for what they were given rather than be mad about what they don't have were much happier. It didn't matter that they lived in a shack, to them they were thankful that they had that shack to live in.

The people of Bhutan recently realized that happiness is really what should be the most important thing to the country and to the people. The governments main goal is to raise the GNH, the Gross National Happiness.

For the next week try to raise your happiness levels and the happiness of the ones around you. This should be easy.

Start with these three tasks:

1. Count your blessings
2. Spend time with your family and friends
3. Perform acts of kindness.


Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

Today is my mom's birthday and I am so thankful for her. I hope that she know's she is appreciated and loved. She is the one that is always there for me and has never given up on me. She is the one that has always taught me to follow my heart and to follow my dream.

She only wants me to be myself and that is amazing. Thanks for unconditionally loving me Mom!

Take a minute to tell your mom how much you love them. You will never regret letting her know how much she means to you.

Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

Every minute of your life can be enjoyed. You can learn to love event the hard times. Remember it is the hard times that make the good times even better. So be in love with your life.

Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

I love to go hiking. It is a great way to improve your body and your mind. Not only are you getting out of your chair and exercising you also finding peace by being out in nature. I am lucky that I have this beautiful trail so close to where I live, but even if you don't have hiking trails you can go on a walk anywhere.

A hike is great because it is a completely free activity. It is fun to go by yourself if you need time to think and clear you head, but it can also be fun to go with someone you want to catch up with. I love walking and talking because you have so much around you that you will always have something to talk about. I also find inspiration for my art while out in the woods.

Isn't nature beautiful?! The natural beauty I see when I go into the forest is something nobody can recreate. The feeling that you get can't be found in the city.


Where are your favorite trails?


Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann

I get angry, everyone does, but if you think about it this way you can stop and realize that each minute of your life can be controlled by you. Why wouldn't you rather be living in peace instead of anger. It does seem like many people are living in anger rather than choosing to live in peace.

This graphic was inspired by the weather here in Portland. It is so dark and gloomy outside. It does get to me, but I have decided to live with joy always. Without the gloomy days I wouldn't appreciate the sunny spring days that are coming. Since I live in an area that has very defined seasons each season is something to look forward to and you don't get tired of having the same weather everyday. 

Remember it is always a choice to live with peace instead of anger and with joy instead of sadness.

Love Joy Peace,

Kristiann