Hello and welcome back to another one of my blog reviews. Here are my thoughts on the "Paul Rubens Opaque Watercolours". I am not being sponsored and this review is solely my own opinions.
These are intended to work like watercolours and gouache combined in one medium. I purchased the 36 colour set, that came in a large silver box, and the tubes are 15ml.  A 24-tube set is also available. I was surprised to see a great colour selection and some were unique. I was not sure, when l started using these if l was going to use them as watercolours or gouache but l used them as both.  As watercolours, you do have to water them down quite a bit, and l found they dry fast. What l found weird, normally with watercolours they usually dry lighter, but with these l found they dried darker, so having all the colours swatched ahead of time will come in useful. They were not flowy like most watercolours are, but they layer well. They are bright and vibrant and the texture was smooth, it will allow you to create delicate paintings, but you will need to use a lot of water. They have strong coverage, but if you are looking for a gentle transparent look then l don’t think these are a good choice. I must admit that l did love the convenience of all the different colours.
The biggest con, the pigment information is not written on the tubes.  l consider these designer gouache as many of the colours do have dyes in them. The light-fast ratings on the amazon listing are confusing to me, as l do not know how they made an "Opera Rose" a 5-star rating, light-fast. l would not use these in commission work, or any sellable artwork. I think they would be great for sketchbook use or to practice with.
They did have binder separation in most of the tubes but l was able to mix them well. They re-wet like a dream, so no wasting but l will warn you that l did have cracking, and shrinkage when they dried, so l would use them out of the tube, instead of pouring them and storing them in half or full pan palettes.
I wish Paul Rubens, were more transparent about the light-fast information. I did enjoy working with them but l will for sure only keep them for sketchbook work, and not sellable originals. I can't find enough information or evidence that proves them to be a professional grade medium.

Personally, l don’t think they work as well as some of the gouache or poster colours l have used in other brands, and they definitely did not work as well as my other watercolour brands.  On a plus side they did blend well wet into wet, (used as a watercolour) and they blended well on the page. Colours also blended well on the palette.  You can paint very thickly but it does dry quickly and the colours are very opaque. These were not see through when used as a gouache (little water) so that was a plus if you are looking for an opaque look. You can sufficiently layer this paint on top of itself, just make sure that you are using minimal water so you don’t pull up the lower layers. 

​Overall l thought they were good, as you have a warm and a cool primary and some fun colours added to the sets. If you are someone who wants to use both watercolours and gouache, then these would be a decent option. 
Personally, if you are a beginner to watercolours or gouache l would not recommend these, as there is definitely a learning curve when first using them, and this could put you off both watercolours and gouache. To be completely honest, l don’t think these are a must have, but if you want a hybrid paint then give them a try.  I am not sure how often l will reach for these, but its always fun to add unique art mediums to your collection, especially to have some creative fun.
If you have given these a try l would love to hear your thoughts on them, so please feel free to leave me a comment below.

Happy creating and have a beautiful day.

​

The colours are pure pigment and the “Gold Class” is a top of the line, artist grade series. If you purchase a set, they come with a colour chart pamphlet which is useful when picking out individual colours. It is such an advantage when a brand also offers open stock and you will be pleasantly surprised when you see the colour range. Each tube indicates the information you need on the light-fastness and pigments. There are a total of 105 colours offered in the Mission Gold watercolour line. Mission Gold also offers high quality pallets, with an excellent mixing area, and 36 wells big enough for larger brushes. 

Are you looking for vibrant watercolours? Look no further. These fabulous, rich watercolours offer incredible vibrancy. The colours are strong and consistent that stay moist when you leave them to dry and they re-wet so quickly and beautifully. They mix well wet on wet, and they are perfect for texture and granulation techniques. I found no issues when lifting the colours wet or dry. Some staining results are inevitable when dry, but not with all the colours. I am impressed that natural binders such as honey is used in this brand which makes mixing colours a dream, as they did not become muddy. It may take you some practice when controlling the level of saturation due to the amount of pigments they offer. If you want light colours of washes, you will have to dilute them with an abundance of water. A bit of colour goes a long way, and you won’t need to use much to create light transparent colours.​
​All 105 colours are AP certified from ACMI, proving that they are harmless to humans.

The path of an artist has not always been an easy one for me and along the way l asked many people especially other artists for advice. However, l have learned a lot by trial and error and I wanted to share with you what l have learned so far and give you some of my best advice to help you become a successful artist, especially if you are just starting out. I have had some young aspiring artists ask me for advice so why not share it with all of you.
I usually save the best for last, but in this case l am going to start with the most important advice l can give you. Do not listen to people telling you how impractical your passions are, and don’t let anyone crush your dreams. You need to stay positive and you need to stay focused on your goals.
     If you love what you do then it should not be a competition, it is important to recognize that there is an abundance of talented people out there and why not be added to that same caliber of talent? Why compete with others? Everyone is different, so don’t be afraid to be yourself and find your style.
It’s important to be encouraging, artists need to inspire and be inspired. You need to network yourself with other creative people, positive individuals who are of the same mind set. We should be helpful and aim to respond with motivating words.  ​

Don’t give up, you have no idea how many times l would get caught up in everyday life and l would put my art aside. If you want to succeed you need to make your creativity and passion a priority, you can’t let your art suffer. Practice makes perfect, you need to continue developing your skills, and put all the countless hours you have already dedicated to good use. You must progress and move onward. You can’t put in all that time and let it go to waste. I believe that if you have the drive to succeed you will.

 I have met some pretentious artists and all l can say is there’s a fine line to being proud of your artwork and recognizing that you are good and then being narcissistic or egotistical. No one likes a bragger so just keep that in mind.
 I am a genuine believer that you don’t have to go to art school to be a great artist. You just need to learn the fundamentals and you need to keep learning and practicing. It is important to experiment creatively with different mediums so that you are not fearful of trying new things. Keep flourishing your artistry and talent. It’s important to realize that you will never stop developing.

I have often said that you can be an incredible artist but you need to be a good business person too. You need to learn networking and marketing. You can’t expect to sit behind your easel and let your artwork sell itself or get any exposure. Networking builds viable relationships and this delivers future results. You need to put yourself out there, not just your artwork, you as an artist need to be social.  Potential customers are likely to view and check out your artwork if they know who you are, it becomes a personal experience if your patrons know who you are as a person. Your current customers can also introduce you to other people who may like your work. Build relationships with suppliers, galleries, and organizations, they can potentially help you network with people that can become clients or help you develop skills. Join social media platforms, this is an important one. Online shopping and social media sites are growing rapidly. You need to keep people in the loop with what you are up too and social media is a compelling way to stay in touch with the world. A website is a good way to sell your artwork and blogging will help your clients get to know you. It is even as important to network in person. Get out there and talk to people. Join or attend local events. You will benefit from getting to understand your community.  Have fun with it, and be personal and professional. Smiling leaves a lasting impression.             
    ​

​ Don’t talk negatively about your art. There will always be self-doubt, but you need to believe in your abilities and what you are offering. How can others believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself? Use your art to express yourself and who you are. It’s important to stay true to yourself and so this ties into my next, but last piece of advice. Your art should not be free. “Your art will get lots of exposure, but l can’t pay for it” You need to value yourself. I have donated my artwork for some great causes, so let’s not get confused about what l am trying to express.  You can’t keep giving away your art and give into offensive offers. Put value on your art. Being artist and entrepreneur is a lot of work. Trust me l know, so don’t cheapen or devalue your work.
Have fun and do what you love and remember that you need to make yourself happy, be true to yourself and remember to work hard and never give up. Feel free to share some of your great tips and advice, l would love to hear from you.
Have a beautiful Day,
Alice Melo
​

Since a young girl, l was always surrounded by creative and talented people. My Portuguese grandfather was a potter, and not just an artist who dabbled in it. He was a young man, trying to raise his family in the Azores, using his skills and talent in this artform as a way of living and providing for his family. Wanting a better life for his loved ones, he then immigrated to Canada, and he started his new life with his family in Kingston, ON. 

​  I had the privilege of seeing my grandfather revive and explore his passion for pottery years after he immigrated to Canada. Watching him turn enormous amounts of clay into wonderous works of traditional Portuguese pottery pieces. His work was well known and sought, especially within the Portuguese communities of Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, and Montreal. He was one of the best in his artform, and l am not bragging, but he really was. A perfectionist and a master of his artistry. He was always creating, if it wasn’t pottery, it was woodworking and there was never a dull moment visiting my grandparents. 

 The creative genes were passed onto my mother and her sisters. My mom was so very talented and she tried many creative outlets. From ceramics,  (we had a huge kiln in our home), to creating porcelain dolls, and airbrushing. She was an amazing seamstress, (taught by her godfather as a young girl in the Azores). She loved to needlepoint, macramé, crochet, and knit. I seriously don’t ever remember a time where my mom just sat on her butt and relaxed. Ok, her butt at times may have been parked, but her hands were always creating something. She was good at everything she tried.  The joy of trying something new and loving it, was something that l didn't appreciate until years later. To experience a new creative outlet is worth trying to undergo an exhilarating feeling. 

If it wasn’t for my mom, l am not sure l would be a painter, and l will leave that for another blog. As years went by and l got older, l found myself contemplating. Is my capacity for creativity shaped by my genetic influences? Is this why l am not afraid to pick up a new medium and tackle it without fear? Is this crazy creative passion of mine inevitable? 
All questions that cross my mind often, but no matter the answers, l am grateful my life was filled with creative, and talented influential people.

Being a self-taught painter hasn’t always been a walk in the park, but it does have its advantages, as l learn at my own pace. As l started to explore new mediums it helped me not only learn but grow as an artist. It allowed me to learn more about what l wanted to pursue in my art career. I got better at colour and value choices and l developed different skills and techniques to improve and grow.  Its exhilarating to get out of my comfort zone, and even if it turns out horrible l keep trying until l am happy. Exploring my creative side has always felt comfortable, as l remember seeing the ones who meant so much to me never give up their passion. Trying new mediums has helped me with my artist block, and it has certainly helped me out of my creative ruts a few times, not to mention l tend to get bored easy, so using different mediums helps my mind stay fresh.  
I am certain that all my artsy exploration has had an impact on why l love to teach art workshops, and help people find their passion, just like my mom helped me find mine.  If you ever need a kick start to your creative journey, come visit me in my studio at the the Tett Centre, on the second level in studio 214A. I really do love to inspire and if l can help you feel the same exhilarating feeling that l get trying something new, l know that l am making a few of my angels smile.  

Remember to subscribe to my VIP email list to stay in the loop and receive details on my upcoming art workshops. Building a valuable, and trusting relationship with you is important to me and l want us to stay connected. ​

​In May of 2021, l was chosen by the “Tett Centre Creativity Studio Selection Group” as the successful candidate to join Suite 214 in Studio A as a Tett Creativity Studio Resident Artist. I can’t tell you enough, how amazing this opportunity has been. I will tell you all about it in a different blog, so stay tuned for that one. It is important to have a creative space, a space that you can call your own, to make a mess, create your heart out, set up a desk area for administrative work. Store your materials, and hang your art work. I can assure you, in time you will grow as an artist and it is essential to have a studio or space that you can call your own. Having a studio space, is also beneficial in separating your art career from your personal life. I find it easier to balance my life, knowing that l can go to work, yes, it is work, and then go home.

 HAHAHAHAHA, please excuse my laughing, but l am sure we have all done this. Scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, idolising those artists you might be following and expecting your art dream to be the same. Well…..let me tell you, that not all days are glorious studio days and wonderful gallery openings.  Although many of those artsy posts are inspiring, they can also be a kick to the teeth. Try not to compare your journey to what you see on social media. So many successful artists who are traveling the world, making a great living, can get you all pumped and leave a perception that being an artist is an easy gig. Don’t be fooled by all those pretty pictures, because behind all those beautiful pictures and successful artists, there is a heck of a lot of hard work. Comparing can steal your vision and focus. Stay true to yourself. Try not to compare yourself to others. 

 If you need a boost, a motivational chat, feel free to come visit me in my studio  located at the Tett Centre on the 2nd level, 370 King St. West, in Kingston, Ontario, in studio 214A. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams, after all we only have one life to live, so don’t wait for the perfect time. You don’t want to look back and say “Why did l wait so long"? l would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please feel free to leave me a comment. So, until next time my friends wishing you all a beautiful day.

Cheers,
​Alice Melo

​Hello friends, and welcome back. I am sorry that it has been a while since l have posted a new blog. I have been crazy busy in my new studio 214 at the Tett Centre, getting ready for exciting upcoming art exhibitions this fall and I have been painting any chance l get. Feel free to come visit me as l love seeing your smiling faces!

In this blog l want to talk to you about why you should start teaching your own art classes, and the benefits.  I have taught many painting classes in varies locations in the Kingston area and l now presently teach painting workshops at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, located 370 King St W, Kingston, ON . I also offer private art lessons, so do not forget to check out my “Private Art Lessons” link.​ It is affordable and you might feel less intimidated and comfortable in a one-on-one setting.

​Teaching art and creative workshops can positively impact you artistically in a variety of ways. Not only is it a way to earn extra income, but also to increase your creative productivity and publicize your art. Although location and overhead could be an issue, l do believe there are many options, such as a home studio, and  "The Tett Centre”, is a perfect option. I will link the website below, so click it for more information. There are many perfect settings and spaces for teaching classes and workshops in many communities at very affordable prices.
Although an obvious benefit of hosting workshops or classes is extra income, money isn’t the only reason for holding them. However, for some artists not even the primary one, like me. For example, it keeps me stimulated creatively, helps with my artist block, it can result in new ideas and inspirations for future work, and it’s the benefit of being around new people. You are made to paint regardless whether you feel like it or not, and this means you are practicing along with your students.

​Increasing your overall exposure and profile in the arts community will likely also result from conducting workshops and classes.  You will be able to add participant’s names to your email list for other workshops, shows, and new artwork you have created. Those who enjoy your workshop experiences, tend to return to learn more and can often bring friends or family who might be interested in your art or in attending your classes.
 
Another advantage of workshops or classes as opposed to a formal course of study is that you can make them less structured and more fun and social. Although my classes can be a bit more structured than others, l still try to encourage students to add their own ideas and creative spin into their work. Attendees will still learn lots, l know they do in my classes, but they will be able to do so in a relaxed and casual setting. Especially in an inspiring space like The Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning. If you are thinking about conducting a workshop for the first time, make it fun, it’s a great advantage to attracting participants. A huge advantage to hosting these workshops and classes is that participants can receive plenty of individual attention and support, especially if you keep them small. Beginners and amateurs appreciate positive hands-on approach, this helps with self-esteem and personal growth, and other artists appreciate it for professional and technical reasons, especially when it comes to understanding the important points.
 
I believe it is an advantage when each student completes and leaves with a finished work of art. It gives them a feeling of knowledge and accomplishment. Although everyone works at a different pace and not everyone will finish their painting, if the student understands and masters the techniques, they can finish it on their own time.  Students not only have learned something new, but they also have something to show for it. I think it is important to teach techniques and knowledge that can be applied when practicing at home. Offering workshops that aren’t going to cost your students a fortune, and financially be able to purchase similar supplies, is appealing, and attendees are more apt to try the same medium, and classes again.
 
Lastly workshops are a great way to gain teaching experience and improve your overall ability to talk about your art in public. Teaching workshops and making art in public brings you closer to people and brings people closer to art. This is a great way to advertise your art as well as for future workshops, classes and shows.  Intimidation and reluctance that many people have around trying something new, like painting usually diminishes once they see how it’s created and able to try it firsthand. It’s a win, win for the students and myself, we all benefit, the gratifying feeling of helping someone accomplish something that makes them feel great is priceless. It is truly rewarding to be able to help people feel good about themselves, and it is fun to meet new, amazing and talented people.
 
If you or anyone you know are interested in teaching and you may have questions, please feel free to contact me and l can try my best to help and point you in the right direction.
 
Until next time my friends. Have a Beautiful day.
Please click the links below to follow me on social media and to contact me directly.
Cheers,
​Alice

  When l opened my package, l was so excited to see that all 72 half pan watercolours were neatly stored in a beautiful metal case, offering 2 sponges and 2 watercolour brushes. I was pleasantly surprised to see a copy of all the colours and codes.   I found this palette chart useful as the colours were pretty true to the actual colours when using them. Colours that included metallics, earth tones, skins tones, and  many vibrant colours. WOW! Total eye candy, and the dry pans were glossy and smooth to the touch. What was l going to create with such a variety of colours? Still skeptical, l decided to paint a subject that l could try the medium in different ways, and use many of the colours offered in this pallet.  The “Mad Hatter” seemed like a perfect choice.

Let’s talk about how l used these watercolours and what l was most impressed with. I also want to note that l used my own synthetic squirrel brushes when working with these watercolours. I wanted to create a vintage look to the Mad Hatters jacket, and used a variety of browns and a few other colours and l noticed right away that they mixed beautifully together on the paper. I was impressed how they bloomed wet on wet to the hot pressed smooth 140 lb watercolour paper. I added salt to the background to create texture and granulation and they worked extremely well using this technique. Now how do they lift? Fantastic!, on his tie and shirt l laid down black watercolour then lightly sprinkled water and the colour bloomed amazingly. I was also surprised to see how well they lifted using a clean wet brush.  I found no issues and was surprised at how opaque and yet how transparent these colours could get, there were no issues with controlling colour saturation. On the tie and shirt, look how dark the black is, yet how light it could get. The application of paint was really smooth, they mixed well together wet on wet and when dry they didn’t feel chalky to the touch. What l loved most about these watercolours, was their vibrancy, look at the orange and red in the hair, they do pack a punch. I have tried some less expensive watercolours that have such a strong odor to them that l get an instant headache, but these did not smell at all and this meant that l could use them for hours and get super creative. 

I will try to contact the company at some point and see if these watercolours are light-fast. I am not sure how they are rated, professional or student grade? If you are worried about selling your artwork, l would suggest creating your art and sell high quality prints which is a win, win in my opinion.
 How do the colours mix together to create other colours? I honestly don’t know, as this set offered such a variety of colours that l didn’t have to mix any, which was such a treat.
 
Art-n-Fly offer a variety of art supplies and tools that cater to artists of all levels and they specialize in illustration products such as markers. I am so impressed with these watercolours that I have since purchased the 24 watercolour paint brush pens and the 48 oil based coloured pencils,  l am excited to try them out. So make sure to pop back for more future reviews on Art-n-Fly products.
 
If you love using watercolours, are a beginner or professional artist like myself, are on a budget but don’t want to sacrifice quality then l do recommend giving these a try. Overall l am giving the
Art-n-Fly Ultimate half pan watercolour set a TWO THUMBS UP! I am thrilled that l purchased the whole 72 colour set, as who would not want all these rich colours?  For more information on this product and other Art-n-Fly products visit their website, l have included the link below.

 Feel free to follow my work on Instagram and Facebook, links are below.
Make sure to follow Art-n-Fly on Instagram and tag them so they can see your Art-n-Fly creations.
 
Until next time my friends, Happy Creating!
Have a beautiful day.
 
Alice Melo

Hello friends and welcome back. In this blog l want to talk about how important l think it is to make time for self-reflection and some of my own reflections of 2019. It is hard to believe that a New Year is approaching, and 2019 has been such a rewarding year for me, both in my creative and personal life.  I am so grateful for my family, friends, my creative journey, my fur baby, and most of all LIFE.

I believe that self-reflection has helped me to better understand the way l deal with situations, not to be completely unaware of my faults, and to find ways that l can deal with situations positively instead of letting them swallow me up. I believe that self-reflection helps in creating a positive mindset and discover a greater appreciation of yourself.  It helps me collect my thoughts and better process what l need to do next.  In saying this, 2019 has brought me so many new treasured friendships and it also brought me so many exciting opportunities, such as being part of the MeraQi collective, one of the featured artists at Cornerstone in Kingston, l taught fun classes at Open Studios, opened my own home teaching studio, l was part of the Small Works Show at the Tett Gallery and l am so excited to be now teaching acrylic classes at the Tett Centre Kingston. These friendships and opportunities have had such an immense and positive impact in my life. I am so fortunate to be surrounded by such a supportive community. Friends and family that lift me up, make me smile and keep me hopeful in living my dream.

Self-reflection helps you recognize change and how to tackle it, helps you see your progress, and how you can make a difference to better increase your self-awareness and self-improvement.  I think it is important to know where you are in the present and where you are heading. Although l know it can take a while to get to where you want to be, setting your goals in baby steps can be so rewarding and enables you to challenge yourself.  I have tried to follow this process the last few years, and so far the baby steps seem to make my life more practical, accomplished and l don’t feel so lost in my journey. I find that reflecting at the end of my day, helps keep the days from folding into one another and adds encouragement for the next day.

I don’t necessarily write in a journal every day, although this would be a great idea, sometimes it consists of just sketching something out that reflects how l am feeling that day or creating art that makes me happy. I do make a habit of daily reflection even if it is just a thought process before l go to sleep. Blogging has been a great way to journal on what l have been up too in the past year, and l have to say it is a treat to head down memory lane when reading my past blogs. I think this has been an important way for me to reflect and allows me to learn from my experiences and process my overall achievements.

Self-reflection is powerful, l know it has helped me in my own personal growth but it has required me to be honest and objective and l think that sometimes we can be too hard on ourselves, as life definitely has its ups and downs. Although l know it can be difficult taking life day by day and not letting it overwhelm us, it is important to remember that we are all human and at the end of the day remember that you are worth it.

 Being that this will be my last blog of 2019, l would like to thank all of you who have helped me pursue my dreams, for all the support, for returning to read my blogs, and for following my progress. Wishing you all a Safe Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year! Stay tuned for my 2020 blogs.
 
Until next year my friends, stay safe, live out your dreams and keep creating!
Alice Melo

 Hello friends, and welcome back to my new blog review. Today l am going to talk about the Lyra Aqua-color Water-Soluble Wax Crayons. I would like to mention that I am not being sponsored and these are my personal opinions.
 I have been excited to try out this medium as l have been wanting to experiment with water-soluble wax crayons for a while. l finally found a 24 box set, as amazon recently had them on sale. They came in a nice tin making them easy for art on the go and l liked that each crayon indicated the colour name.  Amazon sells the 12, 24, and 48 sets at a reasonable and affordable price.

 Although l don’t have anything else to compare these too, as this was my first adventure with this medium, l was impressed at the different effects that l could create with them. You can use them as a wax crayon that is super creamy, add water over a coloured area for a watercolour effect, or grab the colour directly off the crayon onto a wet brush and then onto your paper for a softer look.
You can also take your time layering different colours and then blend them with water later, thus giving you lots of time to experiment. They blended beautifully so they are excellent to create fun and quick backgrounds. If your paper has a lot of tooth to it, like my cold press paper did, you may need to layer the colour a few times. I will have to experiment using them on hot press watercolour paper which will provide a smoother surface and compare the differences in application. These are not like watercolour pencils, where you get that softer look. I found that they left a thicker texture, leaving a bold colour. If you like working in detail then you could always scribble the crayon onto a palette and use a smaller wet detailed brush enabling you to use them for a finer approach. My favourite quality about this product is how super pigmented and brilliant the colours are, so if you are looking for a medium that packs a punch in vibrancy then l suggest giving these a try. I have also read that you can use them in conjunction with a bit of thinned gesso for a water stable finish. I can’t wait to give this method a try. Personally l think you may have to try these with different papers and techniques to achieve the results you are looking for.

Here are some cons l found. I couldn’t find these sold as open stock, so if there is a colour that you require more than others, replacing it with the same brand would mean having to purchase a set again. Although the packaging states that they are light resistant, I could not find any information on the light-fastness of this product as l searched Lyra’s website with no luck, so if you are looking to sell your artwork this maybe a problem. l have read that these are comparable to the Neocolor II brand which is light-fast so you may opt for that option instead, plus Neocolor ll also sells open stock colours.
Something to consider, if you tend to layer your mediums and are planning on using these for your background, due that they are a wax based product you may want to examine what medium you will be layering over top as they could show resistance.
 
Overall, would l buy these again? Absolutely, they are excellent in value, vibrant in colour, they offer a variety of applications, and they are fun and quick to use.
 
Until next time my friends. Please feel free to let me know what you think of this product? Kind comments are welcomed.

Have a beautiful day!

Alice

Staying positive is different for everyone, so what might work for me may not for you, but l thought l would share some ways that l try to stay up beat and optimistic.
Life always has its ups and downs, but there was a point in my life that l was more down then up. I was noticing that there were certain people and situations l was placed in that were bringing me down and l was also finding myself unable to say “no”, even when l was tired, or unhappy. About a year ago l started to focus on my own personal development and improving my outlook on life.  Although there are times l stumble backwards, l knew that building an optimistic outlook was key to reaching my goals and maintaining a healthy, happy and realistic lifestyle.
I have always tried to keep a positive attitude, but l knew that l had to concentrate on certain habits that were effective and smart so that l could stay positive and constructive even during rough times and keep working towards something better and rewarding.

Adding value and positivity to someone’s life enriches my own. I think that what you send out there matters a whole lot, what you give and how you treat people is what you will get back. How you treat people and how you think of them also has a big effect on how you think about yourself.  It is important to give value and spread positivity. Boosting the mood, just by smiling or giving someone a hug can be encouraging and can, not only uplift your day but someone else’s. Anyone who knows me, knows how much l love hugs, giving them and receiving them. There is something about the embrace of someone that can make your whole day better.
Listening, sometimes people just don’t want direct help, but they just want someone to talk to, to vent out there frustrations, and just be heard.  Foster happiness by playing uplifting music, now more than ever, l crank my favourite tunes, in my studio, my car, while l am cooking. Music stimulates your soul, and music is a huge part of my positive energy.
 
Learn to take criticism in a healthy way. I know that l have touched base on this topic before on a previous blog, but l do think that a common fear for people is criticism. It can hold people back from doing what they love or want to try in life. Listening to negative feedback about you, can be hurtful and rejection can sting. It is going to happen, no matter what. What is most important, is  handling it in a healthy way.  I personally listen to the criticism and try to remain open and level headed about it. Is there something about the criticism that could help me?  Can l learn from this? It isn’t easy and l usually take a few deep breaths and a little time before l respond level headily or sometimes l just let it go, because no matter what, the content can be hurtful and you need to realize that it may not be about you.

 I start my day in a positive way, as this will set the tone for the rest of my day. I make my bed every morning, because at the end of my day, when l am super tired, l am grateful that l can crawl into a nicely made bed. This is a ritual that took some getting use too, as l was not known to be a morning person, l am more of a night hawk. Making my bed is a way for me to kick start my positive thinking in the morning and help ramp up the power of happiness, it is now a routine, that l enjoy. I will admit, I am usually rushed most mornings, as l like to hit the snooze button a few times, but  once at work l am mindful to move through my day in the present moment. It is much easier to stay practical and happy about what you can actually do in that moment. Moving at a slower pace makes me more aware of what is going on around me. I am the kind of person who tends to move through life at a million miles a minute, so this has been a real transition for me. l am trying to smell the air, feel the sun, and enjoy the people and laughter around me.  Slowing down helps me refocus and not lose perspective on what needs to be done.
Refocusing on what really matters and not making a mountain out of a molehill has been a challenge, but l now  ask myself “will this really matter in a few days, weeks or even years?”  Sometimes you just need to chill out and ground your perspective on the situation. Being someone who suffers from anxiety a molehill can become a big and terrifying mountain in your mind, so l find it helpful to just breath, re-group, and focus. Take a time out.
 
In recent months, nurturing and surrounding myself in positivity has been my most improved development. Although l have been blessed with an amazing spouse the last ten years, who truly is my best friend, l noticed that l wasn’t always appreciating him. I have since realized that appreciation is key to successful relationships, not just with my spouse but with family and friends. Who you choose to spend time with and the input you get from social media and other devices can have a huge effect on your outlook. I now tend to surround myself and appreciate essential people who influence my life with support and lift me up instead of dragging me down, and also people who appreciate the same.  I think it is important to carefully consider who you or what you are letting into your mind.
I was finding that l was spending time with people who weren’t optimistic.  People who were so opinionated that it was emotionally exhausting and in turn was making me doubt my capabilities, strengths and in some ways hindered my confidence.
Ask yourself who the most negative people you spend time with are? And if there is a way to spend less time with those people and start spending more time with the most positive people and sources in your life, then I can assure you that you will find clarity and happiness.
For some, this will be a major change, but l am happy that l found the strength to cleanse my life of all those negative and stressful influencers.  This brings me to my next topic and that is not to let fear hold you back from doing what you want. Sometimes you just need to take a chance in life.
It can be hard, l know that common trap all too well.
I have learned to ask myself “what is the worst that could happen?” My mind can be fueled by fear and it creates the worst scenarios and lots of self-doubt, but thank goodness for the people that lift me up. I have over the years discovered that the worst thing that could realistically happen is usually not as scary as the nightmare l created.

The basic habits of eating well, getting a good night sleep and exercising regularly maybe the obvious but l struggle to find time to do all 3, well maybe not the eating, as l tend to splurge and indulge way too much. But l do find it difficult to find the time to exercise regularly with my crazy schedule, which l need to diligently work on. I do know that l think clearly when l am not tense and tired so making a positive change to getting more sleep is still a goal l struggle with. So l have to be more careful about these basic habits as they do have a huge effect on your happiness depending on how you manage them.
 
 Some great opportunities have come my way in the last few months and although l have worked hard to achieve them, staying optimistic has been influential.  I believe that being positive, helpful and hopeful, can make a world of difference in the lives of others and in yours.

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Alice