My name is Linda Dawkins, I’m an artist, hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Born in Canada,raised in California retired in Nevada. I’ve always loved everything about the arts. Film, music art, and music has always been at the top of that list. It has always been my first love! A little more about myself, I recently began painting last December. It was December 3rd, 2023 to be exact. Prior to that, I digitally produced music for videos that I use on my podcast…yes, I’m a podcaster too. My show is called That’s Love For You Podcast… Furthermore, I’m learning to play guitar. Now painting is my passion!

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I never considered myself to be a professional at anything, I do consider myself to be a life-long learner. I believe that if I practice to do something long enough and get good at it, then it is worth the effort put into finishing. If I get bored, I find something else to do or look deeper into whatever I’m working on… is there anything else that I need to do or learn? If there is, then so be it… if not, so be it. Simple living. Always curious, always inspired and always focused on the task at hand! .

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When I was asked to paint the backdrop, I was shown a picture of a cartoon-like temple. It was a Connect the dots activity for children. When I got home the first thing I did was sketch the design out on a blank sheet of sketch paper. Later that day, I painted it. After a few days passed by, I revealed this sketch to the commissioner who was very pleased. Then began those butterflies as I grappled on whether or not I was capable to perform such a task. As I waited for the supply to begin the task at hand. I considered how exactly I was going to set aside time, and if I was going to have help to complete the project.

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The older I get, the more there is to learn.

This is a universal truth and applies to everyone.

It takes courage to grow. As I age, I become wise, and I soak up more and more knowledge.

My mind is sharpening as I age. I have less fear of the unknown. I like to experiment with new things. I take opportunities to taste new foods, and I like to explore new places.

I like to experience new cultures and travel. I like to learn new words in unfamiliar languages.

I am confident I can take new classes. I can read books and discover new authors. I like to talk to different kinds of people. I like to join groups, and I like to volunteer to help others.

I spend my time doing activities that nourish my being. I like to be in nature and hike. I express my creativity by drawing, painting, or playing music.

I like to dance and move my body. I like to sing along to the songs I love. I like to connect with people through songs. I laugh and be silly. Sharing laughter with others brings me joy. I like to be spontaneous and live each moment fully.

I am growing and aging, and I choose to celebrate my aging. I choose to embrace it. I welcome new wisdom, and I share it with those around me. I become wiser in doing so.

Today, I am happy to be alive, learning, exploring, and growing. I appreciate the precious gift of each day.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How do lessons from my parents or grandparents make me a betterperson?
2. What do I feel when I share a new experience?
3. Do I seek opportunities to express myself

My Time is Precious …

I take full advantage of my time each and every day.

My time is my most valuable resource. I know that the most successful and productive people use their time wisely. I enjoy accomplishing great things, so optimizing how I use my time is important to me.

I consider the long-term implications of my choices.

For example, spending my time at the gym has better long-term results than watching TV. I know that the most enjoyable short-term activities are usually the biggest waste of time.

The number of minutes I have each day are limited, so I make it a point to get the most out of them.

I am aware of my goals. This makes it much easier to allocate my time. When I have a decision to make, I remember my goals and ask myself how the various options affect my ability to reach my goals.

One way to take full advantage of my time is to make a to-do list the evening before. This allows me to start my day without trying to figure out what I should do. I already have a plan when I go to bed.

Today, I avoid the possibility of wasting a single minute. I am committed to getting the most out of today. I take full advantage of my time each and every day.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are the most common ways that a person can waste time?
2. What are the three most important things do people need to get done today?
3. What could you have accomplished over the last 10 years if you had wasted less time?

12 Timewasters to Avoid at All Costs

We all feel like we don’t have enough time. But most of us waste a lot more time each week than we care to admit.The perfect timewaster is enjoyable, allows the time to fly by, and is highly distracting.

In this day and age, we have a lot of distractions that fit the bill of a perfect distraction. Timewasters are mostly just habits that provide little to no meaningful reward for the time invested.

Avoid these timewasters and you’ll add more hours to your day to do what really matters to you:

1. Clutter. Clutter is a huge timewaster. Everything seems to be in your way. It’s hard to find the things you need. It’s emotionally stressful, too. Have you ever noticed how peaceful a sparsely decorated room feels? You can create that same environment.
2. Worrying. There’s no evidence that your thoughts impact the external world. You can worry all you want about the weather, your debt, or your relationship.
   • Worrying only creates physical and emotional stress. It also makes you less productive and less capable of dealing with the issue.
3. Perfectionism. Ask yourself how well something needs to be done and strive to attain that level of quality. Perfection is an impossible goal and requires far more time than it’s worth.
4. Electronic devices. How much time do you spend each week watching TV, surfing the internet, or staring at your phone? Do you play video games? Count up all of that time and ask yourself if there’s something more productive you could be doing.
5. Social media. In theory, social media is a great thing. But in practice, it takes up a lot of time and creates stress.
6. Multi-tasking. It’s far more effective to do one thing at a time. Refocusing your attention on multiple tasks takes time and destroys any momentum you’ve created.
7. Commuting. A 30-minute drive to work adds up. That’s 250 hours a year, or the equivalent of over six 40-hour work weeks. That’s six weeks of vacation! Living close to your place of employment can save a lot of time.
   • If you can’t live close to your work, you can turn your commuting time into productive time. Listen to informative or inspirational CDs if you drive. If riding, you can also read, journal, send emails, or make phone calls.
8. Maintaining your life. There are things that have to be done that don’t enhance our lives but merely maintain our lives. This includes tasks such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, cooking, and mowing the grass. If possible, pay others to perform these tasks for you.
9. Indecision. If you lack a clear direction, you’re likely to do nothing. Learn to make up your mind quickly. Make the best decision you can and get busy putting it into action.
10. Meetings. Many meetings are a waste of time, and they can suck the happiness from your soul. An ineffective meeting is worse than not having a meeting at all. Plan appropriately for productive meetings and try to avoid the rest.
11. No plan for the day. Having a plan for the following day before you go to bed is a great way to avoid wasting time. Make a plan at night and then spend the day working your plan.
12. Fatigue. It’s hard to do your best work while tired. You work slower, make more mistakes, and have a decreased ability to focus and make wise decisions. Get your sleep!
    • Taking breaks is another great way to recover or avoid mental fatigue. Schedule breaks into your workday.

Consider all the meaningful things you could accomplish if you stopped wasting time. Think about how much time you spend each week on unproductive activities. Eliminate as many of these timewasters as possible and reap the benefits!

Top 8 Tips for Making Money From Your Artistic Creations

Is it possible to earn a living as an artist? Actually, it’s entirely possible. After all, many others have done it. While the starving artist cliché might be more common than financially comfortable artists, it certainly can be accomplished.

For an up-and-coming artist there are many challenges to be met, but all of them are solvable. Those that become successful apply effective solutions.

Using these tips will help you make a living from your artistic endeavors:

1. Realize that talent alone is insufficient. We all know incredibly talented people that have nothing to show for it. There is a business aspect to any type of art that must be managed if you want to be successful.
2. Choose your art and money beliefs with care. What do you believe about money and art? Are those beliefs going to support you in earning money? If you have the following beliefs, it would be wise to work on changing them:

• All artists are starving artists.
• The only artists that make money are sellouts.
• Money corrupts art.

3. Find other artists that are successfully making money. Successful artists are generally quite agreeable about giving advice and support.

• Why start from scratch when you can get the inside scoop from a true expert? Use other artists as valuable resources!

4. Create art that people want. If you look at the art that sells, it’s not necessarily the most original, super-beautiful piece of work that’s ever been created. It’s simply art that people enjoy. Look at popular movies and books. They’re not always great, just enjoyable.
5. Get your work out there. The starving artist has 100 things uncompleted, or completed but not visible to the general public. You have to publish your art in some fashion if people are going to be able to buy it. Give them something to see. Remember that “art” comes in many forms.

• If you’re a writer, consider writing a book for Kindle.
• If you’re a painter, take your work to the local art fairs.
• If you make movies, get something on YouTube.
• If your art is making wedding cakes, take some pictures and put them on your website.

6. Seek to be visible and then seek to be paid. If necessary, this might even mean giving your work away for free until you become better known.

• Show-off your work to anyone that you think might have an interest.
• Once your art is visible and has reached a sufficient level, start charging for the privilege of enjoying your creation.

7. Most mediocre artists are poor artists, so be excellent. Most artistic fields are competitive. The good news is that most artists aren’t truly committed. There is a lot of mediocre competition.

• Persistence is enough to enjoy more success than 90% of the people in your chosen field.

8. Be a consumer of art. When you find something you really like, purchase it. If you would like others to support your artistic endeavors, you should do the same for them. Supporting others will help you believe that you deserve to be supported as well.

If I can do it, so can you! So get out there and become well known in your field. That means getting some excellent work completed and feeding it to the masses. Find a great mentor and spend as much time with them as possible. If you’re persistent, you’re likely to succeed.

Enjoy a healthy income while doing what you love to do!