Another new year is here full of possibilities and excitement, I hope this year is all you want it to be 🙂
So much to say and share, where do I start? Lets start with a little insight into where I am at.

It is no secret that I battle with self doubt and my confidence, it totally consumes me and stops me in my tracks from sharing and posting on Facebook, blog, well anywhere in the public eye. You may have noticed I have been absent from here these past few months. In between the times when I wasn’t busy teaching or preparing classes or running Cre8 days I have been beating myself up. All those negative thoughts that I hear that I am not good enough or not deserving etc etc has made 2016 a major up and down roller-coaster for me. These past few months have had me questioning everything about me and my journey and what I do and why and where am I going.

I have had many highs teaching around the country this year and catching up with beautiful creative friends from each state. I am so very grateful for all those who have shared creative journeys, laughs, tears and inspiration with me you can’t imagine how much each and every one of you have touched my life.

I couldn’t do what I do or be who I am without the love and support from my amazing family, I am so very lucky to be truly blessed with the best family anyone could hope for even all our extended family.
I can’t thank my husband Don enough for supporting me on my journey and for picking me up when I am down and reminding me constantly that I can do it, he has the patience of a saint and I am so very grateful to have him by my side every step of the way.
My kids are and always will be my driving force behind wanting to be a better person and follow my dreams, I am so proud of the beautiful adults they are becoming.

So with that been said what is next for me?? I had to sit down and really work out where my direction is going and what do I want. I have let go of so many expectations from myself and others and I can’t wait to see what 2017 will bring. I feel lighter than I have in years and know that the path that lays ahead of me will be more in line with my souls purpose and hopefully will follow a path that will make me happy and will help silence my inner critic.

#1 on my list this year will be creating more art and making time to create more expressive art. I want to know what it feels like to be able to call myself a real artist. I am doing Ivy Newport‘s online class “Between Shadow & Light” at the moment, love the freedom of expression in it!

#2 will be to be the best version of me that I can be, emotionally, physically & spiritually. Time to step out from behind the shadows.

#3 Inspire creative journeys in others. The number one best feeling in the world for me is seeing someone do something when they think they can’t.
This past year one thing I have learnt was  I didn’t know what I could or couldn’t do until I just did it. 18 months ago I would have never even considered painting a surf board or teaching fabulous faces classes around the country let alone abstract canvases. I am aiming to push myself out of my comfort zone even more this year, hopefully at least once a month. Fear is just a thing in your head, it is a pretty powerful thing but I am hoping to make peace with it.

#4 Social Media – I want to have a social media plan in place for the times I need to retreat. And follow though with consistency.

#5 Follow up and Act on on my hundreds of ideas that I constantly get and not leave them sitting on the shelf and watch others bring forth Ideas that I had been hoarding. I learnt from reading “Big Magic” that if you don’t act on your ideas the idea will go and find the next person who will. So I need to step past the fear and ACT this year. No more sitting on the sidelines.

Hopefully sharing this with you will also make me more accountable too!

My word or 2017 is “Embrace”
Embrace by art, Embrace the possibilities, Embrace Change, Embrace the Messy and so much more…
I have an EMBRACE Pinterest Board for my word of the year HERE:

I created this painting just after Christmas for my son’s new bachelor pad, this is what he wanted painted as he is in the army. I did this one in a day so I wouldn’t be able to overthink it or overwork it. Lots I would have liked to tweak but happy with the end result. 🙂

I hope to be sharing so much more with you all this year without letting my fears and doubts get in the way. I have so many new projects I can’t wait to share with you! Stay tuned to more from me both personally and professionally it’s time to step out of the shadows and allow myself to feel exposed and vulnerable. I will be ok, we will be ok!

Thank you for stopping by, so grateful to have you here! 🙂
Cheers
Michelle x