At 16 I told myself I would be a famous Artist by the time I was 30, and my entire life that number has been stuck in my head. Though my dreams that danced through my mind as a teen slowly dwindled away, they never burned out completely.
At 29 it hit me, I only had a year to fulfill my goals I had set for myself…I had better hurry! After 29 years of negativity soaked years (*My Past), it was time to make a change. I left everything I knew to come to Nashville, as something in my gut told me to go, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I came here with a purpose, and knew in my heart that I had to change everything about myself if I wanted the life I had always dreamed of. After living 29 years absorbed in negativity, who knew it could be so easy to change your entire life…but it was.
My Life Changing Check List:
1. (Always Think & Act Positive) This is the most important, but also the hardest. No matter the situation, realizing that nothing positive comes from anything you do that’s negative, therefor it’s pointless. Positive Thinking & Actions attract positive reactions from everything around you.
2. (Surround Yourself with Positive People) This is very easy, and very helpful in so many ways. Most people feed off of the energy around them, so it’s only obvious that having negative people around is not going to help anything. If someone doesn’t make your life better, it’s best to let them go.
3. (Find Meaning & Purpose in Your Life) Whether it’s at your job, getting involved in the community, having a strong family, helping others, or creating your own business, having purpose in your life makes it worth living and often brings the feeling of satisfaction.
4. (Heal the Heart) If you have a past like mine it may be hard to let go of the many dark memories that can haunt your heart & mind, but it’s absolutely necessary to heal your heart before seeking true happiness. Letting go of past grudges, forgiving yourself for past mistakes, and never being part of a negative relationship that will forever hold you back from fulfilling your hearts true need for healthy love & happiness. This takes work, it will not happen over night, but in the long run will be one of the greatest factors in reaching a positive life.
5. (Know Your Own Worth) This is the hard one for most woman, myself included. Most woman are givers, and worry more about others happiness than their own. This causes us to have a warped perception on our own worth, and can lead to us never reaching our full potential as powerful, positive, and happy individuals. At 30 I realized this was one of my greatest crutches holding me back from reaching my goals, I didn’t feel as though I deserved all the things I wanted to achieve, therefor I gave up on the idea of pursuing them. The fear of failure is one of the greatest hindrances of woman accomplishing goals they dream of pursuing, and yet we are the only ones standing between ourselves and the things in life we want the most.
6. (Live Life to the Fullest) Yep, heard this many times right, but it’s because it’s true. If you always say tomorrow, then tomorrow never comes. The time is now to change your life, and achieve all the things you think you can’t. Life is too short to fear what tomorrow may never bring, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to leave this world with a hand full of regrets. Walk tall, sing loud, try new things, eat new foods, reach for the stars, and love everyone until your last breath has been taken.
7. (Love Your Body) Your body is what can make or break your life, I know as my body is trying to kill itself slowly. You never know how important your health is until you no longer have it. I know how annoying it is to hear about how important your health is, but I would do anything to have mine back now that it’s gone. Everything from the food you eat, the steps you take, and the thoughts you think all impact your body. When your body is in great condition life is so much better, and now that I only have a few good days a month I cherish them as if each was my last. So take care of your body, if you are over weight do what you can to change it, eat better, start walking, go hiking, and find a friend to support you. If your mind is not in the right place try to get it there, talk to someone, do anything you can to get your mind and body in the best shape possible and you will notice that life feels so much better when you do.
These are just a few things I have done over the past years to better my life, and although my health is the worst it’s ever been, I’ve never been happier because my mind is in the right place, I have found purpose in my life, and I have surrounded myself with nothing but positive thoughts, actions, and people.
After deciding to change my life at 29 it only took me 6 months to see results, and by 30 my entire life had changed in ways I never imagined. I have started my own business as an Artist/Body Painter/ Photographer, (www.PaintTheBody.com) (www.Facebook.com/PaintTheBody) and have so many amazing opportunities and people that keep entering my life. I have made some of the most amazing friends, shot with so many creative photographers, been in magazines, cast for a reality show in 2014, worked on several music videos, runner up for Nashville’s RAW Artist of the Year, won EBN Makeup Artist of the Year 2013, been asked to be part of CMA Fest 2013, and this is just the very beginning of my new life thanks to “Turning Up the Positive”.
The Artist Named Tia 