We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kimara (Kim) Nicholas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kimara (Kim) below.
Kimara (Kim), we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I have been struggling with mental health issues since 2006 when I suffered a mental breakdown that left me with major depressive disorder, anxiety, and night terrors. It has not been easy dealing with this for so long. However, I am now at a point in my mental health journey where I have a better handle on my depression. I have persisted because I know that if I give up and let my mental health take me down then I am going to leave my children, my family, and my friends hurt and angry. After all, they have been my support system through this journey. Are there still days I don’t want to get out of bed? Yes!! Are there times when standing in a line at a store can send me into an anxiety attack? Absolutely!! However, I promised my children, family, and friends that I would continue to fight after attempting to unalive myself in 2007. So I fight through the depression and anxiety and on those days when I can’t fight it’s okay because I refuse to stay in that state and let it overtake me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the Owner/Art Teacher for Picture Perfect Paintings and I teach simple step-by-step paint classes for adults, kids, seniors, and anyone who likes to be creative, paint, and have a good time. We believe that painting is an amazing way to help alleviate some of the stresses in today’s world by creating something beautiful. Our Paint Party Events are 2 hours of painting, fun, and socializing, and at the end, you get an amazing canvas, ceramic, or other media to take home and enjoy. Picture Perfect Paintings events are perfect for organizations, senior centers, assisted living centers, and schools, and we even do in-home parties. We also offer Art Kits and Online Art Kits and Parties that you can do at your leisure with step-by-step instructions.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three most impactful qualities on my journey are my persistence, determination, and positivity. My persistence led me to ignore what people said about me starting my own paint party business and keep striving forward. My determination led me to keep going despite not having the funds to buy materials or not having successful events because I truly believe that my time for successful Paint Party events is coming. Last but not least is my positivity, despite suffering from depression I always try to see the positive in every situation I am in. My favorite thing to say is that ‘Everything Happens for a Reason”. We may not know the reason right now but it may come to light in the future.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I am feeling overwhelmed I usually play some Old Skool R&B and paint. If that doesn’t work then I watch Law and Order SVU with my daughter. If that doesn’t work then I try the tool that my therapist taught me. I first relax every part of my body starting from the toes until I am completely relaxed and then I focus on a smell that reminds me of a happy time and then I think back to a time when I was happy and relaxed and worry-free. The only problem with this is that sometimes if I’m overwhelmed it is hard for me to concentrate enough to relax. My best advice is when you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed, try to head it off at the pass. If you have a bunch of tasks to complete just focus on one for that day. The rest can wait or do something super hard for a lot of people…Delegate !!!! It may not be done the way you would have done it but it is done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tiny.cc/pictureperfectpaintings
- Instagram: atl_pictureperfectpaintings
- Facebook: atlpictureperfectpaintings
- Youtube: pictureperfectpaintings
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