Artfields is officially back! During ArtFields, the town of Lake City, once one of South Carolina's most prosperous agricultural communities, becomes a living art gallery as we recognize, celebrate, and share the artistic talent of the Southeast.

ArtFields started in 2013 with a simple goal: honor the artists of the Southeast with a week's worth of celebration and competition in the heart of a traditional Southern small town. The competition and exhibition offer over $145,000 in cash prizes. The votes of people visiting ArtFields determine the winners of two People's Choice Awards; a panel of art professionals selects all the other awards, including the $50,000 Grand Prize and $25,000 Second Place award.

With Carolina Trust having a branch in the heart of Lake City, I'd been through the town several times before, but after attending Artfields a few years ago it's become a can't-miss annual event for Adam and I. Saying that Lake City completely transforms for Artfields would be an understatement. The amount of fine arts culture and community closeness that Artfields creates left such a lasting impact that this event will find a spot on my calendar year after year.

If you're planning to attend Artfields this year, here are all the things you need to know:

The freshness of spring motivates a lot of people to throw open the windows and doors, and do a thorough spring cleaning. It’s a great way to take stock of what you have, organize it so everything’s more accessible, and ditch the clutter that’s keeping you from enjoying your space. While you’re at it, why not dive into a bit of spring cleaning for your finances, too?

I can't believe that my favorite season of the year is almost here, wedding season. Once we start seeing the first few glimpses of spring weather, I can always expect wedding invitations to start flooding in. And with every wedding invitation that I receive, there is sure to be a shower invitation to follow. I've been invited to so many weddings this year that I'm starting to think the saying "April Showers Bring May Flowers" isn't about rain after all. 

Are you looking to get into the Valentine's spirit? Head into Downtown Conway and check out the city's Conversation Heart and Marquee Light Displays. With romantic signs like Kiss Me and Be Mine or fun friendship signs like Bestie or Furever, it's the perfect Valentine's experience for anyone looking to get into the season of love. And the best part is that walking around, taking photos, and enjoying the city's charm is totally free!

Below are the locations for the Conversation Hearts and Marquee Light Displays:

Conversation Hearts:

•  First Kiss: Riverfront Park
• Hug Me: Beside of The Lennon Collective
• Crazy4U & Too Cute: Between A Cup Full Coffee Shop and Ann Booth's Jewelers
•  I'm Yours, Bestie, and Te Amo: Town Green
• True Love: Courtyard to the left of City Hall
• Be Mine and XOXO: City Hall

Marquee Light Displays:

• Love- Kingston Park
•  Single and Happy- Terrace
• Kiss Me- Side of City Hall
•  Be Mine- Courtyard beside of Whitaker's restaurant
•  Best Friends- Under Archway near Planning and Zoning
•  Single and Looking- Public Restrooms near Town Green
•  Furever & Marry Me- Riverfront Park
• Pink and Purple Lights- Walkway Under the Bridge

For more details, check out my Valentine's Day reels on my Instagram page, @successinthebag.

February is American Heart Month, a perfect reminder for everyone to check in on our cardiovascular health. Especially women, as heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. 

The Why
You know it’s coming. Without fail, it happens every year in late December and spills over well into January. Call it the Raging River of Resolutions or the Betterment Blitz. Whatever name you use, you surely know the feeling of being bombarded with self-empowerment content and ads for ways to make the upcoming year better than the one before.

If you look around the internet, you’ll find many quotes about dreams and goals and what it takes to get there. You don’t have to search hard to find boatloads of people who think they’ve drilled down to the one secret ingredient to achieving all your ambitions in life, whether that key element is passion, determination, planning, or something else.

The start of a new year is sort of like a fresh slate, prompting lots of people to set New Year's resolutions. Some of the most common resolutions are eating healthier, becoming more physically active, saving money, improving personal relationships, learning a new hobby or skill, reading more, etc. 

However, others avoid making resolutions altogether because they never stick to them or get the results they're looking for. You know, the folks who say things like "I always break my resolutions" and "I always give up by mid-January."

One reason New Year's resolutions are so difficult to keep is that they require you to change. Change is hard, and people tend to resist it because it involves a lot of work, willpower, and motivation to do things differently than you have in the past. It's a lot easier just to keep things as they are, especially if you don't have a plan of action with detailed steps on how you're going to make a change.

Whether you call your personal goals New Year's resolutions or not, there is a better way to achieve them: creating good habits. When your actions become a habit, you don't have to remember when, where, why, or how to do them. They just get done because they become part of your daily routine.

Remember, habits- good or bad- result from small decisions we make over time. Our lives today (e.g., finances, health, career achievements) reflect our past habits. To make personal changes, focus on creating habits and routines. Decide now who you want to be next year and prove it to yourself every day by creating lasting habits that make positive changes in your life.

There’s no denying it: the season of giving is an emotional time. In fact, for most people, it’s probably the most emotional time of the year. And when kids are involved, those feelings tend to go into overdrive. Just about any expense can be rationalized because it’s being done in the spirit of creating an amazing holiday experience for the young ones.

The holidays are always one of the busiest times of year for me. I typically get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and wait until the very last minute to get everything done. By the time I get around to buying gifts for loved ones and giving to holiday charities, I'm in a total rush.

Last-minute shoppers like me are a dream for holiday scammers. The Grinch isn't the only one trying to steal this Christmas, so check out the BALANCE blog below for a few tips and tricks to avoid seasonal scams during the holidays.