This guest post is by Anne Peterson. Anne Peterson is a poet, speaker and author of forty-two published Bible studies as well as twenty-five articles. And her latest accomplishment is her newly launched book, Real Love: Guaranteed to Last.A supportive tone produces better results.
photo credit: Pequena Suricata
I didn’t learn how to drive till I was in my 30’s. My parents did not want me to learn when my classmates got their permits. Old school. Then, I just kept putting it off.
When I sat behind the steering wheel with my husband at my side, I soon realized it wasn’t the best idea. Having been a driver for years my husband just wanted me to do it.
The next day my new teacher, a close friend confirmed I had made the right choice. She had the voice I needed to hear. My friend praised every effort I made. When I write I hear her voice, “That’s better, I knew you could do it.”
Reading aloud can show you how you feel about your writing.
Do you like what you’ve heard? Are you a harsh critic? There have been times I’ve read something aloud and wondered why I wrote it. So what do I tell myself at this point? Well, if I’m not doing well, I say words like, “Are you serious? This stinks!”
Probably a bad day for me. I’m learning to be nicer to myself, even in the critiquing mode. As children we were often told, “Be nice.” That applies to ourselves, too.
You Can Do This
If we’re not careful the negative thoughts in our minds can outnumber the positive ones. It’s a downward spiral no one likes riding. Hard to dismount.
Simple affirmations help. I love post-it notes. Paper ones, or the computer apps that supply them.
At the bottom left hand of my screen, is a note I read daily.
You just have to do the next thing.
When a job seems insurmountable. Or I can’t seem to get it “right.” When I’m overwhelmed with a deadline and start locking up. I remember my note.
One Step At a Time
I don’t have to do it all. I just have to do the next thing. One step is doable. I can handle one job. Each step moves me forward.
I just released my first book. Looking at all the required steps was sometimes daunting. Taking a deep breath, I did the next thing. And when I was done with that, I did the next thing.
With each completed task I gained a sense of accomplishment. And soon I rounded the corner.
While redoing things was tedious at times. I learned even then the way to NOT do things.
And instead of telling myself, “What is wrong with you? Why can’t you get this?”
I said, “Okay, let’s just try something else.”
Writing is work. Work we love, but still work.
By monitoring our thoughts, we can make it easier on ourselves. And the end result? Well, it will speak for itself.
What are some ways you could make your writing job easier? What is your self-talk like?
What about you? Do you give yourself positive self-talk when you write?
PRACTICE
Close your eyes and give yourself some positive self talk.
Then, write for fifteen minutes. When you're finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, be sure to comment on a few practices by other writers.
Happy writing!
Postive self-talk. What a novel idea. I will start today.
Pamela,
I’m sure this was nothing new to you. Maybe it would be to Pooh, I can’t make that call. They say it takes 9 positive statements to undo one negative one. We are so behind in combatting the things we tell ourselves. That’s why I love affirmations so much.
Inspiring post. Thank you Anne. Thank you Joe!
Laura,
Thanks for reading and for your comment. I love it when friends come and visit friends to lift them up. I appreciate you.
This is a great post. As I work with young people, I find this especially important. Positive self-image is fueled by positive self-talk.
Justin,
Those young people you work with will turn into adults who will continue talking to themselves as we do. I am working on a project now to build into young girls. I believe there is a link between those who have been abused and the men they are drawn to. I want to write something preventative so that young girls do not end up statistics. My sister was a victim of domestic violence and I feel strongly about this, but at the same time I see the challenge. How can I package something for an age who believes, “that may be well and good, but it will never happen to me” ?
Still, I feel so strongly and I have to try. I want that negative self-image to be converted in these young girls. Too often they don’t get information about healthy relationships till they are sitting in a counselor’s office.
Anne, you have no idea how strongly your mission is resonating with me. Don’t give up!
Here’s the problem today– we are desensitizing our young people to sex and violence. We are normalizing sexual deviance and exposure and selling it to our young women. It’s repulsive, really, and I could go on and on about it.
I’d love to partner with you, Anne, to make a difference to these young girls. I hope you find a way to break through to them and I’d love to help.
Justin,
I agree that young people today are being desensitized to sex and violence. Everywhere they turn they are seeing it. The other missing ingredient is the stability of the family. In the case of my sister we were abused. When someone is abused their perception is off. And they have no idea what normal is. They are trying their best just to survive. I may need some ideas of where to market this once it is done. I have thought of speaking to young girls as well. I have spoken to women, but I keep hearing if I really want something preventative, I need to go younger. Then as I was thinking of high schoolers, someone told me to go even younger. I think once done, I can adjust it to different age levels.
That’s keen insight into a victim’s mindset. The age groups I work with are from 9th grade up; I don’t work specifically with young women or on this top, but our leadership programs have really taken off. I think our young people begin to encounter these things as early as 7th and 8th grade and their ideas about relationships and sex are solidified by 9th grade.
I agree with you– abuse is a vicious cycle. And in a culture that is forgetting what a healthy relationship looks like, this cycle is expanding and speeding up!
Justin,
Once I am done with my project and know which age it is I am trying to reach then it will just be a matter of getting it out to them.
Terrific advice!
Thanks for reading Deborah. Now if I can just follow my own advice. 🙂
Ok, so here’s my practice. Be nice. “There is no greater sorrow, than to recall in misery, the time when we were so happy.” – Dante
I often use this quote to describe myself from the ages of 12-27. This starts from the beginning of the sexual abuse all the way up to the beginning of the drug abuse. Why do I use this? While its evident the author’s meaning was how much it hurts to recall happy days when sorrow has befallen you, its not quite how i interpret it. While those are typically the years we look back upon with the most affection, for me they are also riddled with torture. “It was the best of times it was the worst of times.” Now that authors quote may make better sense to you, its almost too simplistic to describe my inner struggle with those years. Why? Because it wasn’t as cut and dry, black and white for me defining that time. It was more of an interwoven fabric of tears and joy, love and self-hate, moments I can recall as vividly as if it just happened, and others that friends go into great detail that I have absolutely no recollection of at all, or even them!
David,
I resonate with what you wrote about how your time was “an interwoven fabric of tears and joy, love and self-hate moments…” It’s strange how we remember, or fail to remember things in our past. Some memories are etched with painful strokes across our minds, others seem to just be lightly stroked hardly leaving an impression. I like the quote you shared from Dante.
To both Anne and girlonaswing, I found it interesting that the common connection was of Dante’s quote and the “interwoven fabric.” thank you for showing me what resonated to you as readers. More than anything I believe our hope as writers is to make that connection and you have shown me how I can better accomplish this goal. To open up, not be afraid to expose my fears and simply state what I’ve been through. Thank you both so very much!
David, I love your quote from Dante. I collect other people’s sentences, often copying them onto the top of the page in my journal. Somehow my own thoughts and stories connect with these words, as if the ink has seeped beneath the parchment and sparked a fresh connection from which to write. I love the imagery of the interwoven fabric. Life is like a tapestry. Sometimes what others see is so incredible, so meticulously worked. I’m often thankful that people don’t see all the knots underneath my life. All the pain that came before picture came to be.
This prompt is so timely for me, and so important. After all, writers are using their hearts and minds to create something that didn’t exist before. Negative minds are poison to a writer. In my case, it has stunted my ability to get anything
down. I go through my days with no writing to show for them, and I’m left feeling guilty and neglectful of my passion.
Recently I asked myself the question,
“What would happen if I wrote for two hours every day?” My
negative mind quipped, “Two hours? Who has time for that? Besides
you don’t have the stamina to last. You’ll want to take a nap before
an hour is up. Your writing sucks anyways.”
Of course none of this is true, although I have allowed myself to believe it in the past. I start to write, I believe the doubt and uncertainty that creeps in about how
and what I’m writing, the yawns begin and before I know it I’m in bed
napping. Not conducive to a prolific writing life.
Tired of this self-defeating pattern, I decided I am going to respond in a way that is more positive and entices me to action. I am treating the question of, What would
happen if I wrote for two hours every day? as an experiment. I mean, let’s see what really would happen and keep a journal along the way. No matter what happens, it will definitely be more than what happens when I don’t write.
To quiet my negative mind I now tell myself, I will write for 2 hours a day and see what happens. And since I am aware of my meager attention span, I break it down
into 15 minute segments which usually roll into 30 minutes because I
don’t want to stop. I take breaks, but at the end of the day I register at least 2 hours a day no matter what. Who knows what will happen? I know it’s something good.
Trish,
I love your idea to write for two hours a day. And while you still have negative conversations, I think it’s great that you keep going. Your desire to write is strong. I have heard from others how they will just sit for a short time and then before they know it, they just keep writing and writing. When I took one creative writing class we were told to keep writing no matter what. If we felt like we had nothing to say, then write that, just keep writing. I found it very helpful. Thanks, for your comments.
Thank you for your response, Anne. I chose 2 hours because my desire to write is strong as you stated. It’s so strong that when I don’t write, I am miserable. Days of no writing turn to weeks and before I know it, whole years have gone by and no writing done. The guilt and frustration I feel from not writing can be immense. It’s starting that’s hardest for me. I can have whole conversations in my head about how hard it’s going to be before I even get started! So I use the goal of time written to get me started, and once I start I usually keep going. I won’t beat myself up if I don’t get 2 hours done in a day however, but it’s a great motivator. Sometimes, I tell myself, just 15 minutes. Just keep writing no matter what…great advice!
Trish,
I love your perseverance. Do you know there are some people who would not keep going? It’s true. I meet so many people who want to write. Some who tell me they have a book idea. I have to say before I wrote the book I had SO much negative going on. Even in the weeks before the launch. I’m not a technical wiz, so I had to just keep trying and trying through areas that may be easier for others. I asked for help when I needed it, I grunted through, but I kept going. Now I feel the same desire to get this second one written.
I hear what you’re saying about the guilt and frustration when you don’t write. I see writing as a calling and also a privilege. It’s a gift that I love using, instead of letting it sit in a box all wrapped up. Pain is an effective tool, isn’t it? You said if you don’t write you feel miserable. I’m going to guess that you feel GREAT when you do write. I know I do. And the funny thing is, I even like encouraging others to write. I love sharing stories either in print or in speaking. It makes me feel alive.
Thanks so much for your comments.
Just remember, you can do only the best you can with where you are at each and every day. That’s all that matters 🙂
You are so right Giulia. Thank you for the reminder to be more gentle with ourselves.
Any time 🙂
Guila,
I like that too. There is a gentleness to it, Trish is right.
Great encouraging post, Anne!
Your image reminded me of me in front of the mirror encouraging myself and accepting the unlovable. Thanks for reminding me to do it more often!
Blessings!
Katina,
Thanks for reading it. And all of us need reminders to be nice to ourselves. Sometimes we’re not even on the list. We take care of others, but neglect us.
Anne, you’re totally speaking to me! It gets really bad when I start getting down on myself for the negative self-talk! 😉
But really, I appreciate this: “With each completed task I gained a sense of accomplishment.” I readily admit that I struggle with giving myself the permission and the time to appreciate the small wins along the way. I tend to jump right back in to the rush.
Sorry, Anne, not really addressing the practice! But appreciate the reminder and strategies.
Positive self talk isn’t always easy. Negative self talk is so much louder, it drowns out the positive. What Anne and you are touching on here is that great gains aren’t made overnight. After all, no one sat down you one day and taught you to read. They sat you down many times over the course of a few years and you made small gains until you grasped the skill. It was the little gains you failed to notice that made all the difference. I think just recognizing that like you did IS positive self talk.
Guila,
Oh do I agree that positive self-talk is harder. I was reading a book to my Grandson’s. One of the Berenstain Bears books and it was about breaking bad habits. The illustration was great. It was saying that bad habits are like roads that were well worn paths. So, to go opposite that is going to take some work. But, anything that’s worth anything takes work. I think the pay-off to this is great. I’ve experienced the pay-off. When I took a class on the brain the instructor let any brave souls actually hold one. I donned some gloves and held a brain. And put my fingers in the grooves. When we have thoughts that are habitual it makes pathways that get deep. The good news is, we can change our thoughts.
I once changed my thinking by repeating something over and over just to get my steel mind’s door cracked a bit. Wanna know what I said?
“What if I’m wrong?”
I think that one question can also help us when we start badgering ourselves. We seem to walk on tiptoes when we say something positive to ourselves. We need to walk in with hiking boots, loudly as someone gave reference to already.
I think that’s a good way to approach self doubt/negative talk. It kinda suggests the opposite–because if you are wrong, then the positive version of that thought is so much nicer 🙂
In writing we risk ourselves. We actually expose ourselves. That fear drives useless judgment. The good news, we can talk ourselves out of it as well as pin ourselves down with it. Now, it’s your turn to say that back to me. Because I not only need to say it. I need to hear it. 🙂
Curtis,
Writing is risky. That’s why many people don’t do it. And yes, we do expose ourselves with our words. Some of our best work is the work we felt most vulnerable about. I love the idea of talking ourselves out of it. I see that as positive. And I like your humor. We all need to hear it. Have you ever gotten encouraged by trying to encourage someone else? That wasn’t my intent when I started, but I have seen it happen.
Yes, in encouraging others I find courage for myself. If I help you find bread hopefully, I won’t forget where it came from myself. Confidence like manna offered in the wilderness won’t store up. When it comes to writing, I think that is twice times true. Humor = a way to hope for me.
Curtis,
And even if you can’t remember where the manna is, someone will come along who does. I also find humor gives hope. Yesterday I was discouraged about something and I decided to talk to someone who was hurting. When I was done with our conversation I hardly remembered my own discouragement.
I once heard a story about a woman who was depressed. Week after week the counselor listened to her tales of woe. Then he asked her what it was that used to bring her pleasure. She told him she liked to grow things. So, his suggestion was that she take and give away a couple of seedlings to those she knew. And in the giving she started healing.
Garry,
Just so it’s understood, I too, struggle with stopping long enough to enjoy the wins. I even have trouble with the big wins at times. I think it has helped me when someone has actually pointed out to me things I have told them. For some reason it’s easy to type these words for the eyes of others. Sometimes, it’s hard to apply them to ourselves.
I once heard someone say if they start saying something negative they are going to change it by throwing in the word, “But…” For instance.
“Anne, you only wrote 200 words today. BUT, at least you wrote.”
The more we get out minds thinking of a positive even lurking in the negative, the easier it will be to derail ourselves from that downward spiral. I don’t know about you, but once I get on that spiral, I move too quickly to a dark place. I’m for anything that will slow that down.
Great post Anne. I like your advice about one step at time. In my classroom, when a child is anxious about a task they’re working on, I break it down into steps for them. “First we’ll do this” (I always pretend I’m helping more than I am) “and then we’ll do that,” I tell them. “Don’t worry about that till we get there.” Focusing on one step, one problem at time allows a problem/fear to seem less big. And why do we tackle these fear and problems? Because we can. I tell my students that all the time. Just saying that allows their anxiety to dissipate a wee bit. So when I’m sitting and my inner dialogue is getting negative, I remind myself of a few things: first off, I’m not looking to get published tomorrow. I’m looking to finish my story. Does it suck? Maybe, but who cares. I can always write a better one. Why am I writing? Because I can. And if I keep practicing I’ll get better at it. Just reminding myself that I CAN do this lets me throw all the worries and frustrations to the wind, and be nicer to myself.
Easy does it has a way of working. Looks like you’ve broken the code with your students. I applaud you.
Just doing what I can 🙂
Giulia,
Thanks for reading. I can see how the technique you use with your student works. Just hearing the words you use lessens the fear. How would you handle it if you felt an urgency to what you wanted to write? The urgency burns within you making you feel time IS of the essence. I find that the project I am working on is difficult because of how important it is to me. I want to write something that would be a preventative book as far as healthy relationships. Because it was brought into our lives through my sister, I long to help others. And yet, for myself, I know that fear will stunt my creativity. I have seen it happen.
I wonder. I used to hear about people talk about writer’s block and how terrible it would be if all of a sudden you couldn’t write. I wonder if it’s even worse if you could write but thought, “so what?” Without our passion and desire to write, what would keep us going?
Giuliani, I am a teacher also. I feel sad for my students that they are expected to write each day when the timetable dictates it . What you do, by breaking things down is so important. I think that even more powerful is the fact that you are a writer, that you know the struggles, not just the demands of the syllabus, the outcomes that must be met. I believe that we can inspire a generation of great writers because we empathise with the process, acknowledge that it’s hard and value the practice of the craft. Yes, we need to be kind to ourselves and reward are inner child.
It’s a strategy I use for all the subjects, not just writing. I actually find the writing portion harder to teach than reading or math. But I think kids need to hear that they can do it. And sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that too.
I find teaching maths so much harder. I much prefer literacy. I love your advice to your children, one thing at a time, things eventually fall into place..’do not worry about tomorrow for it has enough troubles of its own.’ Wise words!
Oh, I totally prefer teaching literary as well 🙂 Just sometimes when I see a kid struggling with writing a clear sentence that conveys an idea, I panic a bit. I think it’s because I love writing so much 🙂
I closed my eyes and listened to the self talk. All the chatter reduced itself to five words. This is how I found those five words that make up the core of my self talk.
Voice and word and spirit are gifts. With them we give expression to the unnamed hopes, aggravating fears and undiscovered promises that those around us sense and feel but as they say, “Can’t put into words.”
“I don’t know how to say this,” says the nice person staring at the top of her shoes, picking at the chipped polish on her left thumbnail.
The writer in us. The spirit, voice and word in us hears her struggle to say the unsayable. Maybe even the unspeakable. But, we have the appropriate word in story or statement. We know how to say it. We do have the words for it. They are our gifts to share.
We write, if we are writers, because we must. They need us. They need the word we have. Offered as gift, as we were gifted with them, word and words become a way to meaning and purpose and maybe even the way through the woods. With them we find our way. With them we help them find their way.
I write because to choose otherwise, and at times I have, is to choose a kind of dying, which I did. Never again. My self talk is but five words. “I write, therefore I am.”
Curtis,
I like, “with them we find our way.”
I agree that we write because we must. I also like how we help words find their way. Often I will humanize things as well.
I like words, they’re the only thing I can manipulate without protest.
Nice five words. And I bet the time you stop writing was awful. I too, have to write.
Thanks Curtis, I too, write therefore I am. To not write is certainly a form of dying. Your words resonate. Every day my writing starts with all the junky thoughts my mind has collected throughout the night. My journal is full of negative self talk yet as I write, I feel those words are pinned to the page, that they have lost their power, at least for that day.
“I write, therefore I am.” Sums it up perfectly.
This is excellent advice, Anne.
I like to use Post-Its too. Usually they’re the smallest size and contain just a single word — “Smile!” or “Now” or “Breathe” or “Focus”. I stick one of these one-word notes to my monitor each day.
(I have a larger Post-It on my desk, which has my daily word count goal. I jot down the number of words I’ve written as I complete a task, then tot them up at the end of the day.)
Words are powerful. We know that — we’re writers. We need to remember that the words we say determine both how we feel, and ultimately how we act.
It’s useful to journal too, to get the junk out of our head before it poisons us. I find it’s useful to force myself to be negative — just to get the negativity out of my head and onto paper — “20 reasons this project will FAIL”, for example. Written down, the reasons sound stupid. 🙂
Angela,
You’re right as writers we do know how powerful words are. But, even though I know it’s good to encourage others with words, I don’t always do that for myself.
I agree with you about the importance of journaling as well. That was interesting how you purposely get the negative out. Don’t you find it something how we can hear positive comments and then one negative and what do we gravitate towards? Yep. The negative.
Thanks for your comments, Angela.
Journals are great! I like to make notes of special things about a day or a person I saw or met. Inevitably, they find their way into a story. Even bad thoughts have a purpose when they are in writing…to analyze later, or laugh at.
Eva,
I agree about the bad thoughts somehow finding a way into our work. You just never know how something might be just the perfect fit. And there you are letting your fingers dance on the keys and the thought somehow slips in. It’s like they are just waiting for their chance.
Post-its, great idea!
I love journaling. I find it helpful to let out frustrations I have, in writing and in life. Or, if you’re in the middle of writing a story, you can let out frustration writing out an emotional scene. You may keep, you may not. But, you put it out there. I did that once for a story. I was frustrated over some issues I was working out, so I decided to put it on paper. It was liberating.
Just because you buried him at sea yesterday doesn’t mean he won’t raise his ugly head today. He resents the way you ignored him, rowed out in your dinghy and dropped him over the edge. You returned to shore with the spirit of a conqueror. The first time this happened you thought you had defeated him. That he could not reach you anymore. Yet his anger roared beneath the surface of the water. The wind came, the tides turned. Seagulls took messages scribed with your anxiety and dropped them out at sea. He fed on these. He knew your secret and his strength grew. The small voice of his criticism attached itself to every failure you’d had. He created waves that raged and licked the surface of your cliff. In your despair, you watched this and prayed for a strategy. If you didn’t tame him, he would erode your life.
You are wise to his ways now. You know how to gain control. The effort is wearisome but if you just let it go, don’t tame that monster, he will win. You don’t ignore him anymore. Instead you appease him. Give him a little attention. Acknowledge that he’s there. For the first five minutes of the morning you agree with everything he told you. That life sucks. That things aren’t fair. That you have no talent, no ability to succeed. You converse with him from the edge of your small boat, so glad you remembered to row out there while things were still calm. He seems satisfied with this and let’s you row away. As you do you smile secretly to yourself. You observe the sky’s expanse, a canvas for new possibilities. You smell the sea salt and become aware of your thirst. You hear the gulls cry. They mock and tease you because like the lie you’ve sunk, they think you’re defeated.
Yet you’re not defeated. Not today. Today you win because you put your bum in your chair and you wrote. You wrote badly. You wrote honestly. You did the work you knew you had to do. You tamed the monster. You acknowledge the fact that there would be lots of first drafts, edits, re-edits. You wrote anyway. You silenced the voice that told you it was not possible.
girlonaswing,
Loved it. “You silenced the voice that told you it was not possible.”
“don’t tame that monster, he will win.” Yes! that’s exactly it. Thanks so much for sharing. It was great.
Thanks so much, Anne. I’m new here and not really sure how it works. Lovely to find a community of writers to share with. Thank you for todays’s inspiration.
Clare,
Thanks for reading the post and for your comments. Loved the visuals of your piece. And the swooping down of the gulls. Don’t you feel like our negative thoughts are like that? Coming at us from nowhere and almost throwing us off balance? You are more than welcome.
Clare,
Yeah! “Don’t tame the monster.” He, she is our energy.
From that chaos in the depths.
From that roiling in the dark center of the lagoon.
From our struggle with that faceless to have our say, we find our voice.
I just wish there could be something done about those pesky gulls. 🙂 Do you have any recommendations on that score?
Clare,
Yeah! I agree. “Don’t tame the monster.” He, she is our energy.
From that chaos in the depths.
From that roiling in the dark center of the lagoon.
From our struggle with that faceless other to have our say, we find our voice.
I just wish there could be something done about those pesky gulls. 🙂 Do you have any recommendations on that score?
No, real solutions to the pesky gulls, Curtis. We live near the sea and they unashamedly steal your hot chips (French fries) out of your hand. I guess my only advice is to watch your back…they don’t play fair. They swoop when you least expect them, sounds like my crazy thoughts.
I think this is super quality. Just out of curiosity, what was the tone you were going for?
Thank you Chase. I’m merely having a go! You have me deep in research now about tone. I don’t know what tone I’m going for. What tone do you hear? I think I’m just determined to improve on the craft of writing. Is determined a tone?
It is, but I mostly hear anger… like you want to do something about what is going on… so I guess “determined”.
Usually there is an idea somewhere in my head for what I want to write. I try to find a quiet place to let it germinate. Then I write as fast as I can without thought to structure or paragraphing or grammar. I like to incorporate things that make me happy: music, sunshine, a great quote….how would these things enrich my writing? or reflect on my main character? After a while I’m excited about the message. Then I like to put it aside for a day and reread it later to decide what to keep or throw out. There is a note on my mirror which says, “Words Matter”. It’s finding exactly which ones that are the challenge.
Eva,
I agree. And letting it sit for a while is so helpful. It simmers to let everything blend together. It’s funny to me how one day something will seem great, and after some time away it’s one of the things we cut out without blinking. I too, like free-writing. Sometimes the words are the ones running the show and they nearly trip over each other trying to get out.
This was brilliant! Thanks for this read. I am always trying to motivate my friends but forget to motivate myself. This helps a lot.
Thanks so much for this. I never noticed before all the negative things that run through my mind when I’m trying to write. It’s so much! Now that I see it I can start to turn it around! 🙂
Great advice. We are sometimes too hard on ourselves as writers. We can be our own worst enemy. When I took Creative Writing at Georgia State, my instructor would have us write at the top of our entries, “I AM A WRITER.” It was a technique she used to convince ourselves our capabilities and talents. I don’t write that statements in my journal now, but I say that to myself.
I have to tell myself to slow down in my daily life; that I don’t have the ability to multi-task. This is especially true of my writing. I try to do too much, and end up frustrated and scrapping projects. I began working on a new story last week, and I made the decision to be more methodical and take the process one step at a time. We’ll see what comes of it.
This is definitely something I am incapable of doing.
Thank you, just what I needed to hear (and be reminded about). 🙂 And, I LOVE Post-Its!