Anne Peterson headshotThis 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.

Positive Self-Talk

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!

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris, a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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