Tipsy Tuesday

Why do we sometimes get writer's block? And what can you do to break it?

First, take charge of your own thinking. You can control your mind better than you might think. Motivational experts agree that you must see your success, be able to envision it internally, before you can experience it in your actual real life.

Let go of the wrong kind of control. You can do only what you can do, and then you'll have to let fate take over. The things you can control include your attitude and the work you can do in the next hour, or today, and calls and letters/emails that will help you market your work.

Try to figure out what you really want--and start living as though you already have it. It's like the advice often given to job seekers--dress for the job you want, not the job you have. But I'm not talking about living above your means and getting yourself into debt. I'm talking about if you really want to be a successful author, then you must do what successful authors do. And that starts with a commitment to writing.

Congratulate yourself--sometimes you're the only person who will. You deserve self-respect for the courage of your commitment (even when it doesn't feel like courage to you at all). You can't control receiving respect from others; you can control receiving it from yourself. But if all else fails...

Try just coasting for a few days. Focus on the present rather than the future. Don't deprive yourself of life's little pleasures. Meditation helps. Exercise helps. Vacations help. These breaks in routine, by taking you out of yourself temporarily, bring you into contact with the present, allowing you to simply be here now. Most of the time, when this happens, you'll be able to regain your perspective.

Happy writing!