I sat for the past two years to write a book and journal. For the sake of this blog and for some further context, this post will shed some light and give some insight into the mindset approaches to a personal project.
The goal was to be able to share a publication that would help people while being a focus for myself. I’d been writing since childhood and found that this has been an area that lights me up. Putting words in the right order and with pure intention can really impact other people as it has done for me as an avid reader throughout my life. Reading regularly and writing both as part of my work and on this blog have allowed me to build my writing and learn what works.
As my friend Aly would say, ‘your word is your wand’. What you speak and write has a profound impact on other people and sometimes, we are guilty of forgetting this. We speak to think rather than thinking before speaking and this can greatly impact those around us.
The first chapter of the book covers the fact that we are all indeed working on figuring things out as we move throughout our lives. Nobody has it perfect and honestly, it’s great to be reminded of this regularly.
Being transparent, I wanted to share some factors about putting together ‘What we never learned in school’ that may help you and give some context as to the behind the scenes of book writing.
Sitting around on my own during lockdown, I spent some time making coffee scrubs when I wasn’t working. I wanted to make use of the coffee from my pods and create something helpful. When I wasn’t creating coffee scrubs, I was horse riding because well, it made me happy and got me outside. In the meantime, I would read lots of books and write on this blog. All of the above came together to support my mind, keep busy and spend time getting to know myself better. As we moved through lockdown, there was a lot of time for discovery and I certainly made the most of that.
Creativity is a process and having a solid routine in place is number one. The second is to pay attention to your nervous systems and lean into that process.
Some real factors to consider as you embark on your own project or change:
- Remember your nervous system. Our minds are biased towards threat. When we are embarking on something new, a changed behaviour or pursuit outside of the societal norm, we are going to have thoughts that tell us to bail. Don’t give in! As mentioned previously, I have given into those thoughts on several occasions and as such, have had to learn to lean in. Remember your why for doing anything. Aim for consistency over intensity and know this, it is normal to want to quit sometimes.
- Have some clear goals and rewards. Use clear goals that can be measured and have a strong reward system in place. Know when you will do the work, how you will do it (resources and systems), what support you need and what vices are likely to appear. Have a reward system in place that motivates you forward to do the work. For example, if I do two hours of writing on Saturday then I can go for lunch with a friend.
- There’s a difference between resting and flaking. Give yourself what you need from a self-care perspective. I used to be like a soldier and would spend hours working myself into the ground. It didn’t help me or anyone around me, for that matter. I had it confused. Balance is important. Say ‘no’ to what doesn’t serve you and take your rest but don’t use it as an excuse to procrastinate what’s important.
- Not everyone is going to support what you are doing. This is not a complaint, more a fact. Everyone you meet needs to think of themselves first. This means that they are going to think you you therefore after. Don’t take it personally.
I will continue to share similar posts throughout the end of year and 2023, give any thoughts or insights in the comments.