Posts Tagged ‘New Year’s resolutions’
My 3 Words to Guide 2021! An Alternative to Making New Year’s Resolutions
Posted on: January 1, 2021
- In: creative writing | writing
- 1 Comment
Happy New Year!
I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions. But I do like to have a set of guiding intentions for the year which are different than resolutions or even goals. Intentions feel less rigid than resolutions. This year to support my intentions, I am trying something new—Chris Brogan’s 3 Word Process. Chris Brogan is a consultant and bestselling writer and he has been sharing his 3 Word Process for over a decade. I had never heard of his process though it is quite popular.
You decide on three words and they guide “your choices and actions day to day”. They represent one’s commitments for the year and as Brogan says act as “lighthouses”. From his practice over the years choosing three words is better and more powerful than four words or two words.
I like the simplicity of narrowing one’s focus to encompass three meaningful words. Also, I believe 2021 will be a transitional year (especially the first half) due to the pandemic. Last year, my well-groomed goals quickly flew out the window as was true for many. Adaptability and flexibility were key lessons for me in 2020, so there’s no reason now to get locked into rigid goal-setting given so many variables out of my control.
My words for 2021 are Systems, Replenish and Solo
Systems: I want to undertake systems level change and integration with my technology (i.e. multiple computers, phones, etc.), but also between my career, writing life and coaching business. I’m looking for efficiency and ease.
Replenish: Despite the pandemic, 2020 was the most successful year I ever had as a creative writer and coach across all metrics (e.g. publications, relationship-building, craft up leveling, revenue generated, and fun had). It was also an incredibly successful year in my academic career. I, however, burned the candle at both ends and have been doing so for a long time. I need fill the creative well.
Solo: I love collaborations and am good at them, but 2021 will be the year for discernment. Some of my academic collaborations are naturally coming to an end because our projects are nearing completion. Others, I will need to consciously change or end. As a writer and coach, I will use this word to remind me to weigh the pros and cons of a potential collaboration.
If you are looking for a guiding rubric in 2021 besides the standard New Year’s resolutions, you may enjoy the 3 Word Process. Find out more here. And, if you decide to use his process, please share your 3 words—we can hold each other accountable!
How to Make Good on Your Resolutions for 2018—Bid on a Personal Coaching Session with Me!
Posted on: December 3, 2017
Would you like to have a personal coaching session with me to help support you with your goals in 2018? I’m happy to say it’s possible to have that for a GREAT price and FANTASTIC cause. I have donated an hour of my services to a great nonprofit–Y.O.G.A for Youth, NC. This organization helps to empower at risk young people by teaching them the tools of yoga. This is an organization that I have been involved with and supported in various ways over the past decade.
They have an online auction fundraiser with some incredible items to bid on–including a personal coaching session with me! I’d love to support you with your goals in 2018 related to writing and/or creativity.
I will tailor the one hour coaching session to the needs of the individual. Themes could include: effective goal setting and making good on your resolutions for 2018, how to create ‘smackdab’ in the midst of a busy life, how to create with consistency, passion and purpose, how to recognize and conquer your internal and external saboteurs, how to strengthen a relationship with your creative self, etc.
Check it all out here:
http://www.biddingowl.com/Auction/home.cfm?auctionID=13206
Feel free to pm me with questions or shoot me an email at mtb@creativetickle.com
FAST-ACTION BONUS Almost Gone-Will You Conquer These 4 Blocks in Your Writing Life in 2017?
Posted on: January 4, 2017
What I’ve discovered in my coaching practice and my own writing life is that are four key challenges that keep writers from writing:
- Finding TIME to write
- Lack of structure and accountability to support Goal Setting
- Untamed inner critics that make us feel UNWORTHY. The result is that you don’t write consistently or get more of your writing out into the world.
- Limiting beliefs about MONEY, ABUNDANCE and PROSPERITY
I talked about debilitating nature of these 4 things on the ‘Affirm the Writer in You’ webinar. Go here for the replay.
I’ve opened the doors for my signature program ‘Tone Your Creative Core™’ Program which helps creative people deal with the universal blockers of time, money, self-worth and goal-setting that ALL creative people, especially writers struggle with.
‘Tone Your Creative Core™’ teaches you how to bust through these common blocks so you can ‘smackdab’ in the middle of your busy life.
I have a special FAST-ACTION Bonus— if you act by 11:59 Jan 3rd you will ALSO receive a personal coaching session with me!
I can help you create a plan of action for your writing life in 2017.
The program begins January 10, 2017.
This program is available for a limited time for $67!
Imagine what it will feel like to conquer blocks that have thwarted your writing success for so long!
Check out all the program offers including the FAST ACTION BONUS and other bonuses here.
Affirmations-366Days#354
Posted on: December 19, 2016
Affirmations-366Days#354: I craft writing goals that embody the biggest vision for my work that I can imagine.
For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.
Want to Make this Last Quarter of the Year Your Best? Join Me on Facebook Live tomorrow at 6:30 EST
Posted on: October 29, 2016
Hi creative peeps,
This is a reminder that I’ll be on Facebook Live tomorrow answering YOUR questions about writing, creativity, how to outmaneuver your inner critics and much MORE. I’ll specifically be offering tips on how to make the last quarter of the year your best. You can ask me ANYTHING! I can’t wait to see you there. Just go to my Facebook page over on the bottom right on this page at 6:30 EST.
See my post here for a few more details about where this idea came from and how important the last quarter of the year is.
How Can You Make the Last Quarter of the Year the BEST for Your Creative Work? Come Join Me On Facebook Live Next Week!
Posted on: October 24, 2016
Hi creative peeps,
We are deep into the last quarter of the year. Wow! It seems like it was just June and I was packing for the beach. A few days ago, I sat down and checked on where I was with my writing goals and creative projects and where I wanted to be by the end of the year. There are several goals that I could see would be met by the end of the year. And, there are a few goals that seem far from their end-of-the year target. I am both daunted and excited about this gap between where I wanted to be in October and where I am. But, there’s also many things that are going extremely well that I couldn’t have predicted in January. And, making that list clarified areas I need to take action in.
You might be in the same situation—wondering how you will make good on some of those plans and promises you made to yourself during the first quarter of the year.
You might be feeling that some of your most important goals are slipping away from you as you look at the calendar and see the end of the year fast approaching. (I don’t think anyone in the U.S. gets much of anything done after Dec 18).
It’s not too late to connect with what you most wanted to accomplish this year with your creative work.
I’ve found a perfect opportunity for me to serve you. I decided to learn Facebook Live so that we could connect about how you can make the last quarter of the year the best!
If you’ve never done Facebook Live it is EASY. You will just go to my Facebook page (on this page, you’ll see the icon to the right toward the bottom of the page—Michele T Berger) at the designated time and I will appear in real time. You can type in questions (please, or else I will just be talking to myself) and I’ll answer them live. Everyone on the page at that time can follow our conversation and join in. It will be FUN!
Next Sunday, Oct 30th at 6:30 pm (EST), I will be on Facebook Live answering YOUR questions.
You can ask me anything about writing, the creative process, etc. I mean ANYTHING. You know I love to provide coaching on how to make more time for your creative life, writer’s block, dealing with inner critics, fear, procrastination, perfectionism, etc., how to submit your work for publication more frequently, etc.
I’ll also share a few tips and resources that are helping me stay on track so I can reach the goals I outlined for myself.
I’d love to see you there. Feel free to go over and ‘like’ my Facebook page now. I’ll also provide reminders about the Facebook Live event during the week.
Mark the date in your calendar—it will be like a free coaching session!
Facebook LIVE: Next Sunday, Oct 30th at 6:30 pm (EST)! I’ll stay on about a half hour, or until there aren’t any more questions.
I just finished taking my Christmas tree down tonight and finally feel ready to even think about crafting New Year resolutions. What about you? People so often struggle with crafting resolutions that work. I’m always interested in how other people tackle this challenge. I came across a wonderful post about New Year’s resolutions through my friend and fellow writer Li Yun Alvarado. Her friend is leadership coach Gloria S. Chan. Chan wrote a great blog post about a new way to approach conceiving of and writing resolutions. I love how she emphasizes a visualization approach:
“I’m sick and tired of new year’s resolutions. Just kidding! But if you are, I don’t blame you. Who wants to keep making the same old promises, only to break them soon after they are made?
In fact, I love resolutions of all kinds, but it wasn’t this way until I truly understood how they work to create and sustain desired life changes. You see, there is an art to them, and they work only if you put in the effort to making real ones, ones that sing to your soul and speak to the essence of who you truly are. Here are a few tips to making your resolutions work for you.”
see the rest here.
One of the things I deeply enjoy about my blog is conducting author interviews. I love finding out how writers create magic on the page and what sustains them when working on long projects. My blog allows me to reach out to new and established writers after I hear them give a reading, or learn about them online, and ask for an interview. Every time an author agrees to an interview, I feel excited and inspired. My goal is to ask thought-provoking questions that get at the heart of their ideas about craft. I look forward to checking my email and seeing how they play with and sculpt answers to my questions. Interviewing and helping to promote writers is a passion and gratitude generating activity for me.
At the end of each interview, I always ask an author: What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Below, I have collected the most intriguing answers from writers I interviewed in 2015.
Keep this list close at hand. The advice is inspiring and offers a great way to jump-start your new year of fresh writing. And, look forward to even more author interviews in 2016!
*To see the full interview, click on the author’s name.
Camille Armantrout, co-author, Two Brauds Abroad: A Departure from Life As We Know It
Camille (right)
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Pay attention to your writing patterns. If you discover, as I did, that your words flow in the morning, clear your am calendar to take advantage of that creative burst. Keep pen and paper handy at all times, in your pocket or purse, on your bedside table, and in the car.
Karoline Barrett, Bun for Your Life
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Just one? That’s hard! I’d have to say, don’t get bogged down with self-doubt, just write!
Samantha Bryant, Going Through the Change: A Menopausal Superhero Novel
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
The one thing that truly made a difference for me was committing to a daily writing habit. For me, I did that with Magic Spreadsheet, a gamification tool for writers created by Tony Pisculli, which awards points for meeting a daily minimum word count.
For many years, I struggled to write while meeting all the rest of my responsibilities as a teacher, wife, mother, dog-mom, sister, daughter, etc., etc., etc. I would get a few hours once a month or so, and spend half of them just trying to get back in the flow.
But, once I committed to writing at least 250 words every day, come hell or high-water, that problem disappeared. It’s not hard to find my way back into the story if I’ve only been away twenty-four hours. It made the time I had more productive. Over time, with practice, I became able to write more words in one hour than I used to write in a four or five hour session. I began to finish things. So there it is: write every day.
Laurie Cannady, Crave: Sojourn of a Hungry Soul
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Write a page every day, no matter what, and don’t be afraid to allow your narrative to reveal things to you. When I first began writing memoir, I thought I had to write everything, as accurately as I could remember, to some self-imposed end. It took years to realize that my narrative had its own end and its own way in which it wanted to be relayed. So, writing a page a day was a relief. I allowed the scenes to unfold as they pleased and once that writing was done, I was able to shape all that I had written into Crave.
Amy Ferris, Shades of Blue: Writers on Depression, Suicide and Feeling Blue
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
write as if no one – not one single soul – will ever read what you’ve written.
yeah, write that kinda balls-out scary heart-wrenching beautiful truthful.
Mur Lafferty, The Shambling Guide to New York City
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Never give up. That’s the fastest way to failure.
James Maxey, Bitterwood: The Complete Collection
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Momentum matters. Going back to my last answer, the biggest trap beginning authors can fall into is to write only when you feel inspired. If you practiced piano only when you felt inspired, would you ever master the piano? If you only went out and ran when you felt inspired, would you ever build the endurance and mental stamina needed to run a marathon? A key thing to understand is that any time you sit down to write, you aren’t working only on the story or chapter in front of you. You’re working on your entire career. If you want to “make it” as a writer, odds are you will write millions of words over the course of decades, maybe tens of millions. To get there, you’ve got to put your butt in the chair and slog out the words on days when you’re tired, or a little sick, or worried about your family or your job. You’ve got to keep tapping the keyboard when you are certain you are writing the worst sentences ever recorded onto a hard drive, when you hate every last character in your novel and can think of not one original idea for where you’re taking the plot. Because, you know what? Writing is where the magic happens. You can sit around daydreaming all you want, but until you start typing, you don’t actually know what’s going to emerge. Again and again I’ve discovered that, as I’m slogging through something I don’t want to write, something will spark and the next thing I know I’m on fire. I start out telling myself I can quit for the night if I make to 500 words, and the next thing I know it’s 3 a.m. and I’ve got 5000 words that just sparkle.
Jennifer Steil, The Ambassador’s Wife
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
Go away. Go far, far away. The best thing any writer could do for herself is to go out into the world and have adventures that will give her something to write about. Take risks. Go to difficult places and do impossible things. If you want a guaranteed fantastic story, give up a comfortable life and move to the most difficult country in the world. Stories will find you. In abundance. Of course, if you already have an uncomfortable and crazy life where you are, you’re all set!
Between late December and most of January, there is often a lot of buzz about creating one’s vision and the visioning process. I think creating a vision can be a powerful and life affirming process.
But…developing a vision isn’t like choosing a new pair of socks.
What do I mean?
A vision is something that should sustain you, wow you and feed you all year. You should feel an inner sizzle throughout your body every time you think about your vision.
I find that people try working on their New Year’s vision (through creating affirmations, a treasure map, resolutions, a vision board, writing goals, a vision statement, etc.), in the midst of the holiday frenzy or right after. We’re often still pretty tired well into the first two weeks of January. Aren’t you?
Preparatory work needed prior to vision creating often gets tossed aside in the rush to ‘get something down on paper’. This means you can wind up with a vision that doesn’t really serve you and is abandoned by spring.
Here are some things that you might consider doing before you set aside time to work on your vision.
Declutter
Have you begun to declutter? Now is a perfect time to do so as you prepare to envision 2014. Let go, release, and get curious about what will fill the empty space.
Choose
What’s the one thing you’d like to work on shifting (or releasing, changing, etc.), in order to live your highest vision? Identifying one concrete thing to focus on for personal transformation is much more promising than trying to tackle a laundry list of concerns. Good questions to follow: What support do I need to make this shift a reality? And, am I willing to ask for that support, or pay for it?
Identify
Consider working in a group to develop, support and amplify your vision. When focused friendly people come together to support each other, they can produce incredible results. Many different structures exist for creating groups: including The Artist’s Way, MasterMind and Your Heart’s Desire. All are free to start and are based on collaborative and mutually beneficial principles. You could, of course, start your own group and call it whatever you want– ‘Idea Party’, ‘Dream Tea Talks’, ‘Manifesting Circle’, etc. There’s strength in numbers!
There’s still plenty of time to envision what you want for 2014–don’t rush the process. Is there something you do to prepare for the visioning process? I’d love to hear!
The Practice of Creativity 