by Rebecca Yauger, @RebeccaYauger
What happens if we lose our way? We start the year with promise, hope, and motivation to make things better, to improve our lives, to reach our goals. But, inevitably, things happen that thwart our plans, and sometimes, before January is even over, we’ve lost steam.
So, what do you do? Throw your hands up in frustration? Quit entirely? Any of us that have been around for a while know this writing life isn’t for the faint-hearted. Personally, I’ve struggled for years with discipline and procrastination issues. I’ve been there and I know that frustration.
If life interferes with our writing plans, as it often can, how do you get back on track?
The answer seems simple. We need to sit down and write! Even we when we don’t have the motivation. But sometimes that answer isn’t so simple to put into practice. How can you overcome that?
- Pick Up Where You Left Off
If you’ve mapped out a plan for the year, if you have your goals written down and you have a clear picture of your dream (using “My Brilliant Planner” to do this), then the way to get back in the saddle is to simply pick up where you left off. Remember, it’s a new day! It’s never too late to start again.
- Don’t Beat Yourself Up
If you’re beating yourself up for procrastination, then STOP! If your goal was to write three, four or five or more days a week and you wrote less than that, then accept that and move on. You may need to re-think your goals – do they need to be revised or was it just an off week? Whatever the answer, begin again.
I love this quote attributed to Henry Ford which says, “Successful people succeed in the time that others waste.” Don’t waste your time bemoaning what you didn’t do. Remember, all the words you wrote previously are still there. It’s more than if you hadn’t written at all.
- Submit Your Dreams to God
Whatever your goals are, remember to submit them to God. Ask Him to be with you every day, ask that the words you’re writing are His words. Ask for His strength to do the work every day. If things go off the rails, ask for His peace and trust Him for the journey.
Remember the words of Psalm 29:11: “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” We can have God’s strength and God’s peace, even if we don’t feel it, or if we’re in turmoil, or don’t even have the energy to ask. But that’s all we need to do – ASK.
- It’s Worth Repeating: Begin Again
After prayer and review of your goals, then begin again, letting His strength fill you and guide you every single day.
Rebecca Yauger worked for 15 years in radio and television broadcasting, before starting on her writing career. She’s been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guideposts Magazine and continues to scribble away on various projects. She also blogs at www.TalkingAmongFriends.com. Becky was past Vice-President and Membership Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com), and currently serves as ACFW’s Web Manager. Becky and her husband live near Dallas, have two grown children, and two beautiful grandchildren.