Figure Out Where You Are Disciplined And Use That In Your Writing Life

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When it comes to being successful as a writer and author, it all really comes down to three things:

1. Habits
2. Discipline
3. Consistency

That’s the secret. That’s what every successful writer and author out there has mastered. They’ve made writing a daily habit, they’ve become disciplined about it and they’ve done it consistently enough to have made major progress.

Success is really simple when you break it all down. And while each author’s success will have been achieved through different actions and activities, the core of their success always comes down to habits, discipline and consistency.

The problem is most writers aren’t very habitual or consistent and they often lack discpline for doing what really matters and what will really move them forward on their projects. Maybe you can relate?

I used to relate to that. Back years ago, I had zero discpline or habit when it came to my writing. And don’t even get me started on being consistent. Back then, the only consistency I had was my inconsistency.

But then I started to think about the things that I do have habit, discpline and consistency around. ‘Cause the truth is, we all have habits, discpline and consistency with some stuff.

Just not always the thing we want to have it around.

For example, when I was younger, I used to get tons and tons of cavities. I’m talking 5-7 every time I went to the dentist. And what came with those cavities were painful trips to get them filled. (So NOT fun!!)

I brushed my teeth every day, twice a day. It was a habit my mom instilled in me from a young age. But I still got cavities.

When I asked my dentist why, he said I needed to start flossing every night before bed, and if I did, that would reduce the number of cavities I was getting.

I didn’t listen. I had already built a habit around brushing my teeth twice a day, every day, and I thought that should be enough. But it wasn’t.

When I was 22 years old, I went to a dentist appointment and was told I had 8 cavities–all in teeth that I’d already had filled before. The dentist was adament that I get them taken care of right away, before they became root canals or worse.

So I went and saw a specialized dentist who was recommended to me. When I saw that dentist, her recommendation was two-fold: she said I needed to have inlays done, where they basically hollow out the inside of your tooth and then create a custom-made filling to replace what they removed; and I had to start flossing every night.

The process cost around $7,000 and it took three visits to the dentist–two to drill and hollow out the teeth and then take the impressions to send to the lab that would create the fillings, and then one to actually put the inlays in when they were ready.

I probably don’t even have to tell you how painful the hollowing out process was. Let’s just say I needed to have 7 shots of novicaine on one side of my mouth and I still felt everything, because some of the cavities were so deep they touched the nerve of my tooth. And on top of that, I had the worst headache of my life the next day after the novicaine wore off. At one point, I actually thought my head was going to explode.

It was by far one of the most torturous things I’ve ever been through. After it was all over, I made a decision: from that day forward, I would brush and floss my teeth every single night, no matter what. Even if I was tired. Even if I didn’t feel like it.

And I did.

There hasn’t been a single day since then that I haven’t brushed and flossed my teeth before going to bed. Even on the nights when I’ve fallen asleep on the couch, slept there for half the night and then woke up at 4 a.m. and wanted to go sleep in my bed. I still forced myself to brush and floss my teeth before I was allowed to go to bed.

I created this habit almost immediately and became super disciplined about it, so I’d never have to go through anything like that or get another cavity filled ever again. (And I haven’t since!!)

But you don’t have to wait until the thing you’ve avoiding gets so painful that you’re basically forced into changing.

What I discovered is the discipline I now had with flossing my teeth could be used for anything you want to turn into a habit. Including your writing.

All I had to do was figure out what I’d done to make it happen. And here’s what I came to:

1. Decide

After that painful (and expensive) inlay experience, I made the decision that never again would I let a day go by without flossing my teeth. If flossing my teeth was the one thing that would stop me from getting cavities, I was going to do it and do it daily.

2. Commit

Once the decision was made, I committed to it. Fully. I was all-in on it.

3. Trigger

I created a trigger to help me make it easier. I went out and bought floss and I put it with my toothpaste so I would see it every time I brushed my teeth. This made it much easier for me to actually follow through because I had a reminder every time.

4. Why

In the beginning, when it wasn’t a habit to floss my teeth every night yet, I had to remind myself of why I was doing this and why I wanted to create this habit. The why of what you’re doing is so important because it will keep you motivated and will help you push through when things get tough or when you “don’t feel like it.”

5. Keep On Going

When I first started flossing every night, it was definitely a challenge because I wasn’t used to it and I hadn’t been doing it long enough to see the full benefits from it yet. When you’re not seeing the results or benefits right away, it’s often hard to keep going. But that’s what you have to do.

If you fall off track for a day or two, don’t make a big deal about it, just get back to it as soon as you can. The biggest problem with creating habits and being disciplined is that often when you fall off track you make it mean something it doesn’t mean. You’ll say it’s because you can’t do it or you’re not good enough or whatever.

But it has nothing to do with that. It’s just not a habit yet. And once it is, you’ll do it so automatically you won’t have to even think about it. So get back to it as soon as you can and then keep going.

Follow these five steps and you can make a habit and create discipline around pretty much anything, whether that’s flossing your teeth or doing your writing.

So often we’re afraid to make something a habit or to be disciplined because we think that it will take away our freedom. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Discipline creates freedom, because once something is automatic, your mind is freed up from having to think about it or worry about it getting done. And since you’ve made it a habit, it always gets done, even in the midst of life chaos or being busy.

Want to totally change your life and step into the identity of the writer and author you’ve always dreamed of being? It starts with creating habits, discipline and consistency around doing what matters and doing it daily.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. Is it time for you to create habits and discipline in your writing life? Then be sure to join us for the Writing Habit Revamp workshop: 21-days of discipline, habit-building, support and accountability to get your butt in a chair and words on the page.

>> Details and sign up here: www.jenniferblanchard.net/writinghabitrevamp

Commit To Doing At Least The Bare Minimum Every Day

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For the last three weeks I’ve been prepping and preparing for my move to Texas. Cleaning things out. Clearing out stuff for donation. Selling things. Whatever needed to get done.

Which has meant that a lot of what I’d usually be doing in my days and weeks wasn’t getting done or was being pushed off for the time being. This is a sacrifice that sometimes has to get made when you have bigger things going on.

But that doesn’t mean you should allow yourself to completely fall off on everything.

That would be a huge mistake. And it’s the mistake that a lot of writers make that derails them. Because it’s hard to get back on track once you fall off.

So many fall off and don’t get back on.

Yes, sometimes life gets in the way and interrupts your best-laid plans. It’s gonna happen. Unless you’re committed enough to keep going no matter what.

And I am.

The thing that helps me keep moving forward and making progress is to have a daily bare minimum. My daily bare minimum are the tasks that–even on my most insane and busy of days–still must get done.

For me, that list includes:

> Walking my dog
> Journaling and mindset practice
> Writing a blog post (or at the very least, posting something thought-provoking and engaging on my Facebook page)
> Checking in with clients/students
> Promotion and sales activities (at least one activity)

My daily list of things I do is a lot longer than this, but on days when life gets in the way, I’m totally happy if I’ve done at least my bare minimum stuff.

That bare minimum stuff will still help me make progress on my writing goals. Which is why I’m writing this post right now when I should be finishing up what needs to be done before we get on the road to Texas Wednesday morning.

I could’ve made the move an excuse and not written this post–it would have been totally relevant and legit. Most writers would have and no one would give them a hard time about it either. Making a cross-country move is stressful! It’s a lot of work! It requires a lot of energy and focus! So it’s totally fine not to do your writing.

But I’m not most writers and I’m committed to doing what needs to be done. Even when it’s not convenient.

So, what’s your daily bare minimum? What can you commit to doing every day, bare minimum, that will still move you forward and make you progress on your writing goals?

You probably don’t want to do the bare minumum EVERY DAY. The bare minimum is for days when life gets in the way or when you really are legit way too busy to do everything you need to do or you’re intentionally choosing to take it easy that day.

You want to be committed to doing whatever you need to do every day, which usually means a whole lot more than the bare minimum. But if all you can do is the bare minimum, you will still make progress and move forward.

That’s what matters.

And if you’re just starting out or need to build some habit and consistency into your writing life, then committing to doing your bare minimum every day will get you on track to eventually being able to take on more.

This week, I’ll definitely be doing my bare minimum stuff, but once I get to Texas and get a bit settled in, watch out! There’s a whole lot of awesomeness coming in June.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. Are you ready to take the idea in your head and turn it into a fully-developed story plan? You can get access to my upcoming 4-week Plan Your Damn Novel workshop for FREE when you join the Bestselling Author Mastermind, my mentorship group for multi-passionate writers and authors who want to create the habits, mindset, craft expertise, follow-through and consistency of a bestselling author.

Doors close on Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

>> Details and sign up here: www.jenniferblanchard.net/mastermind

Want Your Life To Flow And Be Easy? Then Stop Putting Off Your Soul Work

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(Side note: literally as I typed the headline of this post, the word count on my WriteRoom app said 67777… for me, seeing 777 is a nudge from the Universe saying YES!!)

I discovered something a while back: when I do my fiction writing–my soul work–every day, my life just flows and everything becomes easy. I no longer have to struggle, for anything.

Money flows, opportunities pop up, new clients hire me, and magic unfolds. Good vibes and confidence are the norm.

But on the days when I DON’T do my soul work, and especially when I’ve not done my soul work for several days in a row, things start to break down. I don’t feel like myself anymore. I question everything. I consider quitting. I doubt. I fear. I worry. I procrastinate. I resist.

I get stuck. Sometimes for days.

And the funny part is, I could make all of that go away if I just DO my soul work.

It really is that simple.

When you’re putting off or pushing away or “one daying” the soul work that you know you’re meant to be doing (aka: your WRITING!!), life doesn’t work.

Because your soul work, the whole reason you came here to this world, isn’t being let out. And it’s dying.

Worse off, you’re the one killing it.

Every day that story idea sits in your head instead of being down on paper and out in the world, your soul gets crushed a little more. Eventually, if you continue to do nothing about it, it will be completely crushed and nothing will be left except the dust of what might have been.

Isn’t it time to let it out?

Isn’t it time to make your soul work a daily priority?

Isn’t it time to DO SOMETHING with all those ideas and inspired actions?

I get it–making a change is hard. Habits and ways of being are so ingrained it’s like trying to break apart two magnets. Tough, but not impossible.

The best way to jump in and make a change is to SET A DATE and then PREPARE for it as best you possibly can–mentally, emotionally and physically. Work your way up to it, that way you actually stick with it instead of sabotage it.

The other thing to know about making a change and creating new habits is there will most likely be a relapse period. Even several. But if you keep going, you will eventually beat that old pattern and old habit and you’ll have created a new one to take its place.

And the best habit you can ever create–for yourself and your life–is making your soul work a daily priority.

Even for fifteen minutes. Even for five.

It’s not about the amount of time you spend on it, it’s about just doing it. And doing it daily.

When you do, you’ll soon find that your life just begins to flow and be easy. You’ll be happier and more productive and motivated. Because you’ll finally be doing what really matters to you.

Putting off your soul work is a recipe for a chaotic life that never seems to work right.

You can’t ignore or put your soul work on the backburner. Not if you want a life of ease and flow.

Ease and flow comes from making your soul work the most important thing you do in your day.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

P.S. If writing stories is your soul work, mark June 5 on your calendar because you don’t want to miss this… Plan Your Damn Novel: a 4-week story planning and development workshop to take the idea in your head and turn it into a full-blown story plan with structure and a scene-by-scene roadmap you can use to write your first draft.

We’ll be working through all the pieces of creating your story, including Concept, Premise, character arc, subplots, structure, scene and sequel, and more.

And–best of all–you can get access to this workshop as a BONUS for joining the Bestselling Author Mastermind, my high-level mentorship group for multi-passionate writers who want to create the habits, mindset, craft expertise, follow-through and consistency of a pro author.

>> Details and sign up here: www.jenniferblanchard.net/mastermind

Trust Is A Key Ingredient For Manifesting Your Writing Dreams (And Dream Life)

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The other night I rented an old romantic comedy on Amazon and decided to make some popcorn to go with it. I put a pot on the stove, dropped in a couple big scoops of coconut oil and then put the lid on to get the oil hot.

I let the oil heat for a few minutes and then I put the kernels in. Immediately they began heating up. The oil was bubbling, the kernels were turning a roasted color. Any minute now I’d have popcorn.

But then the kernels didn’t pop as fast as I thought they should.

I kept shaking the pot, hoping to stir the kernels around and get them hot enough to pop. But still nothing.

Nothing.

The kernels just kept on cooking, the oil getting hotter and hotter by the second.

Still, nothing.

Then I got annoyed and started yelling at the kernels. What the hell is wrong with you? Why aren’t you popping? You should be hot enough! The oil is bubbling like crazy. What the fuck?!

Still, nothing.

Then I shook the pot again. Stirring the kernels around while simultaneously telling them they should already be popping.

Still, nothing.

And then I realized–holy shit! This is a metaphor for LIFE!!

Often in life we have a dream or a goal and we declare it and start taking action and move in that direction. And yet nothing is happening. Or at least, it’s not happening at the speed WE think that it should.

So you say it’s not working and then you start to look for what’s wrong and what you should fix. And all the while your life kernels–your dreams, your goals, your desires–are heating up and getting ready to pop… but you get impatient and remove your energy from taking action and instead get caught in self-doubt and fear and procrastination and Resistance and worrying about whether you’re good enough.

But here’s the thing I know to be true about popcorn–and life–when the oil gets hot enough, the kernel gets hot enough, and when the kernel gets hot enough, it pops.

It has to. There’s no way around it. A corn kernel at a specific internal temperature will turn into popcorn. This is inevitable.

The same is true in life and in living your dreams.

If you know what you want and you commit to it and consistently take action and do the work and keep going and don’t let yourself be stopped by anyone or anything, you WILL get there. It’s inevitable.

But getting from where you are now–a kernel–to where you want to be–the popped corn–there has to be a level of trust there. You have to trust that if you go all in and show up fully and do the work that you will eventually get there.

You will. It’s inevitable.

Except the timing will never be what you think it will. When it happens and how it happens are totally out of your hands. The when and the how are up to the Universe.

Your job is the what and the why. Your job is to take baby-step actions, whatever ones you can come up with, in the direction you want to go. And as you do, trusting that what you want will eventually be yours.

And when you fully trust in the timing of your life and stop trying to rush things, what you want will happen a hell of a lot faster.

Right now it’s not happening as fast as you want because you’re constantly looking around for results and saying that it’s not working. You’re actually pushing it further off when you do that.

Because what you pay attention to and put your focus on will expand.

Keep focusing on it’s not working or it’s not happening fast enough and that’s what will keep expanding. Or place your focus on what you want and why you want it and on taking whatever actions you can from where you are and don’t worry about whether or not it’s happening fast enough.

As my mentor says, head down and do the fucking work.

As I stood there–FINALLY–watching the kernels turn into popcorn, I realized it was time to trust in the speed and timing of my life. Because it’s already perfect and divine.

We always think we should be further along than we are. This is part of being human and especially being humans who dream big and are driven to achieve.

But things take time. And you really wouldn’t want things to go any faster or you won’t be ready to handle it and you’ll go into self-sabotage mode.

It’s true.

You think it would be badass to just wake up tomorrow and be on The NY Times bestseller list. But for most writers, it wouldn’t be. Because they haven’t journeyed far enough yet to be ready for that kind of success.

If it happened overnight–the instant fame, the hundreds of emails and phone calls and guest appearances and traveling and whatever else comes with it–it would scare the shit out of you. And you wouldn’t be able to handle it.

It would make you run and hide. It would cause you to blow past your inner comfort zone and you’d sabotage it. It would be the end of who you are right now.

The Universe doesn’t want that for you.

So that’s why life is gradual. That’s why things take time to unfold. That’s why you see it in your head and feel it in your heart way before you see it in your physical reality.

Because you need time to get used to it. You need time to process each level before you get to the next one. You need time to work through all the things you need to learn and discover to be able to handle what’s next.

So when it does inevitably happen, you’re ready. You’re present. You’re able to accept it and receive it and hold on to it.

When the kernels finally pop, you’re ready for them.

And while it was heating up and doing its thing, you had time to gather a bowl and figure out what seasonings to put on it and make the spice mix. You’re prepared for its inevitable manifestation.

You do that with popcorn and you can also do it with life.

Figure out what you want. Commit to it. Then pretend it has already happened and ask yourself what you’d be doing and thinking and being. And then do, think and be that stuff RIGHT NOW.

No worrying about how long it will take. No second-guessing yourself or your actions. Just do the work and trust in the inevitable arrival of everything you dream of.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. Doors to the Bestselling Author Mastermind are opening later this week!! And with it a story planning workshop that you don’t want to miss.

Get on my email list so you’re the first to know when the doors open–and you’ll also get a free copy of my eBook, From ‘Eh’ to ‘Awesome!’ The 9 Questions to Turn Your Idea Into An Actual Story: www.jenniferblanchard.net/awesome

Want To Live Your Dream Life Now Instead of “One Day”? Here’s How

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Something I’m constantly thinking about is the idea that all possibilities exist at the same time, and it’s the choice we make to either believe in what’s possible and be open to it or to place limitations on what’s possible and not be open to it, that makes it happen (or not).

And if all possibilities exist at the same time, why not choose the one you really want?

Rather than settle for some lame-ass version of what you really want. Rather than tell yourself you can’t have it or you’re not worthy of it or good enough. Rather than keeping yourself in a holding pattern that just repeats over and over again.

Instead, you can just choose. You can choose that you’ll live your dream life–to whatever extent you can–right now, today.

And then you go and do it.

It really is that simple. But not always that easy.

Which is where the “making space” exercise comes into play.

I’ve been doing this exercise on and off over the last year and every time I do it, I get closer and closer to living more of what I want my dream life to be like.

Here’s how to do the exercise…

1. Grab a journal and a pen

I highly recommend you do this by hand, if possible. If not, open a file on your computer

2. Make a list or do some freestyle writing on what you need to make space for in your life every day

This is when you’re going to write down not only the things you need to do every day, but also the things you want to be doing that you’re not right now AND anything you know you’d be doing if you were already living your ideal dream life.

Here’s my list:

> Daily mindset practice (+ Your Hidden Mind)
> Write Daily Think Different
> Work on fiction
> Work on nonfiction
> Create content (paid and free)
> Wealth creation
> Sales activity
> Book #s
> Dream Life Or Bust livestream
> Student/client feedback and work
> Check in on Facebook groups
> Empire building time
> Inbox 0
> Reading
> Watch a movie
> Personal growth
> Fitness
> Cook/eat healthy
> Drink 64oz of water
> Joe and Weiland time
> Quiet/think/dream/vision/plan time
> Nap

This is a combination of things I’m already doing most days as well as things I want to be doing every day and things I know I would be doing as the dream-life version of me. These are the things I need to be focused on in my daily life.

And your list is what you need to be doing and focusing on every day.

This is the hard part. It’s easy to make a list of what you’d like to be doing, but it’s another to live it. Which is where the just go do it thing comes in.

Because if you want to live the life of your dreams, where you have space for all the things that matter to you, then you have to be willing to spend your time on doing the things you want to be doing, and let go of all the other stuff that doesn’t matter. Yes, this can even mean things like watching TV or social time, if that matters less to you then other stuff on your list.

Priorities. That’s what it comes down to.

And it’s time to start prioritizing your dream life.

No one can create it for you. No one’s gonna hand it to you on a silver platter. You have to create the dream life for yourself.

And it starts with simply figuring out what you want to be doing and then committing to making space for it. Daily. Every day. From here on out.

I can already feel the push-back coming… but what if I don’t have time? What if I have to work a day job? What if [insert excuse or reason]?

I know, I get it, I get it. You’re busy and you have to work 40+ hours a week and you have a family to take care of and a house to clean and.. but what about you? Remember you?

You, the only person who has been with you since day one and will be with you until the day you’re no longer here. You, who deserves to live the life you dream of living.

You, the only person who can make your dream life a reality.

So it’s time to start making space for what really matters to you.

Besides, if you’re not already prioritizing yourself and the things you dream of doing, you’re no good to anyone else anyhow. Fill yourself up first before you worry about everyone else.

3. Set a time limit for each activity or item on your list (where possible)

Some of the items on my daily list are timed, others I just do until I’m finished. Here’s my list again with the times:

> Daily mindset practice (+ Your Hidden Mind)
> Write Daily Think Different
> Work on fiction (30 mins)
> Work on nonfiction (30 mins)
> Create content (30 mins)
> Wealth creation (30 mins)
> Sales activity (30 mins)
> Book #s
> Dream Life Or Bust livestream
> Student/client feedback and work (30-60 mins)
> Check in on Facebook groups (15-20 mins)
> Empire building time (60-90 mins)
> Inbox 0
> Reading (30 mins)
> Watch a movie
> Personal growth (1 training)
> Fitness (20 mins)
> Cook/eat healthy
> Drink 64oz of water
> Joe and Weiland time
> Quiet/think/dream/vision/plan time
> Nap (when needed)

I have this list as a sticky note on my desktop so I can see it all day long. As I complete things, I delete them off the list for the day. And then at night, I reset the entire list for the next day.

These are the things I want to spend my day doing and want to invest my time and energy into. And doing so every day moves me closer and closer to living my dream life.

So, what’s on your list? Share in the comments.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. Eight days into the Writer’s Confidence Boost workshop and already participants are having MASSIVE shifts in their thinking and their ways of being. It’s AMAZING!!! I knew this workshop would be powerful, but I didn’t expect this level of transformation so quickly. It’s blowing my mind!! Which is why I’ve decided to re-open the doors to the workshop and let you join us for only $7 AND you’ll get access to the Day 1 audio training immediately upon signing up so you can jump in and get started.

Hurry–the price goes up to $97 at Midnight EDT on Wednesday May 24.

>> Grab the Writer’s Confidence Boost here: www.jenniferblanchard.net/confidenceboost

Clarity and Confidence Come From Taking Action and Continuing to Take Action

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In January of 2008, I decided I was going to write my very first novel and have the draft finished by my 25th birthday that year. Two months blew by and I still hadn’t made any progress. I needed to put pressure on myself and give myelf massive accountability.

So in March of 2008, I started a blog called Procrastinating Writers. (I figured that name fit considering I’d been procrastinating on my novel-writing dream for most of my life.) And I only had one goal: I was going to write and publish one post a week and share about my journey to writing the first draft of my first novel. This would keep me accountable to showing up and doing the work.

Back then the only goal I could see was getting a novel written, published and out in the world. It was my ultimate dream at that point.

But then in 2015, I finally got that novel finished and published. I had achieved my ultimate dream. And that’s when even bigger dreams began revealing themselves to me.

Dreams I hadn’t even allowed myself to think about, let alone utter a word of, because it felt so far away and so impossible. Once I had a published novel, though, the next piece of the puzzle showed itself.

And that’s how it happens.

We often tell ourselves that we have to know the entire picture or that we have to know every single step we’ll encounter along the way. But we don’t. In fact, most of the time, you won’t. You won’t have a freaking clue what the next step is.

You just have to take the first step and trust that as you do, the next step will be revealed and then the next, until you inevitably achieve your goal.

And taking that first step is always the hardest and the scariest. We’re not taught how to deal with uncertainty. But uncertainty is a big part of living your dream life.

You have to trust in yourself and believe in your vision–whatever you can see of it–and act in faith.

Easier to say than to do, I know. But it doesn’t have to be.

When you start to take action on your dreams–any actions, even baby-step actions–you begin to get clues and hints for what the next step is. Or you get feedback in the form of how you feel or a gut instinct that says something is slightly off and you need to pivot.

Recently I’ve been getting all kinds of clarity around my bigger purpose and vision for my life and my business. The dreams are getting bolder and more expansive, and my faith in the next step revealing itself if I just keep taking action is growing every day.

Today I own a company. Not just a side gig or a hobby, but a real business that makes money and changes people’s lives. I get to spend my time doing stuff that I love to do. I have total freedom and control of everything.

In 2008, I never could’ve seen the vision for where I am right now, or the vision for where I’m now headed. Back then all I could see was my goal of writing a novel and finally becoming consistent with my writing practice. And now I run a full-time business that supports me in creating my dream life and making the impact that I want to make in the world.

But none of that would’ve happened if I hadn’t take that first step way back when and started a blog to share my journey to writing my novel.

The kind of clarity and confidence I now have as a writer, an author, a speaker, a leader and a business owner came from taking action. And not just taking a little action, but taking A LOT of action and then continuing to take action, over and over again. It came from seeing what works and what feels good to me, and giving myself permission to pivot when it doesn’t.

If you want to achieve something or if you want a bigger vision and purpose for your life to be revealed, then you must START and you must commit to continuing on. No. Matter. What.

Action. Consistency. That’s what you need to see more of the steps and the bigger picture revealed to you.

And, again, those answers to what you need to do to make your dream writing life happen will continue to reveal themselves, the more you take action, test things out and then tweak based on the results and how it feels for you.

The more you do that, the more confident you’ll start to be. And you’ll build inner strength and an inner knowing that you will finally begin to trust.

Clarity and confidence comes from taking action and continuing to take action. Period.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. The doors to the Writer’s Confidence Boost workshop are open!!! Are you in need of a serious confidence boost?? Right now you can join the workshop for 93% OFF the full price!! But hurry–doors close Sunday May 14 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

>> Details and sign up here: www.jenniferblanchard.net/landing/confidenceboost

You’ve Got To Throw Out “The Rules” and Write Them for Yourself

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To me, living your dream life means being you, doing what you love, having freedom and living on your terms. To create that dream life, you must be willing to write your own rules.

And writing your own rules starts with digging up any old, limiting beliefs, especially unconscious ones, that are currently holding you back or keeping you stuck or creating a reality that you don’t want.

You may not think you have any limiting beliefs, but we all do. And many of them are unconscious, which means we’re sending these unconscious belief-signals out into the Universe every day… and that’s what’s coming back to us.

To figure out what unconscious beliefs you have, all you need to do is look around at your life and your current reality. What you see around you is what you’ve been unconsciously creating up ’til this point.

Here’s the hard part. Now you actually have to be brave enough to look around–and most importantly, look within–and put words to the unconscious beliefs you currently have. The good and the bad.

For example, a few years ago I made a realization: somehow everything always works out for me.

I’d be running late for work, but then I’d get there and my boss would be running even later and never found out I was late. I needed money for something unexpected and somehow the money would show up. I got to the restaurant for dinner and someone would be backing out and leaving their front-row spot, just as I was getting there.

From this I made the discovery that I have an unconscious belief (a GREAT one!) that everything always works out in my favor. Somehow over the course of my life, through things people told me and what I experienced, I created this belief. And it has served me very, very well in my life.

But what about when you find an unconscious belief that’s been wreaking havoc on your life?

For example, from a very young age, I was programmed with the belief that I’m not good enough. This came from various things that happened to me during my childhood–getting bulled by my older cousins who I looked up to, my parents’ divorce, bullying from other kids at my babysitter’s house and all through my school years. From those experiences, I created an unconscious belief that I wasn’t good enough.

And that belief was unconsciously creating my life. It kept me from trying out for parts that I wanted in the school plays, it made me pretend to be someone I’m not, and it made me self-sabotage when I did get an opportunity to shine.

Thankfully I had a whole bunch of other empowering beliefs that balanced out the bad ones, but until I was conscious of the fact I had a deep-seeded belief that I wasn’t good enough, it continued to create negativity in my reality.

Once I was fully conscious of it, I was able to do something about changing it. So I started to plant new beliefs in my mind, ones that actually support me in achieving my goals and the success that I want.

That’s what it means to write your own rules. You get to choose your beliefs that you hold, that you live by and that create your life. Because your beliefs, thoughts, perspective and actions are what has been creating your reality up to this point.

But if you want to create your dream life and have everything you’ve ever wanted, it starts with giving yourself permission to change the limiting beliefs–conscious and unconscious–that you’ve had programmed in you all these years, and also to drop and ignore anything you’ve been told to think or believe that doesn’t feel good to you.

Permission is everything here. Because until you fully give yourself permission you’ll never make the change. You’ll continue to operate your life from these beliefs, telling yourself that you “have to” because that’s what society says or what your mom says or what your spouse says or whatever you’re telling yourself.

I know it’s hard. It is. It really is.

Changing an entire belief system; shifting your entire perspective and all the thoughts you’ve had your whole life; it can be scary. Those old beliefs and old ways of being are very comfy. And it feels good to be comfy, kind of.

But not in the way that feeling good could feel if it was coming from a place of excitement and purpose, rather than a place of fear and comfort.

It’s been said that people only change out of necessity or severe pain. But you don’t have to wait ’til that point. You don’t have to get to the end of your rope before you do something different.

You can choose right now to be inspired into changing. To be motivated by possibiilty and empowered by new beliefs, thoughts and ways of being.

You can make this choice every single day, and you’ll have to, until it becomes a habit for you to think and believe this way.

A few years ago, I heard an Abraham-Hicks quote that stuck with me so much I painted it onto a canvas and hung it on the wall in my living room. And every day, I try to remember this quote. It’s absolutely life-changing. It was when I first heard it and it still is today, maybe even more so because I now understand success mindset even better now than I did back then.

And that quote, is… a belief is just a thought you keep thinking.

A belief is just a thought you keep thinking. A BELIEF is JUST A THOUGHT that you KEEP THINKING.

A belief is just a thought that YOU keep thinking.

Really take that one in. It will totally transform your entire belief system and your life along with it.

You hold the power. You get to decide. Life does not happen to you, you create it with your beliefs and your thoughts and your actions. Yes, bad stuff does happen sometimes. And that bad stuff is often unconsciously created by a limiting or negative belief you hold that, unfortuantely, you didn’t know about.

But the silver lining of the bad thing is that you can use it to identify any unconscious beliefs you do have, so you can shift them and create a new belief that supports you in creating the things you actually do want to have happen in your life.

You create your reality. You. No one else can create it for you. Your energy is always what attracts what you see in your reality.

And your energy starts with your beliefs.

Negative beliefs have a magnetism for negative thoughts, actions, situations and people. Whereas positive, empowering beliefs have a magnetism for positive thoughts, actions, situations and people.

That’s just how energy works.

So it’s your responsibility to guard your energy, to protect it and to feed it with positive, uplifting beliefs and thoughts that will support you in creating your dream life, whatever that may mean or look like for you.

Dream life or bust,

 

 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

P.S. Doors to my Writer’s Confidence Boost eCourse are opening later tonight!! And because confidence is SO important when it comes to achieving success as a writer and creator, I’m offering this at a ridiculous price that anyone can afford. Stay tuned for more details…

And if you’re not already on my email list, get on it right now so you’re the first to know when the Writer’s Confidence Boost eCourse is available. Go here to join my email list and get a free copy of my eBook, The Bestselling Author Mindset Formula: www.jenniferblanchard.net/newsletter

Success Is A Mindset and A Way of Being–Remember That Or You’ll Never Get Where You Want to Go

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So often we think that success is a destination. That the dreams and goals we have are something we have to work toward; a place we think we’ll land eventaully if we just keep doing the work.
 
And that couldn’t be further from the truth.
 
Yes, you have to do the work and keep going–that’s a given. But success isn’t a destination or something you have to work toward. And that’s where most writers, authors and creative people get it wrong.
 
We tell ourselves if we just work really hard or if we grind and hustle every day, we’ll get there and we’ll achieve what we want to. But what usually happens with that kind of thinking is you either burn out before you get there, or you can’t actually enjoy the success you’ve achieved because you’re too exhausted from how hard you’ve been working all these years.
 
What if it could be easier than that?
 
What if you could achieve your goals just by changing your thinking and who you’re being?
 
Because I guarantee that the way you’re currently thinking and who you’re being right now is what’s really stopping you from achieving your goals. No matter how hard you’re working. Physical action is not enough.
 
Don’t get me wrong–you have to take practical physical actions if you want to achieve something. But there’s still an easier way.
 
There’s a way you can step right now into the success you dream of having and feel like it’s already real and you’ve already made it happen. Even if it hasn’t shown up in your physical reality just yet.
 
And that comes from how you’re thinking and who you’re being, in every moment of every day.
 
So, how are you thinking and who are you being in your life right now? Because that’s what’s going to determine how far you go and what you actually achieve.
 
Are you making choices and decisions like a pro writer? Or are you making them like a hobbyist? Big difference.
 
Are you showing up every day as the writer and author you dream of being? Or are you still showing up as who you are right now? Big difference.
 
Who are you right now and how you’ve been thinking up to this point has gotten you to where you are today. But if you want to go further and achieve more, you have to shift your way of thinking and who you’re being.
 
Most people think you have to work toward a goal. Nope. Working toward it will just keep you working toward it forever.
 
Instead, you have to work FROM your goal. You have to figure out who you’d be and how you’d act and what you’d think if you were already that person and if you’ve already achieved that goal, and then you have to ACT AND THINK FROM THAT PLACE every single day.
 
Doing it this way not only helps you achieve success faster, but it also helps you achieve it with ease and flow, as opposed to burning yourself out from trying and trying and working so damn hard.
 
Hard work is a part of achieving success, but it doesn’t have to feel hard. It can actually be easy and fun. But it’s gonna take some drastic changes to the way you’re currently thinking and being.
 
Because how you’re currently thinking and who you’re showing up as every day isn’t enough to get you there. Right now you’re living the 1.0 version of yourself and your life.
 
To get to the 2.0 version requires new ways of thinking and being. It requires you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and to do things you probably haven’t done before, at least consistently enough to achieve what you want. It requires you to release who you are right now in favor of who you want to be.
 
The problem is, we often think who we are right now is just who we are. And that’s a limited way of thinking that will keep you stuck and spinning your wheels for years, maybe even for life.
 
Because who you are in any moment is just a product of how you’re thinking and acting. Which means you can change who you are to become who you want to be, just by shifting your mindset and actions.
 
Now doing this could cause some heartache, because you will have to release being comfortable and certain. You’ll have to release the baggage and the bad habits and negative, limiting ways of thinking that have brought you to this point. And that can be scary.
 
But as my mentors always say, what got you here won’t get you where you want to go. Which means change is inevitable. Unless you want to stay where you currently are forever.
 
Most people do. Most people get to a certain point in their lives, usually a mediocre one where they don’t have what they really want but they’ve convinced themselves that it is what it is, and they give up on wanting to be different and instead just accept what is.
 
But let me tell you something, if you accept “what is” and aren’t willing to go beyond that, you can close your computer right now and hang up your author hat because the success you dream of is never gonna happen for you.
 
It can’t. It’s impossible. Because you’re not willing to change or to think and act how you need to in order to achieve your goals.
 
Success isn’t about achieving a goal, although that’s a side effect of it. It’s about who you become in the process of achieving that goal. And who you become means you’re constantly evolving and up-leveling.
 
If you’re not currently doing so, then that is the reason you don’t yet have what you want.
 
Wanting is so badly that you can taste it and see it isn’t enough. You can see and taste ’til you’re blue in the face and it still won’t happen. Because desire and vision still isn’t enough if it’s not backed up by ways of thinking and being that will actually get you there.
 
And this isn’t about who you are not being good enough. You are good enough, exactly as you are. But being good enough doesn’t mean you’ll achieve your goals. Because being good enough still isn’t enough.
 
Who you are and how you think is a CHOICE. So the question you need to ask yourself, every single day, is: who am I being and how am I thinking right now and does that align with where I want to go?
 
Dream life or bust,
 
 

#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent

 
P.S. It’s almost mid-year!! Have you achieved the goals you set back in January? Or is this year turning out like the previous years where you set a goal and then months later give up on it and retreat back to being the same person you’ve always been and doing the same things you’ve always done? If it’s the latter, stay tuned… I have something AWESOME coming on Wednesday that just might help you kick the slump you’ve been in so you can finally end your year having achieved what you set out to.
 

If you’re not already on my email list, get on it now so you can stay up to date on all the programs and workshops I have going on (you’ll also get a free copy of my eBook, The Bestselling Author Mindset Formula: How To Think Your Way to #1).

How To Ignore the Opinions of Others and Do What Works For You

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One of the biggest reasons writers, artists and creators don’t go after their dreams is because of what other people might think or say. The fear of judgment and ridicule. The fear of having to hear someone else’s negative opinion.
 
It can be very hard to know that your family and the people you respect don’t agree with what you’re doing or have the opinion that you shouldn’t be doing it. It’s also hard to listen to people give you advice when you’re not asking for it.
 
Because everyone’s got an opinion. And many of them feel the need to share that opinion with you. Even when you don’t really want it.
 
Yes, there are times when it’s nice to have someone else’s opinion or advice. I’m constantly turning to my mentors and accountability buddies for opinions and support.
 
But I always get the final say. And regardless of rules or expectations, I never do anything that doesn’t feel good to me.
 

When to Listen to the Opinions of Others

 
So how do you know when you should listen to what someone else has to say? Here are some of the criteria I use:
 
> Is the person more successful than you are? Is the person giving you the opinion and advice more successful than you are? If they are, their opinion definitely has more weight then if they’re not. Someone who’s already been-there-done-that will be able to share things that only someone who’s been through it can share, and that kind of advice can shave years off your learning curve and help you achieve success faster.
 
> Do they have a result that you want? If the advice and opinions are coming from someone who has achieved the result you want for yourself, the advice is probably worth listening to. You may not be able to completely replicate how they achieved the result, but you’ll definitely get some tips and inside info that will help you along on your journey.
 
> Did you ask for the opinion? If you did, there’s probably a reason for it and you may want to consider listening.
 

When to Ignore the Opinion of Others 

 
On the flip side, here’s when you should ignore the opinions or advice from others:
 
> They’re not more successful than you–if the person giving the advice or opinion isn’t more successful than you are, you can feel free to ignore everything they’ve said.
 
> They don’t have a result that you want–if the person hasn’t achieved something that you want to achieve, there’s no reason to listen.
 
> They’re not living their dream–this is really important because I see so many writers and creators listening to the opinions of people who aren’t living their dreams and are just numbing themselves out with food and TV and other BS. People like that will try to hold you back and keep you playing small because you going after your dream triggers them. And they don’t like that. (It’s my belief we’re supposed to trigger people and get triggered by people–that’s how we all learn and grow.)
 
Now these are not hard-and-fast “rules” for how to ignore people’s opinions. There are always exceptions where someone who doesn’t fit the criteria will give you an opinion or piece of advice that feels good to you and in that case, it may be worth listening to.
 
Only you can know for sure which opinions and advice feels good to you. And only taking action on those good-feeling opinions and advice can help you figure out if it will work for you or not.
 
But once you find what works best for you, keep on doing it. Tweak it when necessary, but stay focused on doing you.
 
Because if you want to create success on your terms, that’s what it’s gonna take–being fully who you are and continuing to step into the identity of who you dream of being.
 
Dream life or bust,
 
 
#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent
 

P.S. If you’re a blogger, listen up! I’ve got something awesome for you… Blog to Book: an interactive 2-hour workshop where you’ll turn your blog posts into a book that you can publish–happening this Saturday, April 29 at Noon EDT.

 
This isn’t a sit there and learn something kind of workshop, it’s a take action right then and there workshop where you’ll actually start building your book during the live workshop. And if you follow through, you could have your blog transformed into a published book by the end of next week!
 
>> Sign up here

How Much Longer Are You Going to Wait for This?

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I keep thinking about purpose and what I really want to be saying with my writing that I haven’t allowed myself to fully say before. And what I want to say, is this… (brace yourself):
 
It’s time to wake the fuck up. It’s time to STOP conforming and living other peoples’ standards and rules. It’s time to STOP worrying about what people think and just go after your dreams.
 
It’s time to stop working BS jobs and walking on eggshells and only partially being who you are. You deserve better and your gifts and purpose deserves to be let out.
 
Why do you think you were born with these talents and gifts? Because you’re meant to use them. You’re meant to create a life around them.
 
You weren’t born to live someone else’s idea of what life is “supposed to” be about. Fuck that shit!
 
You’re born to do what you love and live the life of your dreams.
 
You weren’t born to conform or live on someone else’s terms. And yes, I know you like predictability and certainty, but what the fuck is certain about what you’re doing right now?
 
Working a job you don’t love and don’t really care about–even if you happen to be good at it. If they decide tomorrow that they no longer need you, you’re out on your ass. Then what? Find another BS job where you’ll sit there all day and think about what you REALLY want to be doing?
 
That creative thing you’ve always been good at. Maybe even something you’d consider to be a god-given talent. That writing. Singing. Dancing. Building. Painting. Drawing. Or maybe even all of the above, as you’re multi-passionate and good at quite a few things.
 
And yet there you sit. Wasting away doing stuff you don’t love to please people who never lived their dream and just spent their lives people-pleasing.
 
Imagine instead being able to control your day and what you spent it doing. What if you got to wake up every morning and do something you love and that you actually care about? Imagine what that life would look like. Really think about it for a second.
 
And now admit it–you’re already thinking about this all day long while you’re doing the thing you do that gives you predictable income and a mediocre life that makes you feel dead inside.
 
Sure, there are parts that make you feel happy–your family and friends, and the stuff you do for fun on the weekends and when you’re granted permission to take vacation days.
 
But inside you’re dying–a little more every day. And that feeling shows up in your life in ways you’re not even yet conscious of. You probably call it anxiety or stress or heartburn or insomnia or being overweight.
 
But the truth is, the reason that stuff has manifested in your life is because you’re not letting out what’s really inside–the dreams and desires and talents and the way you really feel and what you really think.
 
You’re walking on eggshells and people-pleasing and living someone else’s life or the life someone else told you that you should live.
 
Ignoring your dreams. Pushing away your desires. Stuffing them down with junk food and TV and over-the-counter remedies that help you feel numb to what’s inside.
 
Because if you can’t feel it, then it’s not really there, right? And yet day after day, there it is. Nagging you and begging you to make a different choice.
 
A choice to STOP caring what other people think and instead ask yourself what YOU really think and then having the courage to go live it.
 
Do you really want to wake up every day and allow you life to be controlled and dictated by someone else? Do you really want to keep telling yourself you’ll go after your dreams “one day” while continuing to spend 8+ hours a day 5+ days a week doing something you could give a fuck less about?
 
Or do you want to live the life you’ve always dreamed about? The one you know you really want and could actually have if you were brave enough to let go of the bullshit that’s keeping you on the hamster wheel of “one day.”
 
One day I’ll live my dream. One day I’ll do that creative thing I’m so damn good at. One day I’ll stop being afraid and realize that the only certainty in life comes from being exactly who you are and doing what you love and sharing the talents and gifts that you were born with.
 
But what if “one day” never comes?
 
Are you OK leaving this world knowing you didn’t do what you came here to do? Do you think you’ll lay on your death bed and be so grateful that you lived the life your family or society told you that you should live, instead of living on your terms and doing what you love to do?
 
It’s cool if you would be, I guess. But you know what I think? I think that scares the fuck out of you. I think you’re scared of having regrets and wishing you’d stopped caring what people think and lived your dreams.
 
And yet there you sit, doing nothing about it. Messing around here and there doing that thing you love, but never making it the priority and habit that it deserves to be. Dreaming, but rarely doing.
 
And the days and weeks and months and years roll on and you just keep telling yourself “one day.” One day. One day. ONE DAY.
 
And on you go.
 
But what if you decided right now that TODAY was that one day? What if you started to do those things you love and those things you were born to do, every single day? What then?
 
I’ll tell you what then.
 
Then you’d be living the life you dream of. Then you’d get braver and more confident in doing what you love. Then you’d feel FREE inside and you’d no longer need to numb yourself.
 
Then you’d be sharing your gifts and talents with the world. Then you’d be living a life of purpose and intention. Then you’d be being exactly who you are and who you want to be and doing what you love and saying what you think and not caring about what anyone else thinks or wants for your life except you.
 
Then you’d be happy and fulfilled. And then you’d be on your death bed feeling grateful for and looking back on the day you finally decided TODAY was one day and that you didn’t have to know the full picture or even the next step in order to just START.
 
You can make that decision right now, TODAY. To think for yourself. To do what you love. To not care about anyone elses’ opinion. And the rest, as they say, will be history.
 
Dream life or bust,
 
 
#DreamLifeOrBust #DailyThinkDifferent
 

P.S. If you’re ready to do what you love and create a daily habit around it, be sure to check out the recording of my Writing Life Rehab workshop. It’s available until 11:59 p.m. EDT tonight for the same price as the live workshop (price doubles at midnight!!).