“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath
Writing takes courage and determination – whether you are penning your very first article or you are publishing your tenth book.
Putting your words onto paper and sharing them with the world is an act that is both empowering and terrifying, and all writers – no matter how seasoned – experience moments of self-doubt, frustration and fear along the way.
You will have some tough times when the chorus of critics in your head seems to drown out any other thoughts: What if everyone hates my work? This is the worst thing ever written. I’ll never be a writer. I’m not good enough; I should just quit now…
Stop right there.
Once you go down this rabbit hole, it’s hard to find your way back to solid ground.
When you feel the unkind or self-destructive thoughts starting to gain momentum, take a break from what you’re doing and take out your personal journal.
Make time to write and work through these moments – even 10 to 20 minutes of journaling is enough to regroup and refresh.
Journal writing is a simple but powerful tool that helps you shake off insecurity and get back to the business of writing.
Journaling builds self-confidence and banishes self-doubt by giving you a place to:
• Express and leave behind all the criticism, anxiety and negativity that is taking up space in your mind
• Get to the heart of what is really bothering you
• Encourage and advance your dreams and goals
• Brainstorm and play around with new ideas, without fear of failure or judgment
Open your journal to a blank page.
Take a few slow, deep breaths and try to relax.
Start journaling, asking questions and answering honestly.
Use these prompts to get you started, but be open to where your answers lead you:
• What thoughts do I have most often in moments of self-doubt?
• What fears or criticisms do I have about myself in general? About my writing?
• What causes me to feel blocked or frustrated when I write?
• Does my self-doubt come from any experiences or habits in the past?
• In which areas do I feel most confident in my life? Why?
• What are my greatest strengths as a person? As a writer?
• When was the last time I felt proud of or confident in my writing?
• When do I have the most fun writing? What do I enjoy? What do I want to do more of?
• What is on my writing bucket list (publishing a children’s book, contributing to my favorite blog, being a self-employed writer, etc.)?
• What areas of my writing do I want to work on or improve? How would this give me more confidence?
• Who is always supportive of me and my goals? What would this person say to counter the critical or self-doubting thoughts I have?
• What would I tell a good friend going through the same thing?
Close your journaling entry with a short, encouraging message to focus on the next time you start to doubt your abilities.
And remember that your journal is always there to listen when you need a confidence boost.
About Mari L. McCarthy
Mari L. McCarthy is The Journaling Power Guide, founder of CreateWriteNow, home of Journaling for the Health of It™. Mari’s teachings and workbooks center on journaling for self-discovery, self-growth, and self-healing. She provides counseling and inspiration to health conscious writers through her many online transformational journaling resources: eBooks, newsletters, life-changing journaling challenges, private consultations. She lives in a beachfront home south of Boston where she writes her way to whole health and raises roses and her consciousness.
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