At a meeting of a weight loss group, one of the members mentioned that, upon waking every morning, she and her husband take a few minutes to use their journal to write out what their intentions are for their weight loss efforts and for their day.
This lady and her husband are not writers.
They simply use their journals as a way to make their weight loss efforts work for them.
If they can do that to make their weight loss efforts successful, why can’t you use your journal and apply the same strategy to your writing career?
Set Your Writing Intentions
When you get up in the morning, why not set your intentions for where you want your writing to go.
One day at a time.
If you do this day-in and day-out, imagine where your writing career will be in six months.
A year.
We call ourselves writers, but what is the one thing we must do every day?
Write!
That’s where your journal comes in.
Immediately upon waking, open up your journal to a fresh page.
Write in the date and answer the following questions:
1) What am I thankful for at this very moment?
This could be anything from being thankful for the small successes from the day before.
Being thankful for a good night’s rest.
To being thankful for the breath in your body and/or the sun or rain or even ice and snow.
2) What are my intentions today for my writing?
Maybe, today, you intend to write 500 words.
Maybe, today, you intend to work on getting your website up or updated.
Maybe, today, you intend to send out five letters of introduction or three query letters.
Maybe, today, you intend to spend a couple of hours working on that client project you’ve been putting off.
Whatever your intentions are for your writing career for that day, write them down in your journal.
Explore them.
Make a plan of attack and get cracking!
Two simple questions, answered in your journal every day, will propel your writing career to greater heights.
You just might be surprised with the progress you have made in a month.
In six months.
A year.
One other thing this dieting couple does is come back to their journal at the end of the day and write about three good things that happened to them related to their weight loss and day.
You can do the same thing.
Journal Your Daily Successes
At the end of every day, come back to your journal and write down three successes you had during the day around your writing.
This serves to solidify in your mind that you are 1) a writer and 2) it helps you measure your progress towards your writing goals.
If you have done this on a daily basis, when times are tough or when you don’t feel like writing, you can pull out your journal and look back at not only your intentions for your writing life, but, more importantly, your writing successes.
No matter how big or small.
While it’s best to set your writing intentions before you get caught up in the busyness of your day, you can also do this at any point throughout the day.
Remember, this is always a work in progress.
You may start out in one direction and then find you need to go in a different direction.
Simply take out your journal and make whatever turn you need to make to keep your writing career moving forward.
About Patricia Bumpass
Patricia (Pat) Bumpass (www.patriciabumpass.com) is a North Carolina-based freelance writer. She writes a weekly blog for her current employer while building her freelance writing business. Pat enjoys writing and has journaled since she was a teenager. She lives with her 17-year-old son who is blessed with Autism.
