It’s Monday Morning and You Are a Writer

It’s Monday morning and you are a writer.

How do you want to feel about your writing this week?

I want to feel productive, competent, and inspired.

How do you want to feel? Write your answers here:

1.

2

3.

What do you need to think in order to feel this way about your writing?

I believe our feelings are always a result of our thoughts, so if I want to change how I feel I need to change what I’m thinking.

If I think thoughts like the one I most often have: I don’t have time to write, I feel really defeated. When I think that thought, I invariably get no writing done.

Instead, I need to think thoughts like:

• I have plenty of time to get my writing done this week.
• When I sit down to write, the words will come.
• I get to write this week.

What is the thought you are most often thinking about your writing?

If you, like me, find yourself thinking a negative thought that leads to a negative feeling, can you choose to think something different? Thoughts that lead to those positive feelings you listed above, for example?

What thoughts do you need to think to have those feelings?

1.

2.

3.

Once I’m aware of my negative thought, I can change it. I do this primarily by looking at my calendar and identifying all the times during the week that are available for me to write, thereby disproving that (totally unhelpful) thought.

Then I look at my list of positive thoughts and I see they are just as true—or truer—that the negative thought I’ve been thinking (out of habit or just because it’s safer.) So I focus on the positive thoughts and I feel so much better.

I feel productive, competent, and inspired.

When I feel this way, it’s easy to block off those available slots in my calendar and dedicate them to writing.

I’m excited to start my week and get some writing done.

You?

Diane MacKinnon, MD: is a writer, blogger, family physician, life coach, mom, and stepmom. I’m focused on doing what I love and designing my life, so at the end of the day (week, year) I’ve accomplished the things that are important to me and moved in the direction I want to go.