One question: how grateful are you for your ability to write?
Like most things, we take our ability to write for granted. We have a love/hate relationship with it and, let's be frank, most of the time is spent complaining about how it isn't working, or even that the well is dry (my personal favorite phrase to indicate that I think I'll never write anything good again).
Try something different right now: give thanks. I know it's a bit early for it, Thanksgiving is two months away, but why not make it a monthly, perhaps weekly, dare I suggest daily habit to take a few moments to think of how much you love to write, how much it adds to your life to see stories where other people don't, to have your own voice (even if you haven't figured it out yet, don't worry - it's lurking about in there somewhere), how good it feels to write something that touches someone and has meaning for them, and be grateful for all you have created (even the horrors, and the ones you burned), and all you will create.
It's not just enough to have an attitude of gratitude, a phrase we hear a lot. You must have the aptitude for gratitude - meaning that you don't just take a moment to be thankful, you have the attitude all the time. This takes practice and patience. For example: whenever you get stuck, or your writing comes out all wrong, be grateful, these are signs that you're trying too hard to control your piece (I say this all the time, I know, but it bears repeating). Let go a little bit, ask your Higher Writing Self to figure out how to fix the problem and then go to the movies or for a walk or take a break for a few days. The answer will come. And when it does, guess what you do...? Right - be grateful.
Gratitude is positive energy. It can't possibly screw anything up to feel positive about your writing. If it does, write a story or poem about it!
Here's your exercise: take out a piece of paper and write down all the reasons you're grateful for your writing. Glitz it up with color or whatever, if you like, but make sure to tack it up over your desk where you can see it every day. Add to the list whenever possible!!
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