by Deb Coman | Nov 17, 2015 | Uncategorized
Whether writing an article, website copy, training materials or short social media posts, sometimes the hardest part is getting started. Often, we approach writing tasks with a mindset that doesn’t help. Is this ever you?:
- I don’t like/I really hate/I deplore writing
- I was never a great writer, even back in school
- I don’t have time to write
- I have too many, more important things to do
- I don’t even know where to begin
- I’ll just do it later
Here’s the thing, though. We know that we need to write to put our content out into the world. We know we need to write to keep in touch with our clients and people that follow us. We know we need to write to market and share about our programs, services and products. So, why do we let these things get in the way and what can we do to change this?
What helps to get past this is to remember that our brains are such powerful allies when we put them to work alongside us, instead of against us. There are easy strategies we can practice to make writing come more easily. It’s all about our mindset and mindset is something we can control.
We can replace the messages above with:
- I do like to get my message out
- With practice, I can become a better writer
- I will make time to write
- Writing is one of the more critical aspects of my business
- I can make a plan for how to begin
- I’ll get started writing, right now
I don’t mean to imply that you just say some magic words and it will all be better but we can make each of these things happen if we want to improve our ability to write to communicate in business. A shift in mindset is the easiest, and often the most effective, place to start.
To solidify a new, more positive mindset, if you enjoy positive affirmations, create some like the ones above, or, better yet, ones of your own and consider writing them and keeping them somewhere visible when it’s time to write. Bring yourself to a more positive place when it comes to your writing. Ground these affirmations more securely by doing some breathing exercises or even meditation before starting if these are things you find useful.
Remember that few great writers were born that way. Writing is like a muscle and the more we use it, the more we develop it, the easier it comes to our aid when we need it.
Our purpose in writing, or our big “why” is also critical to setting the proper mindset to get us started. I share more about getting in touch your big “why” here.
I’d love to hear more about your strategies to set your mindset for writing with ease. Please comment here to continue the conversation. You can also explore your own writing process in more depth through my 4 Weeks To Better Writing Program.
by Deb Coman | Jun 22, 2015 | Uncategorized
Both Mom and Dad taught me life lessons and I realized only recently that one from my dad was to love learning. It’s probably what lead me to believe I could start a new career (my own business at that!) as I approached an age when many have long ago figured out what they wanted to be when they grew up!
Aren’t our paths determined by now?
Aren’t we setting our sights on the prize of retirement and winding down and not on starting and gearing up?
Lessons from my dad offer a resounding “No!”
From the time I was young, I always loved learning. As the oldest of three girls, I was the automatic teacher every time we set up “school” in our kitchen and my sisters were the dutiful students. We used a small blackboard and scrap paper and that’s what we called fun (or at least I did!)
Some of my earliest memories are of my dad bringing us to the library on a Saturday morning and allowing us to wander in the children’s section, pulling books, skimming, and reading and creating a stack almost too big to carry to the checkout desk. Walking and whispering between trips to the water fountain, I’d notice the book covers that looked brand new and the worn ones of those that must be good. I remember the excitement as my reading level (and book options) progressed through the colors of the rainbow. You could pinch me when I was old enough to look through the card catalog and find what I needed for school projects. I wonder if you know, Dad, how much fun you provided with our free 3-block drive excursion to the Deer Park Library. I’ll call you today and tell you!
I also remember my dad sitting on the edge of my sister’s bed in our shared room drawing the solar system on the inside of a shirt box. We were riveted to learn what came next. I imagine this was prompted by a question, perhaps a passing inquiry that lead to several nights of drawing and showing as planets joined the solar system and we waited in anticipation for the next tidbit of knowledge. From your perch at the end of the bed, you taught us we could learn from any question, using any materials and that sharing knowledge is a gift often started at home.
Thank you, Dad, today and every day for instilling the value of learning and growing by inviting me into the world of inquisitive thought and expansion. It is one of your greatest gifts and for that I am grateful. For you, I am grateful!
by Deb Coman | Jun 2, 2015 | Uncategorized
Ok, so I keep writing about self-care. Must mean I’ve got some work to do there. Big surprise. When you’re growing a business and still working another job and raising a family, self-care kind of slinks to the bottom of the priority list. Even when we know that to do all those other things well, it really needs to remain at the top, much like that pinned post at the top of our social media pages.
Now, how do houseplants figure in? Well, I realized that mine are looking crappy. Not the bamboo one here. Miraculously, that one seems to be thriving. I couldn’t bring myself to photograph the other, sad looking plants I have in my house. They didn’t start out sad looking. They started out vibrant and healthy. Then they came to live with me.
I got thinking that I used to feel I had a green thumb but in recent years I’ve managed to torture through neglect even the plants touting “easy-to-grow” and the kind of plants that “anybody can keep alive.” Well, apparently, I’m not “anybody.”
Who I am is a person who plans to have time, effort and attention for the plants that have fallen under my care. Then life gets in the way. So, good intentions of watering and feeding on a schedule, figuring out the proper sunlight and repotting as needed, all very soon take a back seat. Funny, these same good intentions can apply to us: staying hydrated and eating healthy food, getting outdoors and giving ourselves the room we need to grow. Perhaps when I master or at least become a little more than a novice at these, we’ll see some healthy new shoots in the rest of my plants.
Though my work consists primarily of writing and editing, nurturing and supporting others is something I also feel called to do. As I develop some programs around writing and editing, there will be a component that promotes self-care. I’m planning some writing retreats with introspective work, self-care practices and plenty of room to write and grow. After all, we teach what we need to learn, right?
Tweet: Maybe our self-care is only as healthy as our houseplants.
So, how are your houseplants looking these days?
If you’d like some help growing your business with a communication strategy of clearmessaging and writing, contact me for a complimentary clarity call here so we can help you and your business practice more self-care!
by Deb Coman | May 17, 2015 | Uncategorized
I know what’s meant by good self-care and I realize one of its greatest adversaries in my life istime.
Why does it always seem to come back to time? (Tweet this!)
You see, I mean to practice self-care every day: to start my day with a brief meditation, followed by a cup of warm lemon water, green tea and something healthy and nutritious for breakfast.
When dressing, I hope to have time to choose my clothing, accessories, jewelry, maybe even a scarf (oh my!) in a way that feels coordinated and polished and might even include a last-minute look in the mirror before stepping out into the world.
And, yet, my morning seems to go something more like this:
Jump in the shower and out in under 7 minutes, even though the warm water feels so great and I’d love to linger in it. Half-dry my hair and apply make-up without the luxury of my much-needed reading glasses to see where it’s actually going. Throw on socks – “Are brown ok with black pants?” “Not really but it will have to do…are they even on straight?” “I think the seam is underneath my foot instead of over my toes.” “They’re not even pulled all the way up because I put them on after my pants and there isn’t time to pull up and straighten as much as I’d like…at least they’re on!”
Does this sound anything like you? I hope not! But I understand if it does.
Here’s the thing: when we start our day, week, everything without the proper time and effort required for good self-care, the wheels soon fall off the proverbial wagon and we limp along in our business distracted by the seams in our socks.
To turn this around and point our business in the right direction, we really ought to think about:
- Planning ahead for what we are going to wear, eat, do with our mornings.
- Allowing enough time for each of the activities (and then some!)
- Making a mental plan for what we want to accomplish in our business each day.
- Recognizing that good self-care sets the stage for us to focus on business and not on our socks.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and how you use self-care to help your business grow.
by Deb Coman | Mar 21, 2015 | Uncategorized
Why do we write?
In the most simple of terms, it’s a way to convey the thoughts in our head so that another person (or hopefully, many people) know what we mean. Sounds simple and yet, we often have to put a lot of thought into how we want to phrase what we think.
“Why do we write?” can be answered in general terms with broad strokes:
- because it’s how I express myself;
- because I want to make a difference;
- because I can’t keep it all inside.
It also NEEDS to be answered each time we sit down to write a specific piece for a specific audience or purpose.
We must take the time to ask ourselves “Why?”
When writing, “Why?” is Always Step 1. (Tweet this!)
By answering this, we hope to simultaneously answer why our readers will bother to read it.
That’s important, isn’t it? Otherwise, we’d just write in our journal and call it a day.
But those of us who write to reach others owe it to our readers to pursue the answer to “Why?”
Mindful writing is better writing. (Tweet This)
Many of us write because:
- It’s habit;
- A blog post is due;
- It’s ___________ (fill in the blank with: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…)
- I need to teach a concept
- I hope to inspire others
- I want to sell a __________ (fill in this one with: book, product, course…)
By answering the specific why for this specific writing piece, and even writing it down to refer to as we go along, it gives our process a purpose and a direction. If we refer back to the why as we spew out the words, we can catch ourselves, reel it in, and shift the focus when we notice we are wandering off course.
Take me, for example. Tonight I’m writing because:
- a blog post IS due;
- I want to help others to be better writers;
- I’m working on breaking down the process I use with my clients and the “Why?” is always step 1. (Tweet it!)
So, tell me about your “WHYs.” I’d love to hear if they are a part of your writing practice.
