During this episode, Mariëlle and Lucinda discuss what came up for them during the third part of the exercise. What better beliefs have they created? And can they improve on them together? This was the result:“I deserve to achieve financial success and respect for my writing.” Lucinda Pebre.

During this episode, Mariëlle and Lucinda discuss what came up for them during the second part of the exercise. They ask:Where do our limiting beliefs come from? How have they served us? Who would you be without these beliefs?Step 3 –  Creating new beliefs about writingOf all the beliefs about writing you worked on during Steps 1 and 2, pick the ones you would most like to change, or that you wish to change first. Remember you don’t have to tackle them all in one day. You can come back to this exercise as often as you wish. When changing a limiting belief, the opposite of a current belief is a good place to start. For example, ‘I don’t have time to write’ could be replaced with ‘I have time to write’. As I’m sure you’re immediately aware, though, that doesn’t necessarily make for a belief that is truly empowering. Instead of going with ‘I have time to write’, you could kick it up a few notches and turn ‘I don’t have time to write’ into ‘I make time to write every day because it feeds my soul’, or ‘My writing makes the world a better place and there’s no better way for me to spend my time’. Can you feel the difference? Another way of getting the right kind of belief for you is by starting from the feeling you would like to have about writing. Let’s say you want writing to make you feel alive, like you matter, free, or elated. Once you narrow that down, you can ask yourself, ‘What belief would create that feeling?’There’s no real right or wrong here, and you can always go back later and tweak your new beliefs. Just do the best you can right now and don’t forget it takes time to create new beliefs—and let go of the old ones. You’ve been living with those for years, maybe even decades! It’s always a good idea to write down a reminder in your calendar a month from now to go back over the beliefs you’re about to write down and ask yourself whether they still work for you or if there is a way they can be improved. Look at the beliefs you’ve written down at the beginning of this exercise. What would you like to believe instead?If you want some ready made affirmations, check out Mariëlle’s guest blog post 10 Affirmations to Live Your Best Creative Life’ 

Lucinda and Mariëlle examine their own beliefs about writing by completing the exercise in the previous episode. They consider which of their beliefs are the most negative before considering which most interfere with their writing life. They invite you to do the same.For each belief, write down the answers to the following questions:How has this belief limited me in my writing?How did I get to believe this? Did I ever choose to believe it, or is it someone else’s belief, which I have incorporated as my own? When did I start believing this, and why? How has having this belief served me? What did I gain from having this belief? What have I been able to avoid by not addressing this belief sooner? What would be different in my life if I held a different belief about writing? Am I ready to change it and replace it with a different belief?Who would I be if I didn’t have this belief about writing?  

Episode 76 introduces a series about self-sabotage, which appears to plague most humans. It has many faces, and Mariëlle and Lucinda share theirs in the following episodes. First, they take a closer look at their limiting beliefs. What do they mean to the individual? How do they impact writing lives? “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.” We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’(Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A COURSE IN MIRACLES, pp. 190–191).Mariëlle gives her coaching clients an exercise when they are struggling with limiting beliefs. It is available as part of the, Get Out of Your Own Way Starter Kit, which is available on subscribing to Mariëlle’s newsletter.Step 1: Uncovering your beliefs about writingThe first step is to write down every belief you have about writing. Grab a notebook, print this page, or open a new document on your computer. Set your timer to fifteen minutes, and start with: ‘Something I believe about writing is….’Write down whatever comes up. Don’t think about it too much. Just let your thoughts flow onto the paper or screen. Even if the next thought contradicts one of the other beliefs you’ve already written down or seems too small to have an impact on your life. Try not to judge or censor any of your beliefs, and don’t argue with them either.Adapted from Anodea Judith and Lion Goodman’s book. Creating on Purpose: The Spiritual Technology of Manifesting through the Chakras.

Applying structure to your time is not just about writing. It is about ensuring that you get everything done. It is about looking at the bigger picture of what you want to achieve and making it happen. Anything worthwhile requires a level of commitment, and writing is no different. However, the process is not set in stone. It is dynamic and constantly changing.It is not easy, and even the most successful writers struggle sometimes.It can be hard to accept that you are allowed to do something just for yourself, and you do not need to become a successful author to say, ‘this is my writing time.’Mariëlle and Lucinda consider ways of using habits to get writing done.QUESTIONOn a scale of 1 to 10, with one being chaos and ten being getting everything done that you want, where do you score structuring your time?JOURNALING PROMPTFor many writers, the act of writing is like coming home to themselves. It connects them to their core and feeds their souls, yet it is hard to set apart and prioritise our writing time.This week try to prioritise your writing over everything else you’ve got going on, even if it means getting a mere 5 minutes of writing done before the rest of your life beckons. Make it your number one priority and at the end of the week, reflect on how hard or easy was it to prioritise your writing time. How did you feel throughout the week, and how are you feeling about it now? 

Mariëlle and Lucinda needed a second episode to continue the theme of boundaries and recognise their importance in establishing a healthy writing practice. In this episode, they consider what distracted them in the previous week as they reflect on improving their response in the future.Boundaries are essential in all aspects of personal and professional relationships. Without them or when people cross them, it can make us feel unsafe or angry.Firm personal boundaries are an expression of self-love as they communicate our expectations to ourselves and others. However, there are dangers if they become too fixed. We want or need to do things beyond writing, commitments to family, work, or even hobbies, and need to find a way for the boundaries in different aspects of our lives to work together.Writing practice needs healthy boundaries so the people around us can know and respect our routines. Honour your boundaries. Make it easier for your family and friends to recognise that you value your writing by committing time and energy to the practice.EXERCISEPrentice Hemphill said, “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.”Write this quote out and place it where you can see it.  

In this episode, Mariëlle and Lucinda talk about establishing boundaries that allow them to write regularly.Boundaries are not fixed and need to adapt and change, sometimes becoming the new normal. Boundaries are more membrane-like than a drawbridge where aspects of life can pass through while others need keeping out. Only you can decide what to allow inside and what to push out.Anger can signify that someone is attempting to compromise one of your boundaries and demonstrates why it is vital to be conscious about where your boundaries lie. A strong sense of self-awareness supports conscious choice rather than mindless reaction.EXERCISESBoundaries are vital for any writer, but no writer is an island. We all have things we have or want to do beyond our writing.Set your timer to ten minutes, grab your journal or open a new document on your computer, and make a list. What have you allowed to distract you from writing over the past week? Month? Year?Take a good look at last week’s list of things you’ve allowed to distract you from writing. Of all the distractions you’ve written down, which are perfectly acceptable to you? Which aren’t?Now write a new list only containing the distractions you’re more than willing to accommodate in your life. Pin it to the wall or keep it in another place where you get to see it regularly. 

In this episode, Mariëlle and Lucinda talk about fitting writing into their lives. They identify areas that they have consciously and unconsciously given up to write fiction.There might be obvious areas. Perhaps you spend too much time on social media or watching TV, but sometimes it’s about spending less time with family and friends. It might even involve changing your job alterations to a lifestyle. Whatever it is, it is worth spending some time identifying what you want and what you are prepared to sacrifice.What have you given up to dedicate yourself to your writing?What will you give up?

Virginia Woolf noted, many people who write want to do nothing else. What are the most disagreeable aspects of being a writer for you? Are you passionate enough to endure these in the long term?Imagine dedication as a gauge. If you are honest with yourself, how do you score?What would dedication to your writing look like for you? Before measuring your dedication, you need to know precisely what you want from your writing.It could be putting a couple of hours a week aside to clear your head and write. It could be buying a writing course AND setting aside time to practise what you learnt.If you’re crazy, maybe you’ll pack in work for a year, move into a caravan in the corner of a field and spend every day for a whole year reading about writing, practising, getting it wrong and trying again.Choose what you want and dedicate some time and effort to take the actions required to achieve it. The hardest part is making up your mind if this is a ‘want to’ or a ‘going to.’What might help?• Connecting with fellow writers for accountability, community and encouragement to keep going. • Daily writing sessions to get unblocked and make progress on your writing projects.• Attending events in person and online.• Reading fiction and writing craft books.

In this episode, Mariëlle and Lucinda talk about dedicating themselves to writing. Many people struggle to find the time and commitment to write a novel but knowing where you are and where you are going improves your chance of success.It is vital to discover what is realistically achievable so you don’t constantly feel you are failing or if you are, you can identify what needs to change. A part of this is knowing and setting your priorities to ensure you are in the right place and heading in the right direction. Boundaries protect your time from other commitments, enabling you to write. However, first, you need to be honest with yourself. Try these exercises.List your priorities. You might be surprised by what comes ahead of writing.Rank those priorities in order of importance, with one the most important. You can have as many as you can fit in your life.Can you identify anything that you have given up to fit writing into your life?