3 Simple Steps to Take Your Power Back

As you all know - I am a big advocate for personal growth and self-discovery. I believe each person comes here to learn and that all experiences have something beneficial that can be gleaned from them.

I found this article this morning - something I wrote a long time ago and hadn't shared yet so I thought I would post it because it is relevant :).

Take Your Power Back in 3 Steps

Take your power back! The few steps outlined below will start you on the path to liberation and show you how to live a more rewarding life.

Acceptance: This is the first important lesson to living an empowered life. Living in the past does not allow us to move forward. Let go of futile things like regret. We don't always have to like what happened, or what others have done that is harmful, but dwelling on things only keeps us stuck. Holding onto pain ultimately hurts us more than the original transgression anyway. Accept what has come before, that is the first step to finding peace. This doesn't mean "like it" - but accept it and look for the lessons that can be gleaned from it.

Secondly - Forgiveness. We don't have to "forget" to forgive, but in the act of forgiveness we say "I am not going to allow this person or this situation to have power over my life". When we make a conscious decision to forgive, we allow ourselves to move forward with a new sense of freedom. Forgiveness is the ultimate act of taking your power back.

Finally, Release. Once we have accepted the person/situation and made a conscious decision to forgive ourselves/others etc. we are free to release that burden from our soul. In release, comes the ability to rebuild and start fresh. Release lifts the weight of the negative emotions of anger, regret, sorrow. When we release them, we open up to higher vibrational frequencies which in turn draw more positive people and circumstances into our world.

Once you have worked on these steps, it is important to keep the ball rolling. Accountability is the final lesson for leading an empowered life. Stop being a victim, stop blaming others. Take ownership of your own life. You are in control of your destiny based on your choices and actions. You cannot control the actions of others, but you can choose your own. Recognition of this fact allows the individual to feel more in control of his/her own destiny as opposed to feeling victimized by circumstance.

3 Quick Tips to Beat Writer's Block that Actually Work!

There are tips galore for breaking the grip of writer's block. Writer's block happens to the best of writers and it can be a very foreboding feeling - especially when you depend on your writing to help feed the family and pay the bills.

I have an ironic inner issue that I have learned to play along with - and it has prompted some of my better writing. I feel amazingly pressured by deadlines - so much so that I freeze. However, when I am playing a game I love the pressure to solve a puzzle or do something as quickly as possible - which leads us to tip one.

Beat Writer's Block Tip 1

The little game I play with myself is to get ideas down on paper - everything else can come in revisions later. It involves a timer and free writing.

I do this in a couple of ways - either by choosing a subject or just writing whatever comes out. I set a timer and the idea of the "game" is to see how many ideas I can come up with in the allotted time. Usually just one "round" of this free writing will get my words flowing. Sometimes, the brain is still stubborn though and in that case I set the timer again and "compete" with myself to get more ideas during the second round.

The key components to excellent free writing:
Granted some of these can be harder than they sound, but keep practicing and you'll find free writing techniques the most valuable for overcoming writer's block and allowing words to flow more easily and frequently.

* Forget punctuation, spelling and other distractions - it's only for you
* If you get off topic keep writing anyway sometimes you'll come around full circle and end up developing even more well-rounded ideas.
* Allow your ideas to flow freely and don't try to "correct" them as you write - let go and ALLOW yourself to just write - without fear or consequence just do it.

Beat Writer's Block Tip 2

Sometimes it's just difficult to come up with ideas. A few things I do for this is consciously ask questions. Watch the news or read a magazine and as you do ask deeper questions - "why would someone do that" or "what lead to this", "how else could you...?" etc. Those questions can lead to neat new ideas to explore.

Another idea is to use SEO tools to see what people are searching for - what do they want to know? Find something interesting and write an outline for that type of article to pitch (or write the article and sell it as online content right away)

Beat Writer's Block Tip 3

set up a mic and voice record - ask questions, talk about what's on your mind, share insights you had about something you read etc. It's the "speaking" equivalent of a free writing session, but allows you to get a lot more ideas out in a short time. Later on listen to your recording and glean ideas from that.

Journaling Exercise: Acceptance

I have decided to do a few videos that highlight the power words articles and journal exercises.  I hope you will enjoy and pass along to friends :)

Blessings,
Christin

6 Best Paying Websites for Talented Writers

Below are the best options I have found for websites that offer up-front pay to writers for quality content.  

I have just recently applied to a few of these and I am still waiting on the results.  I am impressed that these sites pay an up-front fee for assigned articles and also participate in revenue-sharing.  I thought I would share a few of them here for any of you looking for higher-paying, freelance writing work.  My primary focus of course is still going to be print magazines :) - and other obligations I currently have, but these may be useful to someone so here you go! :) enjoy. 

Love to Know  Love to Know requires writer's to have some experience.  The application process will take awhile.  Have a current "writing focused" resume as well as 2 samples of relevant work.  On this site you can apply to specific channels where you have knowledge which I thought was very nice.  You can apply to as many channels as you like, but in the third part of the application process be prepared to share what makes you an expert in those areas with working examples.  

Writer's are expected to be very knowledgeable and have the willingness to contribute regularly.  In return they offer up-front payment for accepted articles, a professional team of editor's to work with you, and you also earn a share of ad revenue from your pages. 

Demand Studios: This is another website that is highly competitive and accepts only the best writer's.  When you apply be sure to have your "best stuff" on hand and be able to demonstrate your knowledge in the areas you are interested in writing about.  Demand Studios offers up-front pay ($16.00 per accepted article the last I heard) and also continued profit sharing for your content.  Very nice gig if you can get it. 

Bright Hub: I have been accepted here very recently and I am looking forward to writing for them.  They offer excellent training materials, up-front pay for assigned articles when you write for an editorial community channel. (I'll be writing about green living - one of my passions :) )  and the ability to also write about whatever you like in a "self-publish" area and earn ad revenue (without an up-front payment). 

If you are accepted, you will be limited to 5 articles per month the first month.  This is to ensure that writer's don't just dive in and get in over their heads.  I am very impressed with how Bright Hub seems to genuinely want their writers to succeed.  A team of editors to support and guide you is always a good thing when really digging into freelance writing.

About.com Contributing Writer:  High competition here, but for good reason.  About.com is the place to be as a freelancer.  Guides and even contributing writer's are compensated very well.   The contributing writer process - like the Guide process, is very extensive.  You choose from topics that are available and send in your application.  If your application is accepted, you are put through a training process with other writers and at the end of the training period a team of editors decides whether or not to accept you.  About.com is by far the place where one must jump through the most hoops to prove themselves - but what a resume builder if you can get it.  Many About.com Guides and Writers do only that full time and earn a very nice living.

Yahoo Contributing Writer: Associated Content was purchased by Yahoo and now is the Yahoo Contributor Network.  I have not looked at this very extensively yet since being accepted, but they offer several ways to earn money.  Up-front offers, assignments, performance, and distribution.  Yahoo states their typical up-front payment ranges from $2 - $25.  

You can choose work from their assignment desk, or you may write your own content and have them make an offer. 

Constant-Content: This website allows you to answer requests for articles or to simply publish articles and name your own price.  You can offer everything from only usage rights to exclusive rights.  Articles and content can sell for varying ranges here.  I haven't published any articles here in over a year due to other engagements, however I have sold some of my work through them before.  

The article acceptance is quite slow and they are very rigorous in their editing - so you must write, proofread, and edit any work thoroughly before submission to save yourself time and headaches.  I appreciate this though, because people who go here to purchase writing know they are getting high-quality work and they are willing to pay for it!

Freelancing Job Boards - In search of a decent wage...

I have been doing a lot of self-promotion the past two weeks trying to land some gigs and get some more writing done.  I love the idea of being a full time freelancer with my writing, web design, and other projects. 

The newest website I am working on is going to highlight all of my skills and be on a subject I love - animals! More specifically animal totems - it gives me an opportunity to show off some art, web design, and writing all in one place :)

In the meantime, to make some more money I've been filling out profiles/portfolios on sites like Elance and some others.  I will compile a list of freelance sources to post to find writing gigs at some point here in the near future.  I'd like to hear from anyone though who knows of a good freelance job website where you can get decent paying gigs.  Elance has a lot of competition and a lot of the jobs are going to people overseas who are willing to write for a dollar an article.  I believe I am worth more than that and I refuse to take on those super-low paying jobs. 

One cool website I did find though is www.donanza.com - I like the design it's really clean and sharp.  When you sign up (free) you can get job postings sent to you.  Their job postings cover most of the freelance sites and the listings they have sent me have all been relevant.  It's a good way to search "all at once" rather than going from site to site.

More later.... Happy writing! 

Who are you as a writer? Doing a Writer's Collage

I did this exercise in an Composition class I took.  I really enjoyed this process very much.  The first part of the unit was learning to freewriting exercises where you more or less sit down and type or write for a set amount of time.  You don't worry about order, grammar, syntax etc. you just spill whatever seemingly random thoughts come to mind. 

At first, this process seemed very disorganized to me and it was difficult to just go with it, but when I did I found it very liberating.  We even did a blind freewrite where you type for 10 - 15 minutes - but you have to turn your screen off! Now that was an experience! Out of the chaos however came a lot of thoughts and ideas and bits of inner wisdom.  Later on you can go back and sort through the "chaos" and you begin to find order in all the "madness".  I had ideas that poured out of me that will make for several strong future projects.

At the end of this unit was where we did a collage.  After several styles of freewriting the idea was that you would get a better idea of yourself as a writer.  What does writing mean to you? What kind of a writer are you? etc. The collage was a collection of pieces of writing and thoughts about the writing process that painted a picture of you - so that those who read it could understand you and what purpose your writing serves.  I enjoyed it and I decided to share my collage with you below.

I hope that some of you may be inspired to do your own.  You'll learn a lot about yourself in the process and hopefully gain confidence in yourself and your writing ability. 

*~*~*~* Then & Now *~*~*~*

I am someone who loves writing, but not rules.

From the time I was little, before I could even form words on the page, I would sit and “write” on lined paper and then “read” my stories to my grandparents. They loved me and they always smiled when I read them my stories. I felt their approval and it made me feel good. I knew then that I liked it when my writing made others smile. I was doing something good , something that mattered – I mattered.

Growing up, journals were a place to go to express myself and to vent. I grew up in a household that could be ugly – and writing was my way to safely “speak” without fear of retribution from an abusive father who reminded me daily that everything I actually said – every word that came out of my mouth, was “stupid”. Journaling was the doorway to my inner world - a place of beauty to escape to.

In times of darkness, we are continually reminded of the richness and wonder of

life. We better recognize all we take for granted, from the very basic needs of

survival, to the profound and intricate workings of our souls. This moment of

realization becomes the silver lining of the cloud. In painful times, we can loose

hope or we can choose to live in new ways.

Journals were (and still are) wonderful because they didn't talk back. They “listened” to every word I “said” and although a journal can't give you approval, it doesn't berate , demean, insult, or deflate you.

Writing was the way I sought peace when my grandparents were no longer there to rescue me. Once they passed away, my writing became my one true solace in life. It held my deepest sorrows and my greatest joys. It brought me to the place where I could “rescue” myself.

Consciously working with the power of the mind to create new

perspectives enriches life experience, inspires creativity, and boosts confidence.

When we respect and nourish the mind, our thought processes will nourish the

soul.

As I grew, I was determined to be and do all the things that I was told I could not. My writing helped me to heal, to forgive, and empower myself.

Dad used to say “Who gives a damn what you think anyway?” As it turns out – I did.

Freedom allows us to live our lives without self-imposed limitations. When we

refuse to release life-draining forces like anger or feeling victimized, we remain in

prisons of our own making. When we tell ourselves "I can't" or "I'm not", we

restrict our ability to grow and reach our fullest potential. When we act from a

need to please others, or when we do what seems more socially acceptable,

rather than following our own destiny, we destroy the freedom we have to be

who we are. There must be balance between "being practical" and being true to

ourselves. How can living a life that isn't fulfilling be practical?

As I grew my writing evolved.

I began to write on forums about writing, keeping journals, the power of words – and then was born “Daily Power Words” which I wrote regularly for years and published on line in a group. The passages you see throughout are taken directly from those writings.

I received a great deal of positive feedback from them. People who read them were encouraged to use their own writing as part of their own healing process and it felt good to be a part of something positive and uplifting. It made people smile – and it showed them that “they mattered”.

*~*~*~*

My writing saved me because it forced me to look at myself with complete honesty, to understand myself. Through writing I began to consciously make changes and pursue the healthier paths of forgiveness, empathy, and respect for self and others.

I had choices to make – and writing helped highlight those choices for me.

~~ When we approach journaling with an open mind and heart, and we commit to

being completely candid with ourselves, we open up to limitless opportunity for

growth and healing. ~~

Writing to me serves a higher purpose. When I use it for its higher purposes it causes me no anxiety or worry. It is what it is.

I am a creative personality with a very fluid, laid-back style – and anything rigid goes against my nature.

When I try to confine my writing and think of it in terms of “formalities” and “rules” and “grades” , my writing suffers.

I struggle to write for others – yet I love to write for others.

When what I write helps others I am passionate and driven enough to write all day, but I will procrastinate when it comes to writing for grades or trying to “stuff” writing into a confined structure.

Writing reflects the contradictory parts of our nature.

*~*~*~* Now & Then *~*~*~*

I am someone who loves writing, but not rules. That will never change – but I can still respect “the rules” enough to learn from them – even when I choose to break free.

I think a lot can be gained in learning to write in conventional ways. It encourages discipline and critical thinking. I don't believe in completely abandoning rules – but I also believe that some rules are meant to be broken.

~Growth means willingness to move in new directions, to take a leap of faith into the unknown and try something different. It is easy to get stuck in old patterns and routines

that keep us comfortable, but don't necessarily push us to reach our fullest

potential.~

~Progress reminds us that in order to continue to have a fruitful journey, we must

get out of our own way. Often we barricade our path with resistance created by

self-doubt, fear of consequences, and a refusal to try something different.~

The passage below illustrates one of my main philosophies in life – and it also corresponds nicely to the writing process as well.

~~Refining metals such as Gold requires continuous cycles of repeated pressure

and heat that filters away impurities and allows the metals to shine with clarity. In

our lives, it is often our "mistakes" and more difficult lessons that refine us. These

strenuous processes draw out our finest qualities, the strengths and wisdom that

make us shine.

Too often we focus on perceived impurities, rather than keeping our sight

focused on the goal of growth. When we focus on all that we see as "wrong" we

take energy away that can be devoted to building on our strengths. It is this

personal refinement process that allows us to reach our full potential. We can

learn and be built up by our mistakes and trials, or we can crumble under the

pressure. ~~

Today, my dad and I get along. I recognize that lifelong alcoholism made him “crumble under the pressure”, rather than reach his potential in life. In some strange way his poor choices gave me a great gift that I may not have fully recognized or developed otherwise. I focus on that now and it leads to good things!

My first piece of $ paid professional writing $ was a feature article on journaling that was published in a nationwide magazine for people and their families who are in recovery from alcohol and drugs. > This was last September.

*~*~*~* My Goals for the Future*~*~*~*

Acronyms are fun and they help me recall important concepts and ideas. Since childhood I have used them to simplify complex subjects so I could commit them to memory. I decided it would be useful to come up with an acronym to keep me focused on my current and future writing goals.

Redirect my energies into more professional writing

Energize my writing by trying new things

Feature my writing in more places

Invoke thought and passion with words

Never give up on myself as a writer

Enjoy writing often!

You as a writer - who are you? Some exercises to try

A lot of us are drawn to writing - we enjoy it.  We use it as a means to express ourselves, make money etc. but what I discovered in a writing class I took this last semester is that a lot of us do not fully understand who WE are as a writer - in other words how did we come to be writers? How did that evolve? What do we aspire to be as future writers? 

In this course we did a collage - a written word collage of ourselves as writers and it was very eye-opening to me.  I thought I had a pretty good grasp on who I am and why I write - but it was still so revealing.  The purpose of the exercise was of course to allow others to get to know us as a writer - but many of us found in the process that we learned a little something more about ourselves as well. 

I'll share mine with you on my next post - 

My hope is that in the meantime you will do some free writing - where you just sit down and type or write whatever comes into your head without concern of typos, grammar, etc.  Do this for 10 to 15 minutes a day and you WILL become a better writer with a clearer voice.  Out of the "chaos" that is a freewrite - you can pull tidbits and pieces of information and thoughts that would have been cast aside had you sat down with the intention of writing for an audience - or with a set subject for that matter. Free write and even if you can't think of what the heck to say - write about that! 

Free writing is a great technique for opening the flood gates, exploring your inner thought processes, and then after releasing all the pent up emotions/thoughts/ideas etc. It is a great way to get your house in order.  

Try this free writing for a few days - after that I'll show you how your free writing will help you develop your collage.  You'll love this exercise - it's therapeutic and it's fun!