Are You Reaching Your Writing Goals? Here are Six Ways to Help you Find Your Creative Spark.

​Are you reaching your writing goals? 
It’s hard to keep up a writing schedule when there's a lot going on this time of year.
November is coming to an end and so is NanoWriMo. https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano
​Whether you take part in the 30-day challenge or not, it’s a reminder of setting goals and pushing yourself to accomplish them. If you’ve met your goals, awesome! And, if you’re trailing behind, it’s okay. Managing bigger expectations close to the holidays is hard and you should be proud of yourself for trying. 
Come December, one might lose the writing schedule to take a break and enjoy the holiday. It’s a good time to set your project aside to let it stew and return to it in the new year with fresh eyes. In the meantime, take care of yourself. If you’re overwhelmed or battling with low energy and creativity to get those words written, you might want to consider scheduling a little Me-Time. 

Not every day will be magical hours of escaping into your fictional world. Creating can be taxing on your brain. It’s part of the reason why taking breaks is important. Giving yourself permission to do other things rather than create is beneficial.
If you need ideas to boost your creativity and self-care, here are six ways to help you find your spark.

1. Write yourself a Note.
If you’re frustrated and unable to get the words out, try writing what you’re grateful for and the positives you’ve done as a writer. For example, when you’re feeling discouraged, write down the positives. What are you working on? What are you excited to be writing about? Did you finish a draft? Be proud of your accomplishments.
By changing your thought pattern into something positive, you may find it a mood-booster and renew your creative brain. 

2. Clean your creative space.
Reorganize your desk and give your space a little extra love by keeping an inspirational writing book in view, or stack books by authors you admire. You can celebrate the holidays you  can decorate your space by adding a Poinsettia, snow globe or mini Christmas Tree. Framing a positive quote or hanging a motivational card will add inspiration. According to Indeed.com, (www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-organize-your-desk)  maintaining an organized desk will improve your productivity. 

3. Take a break.
Taking a break at anytime is beneficial for our mental health, but taking a break from social media for an hour or a couple of hours to focus on yourself can bring a huge boost to your mood. If you struggle with time management this may help. How often do you pick up your phone to scroll and realize you just spent twenty minutes of mindless reading? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing, but when you have writing to do, it’s not helping you focus. 

4.  Move your body.
Moving your body feels good. Stretching your legs after sitting at your desk and leaving your thoughts behind as you explore nature will rejuvenate you by restoring your energy and boosting your creativity. 
When you don't have energy to walk, it's when you know you need to get outside and breathe in fresh air. 

5. Eat nourishing food. 
Your body needs healthy food to function successfully. It’s easy to be at your desk, munching on chips and M&M’s, or skipping lunch to finish writing a scene, doesn't help. When you're not fuelling your body with nutrition, your energy levels may drop. If you’re looking for a healthy snack, Lindsay Gibson  ( www.lindsaygibson.com ),nutritionalist and author of three sweet romances, including her newest The Christmas Coin, suggests two of her favourite healthy snacks. Chocolate Seed Balls and Cucumber smoked salmon bites. Both are a must try.  Scroll down for the recipes. 

6. Touch base with another author. 
This one is so important, not only for you but for the person you are connecting with. A quick email to say hello and sending well wishes for the week will add so much joy to your day. There's happiness in connection and communicating with someone who knows what you're going through. Let’s face it, only authors know what the writing process is like and with it comes the pressures to produce work, accepting rejections, and celebrating your wins.  

Congrats to Lindsay for hitting the #1 NEW release in Christmas in the Kindle Store!

Chocolate Seed Balls

Ingredients

1/3 cup almonds
1 tablespoon of both chia and pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon raw cocoa
3 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon stevia
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1- Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until it starts to stick together
2- Roll mixture into small balls, about a tablespoon per ball
3-Can eat right away or refrigerate until ready

Cucumber Smoked Salmon Bites

Ingredients
​
1 Cucumber cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 Avocado
1/3 smoked salmon
2 teaspoon ground flax seed

Directions

1- Place cucumber slices on plate (however many you want)
2- Open avocado and smash up in a bowl with sea salt (can use only a 1/2 if just a small plate) and place a dab of it on top of each cucumber round 
3- Place a slice of smoked salmon on top
4- sprinkle with flax seed on each

Optional- a some garlic powder to the avocado mash if desired