Finding the motivation to do what you love — such as be creative or write a book– is a constant struggle. Even artists and writers who earn a living from their creativity struggle with the muse from time to time!

What roadblocks do you face when you’re trying to be creative? Fear, doubt, uncertainty, lack of time, rejection sensitivity, perfectionism, procrastination, self-criticism, impatience?

You’re not alone, my friend.

“Everyone has talent; what is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.” ~ Erica Jong.

Helping writers find “the dark place” is why I wrote 73 Ways to Fire Up (or Just Fire) the Muse: How to Write When You Don’t Wanna, or Think You Can’t. It offers solutions to most obstacles, with practical tips and inspirational wisdom from professional freelance writers, novelists, journalism professors, and other successful scribes. This ebook also offers “quick quips” from published authors (because quips and tips are what I’m all about!).

Here’s what one reader says:

“After reading your ebook I am totally charged! It’s motivational, easy to read, and speaks directly to me and every one of my writing angsts and blocks – your energy vibrates off the page. It’s like having you personally talking to me, telling it like it is and encouraging me on. It spoke to so many of my blocks – and I credit it with firing me up after being on simmer for so long.” ~ Maggie R.

I love it — that’s exactly what I was hoping would happen! If you’re struggling to find the motivation to do what you love, this book will help…

In this ebook, you’ll find:

• 15 obstacles – common to most writers – that block a productive writing life or career.
• 73 tips for overcoming obstacles from freelance writers, published authors, journalism professors, & other successful scribes.
• Dozens of thought-provoking quips from famous authors.

You’ll learn practical ways to bypass various roadblocks: no time to write, fear of rejection, reluctance to waste time on a project that may never get published, not feeling good enough, lack of self-discipline, procrastination, perfectionism, disorganization, work and life commitments, online distractions, offline distractions, internal distractions, external distractions, lions and tigers and bears – oh my!

You’ll learn what works, what doesn’t work, and why.

Each chapter in this ebook can stand alone; you don’t necessarily need to read it from top to bottom. You can choose the obstacle that plagues you from the Table of Contents and dive right in. You can save certain chapters until later in your career (such as Chapter 3.5: “5 Things to Do While You Wait for Publication”).

And the best part is, you can re-read it whenever you need a “booster shot” in one particular area (because obstacles come and go over time).

$9.95 US

If you have any thoughts or questions on ”firing up the muse” or finding the motivation to do what you love to do, please comment below…

Related posts:

1. Overcoming Shame and Guilt – Erica Jong
2. How to Use Your Instincts to Succeed at Work – Erica Jong
3. Overcoming Shame and Guilt – Erica Jong

The life lesson: even if you love to write, paint, dance, or learn – it’s still a struggle to find the time, energy, and motivation to do what you love! The successful woman: Julia Cameron.

Cameron wrote this funky little book called How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy).

It’s a quick read, with drawings that illustrate her point that there are millions of things we do instead of chasing our dreams. The illustrations represent all the stuff we do when we know better, when we should be doing what we love. It’s stuff that steals our energy, time, and life…and our dreams.

I’ve taken Julia Cameron’s tongue-in-cheek advice for avoiding doing you love, and turned each statement around. It’s now motivation to do what you love, my friends!

Finding the Motivation to Do What You Love – Julia Cameron

“Be available to everyone at any time. Do not nurture yourself or set boundaries.” Finding the motivation to do what you love means you have to take care of you. It’ll be hard to do at first – for both you and your people – but once you all get used to it, you’re on your way!

“Acquire a high maintenance relationship.” By this, I think Julia Cameron means hooking up with a partner or friend who needs your constant attention. Some people need more time and energy than others (high maintenance!), if you invite such people into your life, you’re stealing your own time and energy.

“Talk about it so you don’t have to do it.” Finding the motivation to do what you love means stop talking about your longing to be a doctor or writer or mother. Start taking action steps towards small, specific goals.

“Surround yourself with jealous, blocked, negative companions.” Oh man. Julia Cameron must have personal experience with “friends” like this. To find the motivation to do what you love, surround yourself with creative, inspirational people who support, love, and encourage you.

“Let others’ problems become your problems so that your time and energy are depleted.” Instead of taking on other people’s problems and expectations, let them work out their own stuff. That’ll give you the time, energy, and motivation to do you love. Read Letting Go of Other People’s Expectations – Maria Shriver for help letting go!

“If your pets aren’t high maintenance enough, get more of them to take up any extra free time or money you might have.” To find the motivation to do what you love, draw the line at high-maintenance pets (just like high-maintenance friends). Simplify your life, and focus on where you really want to go.

“Tell yourself you can’t afford art supplies. Buy five expensive cappuccinos while you discuss this with friends.” Ha ha ha, Julia Cameron. It’s funny because it’s true! Where do you spend your money? Are you losing the motivation to do what you love because you’re buying too many shoes or hats or cappuccinos? Budget your money so you have the resources to do what you love.

You know when you’re letting life, friends, kids, work, or tv drain your time and energy. You know when you’re not acting in your own best interests, or when you’re ignoring your gut instincts, or when you’ve lost the motivation to do what you love.

You know when you’re wasting your life.

Get to it, my friends. Find your way back to your artist’s easel, school, exercise routine, travel adventures, or writing project.

Get back to your life.

And if you’re not ready to get back to your life yet, read How to Motivate Yourself – Amelia Earhart!

What are your thoughts on these finding the motivation to do what you love? I welcome your comments below!

Related posts:

1. 10 Ways to Lose 10 Pounds – Julia Cameron
2. 6 Ways to Increase Weight Loss Motivation – Martha Beck
3. Increase Your Creativity and Fire Up the Muse – Erica Jong

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing,” says Quindlen, “is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of being yourself.”

Giving up on certain goals for your own good involves:

• looking at your goals
• determining if they’re achievable and healthy
• either re-evaluating them or giving them up entirely

Giving up for your own good is about learning how to let go of your goals without feeling like a failure. It’s about seeing success and opportunity in quitting — and about quitting one goal to make room for another. For help setting and achieving your intentions in life, read What Are Your Goals: Powerful Questions to Discover What You Want Out of Life. And, here are two ways to know if your goals are good for you…

How to Know if Your Goals Are Good for You

Before you think about letting go of certain goals, consider these two guidelines:

1. Does your goal represent who you are? “If you’re pursuing something that doesn’t honor who you are, it’ll make you sick,” says Sandra Anne Taylor, co-author of Secrets of Success: The Science and Spirit of Real Prosperity. “The results will be negative.” Whether your goal is professional, personal, social or spiritual – it has to honor who you are to be worthwhile. Your goal has to be in line with your personality, beliefs, values, and future plans.

2. Surrender the outcome of your dreams. “Surrender the outcome so that you don’t move into urgency and desperation,” says Taylor. “Take action towards your goals, and periodically stop to reevaluate if the action is working. Be flexible with that action, and move in a different direction if necessary.”

This doesn’t mean that you stop caring about the outcome of your efforts – or achieving your goals. Surrendering the outcome means you’re open to anything. You can flow into new experiences and re-evaluate what’s not working. You still hope and dream, but you’re not clinging to one particular outcome.

Some goals you’ll want to give up on because the time has passed and it’s not healthy for you to continue. Other goals just require that you stay focused, determined, and resilient! The trick is knowing when to keep trying, and when to move on — which is why creating a life plan is important.

Setting new intentions and goals in life is a process. Being a successful, strong, empowered woman doesn’t happen overnight. For instance, I’m slowly beginning to realize that getting pregnant and having my own biological children may something I need to let go of. I think the gradual process of accepting that it’s time to let go of certain life dreams and hopes makes it much easier to move towards something new and different.

Also – learning how to fail and bounce back (resiliency) is an important component of being an authentic, strong, successful woman.

Are you determined to achieve goals that aren’t good for you, or that are even impossible? I welcome your thoughts and questions below…

Related posts:

1. 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women
2. Creating a Successful Life Plan for Women – Serena Williams
3. How Not to Lose Your Personal Identity in a Romantic Relationship

First, a word from money guru Suze Orman.

“We never had it as rough as the kids have it today,” says Orman. “Look at the price of a gallon of gas or a piece of real estate or a college education.”

Our children may have a tougher financial times than we did – but we can help them by role modeling excellent money habits! For help getting your financial house in order, click on Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny by Suze Orman.

And, learn how to be a financial role model from Lisa Caputo, Founder, Chairman and CEO and Linda Descano, CFA, President and COO of the excellent website for women and money, called Women & Co…

“Today’s women are more involved in financial decision making – not because they have to be, but because they want to be,” say Caputo and Descano. “A recent Women & Co. study found that 63% of women are the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of their household, responsible for making the majority of financial decisions.  And women who are the CFO of their household are more likely to come from mothers who are CFOs and have daughters who become CFOs.  While only one third of today’s adult women feel they had a female financial role model, 92% now consider themselves a financial role model to their children!”

But, being a financial role model doesn’t come easily to all women.

How to be an Excellent Financial Role Model – from Women & Co

Talk to your children about money: Similar to the birds and the bees, money should be an ongoing topic of conversation with your children. It’s never too early or too late to help your children develop a strong foundation of financial knowledge.

Get financially fit:  Financial fitness, like physical fitness requires exercise.  Get a piggy bank (or make one!) and create a scenario in which your children can “work” for money, such as payments for household chores or tasks outside the household routine like wrapping presents for charities at holiday time.

Practice what you preach: The financial decisions you make today have a lasting impact – now and for future generations. To be a financial role model you must be financially responsible, so your children will be more likely to follow suit. Define your financial goals and put a plan in place to work toward them.

Create a common goal:  Get your kids involved in financial planning early by starting a family fund that will be put toward a common goal such as a vacation, gift, or a specific charity that family members would like to support. Let the whole family experience the positive end results of saving and budgeting.

Know why money matters:  Strike a balance between your family’s finances and your family life as a whole.  Your finances should support your life, not control it.  Help children build a positive relationship with money by demonstrating that money is not a status symbol, but one of the many components to building a stable and fulfilled life.

If you have any questions on financial role modeling, budgets, or even investing - please comment below!

Women & Co. is a financial resource program from Citi, dedicated to helping women achieve their financial goals. Members can read newsletters, listen to audio conferences, and find out about Master Class seminars in major metropolitan areas.

Related posts:

1. Overcoming Fear and Connecting With Courage – Suze Orman and Cher
2. How to Start a New Career – Suze Orman
3. Dealing With Different Money Personalities as a Couple – Suze Orman

Morissette knows what she wants out of life – which means she’s on her way to getting it.

“Down the road I would love to have a full-blown family, but I am nowhere near ready to be married,” she said in Chatelaine, April 2008. “I have a ways to go before I am emotionally mature enough to sustain a healthy connection. I’m too much of a kid still, but I’m growing up. And I mean that in a positive way.”

Morissette is perfect example of See Jane Soar: a Canadian rock star who has reinvented herself several times. She’s gone from “mall-rat pop princess” to spiritual seeker, and she is the inspiration for these strategies for life success. For more info on getting what you want out of life, click on Creating Your Destiny: How to Get What You Want Out of Life by Patrick Snow.

5 Strategies for Life Success – Alanis Morissette

1. Enjoy your past achievements. Getting an education, finding the right job, raising your kids, or surviving a health crisis are steps to success in the future. The first strategy for life success involves reminding yourself of how far you’ve come and what you’ve survived. Use that knowledge to help you get what you want out of life!

2. Learn from your failures. If your relationships keep ending in disaster, be honest with yourself or go into counseling to find the truth. If you didn’t lose weight on one diet, try a new fitness routine (and read 6 Ways to Increase Weight Loss Motivation – Martha Beck). If you didn’t get hired for the first few jobs you applied for, figure out why. The second strategy for life success involves not ignoring your mistakes and failures! Let your past guide your current decisions.

3. Break your goal down into small steps. Whether you want to get a medical degree or welding ticket – break your goal down into smaller, easily accomplished steps. Get information. Collect applications. Put feelers out. This third strategy for life success involves taking action to avoid feelings of being overwhelmed and scared.

4. Tweak or abandon what isn’t working. You can’t get what you never had by doing what you’ve always done, my friend! How are you contributing to a situation you dislike? You can’t control other people’s behavior, but you can change what you’re doing. The fourth strategy for life success is about replacing what isn’t working with new (sometimes scary) behaviors. Or, take Alanis Morissette’s cue and put some life goals on hold until you’re ready to handle them.

5. Envision what you really want. The final strategy for life success involves visualization. Picture where you want to be: honored by your partner, earning a decent income, standing up for yourself. What you envision, you will achieve! Focus on getting what you want out of life – not what you don’t want. For more motivation, read Getting What You Want Out of Life – Angelina Jolie.

A final word from Alanis Morissette: “This is about as happy as I think I’ve ever been in my whole life. So much has to do with being able to take care of myself. Before I was looking outward. Now I know there is no way anyone else can parent me or love me in the way I have to do. There is a peace that comes with that for me.”

What do you think of these strategies for life success? I welcome your big and little thoughts below…

Related posts:

1. Turning Failure to Success for Female Entrepreneurs – Maya Angelou
2. 4 Ways to Stop Self-Sabotage and Self-Defeat – Erma Bombeck
3. The Key to Success for Female Entrepreneurs – Coco Chanel

Beck says that appreciation and gratitude increases your motivation to lose weight and stay slim. Why? Because when you’re happy, you don’t do as much “comfort eating.” You don’t feel anxious or depressed – which both often trigger overeating. Plus, the stress hormone (cortisol) that accompanies anxiety encourages your body to hang on to fat.

That’s why many women lose weight when they fall in love!

To learn more about Martha Beck’s theories and research, click on The Four Day Win: End Your Diet and Achieve Thinner Peace. And, read on for her ways to increase your weight loss motivation…

6 Ways to Increase Your Weight Loss Motivation - Martha Beck

Remember: you need to find what works with your personality. Exercising in a group Pilates class may work for your sister – but walking on your own may be better for you. You need to tune in to your own likes and dislikes.

1. Use exercise as your “me” time. Combining solitude and sweat is what works best for me! I run and do Pilates at home alone – rarely do I work out with others – to let my mind wander, my creativity flourish, and my energy increase. If I had to go to the gym or yoga class, I…just wouldn’t! If you’re struggling with an illness, read Coping With Chronic Illness – Natalie Goldberg.

2. Get the right equipment. Maybe the best way for you to increase your weight loss motivation is to stock up on the exercise balls, spinning outfits, Pilates mats, and Yoga gear. Or, maybe you need to join a running group – and all you need is a good pair of running shoes. To figure out your exercise personality, look in your closet or basement: how many old pieces of exercise equipment or fitness clothes do you see? If it didn’t work before, it may not work now. Try something new!

3. Join an outdoor club. I was single when I lived in Calgary, Alberta – and I joined the Calgary Outdoor Club and was thrilled at what they offered! Hiking, ethnic dinners, movie nights, white water rafting, trips to Mexico – all for singles who wanted to do exciting things but didn’t want to do it alone. This was perfect motivation for me. I chose physical activities that challenged me, and I lost weight because my body was being stretched in new ways (sometimes literally!).

4. Try new physical activities. If you’ve always been intrigued at the thought of belly dancing or rock climbing, then grab a buddy and try it out. The more new workouts you try – even if you’re not spectactularly successful – the higher your self-confidence will climb, the better you’ll feel about your body….and the more you’ll be motivated to lose weight.

5. Join a team. This way to increase your weight loss motivation works if you love the comaraderie that accompanies soccer teams, softball teams, or walking groups. Knowing that your teammates or fellow exercisers are waiting for you could be all you need to get and stay fit.

6. Work with a personal trainer. Some people need the discipline and structure of a personal fitness trainer. If you can’t afford it, talk to a trainer about bartering. Can you offer a service that she needs, such as doing her accounting, babysitting her kids, or cleaning her house? A personal trainer may motivate you to stick to your weight loss goals – and not cost an arm and a leg!

For more weight loss tips, read 10 Ways to Lose 10 Pounds – Julia Cameron.

Friends, what works for you to increase your weight loss motivation? I welcome your comments and questions below…

Related posts:

1. 6 Ways to Create a Vision Board That Works – Martha Beck
2. 6 Steps to Healthy Weight Loss – Rita Rudner
3. Weight Loss Advice for Women Over 40 – Valerie Bertinelli

“If we are to embrace the quality of courage to its fullest,” says Suze Orman, “we can no longer allow ourselves to hide behind fear.”

For more info about overcoming fear, read Susan Jeffer’s book Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway (r). And, here are Suze Orman and Cher’s tips on overcoming fear…

Overcoming Fear – Suze Orman and Cher

“It can be difficult for women to connect to their courage,” writes Orman in her bestselling book Women & Money. “Women can be deflected from a course of action if they think that it might hurt someone else. It’s so much easier to hurt yourself than to hurt someone else, isn’t it? Women also lose their courage when they subscribe to a belief that someone or something is the key to their happiness – rather than recognizing that power lies within.”

I love that: your power is within. For more inspiration from Orman, go to Being a Financial Role Model – Suze Orman.

Overcoming Fear – Cher

When Cher was on the Oprah Winfrey show, she called herself a scaredy cat. I just about plutzed (and I’m not even Jewish!). Cher is 61 years old, has a regular gig performing in Vegas, wears all manner of garb to the Oscars and elsewhere, does whatever the hell she wants – and she calls herself a scaredy cat?! The superstar Cher struggles with overcoming fear and finding courage?

But the thing with Cher is, she does it anyway. She feels fear and takes risks.  

And here’s more on overcoming fear from Suze Orman:

“Fear is usually what stands between us and our courage,” she says. “We’re afraid to rock the boat. We’re afraid of confrontation. We’re afraid to upset someone. We’re afraid we’ll lose our job. We’re afraid he’ll divorce us. We’re afraid our kids won’t love us. We’re afraid of what others may think of us. We’re afraid we will be flat broke. The list goes on and on.”

My friend, if you’re a scaredy cat, you’re not alone! Being courageous is different for every woman. For me, it means saying “yes” when I’m scared I can’t do it well – like going on the radio to talk about my articles. For you, it could mean standing up to your boss, or showing your art or writing to the world. Overcoming fear and finding courage could mean being single and not letting it stop you from traveling solo, eating out, or going to movies alone!

Overcoming fear and finding courage means you know what you’re afraid of, and you’re not afraid to admit it. You may be white-knuckled, dripping with sweat, hyperventilating, quaking in your shoes, or screaming inside – but you do it anyway.

Just like “scaredy cat” Cher did.

How do you overcome fear in your life? I welcome your comments below…

Related posts:

1. Dealing With Different Money Personalities as a Couple – Suze Orman
2. Being a Financial Role Model – Suze Orman
3. How to Start a New Career – Suze Orman

These 10 habits of highly successful women are practical, easy, and effective — and they’re what “See Jane Soar” is all about! These tips for success range from maintaining your hormonal balance to letting go of the past – and they affect your mind, body, and soul.

First, a quotation from writer Anais Nin:

“Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.”

Taking action is one of the most important habits of successful women…and so is dreaming. For inspiration and practical advice for succeeding in life after failure or knock-out punches, click on This is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down by Deborah Collins Stephens et al.

10 Habits of Highly Successful Women

1. Maintain your hormonal balance. Are you moody, exhausted, irritable, or sad? Check your hormones. If they’re out of whack, then you’ll struggle to be successful! Make sure you’re getting enough protein and vitamins, and decrease your refined sugars and carbohydrates.

2. Forgive yourself for your mistakes. Highly successful women don’t obsess or feel guilty about past choices or failures. They make mistakes, move on, and apply what they’ve learned to new situations.

3. Connect with who you are. Being a daughter, wife, or mother is one aspect of your life. It doesn’t define who you are as a woman. To connect with who you are, find and express your authentic self. The more authentic you are, the more appealing you’ll be to others – and to yourself!

4. Avoid energy vampires. Do you feel drained or sad after spending time with a particular friend, coworker, or relative? Limit the time you spend with him or her. Note how you feel after visiting with a certain person; if you feel energized and happy, then you’re in good company. Highly successful women choose their companions wisely.

5. Speak kindly to yourself! If you beat yourself up for being overweight, a “bad” mom, or not exercising enough, you just create a downward spiral. Highly successful women remind themselves of their achievements and successes. They refuse to tell themselves negative things; they accept themselves.

6. Listen to your body. I heard Oprah Winfrey say this about 10 years ago: listen to what your body is telling you. Are you emotionally hungry or physically hungry? Feed yourself properly. Are you sad, furious, or depressed? Follow your body’s cues.

7. Volunteer your time. Find something that takes you out of your comfort zone or that you love to do. You’ll feel great that you’re helping others out – and volunteering directly improves your physical health. Highly successful women step out of their comfort zones and takes risks.

8. Let go of perfectionism. Strive to do your best, but let go of perfectionist tendencies. Accepting that you’re doing the best you can is a habit of highly successful women. Letting go of perfectionism is vitamins and exercise for the soul!

9. Use your core strengths. Are you a natural mathematician, writer, or party planner? Discover your core strengths by trying different things until you find what fits. To take risks and try new things, take short-term volunteer positions or volunteer for new projects at work or in your community.

10. Take time for yourself. This habit for highly successful women is my favorite: take time to recharge your batteries and refuel your emotional, spiritual, and physical energy. Spend at least a few minutes alone each day – even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom to do it!

Have a missed a habit of highly successful women – or do you have any comments on any of the above? I welcome your thoughts below!

Related posts:

1. Creating a Successful Life Plan for Women – Serena Williams
2. How to Know if Your Goals Are Good for You – Anna Quindlen
3. 7 Simple Habits of Healthy Women – Susan B. Anthony