What’s Possible When You Discover It’s Not Impossible?

That’s impossible! It will never happen! What makes you think it’s possible?

These words have been spoken by millions of people throughout the ages. But, thankfully, millions more have rejected these words, and instead, made the choice to start with an idea and turn it into a dream that came true.

Having faith in your abilities can be the most difficult action you will face in your lifetime.

Why do so many choose to give up just when something amazing is about to happen in their lives? Is it easier to stick with a sure thing, or do you just give up way too soon because the challenge causes more trouble than it’s worth?

Can you imagine if Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell chose to listen to the naysayers and stopped pursuing their dreams of lighting up the world, or gave up on connecting people through a communication source, called the telephone? Thomas Edison completed 1000 experiments, and then on the 1001st try he invented the light bulb. Talk about perseverance!

Great inventors, other geniuses and astounding thinkers who made history, or   make history today, have made the choice to provide a lasting contribution to the world. They refused to let others decide their destinies.

For those of us who are driven to attain success, there must be a willingness to stick with it and achieve the ultimate triumph!

People who succeed typically make the result look so easy. The reality? Achieving success is not at all glamorous. It is a journey you live, with the added bonus of very few up moments and a considerable number of disappointments.

To succeed, failure is the norm. But, getting up again and working through the failure is the key to success.

Whether you’re building a booming business or making a positive impact on the human race, it requires tenacity, brilliance, dedication, and commitment to earn your place among the prosperous.

As a child, I remember my father telling me nothing was impossible. It was all a matter of perspective, along with a great deal of hard work. He told me that if you put your mind to it, success wasn’t far away.

I also learned that you’re in control of your limitations. When you continue to build a life based on an attitude of everything you do will always go wrong and  believing your goals will end in failure just because of a few setbacks, plan on living a life that is predictably one of failure. Choose to set goals and continue to reach for them and you will have a greater chance of living a life filled with achievement. Release your fears of not being able to be someone, or being that person who thinks they can’t make a difference. With the right attitude, a belief in yourself and a willingness to believe in possibilities, the world is yours.

Lorna McCarty is the President of Confident Author.  She is a featured Writer and Columnist for OneIdeaAway.com.

Write to her at Lorna@Lornamccarty.com, or feel free to leave your comments below. How do you actively and consistently move forward to create your own positive results?

Establish a Writing Relationship that Excites Your Audience

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you found yourself in a public place naked and exposed?

You didn’t deliberately take your clothes off, but somehow there you were in the middle of a busy place, where people were coming and going and you were minus one important article of clothing?

Do you remember how you felt? Most likely, you felt totally vulnerable.

Brene Brown says vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It’s tough to do that when we’re terrified about what people might see or think.

Being human includes being vulnerable. No matter how hard you try to outsmart vulnerability you will often be faced with it and either run from it or make the choice to grow from the discomfort of it.

One of the smartest places to be vulnerable is in your writing. Being courageous enough to share your feelings and life experiences from your heart will support your audience much more than you realize.

As a leading actress in one of my first plays, my character was a beautiful Irish woman by the name of Cass McGuire. I had not only perfected an authentic Irish accent, but I also was in a scene where I performed a soliloquy, the act of discourse of talking to yourself.

It was an emotional scene that required the delivery of deep sadness in the character I was portraying. The director told me how important it was to prepare myself to be the tormented young woman where I ultimately broke down in tears.

The scene was intense and in order for it to work, it had to feel real. The ultimate goal? I had to portray complete, and authentic vulnerability.

Great writing requires that same vulnerability if you want your audience to connect to your content.

Become your characters that you write about. Find your writing voice by writing from your heart. Be willing to share your mistakes, and tell the truth.

Writing is both wonderful and challenging. Touch the hearts of your readers and   be willing to take chances. Here are some thoughts to consider to improve the quality of your writing.

• Is your self –esteem impacting your writing? Think about what is affecting your self- esteem.

• Avoid negative self-talk and connect with people who love you.

• Learn to be assertive. Set yourself a challenge and be brave enough to follow through with the challenge in your writing.

• Learn how to write and begin by developing the correct writing habits.

• Set a timer for 30 minutes, turn off the phone and email bells, and do the work of writing while being fully present.

• Book time in your calendar for writing at the same time daily, or write at least 3 times a week.

• Be accountable. Publish weekly content.

• Engage your readers with mini-stories throughout your writing.

Brene Brown speaks clearly about the meaning of vulnerability.

She says, waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives, or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow- that’s vulnerability.   

Write something that matters and experience the excitement your audience will feel.

Being real and being open to what you write can create magic.

Ready to make a lasting impression? Try being vulnerable in your writing this week. It may feel awkward at first. With practice, expressing your feelings will become second nature.  

Comment below and let me know how you are doing, or send a private email to me at lorna@lornamccarty.com.

Giving Up, Not an Option - Choose to Reach for the Stars Instead

Making choices is something you do every waking hour. Your choices can be as simple as taking a shower, or making yourself something healthy to eat.

Some of your choices can be more difficult to make.

This morning my daughter was concerned because she had a demanding day ahead of her. If she made the choice to stay home because she feeling ill, she thought people who were depending on her to show up may think poorly of her.

As she continued to worry that her choice to stay home was not a good one, she found herself caught up in her negative thinking, and she began to feel worse.

Samuel Johnson said, “When making your choice in life, do not neglect to live.”

If you choose to think negatively long enough you will definitely be miserable and that is certainly no way to live life fully.

Harriet Tubman stated, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Your life becomes much more exciting when you reach for the stars!

There will always be risks to be taken. However, life becomes much the same when nothing ever changes.

More people should take a leap of faith to see if that pot of gold is actually waiting for them, at the end of the rainbow.

I am a firm believer that the journey you are traveling can be as sweet as you want, or as bitter and unflavored as you like.  

As it is with just about everything in life, you have to be willing to take a chance on you. If you don’t, who will?

So your heart is telling you that you want to be a singer or a dancer? Well, then it is time to sing and to dance!

Stop wasting time. As you know, the commodity of time is precious. Time always seems to be in short supply.

Find your passion and go for it!

Ignore the naysayers and live your passion! Do something that you love.

Writing is my passion. And I bet, if you want to be an accomplished writer you can be one too. It is your choice and your life to experience it!

Sometimes when you least expect it, you recognize a gift that you already possess.

Not long ago, after years of writing as a journalist and then working as an English teacher, I realized that my passion was revealing to other writers how to live in their greatness.

When you discover the purpose you’re meant for, your passion becomes contagious.

How to get your writing passion in high gear:

1. Develop a mindset that shifts from discouragement to encouragement and watch your writing productivity soar.

2. Think about a question your readers would be eager to have answered.

3. Cultivate a relationship with your audience. Be willing to be vulnerable with your writing.

4. Plant seeds and give your audience valuable content they can use right away

5. Love what you do and find time to take care of you to keep your writing passion extraordinary.

Feeling passionate about your writing? Here’s your invitation. Spend 15 minutes this week and find something to write about that fires you up positively.

I’d love to hear why you are passionate about writing. Comment below or write to me at lorna@lornamccarty.com.

Turn On Your Motivation to Champion Extraordinary Writing

Despite a wonderful habit of sleeping soundly through the night, sometimes waking up abruptly from a deep sleep brings important thoughts to write about.

Have you ever experienced a sudden surge of brain activity in the middle of the night?  When it happens to me, jumping out of bed is the first course of action, followed by finding paper and pen, to record my thoughts as quickly as they arrive.

Receiving this gift of creative genius is a blessing I actually appreciate. However, the trick is to not fall back to sleep before ensuring these pennies from heaven have been fully recorded.

What do you do to tap into what motivates you to produce content that is valuable for your readers?

Cultivating a writing habit can be addictive. It is also beneficial to getting writing done. Whether you wake up in the middle of the night with an incredible idea that is knocking on the door of your genius, it is still up to you to expand your awareness, and reach out to seize the moment.

Sidestepping designated time that can work for you and your writing only puts your writing on hold.

Making other activities your priority, instead of focusing on your writing means not getting an article finished, a book started, or copy written for your blog or sales page.

Stepping into your truth is key to making writing a reality.

Your writing motivation will serve you better if you designate a consistent time of day that works for you.  Some writers increase their writing productivity during the early morning hours. Others, find quick 15 minute intervals several times a day, is powerful in creating writing inspiration.

Motivation to do great writing is more accessible than you realize.  

Robert Clancy says it best. “Seek small moments. Look for the little flashes of love throughout the day. This could be as simple as seeing the beauty of a child’s smile or a fleeting happy thought.  Write them down during the day and review them before you go to sleep.”

Waiting to feel the motivation to write is like waiting for someone else to move you. Time is a precious commodity that without taking the initiative, your days will easily turn into weeks, and soon years will pass, with your writing still held captive.

Move your creative juices forward.

• Tune into your body. Exercise 3 to 5 days a week. Choose your workout and increase your heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes each day. Keeping fit helps you feel happier and more relaxed. Physical activity can also make you feel better about your appearance, increase your self-confidence and improve your health.

• Start your day with a guided meditation. Focus on deep breathing and centering your thoughts, with the intention of releasing stress. This can help you to experience a promising day and prepare for a successful writing session.

• Setting an intention for the day can be written down as personal affirmation creating positive thinking and self-empowerment.

Your attitude can always be improved. How you carry your attitude not only affects your health, it also affects your well-being and how others respond or react to you.

There is a great deal to be said about being courageous enough to share your writing. However, giving up and not taking the steps to write and share it with others is not an option.

Your strength and perseverance is key to becoming fully heard as a writer.

Keep hope and faith front and center in your life. Keep your willingness and belief in your writing talents alive.

This is my writing invitation to you. Find a quiet moment in every day and visualize the importance of sharing your writing with others. Your writing matters.

If you found value in what you read, share this article with others. I love hearing from you. Please send an email to me at lorna@lornamccarty.com and share your thoughts.

Feel like Your Dancing through Your Writing and Loving Every Minute

Relationships, we all have them. It is part of living. The relationships we choose to experience impact us on various emotional levels. When experiencing a relationship with someone you love, what happens between you, can have a powerful effect on how happily you live your life.

Recently my son mustered up the courage to ask his girlfriend to take the next step in their relationship, to become his wife.

Wow, such a huge step to commit yourself fully to one person for the rest of your life! For Alex, he knew it was the right time.  He was experiencing a multitude of emotions that included fear of the unknown, as well as the positive excitement of envisioning a bright future with the woman he loves.

The proposal took place near Morrison, Colorado, above the Red Rocks Amphitheater. If you don’t know this spot, it is an incredible location; the perfect setting to appreciate such an intimate moment.

As Alex got down on one knee and opened the ring box to his future wife, his nerves were on edge, and his emotions were running high.

 As the excitement mounted, tears of joy were not far behind. And thankfully, the answer to his question was an overwhelming, “Yes!”

How often do you get excited in your relationships, and even more so, do you get excited about the relationship you have with your writing?

The way you write can have an extraordinary effect on your readers. Striving to accomplish this goal is important if you want to be a successful writer.

Capturing the human experience in your writing is paramount. When a writer is successful in doing so, it’s like taking a photo that preserves that special moment in time, forever. You have made a lasting impression.

Colorful descriptions using powerful adjectives bring writing to life.

You not only visualize more strongly what has been written, you also experience a specific impact that creates an emotional connection.

E.L. Doctorow said, “Good writing is supposed to evoke good sensation in the reader---not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”

Years ago, I studied dance, loving how I was able to create movement that expressed a specific feeling, communicating the highs and lows of a moment in time and connecting this work to an audience.

I recorded the choreography I created though a dance notation system called, Labanotation. With this system I documented the dynamics of dance movement, the parts of a dancer’s body, using symbols on a staff, showing the direction of the dancer’s movement, and what the tempo was, as the dancer moved throughout the piece.  

Whether you’re dancing, creating an informative article, blogging, or writing a book, all writers face the challenge of getting their writing started.

You can set a timer for ten minutes and write down whatever is on your mind just to get the brain muscles moving.

Avoid staring at a blank screen by keeping a journal. When ideas surface, get them out of your head and write them down immediately. You can take these ideas and expand them into an article or a book you’re writing.

 Keep a separate journal or notebook by your bedside for ideas that wake you. Some of your best work may come to you when you stir in the night, or in the early morning hours. Write your thoughts down before you go back to sleep, so you won’t lose a good idea forever!

What are your biggest writing successes or struggles?

This week I invite you to take time to discover what you love about writing and to identify your greatest writing struggle.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Send your thoughts to me at lorna@lornamccarty.com or take a minute to comment below.