Publishing Insider News Feature Article: Hearing Your Inner Voice

Half the time when writers complain that they are "blocked" or lack writing "skills" the problem is that they are not giving themselves time to think and access their inner wisdom. Writing is a frontal lobe process, by which I mean that it involves the higher cognitive functions of the human brain, not the instinctive ones or the automatic ones.

We access these through intentionally asking ourselves openended questions and then thinking them through.

Too often writers don't allot themselves sufficient amounts of time for daydreaming. Lying on the couch or walking slowly in nature and letting the mind float and form connections.

There was a great article in The Wall Street Journal on June 19 "A Wandering Mind Heads Straight Towards Insight," which talks about how just before a breakthrough we often go blank. We can't predict a revelation (light bulbs), which the author Robert Lee Holz calls "an unconscious shift in mental perspective that can abruptly alter how we perceive a problem." But we can encourage ourselves to move towards the flash of inspired creativity.

We daydream when the mind is actively working towards a solution. But if you don't realize this is natural, you might think you're doing something wrong. Take it from me, you're not. It is a part fo the process. You can't write if you don't afford yourself time to think.

So how do we set this engine up so that our creative voice will speak to us? In my opinion, you have to feed in some information from an external source (or more than one source), let it collide and richochet in your imagination by teasing it and stimulating it like you might a chemistry experiment--by asking questions, by having conversations, by journaling, by daydreaming.

Go in circles with your questions. Keep starting back at the beginning again. See if you get somewhere new with it by turning it sideways and examining different facets of the issue.

Go in straight lines with your questions. Put things in logical order and sequence.

Walk away from it and do something entirely different. Go look at paintings in the museum. Go dancing! Have a good workout at the gym. Exercise is good for the brain.

Drink plenty of water. The brain needs energy (protein, carbs, FAT) and it needs tons of hydration.

A main thing to do is to quiet the mind sufficiently to hear the voice of inspiration when it speaks. If you catch yourself with a noisy mind, TAKE FIVE, to just focus on your breathing. An idea could pop into your mind, but if you are distracted, you might not notice it. So this step is CRITICAL.

Be gentle with yourself. You are not a robot. Sometimes slowing down is the best way to speed up.

Is Your Book Part of The Shift?

It must come as no surprise that there is a shift going on where, through a combination of approaches, some spiritual and some scientific, our understanding of ourselves as human beings and, more specifically, as humans in dynamic relationship with the rest of the beings on earth is undergoing a positive transformation.

My profession, where I guide idea makers to express themselves through books, has made me keenly aware of the power of the word. Despite the keening and wailing about the demise of the publishing industry, what I see is someting different. I see MORE expression, not less.

There is an incredible amount of healing writting going on. First to heal the self. Second to heal others. These types of books--however they end up being published: as books, online, digitally, and even as audios and videos--are an important part of The Shift.

So, I am just putting it out to you as a writer and a creator, have you considered if you are making your full and authentic contribution yet?

It takes courage to be a bold creator. But if you let your passion and your intellect guide you (it requires an integrated balance) then you will be as supported as you can possibly be.

Here are three actions you can take to determine if you are writing a book that is part of The Shift:

1. Meditate and connect with your heart. Connect with the feeling of giving the contents of your book to its target reader. Observe, Does this raise or lower your energy? If your energy increases, you're on the right track.

2. Are you clear about your motivations? Make a list of advantages for going forward. Make a list of disadvantages for going forward. When you compare the two lists which is most compelling? When you are living from higher consciousness the advantages are obvious.

3. Ask your trusted friends and colleagues if your topic feels as if it is closely related to your personal strengths. Sometimes it is easier for people outside of us to see us clearly. Those who value our gifts can help us step into our power gracefully.

I specialize in mentoring authors who are a part of The Shift in stepping up and playing their part in making a positive contribution. This sort of mentorship is not for everyone. My time is also limited. If you have a serious inquiry about working with me as your mentor, please drop me an email:
contact@stephaniegunning.com

Audacious Creativity Webinar #4: Four Keys to Overcoming Current Economic Crisis--An Interview with Maria Gamb, leader of Change Agent Basic Training

Overcoming the Current Economic Crisis:
F.A.C.E. up and Discover a Way Out, Up, and Over!

July 9, 2009 at 3 PM ET/ 2 PM CT/ 1 PM MT/ 12 PM PT

Free One-hour Webinar

The Live Event will be recorded and available to all registrants

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR RIGHT NOW BY CLICKING HERE

Join Maria Gamb in this insightful teleclass, hosted by your truly, where she will demystify the current economic crisis, how it impacts your business and how to work within these patterns to recognize areas for even greater profits. To any chaos there is a greater reason. In today’s turbulent times you are asked to break the old “business as usual” paradigm by bringing more creative and dynamic work into the world. Learn the four key stumbling blocks to achieving this and how to overcome them.

You are a catalyst for new products and services!

It's time to get moving!

Register for the seminar

As a former Fortune 500 trailblazer, Maria Gamb served for twenty-plus years as an executive in businesses valued at upwards of $100 million. What were her keys to corporate success? Blending creativity, divine inspiration, and straightforward communication. Now, as the founder, CEO, and “Chief Change Agent” of NMS Communications (which I've decided stands for "no more stress" and "no more sabotage"), she shares her vast business skills, life experience, and knowledge of universal laws to help executives and entrepreneurs alike claim their ability to lead profitable, effective businesses that are providing great value to those they serve.

Maria believes that a new breed of leadership is emerging, which bridges the gap between the harsh practicalities of business and the intuitive nature of Spirit—and it’s this gap that she bridges with her own lecturing and teaching.

Maria's career has taken her across the globe. She has lived for significant periods in Australia and England and worked in countless others. Her understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and the inner workings of different kinds of industries and their leadership make her a force to be reckoned with in the global business landscape.

Today, Maria works from a loft in Brooklyn, New York, where she pursues her passion to help businesspeople transform the world through her one-on-one and group executive mentoring programs, sales of online products, and public speaking. For more information about her programs and services go to: Change Agent Basic Training.