Hi friends,
The other weekend, when my son was off camping with his best friend and her family, Sam and I took a bottle of champagne and pizza to the beach, where we watched the sun go down while a live band played behind us.
We’ve done this once before, three years ago, when we moved to Brighton for the first time. It was August, we spent several lazy days taking food and wine down by the water and just enjoying the sunshine.
However, this was a time of massive transition for my company and as our son started school and the days got shorter and colder, I fell into my normal routine of work, stress, work, and more stress.
“I have too much to do,” is the story I told myself, and as a result my life reflected that belief back to me.
I always had too much to do.
Three years later, I lean into a different belief and, therefore, a different reality.
I worked fewer than 20 hours last week, which included editing an entire book, and somehow, everything in my business got done, deadlines got met, and it felt easy and effortless to do it all. I spent three hours at the park with my son today and didn’t feel the need to rush him or give him a time limit or worry about the work hours I was losing because I wasn’t in front of my computer. I lay on the grass. I journaled. I daydreamed.
“I get everything done in two or three hours a day,” is the new story I tell myself, and as a result my life is beginning to reflect that belief back to me.
For the last month, I have rarely worked more than 3-4 hours each day.
The stories you tell yourself create your beliefs, and the beliefs you embody create your reality.
Not everyone gets this straight away—I certainly didn’t—but once you do, you start to see this principle working everywhere, in every area of your life.
Finding it difficult to write or finish your book? Consider what beliefs you hold about what it takes to finish a book.
Finding it difficult to land an agent or publisher? Consider what beliefs you hold about pitching/working with agents and publishers. (And what beliefs you hold about your ability to do so.)
Finding it difficult and time-consuming to build an audience?
Have you been telling yourself that it’s difficult and time-consuming to build an audience?
Because I can tell you from personal experience that it isn’t.
In 2002, I grew my email newsletter from 0 to 7,000 subscribers in less than a year. I later shut down that business.
Then, in 2017, as I was getting serious about putting my books out into the world and decided I needed to bring more people into my world, I went from 3,500 subscribers to 10,000+ within two weeks.
I got clear about what my readers wanted and made it for them, yes, but I also believed (and still do) that I can grow my audience numbers any time I need or want to easily, effortlessly, and while having fun.
I don’t think it’s difficult and I know from experience that it doesn’t have to be time consuming.
But if I had held on tightly to that belief that this has to be a difficult process that takes months and years?
Well, look around and you’ll see many shining examples of that.
The thing is, you didn’t necessarily create your beliefs. But you did buy into them.
And, consciously or not, you choose to continue buying into them.
If you want a different result, you’ll need to choose a different belief.
Take that responsibility.
Because when you truly start believing that things easily work out for you?
Things easily start working out for you.
Building that belief is the biggest struggle for most writers, though, and it’s these beliefs that I most focus on in my initial work with coaching clients these days.
Because when you have access to a strategy that works and you truly believe that it will work for you?
You become unstoppable.
When you can take your mind—beautiful, creative, and full of doubt—and transform it from your biggest critic to your most loving friend, magic happens.
Don’t take my word for it.
Try it in your own life and see the difference it makes.
Cheers,
Natasha