When we’re stuck in creative quicksand or have plateaued on the path to our long-term goals, it’s time to make some changes. That might mean taking classes or studying the craft of the best fiction. It might mean stepping outside your comfort zone to share your work with peers, hire an editor, or query an agent or publisher.

The desire to change is often followed by a prompt jump to action. I wouldn’t dissuade you from having a plan of action, but the Conscious Living – and therefore Conscious Writing – approach calls for a moment of contemplation prior to the leap.

For today, resist the urge to be practical and goal-focused. Take time to embrace your present and the path that brought you here.

Set aside a few uninterrupted minutes to consider what brought you to a love of writing, whether that occurred in childhood, adolescence, or early or late adulthood. Reflect on times you received praise for your writing, times when you were criticized or rejected, or times when you were shamed or embarrassed by others for having the joy of writing. If you earn income from your writing, celebrate the projects that were successful and those that weren’t.

Take this time to embrace all of you and the lessons you’ve learned. All those experiences and feelings – good and bad – brought you to this point, where you are ready for the next step in your creative practice. Consider all the changes you’ve already worked through and prepare yourself for the next.

Go you!