Every writer gets criticism at some point, whether from peers, readers, or actual critics once the book is published. Writers who can’t take, parse, and improve from criticism won’t write for anyone other than themselves and an audience of yes-people. I’m going in-depth on my top 4 tips for how to get and take criticism on your writing, so that it helps you grow instead of stifling you.

We all do it. And our media — social and otherwise — invites and compels us to do even more of it. We’re overstimulated and overwhelmed with opportunities to judge others every chance we get. And, because of how we’re wired, we often give in. For a few seconds, a few minutes, until it becomes so pervasive that it starts amounting to too much time out of our days, too much energy.

It wasn’t hard because I’d lost the thread of the work and the momentum of incremental progress. It was the series of small betrayals I felt like I committed against myself. Not just against the work, but me as the creator and conduit of the story. Me, the writer, the human trying to be in the world as something more, to fully realize and live myself.

What’s holding you back? From writing the book. Or writing the way you want to be writing. Or even the writing life you deserve to live. In this post, I share some of my own experiences and reflections, plus a journal prompt to help you uncover what might be going on for you.

You probably have a harsh inner critic (most writers do). It's part of you, there to protect you you from what it wrongly sees as life-threatening, ego-shattering danger. So it tries to keep you from taking any risks and chastises you for making mistakes. 

But your inner critic's judgment is doing you no favors here. It's getting in your way. 

Is authenticity stunting your growth? What to know and do about it.

Most of all, I believe in mindfulness, awareness, and intention. You have to get to know your mind before you can effectively work on it, with it, or within it. You have to observe it, notice how it functions, pick up its patterns.

Sometimes just being on social media, scrolling through, feels like too much. Luckily, there are more than a few ways to protect your energy, peace, and sanity while you do social media for your coaching or other transformational people-centered business. In this post, I’ll be sharing tips and suggestions based on what’s worked for my clients and for me.