Writers tend to be quite negative, more often than not.
We're right-brained creatures, which means we're more inclined to negativity, because we spend much of our days living in our right brain. There's a fascinating story from Catalyst, LEFT BRAIN RIGHT BRAIN, which suggests that right-brain dominant people are more "emotionally negative, anxious and cautious." Does that sound like you?
If you're aware that your negativity is simply the result of your current mind state, you can change it.
Start by being aware that the ONLY reason you're feeling negative, stressed and anxious is because the right hemisphere of your brain is currently dominant.
Change to your left brain, because as the Catalyst article notes:
Across the animal kingdom, the left brain processes complex tasks, like collecting food. It’s the side of the brain that gets animals out and doing things.
The right brain deals with threats, like predators. It’s the defensive side.
The article suggests that you pull back your right lip, to switch to your left brain, and trigger a feeling of happiness... try it. It works. :-)
In the article "Freelance Writing Success: It’s All in Your Mind", I wrote:
If you’re not finding success beyond your dreams, there’s just one thing standing in your way: you.
Yes, your mindset is all that’s blocking your success. Seriously. I don’t care who you are, or how new you are to the writers’ trade, you can achieve success, however you define it if you have the right mindset. (Success for you may be $1000 a month as a side income, it may be quitting your day job, it may be paying off all your debts…)
So how do you get out of your own way?
Start by developing a professional writer’s mindset.
There’s an easy way to do that: model successful writers.
You'll find it much easier to model success if you take a moment to trigger your left brain if you're feeling negative. Your right brain is the fountainhead of your creativity, but be aware it it's also a dangerously negative mental state to dwell in.
Whenever you feel negative, just change your mind.
Use the simple grimace, as Catalyst suggests, or try yoga's Single Nostril Breath -- this works like a charm. Left brain, right brain... to stop feeling like a failure, just change your mind.
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