My Fear Deconstruction Workbook is Available on BusyMindOasis!

Everyone has more than one fear. We have fears that either keep us up at night, or hold us back from accomplishing a task or goal, or both.

Whenever you do face a challenge that involves one of your fears, you want to be able to manage how you react or behave.

I thought I'd never get over a particular fear, until I learned by myself to deconstruct it and analyze it deeply.

Anyone can deconstruct a fear, even you. But you gotta ask the right questions. Questions NO ONE ELSE will ask you.

In my digital store BusyMindOasis, I'm offering one of my latest digital products, The Fear Deconstruction Workbook.

In this workbook, I share a personal story of my own to help you understand how to use The Fear Deconstruction Workbook. The workbook's questions that follow are based on questions I ask myself when I wanted to understand a certain fear I have in order to do something about it.

When I deconstruct a fear, I take it apart, examine/analyze it and figure out what the real fear is. And when it's something I can actually get over, then it's easier to handle in the future.

You can pick a fear you want to handle, deconstruct it so that you see the other fears that make up that fear, and use that knowledge to create a plan for yourself to handle your fear better the next time you face it. You can do this for many of your fears if not all of them.

You'll learn more about yourself in the process. You'll grow with each time you use this workbook to deconstruct your fears - fear of a particular insect, a certain situation, or other objects or conditions that cause you severe anxiety or panic. Examples of these could be cockroaches, booming thunder, or the fear of the dark. Even a complex fear like fear of success. Yes! Success can be scary too.

When I face my fear again, I know I'll be more prepared...

...and you can, too!

The questions inside my workbook PDF The Fear Deconstruction Workbook will help you focus on the cause(s) of your fear and acknowledge them so you can have room in your brain to process building a new resolve.

There are some fears that will take weeks or months to start managing. Some will take years. This workbook will help you so when it's time to face some of your biggest and most annoying fears, you'll know what to do in the future.

To get your PDF copy from my BusyMindOasis shop, click here.

Now if I can just take care of that fear of booming thunder…! :D

Do you like coffee? (Or tea or hot cocoa?)

By now you know I love to journal. Other than reading or napping, personal journaling is my favorite way to quietly spend time alone.

When I'm home and have no where else to go for the day, I sometimes relax by enjoying coffee or hot chocolate.

And you know, coffee does something to the brain. I'm actually quite sensitive to caffeine, but timed correctly I can use the stimulant to my advantage.

Caffeine morphs my creative levels into overdrive. I can get jittery, but if I keep busy I don't even notice.

Now, that's for coffee. Sometimes I have decaf when I don't want to be anxious or jittery. But unfortunately decaf does the opposite: it makes me sleepy.

It's great for before bedtime, though. ;)

I'd often use my same two old mugs for drinking either beverage, or hot chocolate. I've used them for a few years, and one of them is definitely getting a bit worn.

I could get new mugs... but I want mugs I designed because I know exactly what I like. I like comforting things. Encouraging things. And purple. (Because. Purple.)

So I'll get to the point.

I've got 2 mugs on sale, designed by yours truly. And for you my readers, I've got a couple of discounts waiting for you. This is NOT available to everyone else or in other stores-- you are the first and the only people to know about it.

I sell them at GearBubble. If you don't have a GearBubble account, it's fast and completely free to create one.

I've got a $2 discount for the black mug version of my "Curl Up with a Journal and Write" coffee mugs.

I also have a $3 discount for the white with purple text version of this mug. And you don't even need them to drink; you can use it to store your favorite pens or pencils.

Maybe you could keep writing-related quotes in a mug with this design.

Or you might know a friend who'd like this mug... especially an introverted friend. She or he can use the extra comfort, a gentle reminder that they can sit with their journal and write in it.

Either way, I'm so excited to give you the first discounts on my mugs up for sale. There are 11oz and 15oz available for both of them.

Get the black and white one here.

Get the purple text one here.

But hurry. These discount links are good for only 2 days. Get your discount while you can!

Sara

P.S.: I like coffee and I want new mugs, so I'm making my own. I have two different versions, a black and white mug and a white one with purple text that say "Curl Up with Your Journal and Write." You can get them at GearBubble with a discount good for 2 days only.

Author S.J. Scott Writes on Building a Daily Personal Journaling Habit

One of my favorite nonfiction/self-help authors S.J. Scott (also known as Steve Scott) has posted a cool article on his website Develop Good Habits.com. S.J. Scott wrote and co-wrote various books about building positive habits such as setting goals, increasing productivity and staying organized. In my top favorites now is CONFIDENT YOU: An Introvert's Guide to Success in Life and Business, which Steve co-wrote with fellow author Rebecca Livermore.

And guess why I'm sharing this (I gave you a clue :D )? The article Steve posted is about journal writing! I've been writing in journals for a long time but this article was so fun to read! :) I nodded in agreement quite a few times.

Some topics discussed are: The benefits of journaling; setting aside the time to write; what to write about; how to write in the journal; appropriate environments to journal (though it should be whatever works best for YOU). That's not all, though... there's still more! If you want to check this out now, click here.

As a quick tutorial, it's a great getting-started guide for building a daily journaling habit. However, it will depend on how you want your journal to help you. For example, some days I write paragraphs or pages in a big college-ruled notebook. Other days, the only journaling I've done is write a few lines in my pocket notebook. And that's okay; it's small but it's till also a journal of my thoughts, ideas and reminders. But sometimes those few lines... or even a few words... might mean the difference between a good idea and a great idea!

I go into more detail about personal journaling in my eBook Easy Journal Writing. For now, to get a strong introduction on personal journaling today, grab a few minutes to read Steve Scott's post on the daily personal journaling habit. You can find his article here.

If you also want to learn more about his habit books, check out this page on Develop Good Habits.com.

My Quiet, Private Way

I've been doing a lot of journaling and intense "brain dumping" in the last three weeks. And let me tell you, it's done a heck of a lot of good for me.

I realize I can't help everyone. I can't help every single person. It is impossible to please everyone, and I tend to be a people-pleaser. But here's what's going on.

Recently I've been reading more about my personality type. For around a year I've known I was an INFJ - Introvert, INtuition, Feeling, Judgment. (Judgment would be more about self-judgment in this case.) And it's true I have trouble adjusting to major changes or suddenly stressful situations.

So I've decided to reduce my stress by easing up on things.

I am learning new skills so I can create my products and work more independently and not need to depend on anyone else. I am learning how to use certain software and utilize techniques to facilitate independent creative work. I am not going to depend on someone else's schedule or agenda because I can do with less conflict.

Already I have mentioned I'm gearing up to be an authorpreneur. My workaholic tendencies can sometimes get the better of me, but I'd rather have that than a boss. I'm not accepting any client work now, not for at least another long while. When I know better what I can do, I can consider working for others, but I otherwise have only done excellent audio transcription as a freelancer and I'd now charge more for it than before, because my time is very valuable.

I am happier when I do entrepreneurial tasks that are congruent to who I am, what I like and what energizes me. So if I want to make journal books too, then I'll do that. I can still help more people without feeling like I'm worthless just because I don't do "real" work or have a "conventional" job. I will be helping others but in my more private, quiet way.

I apologize if this blog post feels somewhat of a mess. But I felt I had to update you and my other readers about what's going on, and it's not even everything. I'm taking a bit of time off to figure some things out and write some ideas out. It's very necessary... and right now I shouldn't deny myself this important period of healing and reflection.

Re-reading a favorite book

About a year ago I came across a book that I had the chance to get as a free eBook.

By then I've read plenty of self-help books (or started reading them), but none have made an impact on my life as huge as this one. It's an essential read for today's young writers, authors, artists, coaches, any entrepreneurs of all ages. Even high school students will find it very useful.

It's Peter Voogd's book 6 Months to 6 Figures.

Before then, I read the book The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. It focuses on discipline to make smarter choices for a better and healthier future. I enjoyed reading that, but there was something missing.

Then an author whose newsletter I subscribed to recommended 6 Months to 6 Figures to her readers because it changed her life.

At first I was skeptical about the title. I had a bad attitude about money or even wanting more  money. But the truth is, everyone wants to be successful...

And there's nothing wrong with wanting to make more money to do that.

One of the biggest things I learned reading 6 Months to 6 Figures:

Stop doing what you don't want to do. If it doesn't give you any value, if it doesn't allow you to help others the way you do best, then don't do it anymore.

For some of you, it may be easy, and for more, it's harder than others to leave a job you don't like.

But that's the thing. Not everyone is a good fit for a conventional job. If it would do more harm than good to have a "real" job, you should be doing something meaningful.

And I mean something meaningful to YOU.

For me, that's writing and creating. I write better than I speak, so if writing is what I do best, I'm sticking with that. I can help more people this way. And I have to do it in my own element: a quiet room, alone. I am easily overstimulated and easily get distracted, so working at a store or office would visibly deteriorate my health.

I have to think about what's best for me, before I can properly help others.

Now, Peter Voogd's book 6 Months to 6 Figures is a #1 bestseller, and it's a bestseller for a reason. Times have changed. The old rules about work that have been around for decades don't apply anymore.

I'm re-reading this book, not only because it requires more than one reading, but because I find comfort knowing I don't have to "fit in" to be successful.

Unfortunately the eBook isn't free now. But Peter Voogd does have a FREE 4-part video training series coming up soon. It's called 30 Days to Your First $1k. Peter will teach you how to to generate your first $1,000 in just 30 days. And you'll get the gist of what his book is about, and more.

Click here to grab your spot. Or you can click on the image below to learn more.

This free video series will be available only for a very limited time, so don't wait! I hope Peter's video series convinces you to see things differently.

Happy viewing! :)

Readers, quick question...

If you’ve ever struggled to start your own business, write your first book, get your first customer or get any real traction as an entrepreneur, you should check this out… 

Peter Voogd, the #1 bestselling author of 6 Months to 6 Figures, is about to release his new 4-part video training, 30 Days to Your First $1k.

Right now you can get it FREE... but only for a limited time.

Click here to find out more and secure your spot.

You don't need to have a business idea or entrepreneurial experience to sign up. You can PLAN to start a business. You can imagine yourself starting one.

Imagine having a few streams of income. Wouldn't that be something?

You need a clear-cut, no B.S. road map to starting your own business. And in this new training series, Peter Voogd is going to show you exactly how to generate your first $1,000 in just 30 days.

If you're not familiar with Peter, he’s the #1 bestselling author of 6 Months to 6 Figures (now over 100,000 copies sold). And over the past few years he’s built multiple different 6-figure companies using the simple approach he is going to share with you.

Get all the details about 30 Days to Your First $1k by clicking here.

Oh, and the quick question: Are you ready to break the mold?

Happy training!

Hooking you up...

Hello my dear readers,

Remember the new thing I'm excited about for 2017? The "something new" I've been working on?

I'm going to be an "authorpreneur." That's being an author and an entrepreneur at the same time.

I love writing, but within that area I am passionate about journal writing. So besides the eBooks I write, I want to make it easier for people to add it into their lives.

I want to spread my message about the benefits of personal journaling with, and not just with my eBooks. But I will talk about that another time.

I understand many of you want more money on the side too. And it's best to make money where you have a strong passion, rather than where other people tell you.

That's what I'm trying to do. Peter Voogd helped me gain clarity about this in his book 6 Months to 6 Figures.

This book has been called “a must read for entrepreneurs." It has sold over 100,000 copies around the world, and it's no wonder...

So many people today want more financial freedom and success.

And you don't even have to be an entrepreneur NOW to read this book. You can PLAN on being an entrepreneur.

Just imagine... being more productive, having more time, making more money with less work. Imagine doing what truly matters to you and what fulfills you in life and your career.

Imagine the freedom this would bring you.

I read 6 Months to 6 Figures last year, and it changed my life. I improved my own productivity and my chances for success. I gained more confidence. I valued my time more.

Hey, I was even able to publish my first book!

I don't even recognize myself from over 12 months ago. And in a way, that's a good thing.

I want you to have the same opportunity to change your life. I want Peter Voogd to help you too.

And you can start by grabbing your free copy of his book 6 Months to 6 Figures eBook today.

But hurry, because Peter is allowing this only for a limited time. And for those who get their free copy, you'll also secure access to his brand-new 4-part video training series, 30 Days to Your First $1k.

I wouldn't wait if I were you. Click here now to claim your free copy or to learn more.

Happy reading!

Sara

For My Readers (Free Book)

Hello my dear readers,

Good news and bad news for you. First, the good news…

I’ve managed to secure you guys a free copy of the #1 bestselling book - 6 Months to 6 Figures.

This book has now sold over 100,000 copies. It's been called “a must read for entrepreneurs”, and right now you can grab your no-cost copy as a gift from the author - Peter Voogd.

I read it last year and it’s changed my life! I've improved my productivity and my chances for success. Now I'm getting ready to be an "authorpreneur" (that "something new" I'm excited about for 2017)!

And you don't have to be an entrepreneur NOW to read this book. You can PLAN on being an entrepreneur.

So click here now to grab your copy of 6 Months to 6 Figures.

Now for the BAD news…

This is only available for a few more days. If you don’t act fast, you’ll miss it. Plus it gets even worse because you won’t just lose your copy of the book…

You’ll also miss out on securing access to Peter Voogd’s brand-new 4-part video series - 30 Days to Your First $1K.

You can get all the details by clicking here.

Thank you for following me. Happy reading, and have an awesome day!

Sara

Happy New Year! And Something New...

Hello, and Happy New Year! It’s been a while.

I am excited about a new project I am finishing up and it should be ready either late January or early February.

Remember I mentioned in November that a second project besides NaNoWriMo was keeping me busy?

Stay tuned... I will reveal more details about this soon. ;)

I Need Your Help, Dear Readers (It'll Take 5 Seconds)

As some of you may know, November is National Novel Writing Month. I vowed to write 50,000 words toward a novel. This is my second time participating. 

Unfortunately I am less prepared than I was in 2015. So this newest novel will be harder to write.

But it's not just the NaNoWriMo work I'm worried about: another writing project is keeping me busy and taking precious time I could spend on writing for my NaNoWriMo novel (or maybe it's the other way around? Not sure.).
 
And while I won't be updating my Author Notebook as much (at least through December), here's something I think you'll appreciate: you can give me your opinion on which day of the week I should update my Author Notebook. 

Are weekend days better than the weekdays for finding a new blog post? Are weekdays better for you, and which one?

I want to know what the majority of my readers think before I commit to a schedule. I want to be consistent but I can't do it without your help. Please let me know what schedule you prefer by using the poll I placed on the right-side sidebar, under my profile. 

It takes only 5-10 seconds to decide and vote for your preference. The poll will stick around until the end of November.

If you have other suggestions, like what time of day I should update my Author Notebook (like if you read it in the morning or look forward to it at night), you may add those in the comments.

I appreciate your help, guys. I know I won't be able to please everyone, but I'll do my best. ;)

My YouTube Channel is up: A New Author with New Beginnings

So, I'm up on YouTube now! Both nervous AND excited about this. :)

My Reason for Writing "Easy Journal Writing": Reason #1

I wanted to write and publish Easy Journal Writing because I didn’t see any books about journal writing that catered to those pressed for time. And even if you weren’t pressed for time, but had trouble making and keeping a journal routine, this book would still help you.

I have some books in my bookshelf that have writing prompts and journal writing prompts. But they call for writing more than one or two sentences. That’s fine with me, except that it’s not fine for everyone. What if you don’t want to be overwhelmed with a question that demands a whole page of writing if you don’t have the patience?

Many journal writing prompts are philosophical or thought-provoking. If you want to start a journal with those kinds of prompts, it will become too much. So I thought I could be helpful and provide something different out there—something not so intimidating. Something I can publish to get my message out there.

Journal writing doesn’t have to be so hard. You need to make it easy for yourself.

Some things that might not work for me might work for others, including you. So I also share my experience, knowledge and suggestions before the light prompts.

Easy Journal Writing is the first book I wrote to spread my message. I plan to write more. I still have more insights to share—so this is only a beginning!

Why "Lighter Prompts"?

As you may know, the full title of my book is titled Easy Journal Writing: Jump-start Your Journaling Routine with Expert Tips and Light Prompts.

What are 'light prompts,' you might wonder?

I wanted to include “light prompts” in the subtitle for Easy Journal Writing because right from the get-go it tells people these journal prompts are no-pressure. Everyone likes to save time, do things faster and easier, and be successful doing it. I know Easy Journal Writing is not the only journal writing book out there. But it’s one that can aid readers in starting a journal routine.

‘Light’ doesn’t mean heavy or profound. So I'm suggesting you take baby steps toward completing a big task (like filling pages in a notebook).

I think collecting light prompts inspired by my journaling experience—rather than journal prompts that are recycled, too deep and cause reluctance—was a great idea. And that’s why I wanted to say “Light Prompts” instead of just “Prompts.”

Use them to ease into your journaling routine so that you can continue to keep journal writing as part of a regular schedule, or at least a few times a week. When you set aside more time to write in your journal, you’ll know you’re on your way to success. You’ll have the freedom to write as little as you want or as much as you want!

And Easy Journal Writing will help you do that.

Pick up your copy of the eBook today!

https://www.amazon.com/author/sara-a-watts 

 

Easy Journal Writing is on Amazon Kindle!

Hi writers and readers,

My eBook Easy Journal Writing is now available for the Amazon Kindle. This is exciting for me! I'm both excited and nervous putting myself out there in a way I haven't before.

Within the next week, I'll be sharing some different insights about my book. Things like: why I wrote the book and why I gave the book its subtitle.

So stay tuned. In the meantime, grab your copy of Easy Journal Writing and learn how you can ease into journal writing in your spare time. You don't wanna miss out!

https://www.amazon.com/author/sara-a-watts

UPDATE: New book cover! It has been updated to the cover design below:

Here was the old cover for the eBook:

 

Dear Journal vs. Dear Jane vs. [BLANK]

It's just a short post for today. JOURNAL NAMES!

We all have a favorite way to greet our journal at the beginning of every entry.

But what are the benefits of addressing a book we are writing in by name or by “Journal?”

Anne Frank named her diary “Kitty.”  She personified her diary with a [pet] name so it can be easy to write into it as if speaking to a silent friend.

I’ve given my old diaries names too… Xi, and Sairah, to name a couple.

I’ve even greeted my diaries with made-up words for “hello”!

The trend of greeting a journal with a “Dear Journal” or “Dear Jane/Jack” varies from person to person. It depends on what the journal is for, or how it helps the journal writer get in the mindset of writing—communicating to the self. One could even address the journal by their own name, if that helps.

In my Comfort Journal I begin by writing the date, day and time on the right-hand side, then underneath I begin on the left-hand side, “Dear Journal.”

And my big 200-sheet  notebook?  I do that differently. I still date, day and time it, but I do not begin with a “Dear Journal” or “Dear Jane.”  I just simply begin. Perhaps it’s because I use this notebook as a writing dump, a place to just pour out stuff when my head overflows with thoughts and words. For this particular notebook there is no need to address it. But that’s just how I do that one.

QUESTION:

What do you think of journal names? Leave your response in the comments.

Curl Up With a Good Journal In Front of the Fire

Autumn is upon us in the United States. Little by little the climate is getting colder.

Most people would like to come back home after a long day and curl up with a good book.

But maybe some others, like me, want to write in a book ourselves.

We’d prefer to write in a journal book instead.

Relax and Pour Out a Cup of Brain Clutter

Sure, reading a novel is a good distraction from the real world. We are reminded how grateful we can be, that we are not in as troubled of a situation as the protagonists we read about.

Then there is also the clutter in our heads.

We shouldn’t leave our brains cluttered. It’s bound to happen at least after half of a day goes by, and it can be that way even as early as getting out of bed. “What’s gonna happen today? What should I not forget today? What do I need to be careful about today? Is that milk still good?”

Keeping that all in your head is not going to do you good if you need to, or want to, be in the present moment.

Maybe you had a new story idea you want to write down that’s been floating around in your head since lunchtime.

You can look forward to writing it down when you get home. Maybe not on a loose sheet of paper, but in a nice, good-quality journal book you bought for yourself some time ago. Or maybe that journal book was a gift, and you didn’t know what to write in it or when to start it.

Get Cozy

Start that journal today.

Ask for that time. No—GIVE yourself some time to be in a quiet place and write things down.

If you get resistance, well…

Here’s the thing. You need to treat that time like it’s sacred. Your doctor would order it. Your writer friend would suggest it; whether you identify as a writer or not, that sacred personal journaling time will still benefit.

Whatever it is you want to talk about, that you can’t talk about with anyone because it’s a story idea or it’s a painful emotion… your journal book won’t talk back at you. It won’t tell you what to do. It will show you what you thought, what you think, and how you feel. 

You can turn what you wrote down into something you can use.

 

And then… your brain won’t be as cluttered after you write your whirling thoughts. You can go to sleep. You can be fully involved in a conversation.

Curl Up With That Journal

So if you want to read a book when it’s time to relax, then go ahead. You can read that book soon.

But before you forget those important or interesting thoughts you don’t want to forget, write them down. Write them down in your journal book or notebook.

And maybe you won’t want to put that pen down. You may keep writing. The novel you’re reading can wait a little longer.

QUESTION:

Do you prefer reading or journaling on cold or rainy nights? Leave your answers in the comments.

Hello There and Welcome!

Hello fellow writers and readers!

Welcome to my author notebook. I am Sara A. Watts, the author of Easy Journal Writing: Jump-start Your Journaling Routine with Expert Tips and Light Prompts.

This is something of a starter blog until I’m able to make a better website. But for now, you can learn more about me and my book's topics here.

I will also be writing my thoughts and experiences as both a writer and an introvert. The purpose of this blog is to continue sharing those experiences after my book has been published. But I will share them so that you may relate. 

I want to make it known there are many positive aspects about being an introvert writer. I am constantly learning about my new life and continue to journal. And since I'm an advocate of journal writing, you will benefit from what I share.

I enjoy personal journaling, which is one of those positive qualities as an introvert. It allows me to write more when I'm not at my computer. And, journal writing really is stress relief. I say this in my book too. At the end of the day my head is filled with thoughts and ideas that need somewhere to go. So I write them down in a notebook. 

It's very therapeutic. :)

As of today I'm in my final preparations to publish the book for the Amazon Kindle, so I'm very excited about it!

Glad you found me. Happy reading!