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Articles from Joyce Shafer, Book Doctor | Selfgrowth.com
- Do You Feel Authentic? - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you ever feel afraid to be as you are? See if actor Patrick Stewart’s story and these comments help you think or feel differently about this. Tavis Smiley interviewed Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation). The topic of Stewart’s famed hairless dome came up, ...
Views: 1509(1 vote) - Do You Push When You Could Ride? - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorIt happens to all of us when we desire to fix, change, or shift something: we push when we could ride. What’s that really about? Years back, the guy cutting my hair told me about a conversation he’d had with a co-worker. She had complained that her father had used the push lawnmower on their ...
Views: 1502(1 vote) - Are You Thinking or Processing? - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorSurely, the mental energy you’re giving current (or old) issues is accomplishing something, right? It depends on if you’re thinking or processing. You, too, may appreciate this exchange between Bob Proctor and Leslie Householder when they met, before she wrote her first book that became a ...
Views: 1494(4 votes) - Everything Has a Reason and a Season - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorTrees don’t try to keep their leaves when autumn arrives, nor do they resist new growth in the spring. But, that’s how we sometimes approach our lives. Life asks, insists really, that we engage a continuous shedding and new growth aspect. Maybe you’re trying to hang onto something it’s time ...
Views: 1489(1 vote) - What’s Cluttering Your Life? - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorIf you ever feel overwhelmed, pause for a moment and look around you. More than likely, there’s clutter in your physical (outer) space, which means there’s clutter in your inner space. A funny thing happens when you get rid of clutter in your physical space: you see your life. You lighten up in ...
Views: 1482 - Are You Attached to How Your Life Looks? - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorWhich is more important: the structure of your life or the foundation of who you are? One individual provided an extreme example of why this is important. A friend/coaching client asked me to help him find his footing about a work-related incident. He works in the mental health field where ...
Views: 1479(3 votes) - Is Mainstream the Wrong Stream for You? - by Submitted on Oct 24, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorFor many, mainstream is like a tailored suit; for some, it’s like a straightjacket. Are you swimming in the wrong stream or against the current? Mainstream, in this writing, means demonstrating via your life, work, relationships, etc., an “acceptable” model or role model, as much as ...
Views: 1477(6 votes) - A Different Form of Stress and Management - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorLike any emotion, stress is an individual, personal experience. But there’s one KEY stressor we’d benefit from knowing more and doing something about. One stressor all of us have in common is the stories we tell ourselves and others that tend to be based on our interpretation of the facts of ...
Views: 1474 - Are You a Pantser or an Outliner? - by Submitted on Jun 21, 2016 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorFor some writers, the word “outline” is akin to a four-letter word. It doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, there are successful authors—and I do mean best-selling authors—whose practice is to let their fingers fly and write by the seat of their pants (known as pantsers), but they are few in ...
Views: 1466 - 7 Tips to Manage Overwhelm - by Submitted on Aug 05, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorOverwhelm blocks productivity, creativity, enjoyment… and even income! You can begin to improve this starting today. In my article, “What Does Feeling Overwhelmed Really Mean?”, I mentioned I’d created a mind map. Since then, I revisited my mind map and removed a few things listed there. ...
Views: 1463 - Choosing Faith, Choosing Fear, And Field Of Dreams - A Personal Story - by Submitted on Aug 13, 2008 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorBefore “What the Bleep” . . . before “The Secret” and any other similar movie since . . . there was a film that provided The Key. And, it was so subtle (yet obvious, now) I only just got it nearly two decades later. And, just when I needed it. If you’re not ...
Views: 1463 - What Key Ingredient Is Needed for Joy? - by Submitted on Jun 12, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou can choose joy as easily as you can choose any emotion. But you won’t enjoy your life as much as you could unless you include one key ingredient. Do you enjoy what you have: your key relationships, material items, spiritual awareness and connection to Source, personal traits and ...
Views: 1463(1 vote) - What Exactly Is a Ghost Rewriter, and Why Would You Ever Use This Service? - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2015 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou’re likely aware there are ghostwriters (I love the movie, The Ghost Writer, with Ewan McGregor), but are you aware there are ghost rewriters who provide services as well? Let’s look at what they can do for authors. You seldom see the term “ghost rewriter” used, if you’ve ever seen it at ...
Views: 1458 - Is Someone Telling You That You Are Broken? - by Submitted on Aug 28, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you have a person in your life now (or did) who frequently tells you what’s flawed about you or broken? Do you believe him or her? What might be going on with them, and you? "Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." - Pearl Strachan Hurd I want to share a ...
Views: 1447(4 votes) - Do You Attach Untrue Stories to Experiences? - by Submitted on Apr 25, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorA simple action sent me back, in memory, to the first time I became aware of attaching an untrue story to an experience. See if you recognize your own predilection or habit of doing this. I needed to open a new pint of Half & Half. The container had that opening that requires you pull the ...
Views: 1437(1 vote) - It May Not Be Easy to Forgive But It Is Worth It to YOU - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorWalking through life with resentment is like walking through ankle-deep molasses. You move, but not well, not far, and not fast. Forgiveness, resentment, resistance… let’s look at them. Here’s something about forgiveness from two sources: One old, one new. The Bible, in its various versions ...
Views: 1427(1 vote) - Do You Possess Your Life or Do You Endure It? - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorHere is a partial line from a P.D. James novel: “. . . preserving always the same look of puzzled acceptance of a life which had to be endured rather than possessed.” Do you possess or endure your life (or any part of it) at this moment? Every day, each of us endures something, even if ...
Views: 1425(3 votes) - Does Trying to Be Positive Ever Annoy You? - by Submitted on Dec 16, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorTrying to be positive when that’s not how you feel is kind of like being hungry with a plate of food in front of you, but allowing yourself only a few or no bites. And then there’s the guilt, right? Sometimes it can feel frustrating to me to practice what I preach: Look for and aim at the ...
Views: 1410(1 vote) - A New Way to View Goals and Desired Outcomes - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorGoals and desired outcomes seem to come in two flavors: the ones easier to achieve and the ones we struggle with. There’s a word you can apply to both that can shift the quality of your experiences and take some of the “charge” out of struggle. Goals and desired outcomes—personal and ...
Views: 1408(1 vote) - Nifty Manuscript Revision and Proofreading Tips for Novels - by Submitted on Oct 30, 2015 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou’ve completed the first draft of your novel. Now you’re supposed to follow that pesky rule that requires you do something called a revision—more than once. How can you make this easier? The first thing you need to know is that there are no real shortcuts when it comes to the revision ...
Views: 1402 - Number Your Days and Name Your Blessings - by Submitted on Dec 05, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo your days feel ordinary? Do you feel there are too few blessings in your life? Maybe you’d like to shift this. Let’s look at the second part of the article title first. We tend to put a lot of energy into naming what we want (often stated as “don’t haves”) and not a lot of energy into ...
Views: 1398(1 vote) - An Easy Way New Fiction Writers Can and Should Expand Their Writing Vocabulary - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2015 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorIf you’ve heard this advice for new writers before, it bears repeating: Read novels by other authors, especially, but not solely, in your genre. This is beneficial, but there’s something else you could or should do while you read, to help you improve your writing vocabulary. We all have a ...
Views: 1387 - Fine Tune Your Life for the New Year or Any Time of Year - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorThere’s a simple way to re-focus your time and energy to get a better start and results in a new year—or any time of year—in any area of your life. Just ask yourself the two questions offered here. Two emails I received reminded me about the principle described below. I’d already had in mind ...
Views: 1384(3 votes) - Say Goodbye to New Year Resolutions - by Submitted on Oct 30, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorNo, it isn’t too early to consider this; it is exactly the right time. The very things you do or don’t do about resolutions are what you do right now. And, you can do them differently starting today. First, it’s important to understand why resolutions you make any time fizzle out. For one, ...
Views: 1384(7 votes) - Do You Feel Empty or Full? - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorPerhaps you have certain feelings or longings that are vague, or sharp. These are callings from your soul, drawing attention to areas of you that need to be filled. At one time or another, you may feel one or more of the following: -Depressed or at least that you could feel ...
Views: 1383(1 vote) - Is Your Life Really the Same Old Thing? - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you ever say or get the response to the question about how things are going, “Same old, same old,” or something similar? What does this really mean? I woke and, still under the covers, said my statement of “Good morning. Thank you for another day.” My ego-mind followed with the thought, ...
Views: 1383(1 vote) - Maybe It Is All in Your Mind - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorWhere do you experience most of your life? Is the majority of activity outside of you or inside your mind? I was with a person who, as other times before, talked about what’s perceived as wrong in her life, wrong with others, and recounted past events shared from a negative perspective. Yet, ...
Views: 1383(1 vote) - Tips for Aspiring Writers: Tighten Your Writing - by Submitted on May 06, 2008 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorWhat does tighten your writing mean? What Blaise Pascal wrote gives you an idea: “The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter.” Though Pascal was a mathematician and physicist turned religious philosopher, his point benefits every ...
Views: 1383(1 vote) - Does Your To-Do or Goals List Overwhelm You? - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorLists are handy to help you stay organized. But, what if your list leads you into overwhelm instead of focus, achievement, and fulfillment? One of my newsletter readers emailed that he was not able to focus or move forward on any of his goals, and included a list of almost thirty items he’d ...
Views: 1381(4 votes) - Has Approval Been Your “Currency” Exchange in Life, Business, and Relationships? - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorAll the strategies, systems, programs, books you’ve invested in that haven’t shifted your prosperity or life experience may have missed one key point. You may not realize approval, rather than value-for-value, is your imprinted “currency” exchange. Expectations and limiting beliefs introduced ...
Views: 1371(4 votes) - Is Self-Esteem an Issue for You? - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorAre you a member of the Low Self-Esteem and Self-Worth Club? What you’re about to read may inspire you to cancel your membership. One of the times you feel low self-esteem and self-worth is when you’re around someone you believe, according to your perception, has more going for them than you ...
Views: 1359(2 votes) - See You in the Konga Line - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2007 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorI learned about a great bumper sticker: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself.” The same day I saw the bumper sticker phrase, I got an email from a friend telling me about how life is not working and the reasons why. I didn’t find one “can” in there or “I intend.” ...
Views: 1349 - Can Goals, Strategies, and Systems Prevent Your Success? - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorGoals, Strategies, and Systems vs. Magnetic Visions. What thoughts are triggered when you consider this? Which one feels like a better “ride” for you? Wallace Wattles wrote in his book, The Science of Getting Rich — “Man is a thinking center, and can originate thought. All the forms that ...
Views: 1345(2 votes) - Characters and Dialogue - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2014 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorA novel, and even a memoir, will have characters and dialogue. You want to make sure dialogue is easy to read, sounds natural, and does what it’s meant to. Good character development in fiction includes making characters’ voices so distinctive that readers can tell who’s talking without ...
Views: 1337 - Do You Yell at the Movie Screen of Your Life? - by Submitted on May 03, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorIf you find you don’t like a movie, you don’t yell at the screen to change. But, is that what you do about your life? I’d decided to use the Ho’oponopono method to work on old program tapes that run in my subconscious. If you’re going to aim at a target so you can hit it consistently, you ...
Views: 1333(1 vote) - Setting the Scene: Fiction and Non-Fiction (Including Memoirs) - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2014 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorScene setting, whether that’s for fiction or non-fiction, which includes memoir, is all-important to give readers a sense of time and place as they read. And, you want to provide setting early in each scene or segment, and as you go. You can provide scene setting through narrative, as well as ...
Views: 1331 - How Big Does Your Dream Need to Be? - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorMany individuals don’t go after their dream because they don’t think they can, should, it’s too small, or “don’t know” what it is. Are any of these holding you back? Two inspirational videos were emailed to me: one about a dog named Ricochet and one about Rudy Ruettiger, for whom the popular ...
Views: 1328(1 vote) - Does a Road Trip Parallel a Life Journey? - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you ever wonder if you’re on the right road of your life? If this is or has been your experience, how did you manage yourself? A friend and I took a road trip using her GPS to get us from New York City to Louisiana. We wanted to beat the anticipated July Fourth traffic, so left Thursday ...
Views: 1327(2 votes) - Do You Practice Self-Help or Shelf-Help? - by Submitted on Sep 11, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou invest in a book or program to improve something about you or your life. Do you take what it offers as far as is appropriate for you or as far as the bookshelf? Does this pattern show up in other areas of your life? We all have things in our lives we move forward on with no problem, ...
Views: 1325(3 votes) - What Is Your Core Safety Switch That Stops Your Success? - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2009 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou may have a core “switch” set to keep you safe. What if self-sabotage is actually your switch doing its job? Maybe it’s time you give this a closer look. You can apply what follows to any area of your life where you feel attaining success is a struggle, but let’s start with ...
Views: 1324(9 votes) - Do You Know What the Trinity of Self-Realization and Authenticity Is? - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you ever feel inauthentic, like you wear a mask over what you believe you know, or fear, about who you really are? The trinity can help you follow the path to your authentic-self destination. I read Flip the S.W.I.T.C.H. (How to Turn On and Turn Up Your Mindset) by PJ McClure, The Mindset ...
Views: 1322(1 vote) - Do You Really Need an Editor for Your Novel or Non-Fiction Book? - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2016 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorYou’ve probably read or heard that you should have your manuscript edited. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? I’ll get to the editing part in a moment. There’s something else to cover first. Something you really need to know, especially if you’re a novice author. You see, it’s the ...
Views: 1316 - Living with BS Also Known as Belief Systems - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2012 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorI once wrote that beliefs change, Truths never do. But how can we know which is which; and, why should we concern ourselves with the difference? Belief Systems, which author David Brown humorously (and somewhat accurately, when you think about it) referred to as BS, are concepts we cling to ...
Views: 1315(1 vote) - Costs of Becoming a Writer - by Submitted on Sep 20, 2014 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorThere’s a lot involved in becoming a self-published or traditionally published author, but there’s nothing like seeing your efforts in a paperback or hardback copy you hold in your hands. Your dream becomes your reality, and it’s a feeling of accomplishment you don’t soon forget. But it’s also a ...
Views: 1313 - Some Beneficial Tips for New Fiction Authors - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2015 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorLet’s start with what is for some writers akin to a four-letter word: Outline. Yes, there are successful authors—and I do mean best-selling authors—whose practice is to let their fingers fly and write by the seat of their pants (known as pantsers), but they are few in number. These authors may ...
Views: 1309 - Life Is Not Supposed to Be All About Problems - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorDo you wake every day, move through your day, and go to bed with problems on your mind? Maybe you’d like to do something about that right now. What can you do that’s quick? Reframe the problem or your perceptions about it to make a difference, even if just a small shift at first. I ...
Views: 1308(1 vote) - Is It Time to Simplify? - by Submitted on Sep 18, 2011 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorCould a lesson from Super Nanny apply to you and your personal and professional life? If you feel stressed and overwhelmed… yeah. The parents Super Nanny Jo Frost went to help were well-meaning—they wanted to give their children the best head start in life. Unfortunately, this meant not only ...
Views: 1307(1 vote) - Need to Amp Up Your Motivation and Commitment? - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorCan a simple statement really get you motivated to start, do, or improve something you’re putting off? Let’s find out. Think of something you desire to be different, or feel challenged about following through on. See or feel it in your mind’s eye. Really connect with it. Now, say to yourself, ...
Views: 1301(2 votes) - To-Do vs. Inspired-to-Do - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2010 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorI’m a solopreneur who enjoys what I do; so I was amazed when I woke one morning not wanting to do any of it! I had to assess what had happened and flip it. It started the prior week, and proved to be a needed reminder of what I’d discovered about to-do vs. inspired-to-do, and temporarily ...
Views: 1301(3 votes) - Common Mistakes New and Indie Writers Sometimes Make - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2015 from Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorThere is a lot to keep in mind when you write a novel, memoir, or other non-fiction book. Enthusiasm is great to have and necessary for getting that first draft and subsequent revisions done. But here are some common issues I frequently see in manuscripts from clients. Are any of them ones you ...
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