"The Best way out is always through." Really, Robert Frost!?!

I need a Mantra. I want to finish my book. I want to spend more time writing this blog and other articles as it brings me joy. Lately, I have not written anything. No book editing, no blogs, no thought provoking stories no witty sayings. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I have just been slacking and I could not, for whatever reason, get the words on the paper for at least four months now.

After pondering this, I now think that's because I had to go through what I had to go through. My 'being' time. As Robert Frost is quoted saying, "The best way out is always through." I remember a therapist telling me this once. I almost threw a few books at her. Never quote this when one is going through a dark time in their lives. Emotional darkness can bring great physical strength.

I am a positive person. Positivity is one of my strengths according to the StrengthFinder assessment. I own positivity so much so that when those times come that I can't motivate myself to 'do' something, I fall into a million pieces.

I talked to several of my allies during this time and the message I kept getting is "The best way out is always through." So I went through whatever it was.And, here I am. Through "it", with several decisions firmly made. One is to write. I have joined a challenge to write 750 words in the month of September here: 750words.com. If I succeed, I get an online badge. Positivity strength people love badges.

In my "Brainy, Gutsy, Yippee, Champs" Master Mind group, my friend Dana Wilde, author of "Train Your Brain" suggested I find a Mantra for my writing. She is the mantra queen. What her book says about this is to use perfect language. Easy instructions:

1. Make your statement in the positive.

2. Make your statement as though it has already happened or already been resolved.

3. Make your statement believable.

4. Go for the positive emotional impact. Avoid wishy-washy language.

So, here is my Mantra:

"I am a prolific writer. My book is inspiring women to fully own their lives and be intentional and be great leaders. My writings create great conversations, which in turn feed my writing. It is an endless circle. Writing brings others and me great joy and laughter. I am greatly rewarded for my writing."

There! That's it! I own it! I just followed the instructions and voila! Sometimes it's as easy as following the instructions step by step. Thank you #DanaWilde!

Here's the other part about writing. I have my wonderful MasterMind group keeping me accountable. At our meeting yesterday, they simply asked "How can we help you?" I didn't know the answer when they asked that question, but I knew I wanted to answer it. I knew I wanted to take them up on the offer to help. I told them I would think about it and get back to them.

I put some thought into it and sent the following email to them:

Thought about my writing accountability. Here it is:

“I will email to you all every day the number of pages I have rewritten/reviewed along with my writing mantra…which I’m going to sleep on and ask the cosmos for guidance.

You have full permission to delete each of these emails without responding daily, but I do ask that you acknowledge my forward movement at least once a week until I am complete.

Reasonable for you?”

They responded 'yes'. How could they not after they offered to help. I think my 'ask' was pretty clear, too. I am big on getting clarity for what it is you are asking for. The best case scenario is they will say 'yes' and if they say 'no', it is always negotiable because in the end people who offer us help want us to be successful and want themselves put to good use.

So I have my Mantra and my accountability partners. I am on my way and I can tell you that getting into action after trying to find my way 'out' is feeling great. I also know that when I was 'in' there, I was noodling around all the ideas of what I would be moving forward with. So, in the end, thank you Robert Frost. I apologize that I scoffed at your beautiful words earlier on.

Gutsy Learnings from this experience:

1. Be patient as life's process is sometimes slower than the speed we want to go.

2. Create a mantra that inspires you and repeat it, out loud, daily, often. It is a very uplifting thing to hear your voice being so positive.

3. Writing 750 words a day is a lot of words.