Being a writer can be a very lonely existence. It is down to you to keep motivated when writer's block kicks in, or your novel just doesn't seem to be flowing as you would have liked. I thought I would share with you the daily mantras I use to keep my focus and confidence in myself on track. I hope they will help you as much as they have helped me over the years. Place them around your study so they will inspire you to keep writing when you have those moments of self-doubt.

1. Do not stop developing yourself just because people are intimidated by you. Do one thing to add value to your life today. 

2. Along with self-improvement comes an improved sense of self-awareness; with awareness comes a level of determined resolve to never act below who you truly are within. With self-awareness, you become empowered and resolute to never seek meaning from things that do not add value to your intrinsic self. 

3. People around you suffer every time you take a leave of absence from yourself. Each time you act below your capacity, someone somewhere suffers grave consequences. 

4. We are all walking a different life path, different routes. Your friend’s route will not be yours. Where are you headed? Will your actions today take you closer to your desired destination or take you someplace else? 

5. Replace the pressure to people please but take actions that will transport you to the future you want to have. 

6. Learn to give yourself a rational reason for every course of action you want to take, especially in your writing career.

7. Define your ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Whilst it may be difficult to know what you want, you must not leave your success to chance. 

8. Stay in control. Your joy, happiness, and peace of mind are always under your control. Don't lose control and relinquish that control to someone else or some event or thing. Repossessing that control, once lost, comes at a high price. 

9. Be totally self-conscious about what occupies your mind. Do not gamble with intrusive thoughts. Tame them as soon as they make their way in. 

10. Remember the picture that keeps popping up in your head about yourself being a successful writer? Hold onto it and never lose grasp of it, not even when all hope is lost. Actually, that’s when you should hold on to it the most.

11. Personality types – introversion and extroversion are overrated. Choose to be interesting, fun to be around, and just genuinely enjoy people’s company. The problem usually begins with overthinking, so stop overthinking situations.

12. Be conversational. Learn conversation tips, build a list of conversation starters and be genuinely open to knowing people. Be relatable and fun to be with (especially at networking events).

13. Help people when you can, be there for them with no expectation to have the kindness returned. Always be content with saying ‘thank you’. That phrase exists for a reason.

14. Today, no self-doubting. No second-guessing. No negative thoughts. Think positive vibes and act spontaneously. That’s where all the exciting stuff happens. 

15. Everybody must not be your friend and you do not have to be friends with everyone. There is no good enough reason to tolerate negative or disrespectful people. 

16. Surround yourself with people that encourage you to be your true self. Any relationship that expects any less, is the wrong relationship. 

17. Fall in love with yourself and accept all of you. Give yourself permission to explore what you love. You are worth the risk. 

18. Rather than spending plenty of time thinking of all that could possibly go wrong and how embarrassed you might be if that happens, choose to think instead of all that could go right and how exciting or overwhelming success might be.

19. Stop apologizing for who you are. Give yourself permission to be the person you were destined to be. Stop apologizing for who you are. Stop apologizing for who you are not. 

20. No matter how hungry you are, you cannot insist your gas cooker cooks a meal faster than the required cooking time for that
meal, except you want to eat an undercooked meal. Allow yourself time to evolve – the time to serve yourself will eventually come. Be patient.