The Psychology of Hope is a phenom that has been researched by many with the goal of finding an enduring level of happiness.  We should ask ourselves some questions at this time of year as we look forward to our writing life and publishing adventures for 2009.

• What are my barriers to becoming happier with my writing and/or publishing efforts in 2009?
• How can I raise my level of happiness and be more productive in these areas in 2009?
• What factors are under my control when I visualize my success in 2009?
• Am I truly optimistic about my writing and/or my publishing future?

The BARRIERS to becoming happier in our writing and publishing goals could be in the genetic mix we have brought to our writing, both the positive stories and ideas of our life, and the negatives that make for a good story.  In all writing, we flush out what will stifle our creativity and launch what will be an experience like no other for the reader.  This is where we do our revisions over and over again until it feels like it is the best we can do and is time to move to an editor’s side.  In our heart we will know when this time is right.  It is our voice.  Do not take this part for granted and believe in your expectations!

The RAISING of the level of happiness is centered around our life’s circumstances and has so much to do with our social life, the negative emotions we choose to carry along with us (some make for good writing), the money and health issues of our time, our diversity in education, race, culture and gender and of course our religion and spiritual quest. 

• Remember, any of these areas can be the beginning of a great day of writing and the pivotal event topic for an essay, poem, movie script or a best selling book! 
• Know that what makes you happy in your writing is what you need to write, no matter what it is because it is what must get out.  
• Take an inventory of yourself, your positives and negatives, and then write. 
• Go easy on your critical eye and write with fierce abandon.  It is what you will want to publish and will publish after the editor’s eye is done.  
• Do not put it in the back of the closet with that other manuscript you wrote 10 years ago! 

The FACTORS under your control relating to your past are not to be dwelled on unless they are part of your research for a great piece of writing or for learning what you will do differently with your next publication.  Most research shows that early past events do not influence our lives much, but that recent past events can and will if we go there. 

• Go back with the idea that you are savoring the events only to learn and grow for the new year.  
• Remember that you are grateful for the experiences and the opportunities they afford. 
• Be available to yourself for forgiveness. 
• Know that we all make mistakes – that is life – there is a new year dawning.  Everyone has released something – an essay, a book, a poem, a script, a short story – that they wish they could do over again. 
• Do the work – you can revise it a little and produce it under another ISBN number. 
• Change the title in some small way and re-launch that baby and clelebrate! 
• Live in the now, look to the future, enjoy the moment! 
• Rejoice in the new year and feel liberated from the past year in any way that works for you so you are free to write and produce beautiful work.  The world is waiting.

The present is always under your control because it is your body, mind, soul and spirit that is at work to produce your work, develop your creativity and spring forth your voice to the world.  Allow yourself all the pleasures of nature and the universe.  Be mindful of the beauty that abounds so your writing is pure and free, yours and pleasurable for us. 

The OPTIMISM for your future in writing and publishing will be increased automatically with the actions taken above.  You will feel free to write your daily “to-do-list” and your monthly goals of at least three major items that you want to achieve that month.  Your annual list of 12 objectives to attain for 2009 will happen.  Practice mindfulness, that awareness of the moment at all times. 

Try contemplating the thoughts noted below and “clear the plate” before you write any goals or objectives, remembering the strategies are the action (the how) and the objectives are the destination (the what) you want to reach with the goals or the steps. 

• Do not put unrealistic expectations on yourself. 
• Feel empathy for yourself and your situation. 
• Forgive yourself for anything that did not happen last year.
• Communicate exactly what it is you want and will do and expect. 
• Hold on to that vision for the good times and the challenging moments, they will return.
• Envison the most important thing you have to do in 2009.
• Breakdown the challenges in your way.
• Evaluate the subconscious feelings you have about goal setting.
• Determine the big “payoff” for doing this activity.

Best Wishes and Happy New Year – God bless you and keep you in 2009!

“Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, and Live every day as if it were your last.”     Irish Proverb

Patricia L. Brooks

Publishing Consultant, Brooks Goldmann Publishing Company, LLC