November 20, 2024 • 23 mins
In today’s Author Revolution Podcast, we’re exploring a hidden barrier that’s holding many indie authors back from success: nervous system dysregulation.
Your nervous system plays a crucial role in your creativity, productivity, and even your ability to manifest success. When it’s out of alignment, you may feel burnt out, stuck, or even blocked in your writing journey. In this episode, we break down why this happens and share five actionable tips to help reset your nervous system for optimal creative flow.
If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of stress and unlock your full creative potential, tune in to learn how a balanced nervous system can be the key to your thriving author career.
Are you an author at a crossroads, feeling stuck & unfulfilled in your author career? Do you know deep down it's time for a change, but you’re unsure of the next step?
The High Vibe Author is the only transformational membership designed specifically for authors like you—those who are ready to break free from limitations & step into the abundant life they deserve. Click here to learn more.
Indie publishing wasn’t built for neurodivergent minds—so let’s change that. Inside Author Revolution on Substack, I share exclusive insights on writing, publishing, and manifestation for ND authors. Plus, explore my neurospicy romcoms & urban fantasy worlds. Want to go deeper? Get access to Manifest Differently: The Deep End, my private podcast. Follow now: 👉 authorrevolution.org/substack
Thank you for tuning into the Author Revolution Podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. For more insights and inspiration, visit Author Revolution. Don't forget to follow us on social media for updates and exclusive content:
Go forth and start your author revolution!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Carissa Andrews (00:02):
Welcome to the Author Revolution podcast, where
change is not just embraced,it's celebrated.
I'm Carissa Andrews,international bestselling author
, indie author coach and yournavigator through the
ever-evolving landscape ofauthorship.
Are you ready to harness thepower of your mind and the
latest innovations in technologyfor your writing journey?
If you're passionate aboutmanifesting your dreams and
(00:25):
pioneering new writing frontiers, then you're in the perfect
place.
Here we merge the mystical wooof writing with the exciting
advancements of the modern world.
We dive into the realms ofmindset, manifestation and the
transformative magic that occurswhen you believe in the
impossible.
We also venture into the worldof futuristic technologies and
(00:46):
strategies, preparing you forthe next chapter in your author
career.
Every week, we explore new waysto revolutionize your writing
and publishing experience, fromAI to breakthrough thinking.
This podcast is your gateway toa world where creativity meets
innovation.
Whether you're penning yourfirst novel or expanding your
literary empire, whether you'rea devotee of the pen or a
(01:09):
digital storyteller, thispodcast is where your author
revolution gains momentum.
So join me in this journey tocontinue growth and
transformation.
It's time to redefine what itmeans to be an author in today's
dynamic world.
This is the Author RevolutionPodcast, and your author
revolution starts now.
Hey there, revolutionaryauthors, welcome to the Author
(01:36):
Revolution Podcast.
Today's episode is going to be adeep one.
We're talking about somethingthat many of us don't even
realize is affecting our careers, but it's absolutely critical
to understand if we want to seethe results that we're striving
for as an author and I kind ofalluded to it last week.
But are you ready for this?
Your nervous system issabotaging your author career.
(02:00):
Yep, you heard me right.
If you've been feeling burntout, stuck or like you're
constantly spinning your wheelsbut not moving forward, there's
a good chance that your nervoussystem is actually out of
alignment.
And if it's dysregulated, it'snot just affecting your
creativity or motivation.
It's preventing you frommanifesting the success you
(02:20):
deserve, because yourmanifestations are actually
misfiring.
So stick with me today as wedig into what nervous system
dysregulation really is, howit's holding you back from
achieving your author goals and,most importantly, how you can
get back into alignment tofinally start seeing the
progress and success you've beendreaming about.
And at the end, I've got fivepowerful tips to help you
(02:42):
realign and reclaim yourcreative flow.
So let's start with the basicsabout your nervous system.
So your nervous system isresponsible for regulating how
you respond to stress,creativity and productivity.
It's made up of two main partsthe sympathetic nervous system,
(03:02):
which is your fight or flightresponse, and the
parasympathetic nervous system,which is your rest and digest
state.
Ideally, these two systems workin harmony, allowing you to
respond to challenges whilegiving you space to relax and
recover.
But here's where things get alittle tricky.
When we're constantly pushingourselves, especially in
high-stress environments likethe indie author world, where
we're trying to write, publishand market, and do all of it
(03:22):
faster, we end up living in astate of chronic stress.
Our sympathetic nervous system,then, is firing on all
cylinders, and ourparasympathetic nervous system,
the one that helps us relax andrecharge, gets sidelined.
Over time.
This really leads to what'scalled nervous system
dysregulation.
Instead of shifting naturallybetween periods of high focus
(03:43):
and rest, we get stuck inoverdrive.
Our bodies and our minds areconstantly in the state of high
alert, and that's when burnouthits.
Now, it's different foreverybody, but the chronic
stress doesn't just affect howwe feel physically.
It impacts everything,including our creativity, our
decision making and our abilityto stay in the flow.
(04:06):
Now here's where things get evenmore interesting, at least to
me, if you're someone who's intomanifestation and I know a lot
of you are.
You've probably heard the ideathat like attracts, like right.
In other words, the energy youput into the world is the energy
that you get back.
But when your nervous system isdysregulated, that whole
process gets thrown off.
When you're stuck in a constantstate of stress or burnout,
(04:30):
your body is in survival mode,and when you're in survival mode
, it's almost impossible toalign with the high vibe energy
that manifestation requires.
You might be setting intentionsor working on visualizations,
but your nervous system is inchaos.
So you're likely attractingjust more of that chaos, right?
More stress, more struggle,more of that feeling of being
(04:51):
stuck.
So here's one of the thingsthat I really need you to know.
When I was working this summer,I didn't realize I was in
complete burnout and things weregoing wonky everywhere, and the
more I was looking at what Iwanted to do or what I wanted to
be, or how I wanted to show upor how I wanted money to be, the
worse it got.
(05:12):
It was like everything that Iwas trying to get into,
everything I was trying tocreate, was falling apart.
Now there's a certain level inthis place where, when you are
manifesting something, whenyou're calling something new in,
the old has to fall apart.
The old ways have to fall apart.
Your old mindsets, your oldbelief systems, they have to
fall apart.
But there's also a level oflike you're calling something in
(05:35):
and it's going oh, you wantless, here you go and you're
going what?
No, no.
So if you've been putting in thework, if you've been taking the
action and setting the goals,like I definitely was but you're
still not seeing the resultsthat you want in your author
career, nervous systemdysregulation might be the
(05:56):
missing link.
And here's the kicker you can'tjust hustle your way through it
.
The more you push withoutaddressing the underlying issues
, the more you'll stay stuck.
So here we go, don't worry,there's good news.
Right, you can reset yournervous system, and when you do,
you'll notice a massivedifference in how you feel and
how you create.
I know I certainly have.
(06:17):
So let's dive into the fivetips that will help you get back
into alignment and reclaim yourcreative flow.
Number one prioritize rest andrecovery.
So this is obviously number onefor a lot of reasons, but first
and foremost, you need to giveyourself permission to rest, and
I don't just mean a quick breakbetween writing sessions either
(06:37):
.
I'm talking about realrestorative rest, the kind that
lets your parasympatheticnervous system kick back in and
take over, so this might meanscheduling days off right,
getting very clear boundariesaround your work, or even taking
short breaks from writingaltogether.
That was definitely somethingthat happened for me, like I had
(06:58):
to take a time away fromeverything just to do what I
needed to do.
I could not continue in thepath that I was going, and so
what I did was started going indeeper.
I spent more time in meditationtrying to figure out, which
that's not the right term either.
Trying to do anything.
Is you trying to forcesomething right?
So I was.
(07:18):
Just I probably was forcing itin the beginning.
Come to think of it, I wasprobably trying to pull in and
trying to make myself understand, but what ended up happening
was the more time I gave myselfto just meditate, to be in flow,
to allow myself to, you know,get through a meditation and do
whatever.
I started getting new glimpsesof things that I could try, and
(07:40):
one of the biggest ones thatactually came from that is doing
heart coherence, and I'llprobably do a podcast episode on
heart coherence on its own, butI've done a masterclass on this
.
So definitely, if you'reinterested, check out the master
class membership, because it'sgot that master class in it.
It's so important that we getour heart back into coherence.
(08:00):
The heart is really the sourceof how we get into nervous
system regulation, how we getback in on a daily basis and
remind our nervous system it'sokay, you're safe, you're cool,
right, there's a whole bunch ofstuff that goes on there, but I
just want you to understand thatnervous system regulation can
stem from your breath and heartcoherence, and I learned that
(08:22):
through just giving myself somemore time.
So, speaking of that, numbertwo is actually grounding
yourself with mindfulness ormeditation and, like I just said
, I spent more time in thatplace.
I spent more time likeliterally my whole morning was
what it was looking like duringthe summer.
I was spending from about nineo'clock in the morning till
about noon was my meditation andworkout time, and the
(08:46):
meditation part was actually thelongest right.
So the workout was, I don'tknow, 25 to 35 minutes.
It was not that long, but therest of that time was meditation
and just getting into thatmindfulness zone, and what
happens is like mindfulness andmeditation.
They're really just two of themost effective tools when it
comes to calming your nervoussystem and bringing your body
(09:06):
out of that fight or flight mode, particularly if you can
combine it with heart coherence.
If you're someone who spends alot of time in your mind and if
you're doing a lot ofvisualizations or guided
meditations or hypnosis,sometimes that can actually
trigger like less of a heartcoherence because you are, you
(09:29):
know, visualizing things.
You're trying to put yourselfin that state.
It's almost that trying thatbutts you up against the problem
again.
So if you're finding thatyou're spending too much time
trying like forcing, efforting,trying to get yourself into that
place, even spending more timeliterally just focusing on your
breath, deep breaths in, deepbreaths out that's going to help
(09:49):
you a lot more than anymeditation really well.
But even five or 10 minutes aday of quiet reflection can
really help you regulate yourstress response and bring your
energy back into balance,because that's just really it's
so important, right?
You can also incorporate simplebreathing exercises.
So, like I was saying before,breath work is really important
(10:10):
with heart coherence.
I personally like breathing infor five and out for five,
letting it be very much like awave, going in and out and
focusing on my heart center,focusing on like the particles
of the universe of love, likethe love particles going through
my heart and back out throughmy heart, and when I start
feeling my heart center warm,that I know I'm on the right
track.
(10:30):
Right, and when you fit thatinto your daily routine, all of
this stuff together can triggeryour parasympathetic nervous
system to calm back down and ithelps you, honestly, stay a lot
more present.
Okay so, number three I want youto set realistic, aligned goals
.
So we've been talking aboutthis a lot this past couple of
weeks, because we've beentalking about this a lot this
(10:51):
past couple of weeks, becausewe've been talking about, you
know, creating your own six weeksuccess writing sprint.
We've been talking about thereasons why the indie author
industry is setting you up forfailure.
All of this comes togetherright, because we're trying to
create an author career inalignment with who we are and
there's a certain degree ofwhere we're trying to.
(11:11):
You know, we're trying to pushourselves to be in a place of
growth, but we also need to berealistic about who we are and
what feels good and trust thatwe can be guided into that right
place, right.
One of the reasons our nervoussystem gets so dysregulated is
that we're constantly chasingunrealistic or misaligned goals.
(11:34):
Listen to that again.
We're chasing unrealistic ormisaligned goals and I know that
has definitely been the casefor me because I'm a high
achiever.
I love doing a lot of things.
I love proving people wrongwhen they say, oh, you can't do
that, and I'm like, watch me.
I love proving people wrongwhen they say, oh, you can't do
that and I'm like, watch me.
(11:54):
But the thing is that is notcoming from a place when I do it
that way of true alignment orlike who I really want to be, at
least not anymore.
It might have been when I was alittle bit younger, but now
that I'm, you know, on the otherside of my mid 40s, the last
thing I want to do is beconstantly on the go and I want
to have that reflection time.
I want to have that downtime.
I want to be in that state offlow and alignment.
(12:16):
So if you're pushing yourself towrite tons of books every
single year and it doesn't fityour lifestyle or your creative
process, that's going to causestress.
It's going to cause stress inyour mind and it's going to be
put into your body and unlessthat stress can be relieved
through, like somatic exercises,through breath work, through
heart coherence.
(12:37):
It's going to stay there andit's going to continue to cause
problems with your nervoussystem.
So instead, I want you to takea step back and reassess your
goals.
Are they realistic?
Do you feel aligned with yourcurrent energy levels?
Do you feel aligned with theway that you're doing this thing
?
Is it still lighting you up theway that it was before?
(12:57):
I know I've had to do that too.
This year was definitely one ofthose.
Is this still in alignment forme?
Do I still want to do thisthing this way?
And because of that I was ableto be more creative and shake up
the way that I show up, and soit's done a lot of realignment
for myself and I really feelmore in flow than I did,
(13:20):
definitely this summer.
Oh, my gosh right.
So adjusting your expectationsand allowing space for ease into
your goals can reduce stress,and it just makes the writing
process feel so much moreenjoyable, not like something
that you have to white knuckleyour way through.
Okay, so number four move yourbody.
So this is why I was doingexercises in the morning.
(13:43):
I was doing my workouts firstthing in the morning, because I
know how much energy gets stuckin the body and if we don't move
it, it just stays there.
So physical movement it's apowerful way to release the
stress, especially when you'redoing things that are more
caring to your body, like yogaor a walk in nature or dancing,
things like that.
It can help release that builtup tension in your body.
(14:05):
And when we're sitting at ourdesk writing all day, funnily
enough our bodies actually gettense.
So it's not just like they'regetting tense because we're
stressed out although we couldbe, that could be an added
tension but the tension isfeeding from our mental state
and into our mental state.
So it's this like I don't knowcycle that just keeps going
(14:25):
around and around and it's notgoing to help you to reset your
body and to get back into yournatural state.
So movement isn't just aboutphysical health.
It's about letting go of themental clutter too, and I've
taught this a lot from the verybeginning, like even in like
right frame of mind, my book.
I talked about why movement isso important and it's just, it's
(14:47):
a way to be able to releasethat, that tension, that energy,
to get out the, the stuff thatis stored in the body and it
just helps you to feel more inalignment because your body is
here to move, like, literally,we are 3D people.
We're 3D humans living a 3Dexperience, and if we're not
going to use our 3D you know,physical body to move in it,
(15:11):
we're going to cause problemsand decay to our body, and we
don't want that because we needit.
We need it to live, to supportourselves, to do the things we
want to do, and it just feelsbetter to move.
Endorphins get released.
All the good stuff, right, okay.
So number five a supportivewriting environment.
So I really want you tosurround yourself with
supportive people who understandyou specifically and also the
(15:35):
ups and downs of the writingjourney, because I think it's
really crucial that we have acrew of people around us that
are in that flow, thatunderstand the trials and
tribulations, and this is one ofthe reasons why I created the
First Draft Fellowship inside ofthe Revolutionary Authors
membership.
You might have remembered thatfrom a couple of weeks ago, I
(15:57):
created this membership, butthen also the like the group to
be able to help us.
It's a space to connect withothers who are working on their
projects, doing writing sprintsand supporting each other,
especially when things get tough.
But I've also built it into myhigh vibe author membership too,
where every single one of mymemberships has like an element
of community built into it sothat we can lean on people who
(16:19):
are of like mind.
So in high vibe, those are thepeople who are, you know, trying
to learn manifestation,abundance mindset, let go of
poverty mindset, all the things.
And with the revolutionaryauthors it's all about, you know
, strategy.
How do we get these things done?
What's the best way to makethis thing happen?
Not all of those people areinto manifestation, and I
(16:40):
totally get that, and so there'selements of like the community
in both.
And when you have a communitythat has your back, it's so much
easier to stay grounded andmotivated, even during the
challenging times.
And that's part of the reasonwhy I created these memberships,
because I want to be there tosupport people.
I've said this before and I'llsay it again.
(17:01):
I'll just keep, you know,hammering the nail down.
I am a number one relator and Iget the most joy out of seeing
people feel good, like I.
I grew up with a brother with abrain tumor.
I understand, you know howimportant it is that someone
shows up and cares, and I havean aunt who has down syndrome, I
(17:23):
have an uncle who hasschizophrenia there's a lot of
things that have been like.
I've been personally surroundedby that.
It makes me understand just howeveryone not just those guys,
right how everyone needs someoneto understand them.
And because I had those peoplein my life and it was it was up
(17:44):
to me to be able to notcompletely up to me, but it was
something that I enjoyed.
I was probably always a numberone relator when I look back,
but I enjoyed taking that moment.
I enjoyed being able to bethere with them and for them and
share time with them.
And so, for me, I like to dothat even with my students.
I like to know what theirchallenges are, I like to know
(18:04):
that they're doing better.
I like to know that they'regrowing.
I like to know that what I'vetaught them is helping, and I
like to know that I can count onthem as well as friends, right,
because this is like abeautiful community where we
give and take together.
It's so wonderful.
(18:25):
So if you've been feeling stuckor burnt out or like
manifestation just isn't workingthe way that it should, I want
you to take a look at thatnervous system.
Yeah, is it in alignment, orare you in that constant state
of stress and overdrive?
By prioritizing your rest, yourmindfulness, setting realistic
goals, getting some movement inand surrounding yourself with
the community, you can resetyour system and start to see the
(18:48):
progress that you've beenreally working so hard for Now.
Before I go, I just want to say, too, that, like literally
right now, colin and I are onour way home, and so I've
recorded this podcast episode inadvance because we're going to
be at AuthorNation.
And now for you guys, for youlistening right now, that means
AuthorNation has alreadyhappened, but for me, when I'm
(19:09):
recording this in October,authornation has not yet
happened.
It's like this weird time loopy, jumpy thing.
But next week, when you hearthe next new episode of the
Author Revolution podcast, I'mgoing to be sharing the
experience of Author Nation whatit was like at that inaugural
event, how my presentation went,all the things.
So I'll be dishing on all ofthat stuff.
So I hope that you are lookingforward to that as much as I am.
(19:33):
Okay, guys, so if this episoderesonated with you and you want
to explore these concepts deeper, I'd love for you to check out
my High Vibe Author Membership.
It's a space where we dive intomindset, energy, alignment and
building the author career ofyour dreams, all while staying
in balance.
And if you want to get today'stranscript or the link to the
resources I just mentioned, likeHigh Vibe Author Membership or
(19:56):
Revolutionary Authors Membership, just head over to
authorrevolutionorg.
Forward slash 262.
And you'll be able to find itall right there.
Having you here is such a joyfor me and I wish I could see
your faces.
I wish I could talk to you whenyou hear this podcast episode.
I wish we had more of adiscussion going on about it.
(20:18):
Feel free to reach out on anyof the social medias.
I'm hanging out more and moreon Instagram, specifically, and
TikTok, so feel free to come by,leave me your comments so that
I can make sure that I amsharing in the awesomeness with
you.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday, guys.
Until next time, keep writing,keep creating, go forth and
(20:40):
start your author revolution.
Thank you.
Welcome to the Author Revolution podcast, where
change is not just embraced,it's celebrated.
I'm Carissa Andrews,international bestselling author
, indie author coach and yournavigator through the
ever-evolving landscape ofauthorship.
Are you ready to harness thepower of your mind and the
latest innovations in technologyfor your writing journey?
If you're passionate aboutmanifesting your dreams and
(00:25):
pioneering new writing frontiers, then you're in the perfect
place.
Here we merge the mystical wooof writing with the exciting
advancements of the modern world.
We dive into the realms ofmindset, manifestation and the
transformative magic that occurswhen you believe in the
impossible.
We also venture into the worldof futuristic technologies and
(00:46):
strategies, preparing you forthe next chapter in your author
career.
Every week, we explore new waysto revolutionize your writing
and publishing experience, fromAI to breakthrough thinking.
This podcast is your gateway toa world where creativity meets
innovation.
Whether you're penning yourfirst novel or expanding your
literary empire, whether you'rea devotee of the pen or a
(01:09):
digital storyteller, thispodcast is where your author
revolution gains momentum.
So join me in this journey tocontinue growth and
transformation.
It's time to redefine what itmeans to be an author in today's
dynamic world.
This is the Author RevolutionPodcast, and your author
revolution starts now.
Hey there, revolutionaryauthors, welcome to the Author
(01:36):
Revolution Podcast.
Today's episode is going to be adeep one.
We're talking about somethingthat many of us don't even
realize is affecting our careers, but it's absolutely critical
to understand if we want to seethe results that we're striving
for as an author and I kind ofalluded to it last week.
But are you ready for this?
Your nervous system issabotaging your author career.
(02:00):
Yep, you heard me right.
If you've been feeling burntout, stuck or like you're
constantly spinning your wheelsbut not moving forward, there's
a good chance that your nervoussystem is actually out of
alignment.
And if it's dysregulated, it'snot just affecting your
creativity or motivation.
It's preventing you frommanifesting the success you
(02:20):
deserve, because yourmanifestations are actually
misfiring.
So stick with me today as wedig into what nervous system
dysregulation really is, howit's holding you back from
achieving your author goals and,most importantly, how you can
get back into alignment tofinally start seeing the
progress and success you've beendreaming about.
And at the end, I've got fivepowerful tips to help you
(02:42):
realign and reclaim yourcreative flow.
So let's start with the basicsabout your nervous system.
So your nervous system isresponsible for regulating how
you respond to stress,creativity and productivity.
It's made up of two main partsthe sympathetic nervous system,
(03:02):
which is your fight or flightresponse, and the
parasympathetic nervous system,which is your rest and digest
state.
Ideally, these two systems workin harmony, allowing you to
respond to challenges whilegiving you space to relax and
recover.
But here's where things get alittle tricky.
When we're constantly pushingourselves, especially in
high-stress environments likethe indie author world, where
we're trying to write, publishand market, and do all of it
(03:22):
faster, we end up living in astate of chronic stress.
Our sympathetic nervous system,then, is firing on all
cylinders, and ourparasympathetic nervous system,
the one that helps us relax andrecharge, gets sidelined.
Over time.
This really leads to what'scalled nervous system
dysregulation.
Instead of shifting naturallybetween periods of high focus
(03:43):
and rest, we get stuck inoverdrive.
Our bodies and our minds areconstantly in the state of high
alert, and that's when burnouthits.
Now, it's different foreverybody, but the chronic
stress doesn't just affect howwe feel physically.
It impacts everything,including our creativity, our
decision making and our abilityto stay in the flow.
(04:06):
Now here's where things get evenmore interesting, at least to
me, if you're someone who's intomanifestation and I know a lot
of you are.
You've probably heard the ideathat like attracts, like right.
In other words, the energy youput into the world is the energy
that you get back.
But when your nervous system isdysregulated, that whole
process gets thrown off.
When you're stuck in a constantstate of stress or burnout,
(04:30):
your body is in survival mode,and when you're in survival mode
, it's almost impossible toalign with the high vibe energy
that manifestation requires.
You might be setting intentionsor working on visualizations,
but your nervous system is inchaos.
So you're likely attractingjust more of that chaos, right?
More stress, more struggle,more of that feeling of being
(04:51):
stuck.
So here's one of the thingsthat I really need you to know.
When I was working this summer,I didn't realize I was in
complete burnout and things weregoing wonky everywhere, and the
more I was looking at what Iwanted to do or what I wanted to
be, or how I wanted to show upor how I wanted money to be, the
worse it got.
(05:12):
It was like everything that Iwas trying to get into,
everything I was trying tocreate, was falling apart.
Now there's a certain level inthis place where, when you are
manifesting something, whenyou're calling something new in,
the old has to fall apart.
The old ways have to fall apart.
Your old mindsets, your oldbelief systems, they have to
fall apart.
But there's also a level oflike you're calling something in
(05:35):
and it's going oh, you wantless, here you go and you're
going what?
No, no.
So if you've been putting in thework, if you've been taking the
action and setting the goals,like I definitely was but you're
still not seeing the resultsthat you want in your author
career, nervous systemdysregulation might be the
(05:56):
missing link.
And here's the kicker you can'tjust hustle your way through it
.
The more you push withoutaddressing the underlying issues
, the more you'll stay stuck.
So here we go, don't worry,there's good news.
Right, you can reset yournervous system, and when you do,
you'll notice a massivedifference in how you feel and
how you create.
I know I certainly have.
(06:17):
So let's dive into the fivetips that will help you get back
into alignment and reclaim yourcreative flow.
Number one prioritize rest andrecovery.
So this is obviously number onefor a lot of reasons, but first
and foremost, you need to giveyourself permission to rest, and
I don't just mean a quick breakbetween writing sessions either
(06:37):
.
I'm talking about realrestorative rest, the kind that
lets your parasympatheticnervous system kick back in and
take over, so this might meanscheduling days off right,
getting very clear boundariesaround your work, or even taking
short breaks from writingaltogether.
That was definitely somethingthat happened for me, like I had
(06:58):
to take a time away fromeverything just to do what I
needed to do.
I could not continue in thepath that I was going, and so
what I did was started going indeeper.
I spent more time in meditationtrying to figure out, which
that's not the right term either.
Trying to do anything.
Is you trying to forcesomething right?
So I was.
(07:18):
Just I probably was forcing itin the beginning.
Come to think of it, I wasprobably trying to pull in and
trying to make myself understand, but what ended up happening
was the more time I gave myselfto just meditate, to be in flow,
to allow myself to, you know,get through a meditation and do
whatever.
I started getting new glimpsesof things that I could try, and
(07:40):
one of the biggest ones thatactually came from that is doing
heart coherence, and I'llprobably do a podcast episode on
heart coherence on its own, butI've done a masterclass on this
.
So definitely, if you'reinterested, check out the master
class membership, because it'sgot that master class in it.
It's so important that we getour heart back into coherence.
(08:00):
The heart is really the sourceof how we get into nervous
system regulation, how we getback in on a daily basis and
remind our nervous system it'sokay, you're safe, you're cool,
right, there's a whole bunch ofstuff that goes on there, but I
just want you to understand thatnervous system regulation can
stem from your breath and heartcoherence, and I learned that
(08:22):
through just giving myself somemore time.
So, speaking of that, numbertwo is actually grounding
yourself with mindfulness ormeditation and, like I just said
, I spent more time in thatplace.
I spent more time likeliterally my whole morning was
what it was looking like duringthe summer.
I was spending from about nineo'clock in the morning till
about noon was my meditation andworkout time, and the
(08:46):
meditation part was actually thelongest right.
So the workout was, I don'tknow, 25 to 35 minutes.
It was not that long, but therest of that time was meditation
and just getting into thatmindfulness zone, and what
happens is like mindfulness andmeditation.
They're really just two of themost effective tools when it
comes to calming your nervoussystem and bringing your body
(09:06):
out of that fight or flight mode, particularly if you can
combine it with heart coherence.
If you're someone who spends alot of time in your mind and if
you're doing a lot ofvisualizations or guided
meditations or hypnosis,sometimes that can actually
trigger like less of a heartcoherence because you are, you
(09:29):
know, visualizing things.
You're trying to put yourselfin that state.
It's almost that trying thatbutts you up against the problem
again.
So if you're finding thatyou're spending too much time
trying like forcing, efforting,trying to get yourself into that
place, even spending more timeliterally just focusing on your
breath, deep breaths in, deepbreaths out that's going to help
(09:49):
you a lot more than anymeditation really well.
But even five or 10 minutes aday of quiet reflection can
really help you regulate yourstress response and bring your
energy back into balance,because that's just really it's
so important, right?
You can also incorporate simplebreathing exercises.
So, like I was saying before,breath work is really important
(10:10):
with heart coherence.
I personally like breathing infor five and out for five,
letting it be very much like awave, going in and out and
focusing on my heart center,focusing on like the particles
of the universe of love, likethe love particles going through
my heart and back out throughmy heart, and when I start
feeling my heart center warm,that I know I'm on the right
track.
(10:30):
Right, and when you fit thatinto your daily routine, all of
this stuff together can triggeryour parasympathetic nervous
system to calm back down and ithelps you, honestly, stay a lot
more present.
Okay so, number three I want youto set realistic, aligned goals
.
So we've been talking aboutthis a lot this past couple of
weeks, because we've beentalking about this a lot this
(10:51):
past couple of weeks, becausewe've been talking about, you
know, creating your own six weeksuccess writing sprint.
We've been talking about thereasons why the indie author
industry is setting you up forfailure.
All of this comes togetherright, because we're trying to
create an author career inalignment with who we are and
there's a certain degree ofwhere we're trying to.
(11:11):
You know, we're trying to pushourselves to be in a place of
growth, but we also need to berealistic about who we are and
what feels good and trust thatwe can be guided into that right
place, right.
One of the reasons our nervoussystem gets so dysregulated is
that we're constantly chasingunrealistic or misaligned goals.
(11:34):
Listen to that again.
We're chasing unrealistic ormisaligned goals and I know that
has definitely been the casefor me because I'm a high
achiever.
I love doing a lot of things.
I love proving people wrongwhen they say, oh, you can't do
that, and I'm like, watch me.
I love proving people wrongwhen they say, oh, you can't do
that and I'm like, watch me.
(11:54):
But the thing is that is notcoming from a place when I do it
that way of true alignment orlike who I really want to be, at
least not anymore.
It might have been when I was alittle bit younger, but now
that I'm, you know, on the otherside of my mid 40s, the last
thing I want to do is beconstantly on the go and I want
to have that reflection time.
I want to have that downtime.
I want to be in that state offlow and alignment.
(12:16):
So if you're pushing yourself towrite tons of books every
single year and it doesn't fityour lifestyle or your creative
process, that's going to causestress.
It's going to cause stress inyour mind and it's going to be
put into your body and unlessthat stress can be relieved
through, like somatic exercises,through breath work, through
heart coherence.
(12:37):
It's going to stay there andit's going to continue to cause
problems with your nervoussystem.
So instead, I want you to takea step back and reassess your
goals.
Are they realistic?
Do you feel aligned with yourcurrent energy levels?
Do you feel aligned with theway that you're doing this thing
?
Is it still lighting you up theway that it was before?
(12:57):
I know I've had to do that too.
This year was definitely one ofthose.
Is this still in alignment forme?
Do I still want to do thisthing this way?
And because of that I was ableto be more creative and shake up
the way that I show up, and soit's done a lot of realignment
for myself and I really feelmore in flow than I did,
(13:20):
definitely this summer.
Oh, my gosh right.
So adjusting your expectationsand allowing space for ease into
your goals can reduce stress,and it just makes the writing
process feel so much moreenjoyable, not like something
that you have to white knuckleyour way through.
Okay, so number four move yourbody.
So this is why I was doingexercises in the morning.
(13:43):
I was doing my workouts firstthing in the morning, because I
know how much energy gets stuckin the body and if we don't move
it, it just stays there.
So physical movement it's apowerful way to release the
stress, especially when you'redoing things that are more
caring to your body, like yogaor a walk in nature or dancing,
things like that.
It can help release that builtup tension in your body.
(14:05):
And when we're sitting at ourdesk writing all day, funnily
enough our bodies actually gettense.
So it's not just like they'regetting tense because we're
stressed out although we couldbe, that could be an added
tension but the tension isfeeding from our mental state
and into our mental state.
So it's this like I don't knowcycle that just keeps going
(14:25):
around and around and it's notgoing to help you to reset your
body and to get back into yournatural state.
So movement isn't just aboutphysical health.
It's about letting go of themental clutter too, and I've
taught this a lot from the verybeginning, like even in like
right frame of mind, my book.
I talked about why movement isso important and it's just, it's
(14:47):
a way to be able to releasethat, that tension, that energy,
to get out the, the stuff thatis stored in the body and it
just helps you to feel more inalignment because your body is
here to move, like, literally,we are 3D people.
We're 3D humans living a 3Dexperience, and if we're not
going to use our 3D you know,physical body to move in it,
(15:11):
we're going to cause problemsand decay to our body, and we
don't want that because we needit.
We need it to live, to supportourselves, to do the things we
want to do, and it just feelsbetter to move.
Endorphins get released.
All the good stuff, right, okay.
So number five a supportivewriting environment.
So I really want you tosurround yourself with
supportive people who understandyou specifically and also the
(15:35):
ups and downs of the writingjourney, because I think it's
really crucial that we have acrew of people around us that
are in that flow, thatunderstand the trials and
tribulations, and this is one ofthe reasons why I created the
First Draft Fellowship inside ofthe Revolutionary Authors
membership.
You might have remembered thatfrom a couple of weeks ago, I
(15:57):
created this membership, butthen also the like the group to
be able to help us.
It's a space to connect withothers who are working on their
projects, doing writing sprintsand supporting each other,
especially when things get tough.
But I've also built it into myhigh vibe author membership too,
where every single one of mymemberships has like an element
of community built into it sothat we can lean on people who
(16:19):
are of like mind.
So in high vibe, those are thepeople who are, you know, trying
to learn manifestation,abundance mindset, let go of
poverty mindset, all the things.
And with the revolutionaryauthors it's all about, you know
, strategy.
How do we get these things done?
What's the best way to makethis thing happen?
Not all of those people areinto manifestation, and I
(16:40):
totally get that, and so there'selements of like the community
in both.
And when you have a communitythat has your back, it's so much
easier to stay grounded andmotivated, even during the
challenging times.
And that's part of the reasonwhy I created these memberships,
because I want to be there tosupport people.
I've said this before and I'llsay it again.
(17:01):
I'll just keep, you know,hammering the nail down.
I am a number one relator and Iget the most joy out of seeing
people feel good, like I.
I grew up with a brother with abrain tumor.
I understand, you know howimportant it is that someone
shows up and cares, and I havean aunt who has down syndrome, I
(17:23):
have an uncle who hasschizophrenia there's a lot of
things that have been like.
I've been personally surroundedby that.
It makes me understand just howeveryone not just those guys,
right how everyone needs someoneto understand them.
And because I had those peoplein my life and it was it was up
(17:44):
to me to be able to notcompletely up to me, but it was
something that I enjoyed.
I was probably always a numberone relator when I look back,
but I enjoyed taking that moment.
I enjoyed being able to bethere with them and for them and
share time with them.
And so, for me, I like to dothat even with my students.
I like to know what theirchallenges are, I like to know
(18:04):
that they're doing better.
I like to know that they'regrowing.
I like to know that what I'vetaught them is helping, and I
like to know that I can count onthem as well as friends, right,
because this is like abeautiful community where we
give and take together.
It's so wonderful.
(18:25):
So if you've been feeling stuckor burnt out or like
manifestation just isn't workingthe way that it should, I want
you to take a look at thatnervous system.
Yeah, is it in alignment, orare you in that constant state
of stress and overdrive?
By prioritizing your rest, yourmindfulness, setting realistic
goals, getting some movement inand surrounding yourself with
the community, you can resetyour system and start to see the
(18:48):
progress that you've beenreally working so hard for Now.
Before I go, I just want to say, too, that, like literally
right now, colin and I are onour way home, and so I've
recorded this podcast episode inadvance because we're going to
be at AuthorNation.
And now for you guys, for youlistening right now, that means
AuthorNation has alreadyhappened, but for me, when I'm
(19:09):
recording this in October,authornation has not yet
happened.
It's like this weird time loopy, jumpy thing.
But next week, when you hearthe next new episode of the
Author Revolution podcast, I'mgoing to be sharing the
experience of Author Nation whatit was like at that inaugural
event, how my presentation went,all the things.
So I'll be dishing on all ofthat stuff.
So I hope that you are lookingforward to that as much as I am.
(19:33):
Okay, guys, so if this episoderesonated with you and you want
to explore these concepts deeper, I'd love for you to check out
my High Vibe Author Membership.
It's a space where we dive intomindset, energy, alignment and
building the author career ofyour dreams, all while staying
in balance.
And if you want to get today'stranscript or the link to the
resources I just mentioned, likeHigh Vibe Author Membership or
(19:56):
Revolutionary Authors Membership, just head over to
authorrevolutionorg.
Forward slash 262.
And you'll be able to find itall right there.
Having you here is such a joyfor me and I wish I could see
your faces.
I wish I could talk to you whenyou hear this podcast episode.
I wish we had more of adiscussion going on about it.
(20:18):
Feel free to reach out on anyof the social medias.
I'm hanging out more and moreon Instagram, specifically, and
TikTok, so feel free to come by,leave me your comments so that
I can make sure that I amsharing in the awesomeness with
you.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday, guys.
Until next time, keep writing,keep creating, go forth and
(20:40):
start your author revolution.
Thank you.
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