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29. What Season is Your Writing In? Nurture Your Writing Goals with this Coaching Exercise + Why Jen became a life coach for writers [Self-Coaching Exercise for Writers]

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What Season is Your Writing In?  Nurture Your Writing Goals with this Coaching Exercise + Why Jen became a life coach for writers [Self-Coaching Exercise for Writers]

Embrace Your Writing Season: A Self-Coaching Exercise for Busy Moms

In this special episode of 'Mom Writes First,' host Jen guides busy moms through a unique coaching exercise to determine the current 'season' of their writing journey. The episode provides practical, reflective questions and actionable steps tailored to the spring, summer, fall, and winter stages of writing. By embracing their current season, listeners can take inspired and intentional actions towards achieving their personal writing goals. Jen, a certified coach shares her passion for helping moms write, regardless of their life circumstances.

00:00 Introducing Today's Episode 
01:30 Meet Your Coach: Jen's Journey
03:41 The Importance of Professional Coaching
06:11 Focusing on Writing: A Personal Mission
10:56 Preparing for the Coaching Exercise
14:36 Part One: Identifying Your Writing Season
20:55 Part Two: Setting Goals Based on Your Season
21:21 Spring: Planting Seeds of Inspiratio
23:08 Summer: Nurturing Your Writing
24:57 Fall: Reflecting and Refining
26:21 Winter: Rest and Recharge
28:19  Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Take the QUIZ to discover your writing style, and get tips on how to leverage it to write more!

Ready to take back your time and add hours to the day so you can finally manage it all? Then you have to check out the FREE Time Audit Guide. You'll get coaching, worksheets, and tips on running your first time audit so that you can finally write your book without burning out. It's absolutely free, and it's my way of supporting and empowering YOU!

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What Season is Your Writing In? Nurture Your Writing Goals with this Coaching Exercise + Why Jen became a life coach for writers [Self-Coaching Exercise for Writers]

[00:00:00] 

[00:00:00] Introducing Today's Episode 

[00:00:00] This special episode is a coaching exercise to help you determine what season. Your writing is in right now. And then use that information to take more inspired and intentional action to reach your own personal writing goals. 

[00:00:21] You are listening to mom writes first, the only podcast that is all about inspiring busy moms to make their writing dreams are reality. 

[00:00:31] Let's go. 

[00:00:33] Hello, and welcome to mom rights first. I'm Jen and I am so glad that you are here today. Good for you for showing up to this podcast and being open to this special coaching exercise this episode is really special because it is a coaching exercise that I have used in individual and group coaching sessions, where we work on mindset and goals around writing. It is phenomenal. If I [00:01:00] may say so myself. For helping you to get clarity on where you are with your writing. And inspiring you to take more action to write and to support your writing and unlike other goals, setting exercises. This coaching exercise. Meets you where you are with your writing. Where, wherever you are, whatever season you're in, it honors that. 

[00:01:27] Before we jump into this coaching exercise together. 

[00:01:30] Meet Your Coach: Jen's Journey

[00:01:30] I want to share with you a little bit about me so that you can understand who I am, why I teach, what I teach, why I coach the way I do and why I am so passionate. About helping moms to write. Even when they're in the midst of raising kids, right? 

[00:01:47] Not waiting until their kids are out of school or out of daycare or whatever, but writing right now, 

[00:01:54] So to begin with, I am a mom of five. And aspiring [00:02:00] author. And I also coach women. Specifically busy moms and developing the habits. And creating the mindset to finally write their book. I'm a lawyer by training and background. And I've worked in the fields of law compliance policy and consulting for almost 20 years. Before that I was in journalism. 

[00:02:23] I am all about the questions, which is why I think in so many ways I have been drawn to coaching. Five years ago now in 2019. I was sitting in my office thinking about what I really wanted to do with my life. And I wrote down. I help women. Right. The stories that light their souls on fire. And now five years later, I'm living that dream. 

[00:02:50] I'm so grateful because in so many ways, I am living that life. I'm living out that dream. Despite myself. Maybe you can relate to this. [00:03:00] I know that I can find that I am personally. Really, really good at getting in my own way on things. But luckily for me, The universe is always willing. To step in. And course correct. 

[00:03:14] I feel grateful that the universe has kept me on this path, pushed me in this direction. So that I have finally arrived at this destination where I get to work with women every week who are working on their own writing, working on their books. And I've. Had the chance to develop a small community around me, a community that I hope you'll be a part of a community that I hope you'll join one day, once you're ready for it. 

[00:03:39] And it's ready for you.\ 

[00:03:41] The Importance of Professional Coaching

[00:03:41] Let me tell you a little bit about how I ended up in the space where I am coaching women now. In 2021. I did something that I said I would never do after graduating from law school and practicing law for 15 years, I went back to school. Earning my certificate in professional and [00:04:00] executive coaching from the university of Wisconsin at Madison. And now. A few years into coaching. 

[00:04:06] I am a certified and ICF credentialed coach, meaning I have been professionally trained and also passed a very rigorous. Very rigorous. I kid you not very rigorous exam from the international coaching Federation. That says that I meet their qualifications to be a coach. And not only do I meet their qualifications, but I also agree to coach people in a manner. That is consistent with the ethical guidelines established by this international foundation. That is super helpful for you to know it's a super helpful, super relevant. Because unlike say the practice of law or the practice of medicine, or even, you know, the practice of licensed therapy. There is no licensure. For becoming a coach. 

[00:04:59] There are not [00:05:00] state agencies that are out there regulating the practice of coaching or saying you have to follow certain ethical rules. But by being a member and being vetted by and by being trained in tested. In a manner that is consistent with the ICF. I am agreeing. To certain obligations that other coaches may or may not be agreeing to. 

[00:05:21] And so if you ever do want to hire a coach personally, to work with you, I would really encourage you. Even if it's not me, I would encourage you very strongly to look into a coach that has been, professionally trained by a reputable organization. More and more universities are coming out with these types of programs, as we see just how incredibly impactful coaching can be. 

[00:05:42] So I'd encourage you to look for somebody who's been professionally trained in that fashion, but then also somebody who has, ICF certification in particular. So meaning that they have gone through a. Qualified program, they have taken this rigorous test that I've mentioned, and that they're agreeing to the ethical guidelines 

[00:05:59] that's [00:06:00] not to say that there aren't other good coaches out there, but this is one way in which you can really, truly protect yourself and know you're getting a coach that's trained vetted and is meeting these various guidelines and qualifications . 

[00:06:11] Focusing on Writing: A Personal Mission

[00:06:11] Since becoming a coach, I personally have focused my coaching practice on a highly selective. An exclusive group of women who like me love to write and want to have more time and energy and space in their life for writing.

[00:06:26] I'll just be Frank with you. 

[00:06:28] The reason that I focus very exclusively on this particular group is because I am selfish and practical, so I want to write more. And I find that if I focus my coaching. On writing more. If I focus on my efforts on developing community, On writing more. If I focus this podcast on writing more. Then I write more. 

[00:06:49] My clients inspire me. To continue to write. My clients inspire me to challenge myself creatively. And I love that I get to be a [00:07:00] part of their journey as a writer. It is seriously such like an immense pleasure and privilege, and honor to see them bloom as writers. And seeing them bloom helps me to continue to try to bloom as well. Now coaching with me one-on-one is highly individualized, of course. 

[00:07:19] And I think highly valuable. At the same time. I know that not everyone is interested in or able to hire their own professional coach, their own professional life coach, for whatever reason. And yet, because I see how powerful coaching truly is and how impactful it can be. And because I just have this personal quest to see more moms write books and to support them in what they're doing right now, like to write right now, instead of, you know, 10, 20, 30 years down the road, you have valuable stories inside you and. Valuable poetry, valuable essays, valuable Bo blog posts, and the world needs what [00:08:00] you are here to share. 

[00:08:02] This is honestly a huge reason as to why I do this podcast. And it is also why I want to share today's coaching exercise for you. I find that a lot of people, when they come to me, have established goals based on. A, um, particular suggestion from another writer or maybe they've developed some smart goals around their writing, or they've bought a program that says. You should write in this fashion. But when I work with people, I know. those kinds of cookie cutter approaches aren't necessarily going to work particularly for busy moms. 

[00:08:37] Because we have. A lot happening in our world. And we may not be equipped or in a season where a plug-in play type of course for writing is really going to work for us. And that's, what's so special about this exercise is because it acknowledges that and it meets you where you are, and then helps you develop [00:09:00] goals that actually make sense for wherever you are. 

[00:09:03] So you can take inspired action based on that intuitive goal setting. So that's why I think having this sort of like individualized approach is really, really so powerful. This coaching exercise, like many that I would provide on this podcast or in my own coaching with folks is reflective. And is also a written exercise. 

[00:09:20] So since you are, someone who probably likes to write, if you're listening to this podcast, hopefully that's something that's really going to resonate with you too. If you and I were meeting one-on-one, this type of an exercise might be a homework, for example, that you would choose, or it might be something that we adapt and discussed during our coaching session with me holding the space and using, powerful, curious inquiry. To focus specifically on you and your responses to help draw out and guide you It would be the same thing. 

[00:09:48] If we were doing this in a group setting, you would have the benefit of having that collective energy and wisdom of others around you. That collected inspiration. Their personal insights and journeys, as we [00:10:00] navigated through these various questions that I'm about to ask you. Depending on where that journey had led us the questions, whether it's in a group setting or an individual setting. Are probably going to look a little bit different and be specific to that particular group or that particular individual. 

[00:10:16] Now that my friends is really the benefit. And power of coaching specifically with a trained coach. Who knows how to hold that space and use the power of inquiry to amplify the coaching exercise that you are working on. But for purposes of this episode, we're going to provide more generic questions to you and you should feel free of course, to tailor these to your specific needs. You should take ownership and responsibility for this, and you should do what works for you and leave whatever doesn't like, take what works, leave the rest. 

[00:10:48] Okay. That's a huge part of the, attitude and philosophy I bring to coaching. Take what works for you? Leave the rest. 

[00:10:56] Preparing for the Coaching Exercise

[00:10:56] One of the goals with this coaching exercise is for you to consider how to [00:11:00] truly honor where you are and embraced the season. You are in not fight against it. So this will allow you to make more intentional and personal progress on your goals as a writer, as dictated by what is inside of you and your own personal circumstances, as opposed to. What is happening outside of you? 

[00:11:18] This particular coaching exercise looks at what season you are in when it comes to your writing. So when I say season, I'm referring to. The seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter. One thing. To be mindful of, as you're going into this coaching exercise is actually want to be very open. 

[00:11:41] You don't want to be closed off. You don't want to be listening to your ego. You don't want to be, say, for example, saying, well, I want to reap the benefits of harvest. So I'm in fall. No, that is not how this works. This is about, you know, really approaching it from a lens of curiosity. And [00:12:00] openness without any kind of blame or judgment on where you think you should be. 

[00:12:04] So we're leaving all the shoulds. Behind. This also is really not about crafting. Smart goals, which. I know that they're used in a lot of different spaces, but I think that they're often deployed in a way that is very rigid and very impersonal and does not meet people where they are. So in my experience, I have found that using a more intuitive approach can be really, really helpful. 

[00:12:32] And that's what this exercise does. 

[00:12:34] It asks you to rely on your intuition and move in a direction that resonates with you. Even if it might not make objective sense, even if it doesn't make sense to the person sitting next to you, it doesn't make sense to your partner. It seems very unreasonable to your writing group, whatever, if it makes sense to you, then that is what matters. This is more like finding an aligned and rhythmic way to live. 

[00:12:57] And again, really, truly [00:13:00] honoring and being willing to honor where you are at and the work that comes now and the work that is rightfully intended for later. One of the benefits to doing this exercise. And then embracing, where you are is that you get to honor yourself. You get to release judgment and stop living in comparison to others, which I am telling you, folks that has. That holds so many of us back. And I know that because I coach women with this, 

[00:13:23] We need to stop comparing ourselves to others. sometimes we don't think we're doing it, but we really are. So as you go into this space today, Truly make it your mission to honor where you are and release all that judgment and comparison. This exercise is also going to help you to release guilt and allow for fun and joy as part of the creative process, as you do the work of writing, whatever that means for the season that you personally are in. 

[00:13:50] The goal here is to truly create a space of curiosity and blameless discernment for yourself. This can be difficult to do on your [00:14:00] own. 

[00:14:00] Because so often our ego, our judgments, our wants and desires get in the way. if you are finding this difficult. understand that nothing has gone wrong. It's very normal to feel like that. And continue to try to carve out that space for yourself. It really is about becoming the observer of your own mind in that way. 

[00:14:22] And finally this particular exercise can really help you to build your own personal resiliency and relationship with yourself by empowering you to, again, embrace where you are. , even if you're kind of in a hard place right now.

[00:14:36] Part One: Identifying Your Writing Season

[00:14:36] Let's get onto the exercise. You can expect that this exercise will take you about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. I recommend you give yourself at least an hour with some buffer, perhaps even two hours of time to work on and really consider your responses to this particular self coaching exercise. As with anything, the more you put into it, the more you're going to get out of it. Before doing any [00:15:00] coaching. Including self-coaching I recommend you do something to ground yourself in your space. 

[00:15:06] . For some folks that might be a spiritual or reflective practice, maybe some prayer, you can do a meditation, whatever helps you personally become very present. 

[00:15:18] I personally like to do a mini body awareness meditation. As someone who tends to kind of be like in their head or often the clouds are maybe in a whole nother world, as I'm developing a story in my brain. I find that I'm not in my body. And these body awareness meditations are particularly helpful for me and grounding. If you're interested in an example of a mini body awareness meditation. I would direct you to the episode right before this one, episode 28, where I share one of my very favorite, most basic, quick, simple body awareness meditations. Again, that's episode 28 of this [00:16:00] podcast. Once you feel present and grounded and comfortable, you can begin this self coaching exercise. I find it useful to do this exercise in two parts. So here's part one. Begin by considering. With openness and curiosity. What season you might be in when it comes to your writing? Ask yourself, these questions. Number one when it comes to my writing. What currently feels like it is capturing. My attention. 

[00:16:36] Number two. What progress have I made in my writing goals?. Number three. What challenges am I experiencing right now when it comes to writing? Number four. What feels easy. For my writing. Number five. What do I need [00:17:00] to embrace? When it comes to writing. And number six it's partner. What do I need to let go of. 

[00:17:10] Notice that these six questions are intentionally. Broad. The aim is to get you to think openly. And curiously about where you are. Once you have completed that work. from that place that feels curious and open and loving. Then you can move on. To the next set of questions. 

[00:17:35] Once you have answered these more general questions. We then want to identify more clearly. What season it is that you're in. So based on your answers, what objectively would your wisest self say? When it comes to the following questions. 

[00:17:55] What adjective. Describes your writing [00:18:00] right now. 

[00:18:02] Write down as many adjectives as come to mind. 

[00:18:06] What are you feeling drawn to? 

[00:18:09] For example.

[00:18:10] Do you feel drawn to explore a new projects? Like you might, if you were in the spring season, Do you feel as if it is time to take substantial action and really go, go, go like you might in summer. Do you think it's time to prepare to harvest the fruit of your labor? As in fall. Or is it time to rest? Recharge . As an winter. 

[00:18:39] Next, as I say, the following sentence, which ones resonate with you? 

[00:18:44] The most? Where do you feel it in your body pay particular attention to that? 

[00:18:50] I am entering a time of new beginning. 

[00:18:52] I am entering a time of action. 

[00:18:56] I am entering a time of harvesting. 

[00:18:59] I am entering a [00:19:00] time of rest. Again, where do those statements hit you in your body? Let me repeat them so you can listen and tune in again. To what your heart and body are really telling you.

[00:19:13] I am entering a time of new beginning. I am entering a time for action. 

[00:19:20] I am entering a time of harvesting. 

[00:19:24] I am entering a time of rest. 

[00:19:27] With. Each of those particular statements, they are all geared up and beginning in the same way. Right. But you could tailor this to yourself by saying that. I have been in. A season of new beginning. I have been in a season of action. Or I am finishing. My time of rest. 

[00:19:49] The key here is to work with us and play with this and understand where it's hitting in your body. And try to feel for how you can then use that. Intelligence within you. And [00:20:00] guide you in terms of determining what action makes the most sense for you moving forward. 

[00:20:07] A few more questions for you. If you haven't quite honed in on that season yet, if you haven't found something that resonates here are a few more. What is needed now, when it comes, what is needed? Right now. When it comes to your writing. 

[00:20:23] Is it a new beginning? Is it maintaining momentum? 

[00:20:28] Perhaps it's reflecting upon and refining your outcomes. Or maybe it's space to rest. 

[00:20:36] What resources. Would help you most right now? 

[00:20:40] based on these answers. What season. Would you honestly. And lovingly place yourself into. Spring. Summer, fall. Or winter. 

[00:20:55] Part Two: Setting Goals Based on Your Season

[00:20:55] Once you have identified the season that you are in it's time [00:21:00] to move on to part two. Which is all about identifying the action needed in the particular season that you are in. Here are the questions? Get a little bit more specific. For those of you in spring. Here are some guided questions to support you. In developing goals around your writing. 

[00:21:21] Spring: Planting Seeds of Inspiratio

[00:21:21] Spring is about planting those seeds. If you are in spring, you may be in the idea generation phase of writing. Here are some questions to get you reflecting. What ideas or inspirations? For my writing and my most excited about. Why is it important to me to write this right now at this stage of my life? What are the core themes or messages that I want to explore? 

[00:21:54] What writing habits or routines can I plant now? That will [00:22:00] support my progress through the next several seasons. Once you've reflected on this consider what action you want to take next. I like to ask what action feels like. It would support this new beginning. Because spring's does so often feel like a new beginning. Some common action steps with my coaching clients who find themselves in this season. Tend to be. Setting aside dedicated time each week for brainstorming and free writing. Creating a vision board or a mind map of their books, themes and ideas. Signing up for a class or a course, that's going to help them to achieve their goals. Setting small. Achievable goals for outlining or drafting. 

[00:22:52] These are just some examples to get you started. But the idea here is to come up with actions and goals [00:23:00] that really fit for the season that you are in. 

[00:23:04] Let's move on to help those of you who are in summer. 

[00:23:08] Summer: Nurturing Your Writing

[00:23:08] If you're in summer, you've probably got a lot of ideas that are more or less developed. You've played in the sandbox and now it's time to really dig in. In the summer season, you're deep in the process of writing. And perhaps for you, that means nurturing your book into something that is real. 

[00:23:27] Let's think about what kind of goals, what support you during the summer? 

[00:23:31] Here are some reflection questions to get you started. What is working well in my writing process and how can I build on this momentum? Where am I feeling challenged or blocked in my writing? How can I make writing more enjoyable and more sustainable during this season of life? 

[00:23:53] What resources. Can I seek to strengthen my writing. Now again, [00:24:00] once you've reflected on some of these questions and identified a goal from them, it's time to consider the action that is really going to support you. Oftentimes during this season, I find that my clients like to work on. An action along the lines of the following, but again, your mileage may vary. And I'm offering this to you. 

[00:24:18] Not because I think you should choose to do this particular action. In your particular season, but rather so that you can just get some inspiration or ideas from it. Establish a daily or weekly writing routine that fits your family and work schedule if applicable. Reach out to a writing group or find a writing accountability partner. We all know how important community is. Especially when it comes to writing, especially when you're a mom and it comes to writing. Prioritize self care to prevent burnout while balancing, writing, and motherhood. 

[00:24:54] All right, let's move on to fall. 

[00:24:57] Fall: Reflecting and Refining

[00:24:57] If you're in the autumnal season. [00:25:00] You are probably finding that it is the perfect time for reflection. Refinement of your work. Or maybe even celebrating progress that you've made. Ask yourself, these questions, as you think about the goals and actions that you want to take for your writing during this season. What parts of my book are coming together. 

[00:25:19] Well, what still needs work? What milestones have I reached that I can now celebrate. Where can I make revisions or edits to clarify? My message. Or structure. What feedback do I need from trusted readers or writing mentors in order to move forward? Now again, I like to have my clients identify those actions that are going to support them in this season. By scheduling, for example, a review period to revise and refine key points of their books. 

[00:25:50] Celebrating the progress that they've made, maybe with a small reward. Even if they aren't finished yet, because whatever progress that has been made is really, truly [00:26:00] valuable and deserves to be celebrated. Or maybe even sharing a draft with a trusted friend, a writing coach, or maybe a beta reader to get some feedback. 

[00:26:10] Again, these are just some examples you do what works best for you and what your intuition is telling you. All right, let's talk about those of you who are in winter now. 

[00:26:21] Winter: Rest and Recharge

[00:26:21] Winter. Oh, the time for restoration. I recently shared on this podcast, the steps I took while wintering. So you can find out all about that in my episode, on breasts in episode 27, I believe it is. Winter. You know, really, truly represents for many of us a time to rest and reflect on our journey so far, you know, as we, then, you know, again, prepare for that next season of writing. I would encourage you to try these reflective questions, to try to identify those areas. Um, of action or goals, you know, for this particular season. [00:27:00] How can I honor the progress I've made. Even if my book isn't complete yet. What parts of my writing need to rest. While I gain fresh perspective. Where can I focus on self care? And recharging my creative energy. 

[00:27:18] What is my longterm vision. For my writing. And for sharing it with the world. 

[00:27:26] Once you've had the opportunity to reflect on these questions and any others that may have. You know, kind of come up for you. It's time to think about what action you want to take. Think about how you can make this season intentional and purposeful and even empowering. Here are some action steps that my clients who've been in their wintering space have, have used. Take a short break from writing in order to rest and reflect. Engage in activities that rejuvenate your creativity. [00:28:00] Such as journaling or reading or art or meditation. Gentle exercise. Create a timeline or plan for completing your book in the next cycle of writing. In that next season. Sometimes winter is about planning, not just rest. 

[00:28:19] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

[00:28:19] Finally. As you close out yourself, coaching exercise, ask yourself how you can embrace the natural ebb and flow of the season that you're in when it comes to your writing. Ask, how can I honor my writing goals during this season? You may also want to consider how you will know that this season is complete so that you can move on to what's next. 

[00:28:43] And there you have it. My friends, a coaching exercise for that writer that's inside of you. To help you discover how you can embrace the season that you're in now. And honor where you are, because wherever you are in your journey, you are welcome and you are loved here.

[00:28:58] Thank you so much for [00:29:00] listening to this episode and in case nobody has reminded you today. You are a resourceful, creative, whole human being. You are capable. 

[00:29:08] You are loved. Your ideas, your words and your stories matter. Keep on writing. I will see you next time. 

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