How to Write Your Book When Your Body Resists.

Here’s the psychology you need to know...

If you’re writing a book, odds are you’ve had a handful (or maybe a boatload) of days where it feels like the LAST thing on Earth you want to do. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Here are two of the main reasons why this happens:

REASON 1:

Your brain is trying to get you to conserve energy.

We all have responsibilities and lives outside of writing. We have jobs, families, and things that require our attention. Then, when you add working on a book into the mix, your body wants nothing to do with it. It triggers thoughts like: “I just want to relax.” “I’m too tired for this.” “I already did so much today.”

REASON 2:

Your brain is addicted to pleasure.

We live in a world where gratification comes fast and dopamine (the chemical that makes you feel pleasure) is in endless supply. Odds are, you’re reading this post on your phone. Maybe you’ve come across it in your daily doom scroll session?

It’s so surprise we struggle to turn away, our brains are WIRED to pursue things that give us pleasure, and smartphones hijack that biological instinct.

Writing can give us dopamine, but its rewards are often earned on a long-term basis. When you’re used to the steady dopamine hits that come from constantly scrolling online, your body thinks writing a book is a HORRIBLE idea.

“I have all the pleasure I could ever need at my fingertips without having to lift a finger. Why would I trade that for something that requires so much energy and effort?”

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That’s what is happening in your subconscious mind when you think about writing and are struck with resistance—your brain is telling you writing is going to be a painful, draining experience.

But the subconscious part of your brain doesn’t see the full picture, and it’s not the most logical or reliable source.

The conscious part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) is the part that wants to write this book. It can imagine what a cool experience that would be. It knows that it wants a future where you’re able to call yourself an author and share your story with the world.

In a way, when you’re feeling resistance, the two sides of your brain are at war with each other.

The subconscious wants to seek pleasure and conserve energy (aka. not write your book).

The conscious wants you to write your book.

This disagreement puts you in a state of cognitive dissonance, which triggers uncomfortable emotions like stress, anxiety, and frustration.

So, how do you get yourself to do the work on the days when your body is subject to this internal battle?

THE ANSWER: You stop listening to your subconscious side and intentionally bolster the conscious side.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO DO THAT:

• Remind yourself of all the reasons you want to write the book.

• Visualize yourself holding your finished copy in your hands.

• Tell yourself, “I am willing to sacrifice my pleasure in the short term, in exchange for the future I want.”

• And, perhaps most importantly, stop telling yourself that you’re incapable of writing if you’re feeling resistance. That is a complete and utter lie.

Of course, there will be times when your mind and body need to rest, but most of the time, your discomfort simply stems from the subconscious, primal side of you that wants to pursue pleasure and conserve energy.

Show up for your story regardless of how you feel. It’s okay to be a little uncomfortable. Don’t freak out at the first sign of resistance. Sit with those emotions, remind yourself that they can’t hurt you, breathe into them, accept them, and they will dissipate.

You know what actions are required to bring your book into this world; the only thing standing between you and the finished manuscript is you sitting down and doing them. Let this post serve as a guide to taking the first step.