Episode 219: 8 Simple Reflection Questions for a Motivation Boost

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I am excited to share with you 8 simple reflection questions that will help you feel more confident, motivated, and connected with your writing project.And the waitlist is open for my Thriving Authors Academy! Find more details at www.ThrivingAuthorsAcademy.com or send me a message to join the waitlist!

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m sharing what I do at the beginning of each month as I reflect on my writing routine to see if there is anything I want to adjust or work on moving forward.There’s nothing like the clean slate of a brand-new month to check in on YOUR writing goals! This is not a time to judge yourself, criticize yourself, or feel guilty for what you haven’t done. Instead, this is meant to be an inspiring & encouraging time!Listen to the episode as I describe why this practice of intentional reflection works and how it has helped me to adjust my writing routine. Then grab your journal, brew a hot cup of tea, and light a cozy candle. Here are 7 questions to reflect on:1. What emotions or adjectives would I use to describe my current writing routine?2. How do I WANT my writing to feel? What emotions or adjectives come up?3. When is my ideal creative time? When do I feel most alive and inspired?4. What project lights me up the most right now? What do I want to devote my time to this month?5. What is a big writing goal I am working on? What would be an amazing smaller goal to accomplish by the end of the month that would really move me forward toward that big goal?6. What affirmation resonates with me right now in my writing life?7. Bonus: block off time on the calendar to write! Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes!I hope this exercise was helpful for you to acknowledge where you are, take stock of your goals and dreams, and make a plan to get there!‍>> Is your heart calling to write your book, and you are yearning to be part of my Thriving Authors Academy?I am joyfully offering a handful of partial scholarships for Thriving Authors Academy, and the application is OPEN! Deadline is March 13th! Apply at https://www.dallaswoodburn.comWhen you apply, you'll get special access to a live group call where you can ask me questions personally about what it's like to write and publish your book in 6 months. I get that this is an investment of your TIME so I'm here for all the Qs and I want to connect with you! I'll also be sharing some of my  favorite journaling exercises to help you decide if NOW is the right time to write your book. <<

In today’s episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m sharing about my recent experience as the recipient of a sales pitch. I showed up genuinely excited and hopeful that the program might be the solution my family has been looking for! Instead, I came away from that call feeling icky and disappointed.So I thought it would be the perfect time to share not only what made me feel this way, but also what makes MY discovery calls different! You’ll hear the 3 things I’ll never do on a discovery call with you and why I believe it’s such an honor to have a conversation with you (yes, even if it's not the right time or I'm not the right fit for you.) I also share what’s possible when you feel working together is a big, full body YES!✨ If you’re interested in talking through some blocks that you have around writing, I invite you to hop on a call with me. I truly love offering these free 20-minute sessions - I call them Book Breakthrough Calls because you’ll walk away with a breakthrough around what is holding you back in writing your book.And doors for the next round of my signature small group coaching program, Thriving Authors Academy open soon for us to start in early April! You can join the waitlist now.

In this encore episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I share about routines that supported me during a season of big (fun!) family transitions – and how I continued making meaningful progress with my writing. If you crave more structure around your writing routine – or are finding yourself resisting your writing time – I think you’ll find this episode helpful. Beyond creating a nurturing and sustainable writing routine, in this episode I also dig into a topic that commonly comes up with clients.If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I ready to write my book?” then tune in as I talk about how the limiting beliefs holding us back around our books can give us big insights about our lives and businesses.You’ll also hear the shifts and reframes that my clients and I find helpful and empowering as we pour ourselves into our work.As you go through the process of writing your book, you’ll get clarity around your business and your life's work. The stories, teachings and concepts you share through your book will change your readers’ lives. And, if you’re a business owner too, your book is just the beginning of how readers will want to work with you! >> While this replay mentions my Thriving Authors Academy, it is also super applicable to my new program Fully Booked, which will help you grow your business with a published book in less than a year! Fully Booked is designed for women entrepreneurs (i.e. life coaches, health coaches, business coaches, therapists, graphic designers, online course creators, speakers) who are ready to grow their business with a nonfiction book. Learn more at https://www.dallaswoodburn.com/fully-bookedResources mentioned:Writing Routine ChecklistEpisode 153: The 2 Biggest Objections I Hear

Today’s episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, is a part reflection, part commiseration, part love note from my weary-yet-hopeful spirit to yours.If you are filled with anger and grief and sadness and rage around everything that is happening in our world—if the news feels so heavy and it’s been tough to feel motivated around your writing—if you are distracted and overwhelmed and low-energy—you’re not alone. I’m right there with you. And that’s exactly what we’ve been talking about in every single one of my coaching containers the past few weeks.In this episode, I share…simple ways to nourish yourself and your creative spirithow to use your writing as a cornerstone of your resiliency, agency and empowermentsome writing prompts that might be helpful, including one I journaled on this week that whew, brought up way more than I was expectingwhy our stories matter now more than ever (and how Bad Bunny’s inspiring Super Bowl performance was a beautiful example of that)how to take your rage and let it flow through you onto the page, so you don’t become paralyzed by the emotional weight you are carrying each dayIf this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear what is helping you during these times and what is one tiny action step you are going to take this week to let your writing hold or carry you.And I hope you'll join me Tuesday, February 17th from 9:30-10:30am PT for a LIVE workshop:The #1 Reason Women Put Off Writing Their Book (why it’s a lie & how to fix it, so you can get your book written & published in 2026!)I'll share:The 3 most common blocks I see keeping women from writing their books, and simple ways to move past them.My story of how I wrote & published YOUR BOOK MATTERS in 10 months at the "worst" possible time - when I was caring for a toddler and newborn, breastfeeding, working with clients & growing my business.What energized me and reconnected me with my spark and WHY I built my business in the first place!How my book became a huge part of growing my business to six figures working 10 hours/week.Sign up for the workshop at https://mailchi.mp/558871528367/workshop

In this replay of a solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I'm sharing straight from my heart to yours. I talk about three important ways you can invest in your writing AND six reasons you should do so – not later, but NOW.(Spoiler alert: you deserve it. You deserve to be a writer, pursuing the projects in your heart. And when you pour into yourself, you have so much more capacity to pour into others around you.)I’ve compiled all six inspiring reasons into a pretty PDF you can print out and hang at your desk for those days you need an extra reminder of why you matter and your writing matters. ⁠Click here to download it⁠!And if you are a busy woman entrepreneur who feels the nudge to write your book this year, then click here to join the waitlist for my brand-new program FULLY BOOKED: grow your business with a published book in less than a year! You can save $500 in early enrollment when I do a special waitlist sale!

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I address the common misconception that writing a book will take a lot of time – time away from your business and other money making actions that seem more urgent. Spoiler alert: I think that the opposite is true! I believe that writing your book is one of the biggest gifts to your business and one of the best things you can do to increase efficiency and productivity and save time in your business.You’ll hear me share reasons and examples why I think this, including:How to avoid spending all our time putting out fires of day-to-day business and client tasks.The simple way writing a book allows you to schedule your CEO time on a consistent basis and actually stay committed to it.The mindset shifts that I and my clients have experienced that have helped us to grow into the next level in life and business.The importance of creating an enduring content bank and the strategy I use for organizing content so it’s easy to find and keep track of.After listening I think you’ll agree that writing a book is the most efficient time-saving gift for your business!And if you are a busy woman entrepreneur who feels the nudge to write your book this year, then click here to join the waitlist for my brand-new program FULLY BOOKED: grow your business with a published book in less than a year! You can save $500 in early enrollment when I do a special waitlist sale!

In today's episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I share what I do to really soak up the final hours of one year and look ahead to the next one. I don't know about you, but New Year's Eve just might be my favorite day of the whole year!But I know that a lot of people have different feelings coming up and lots of ‘shoulds’ in their brain - I should have done more of this. I should have done more of that. In some ways, those can be helpful signals!!Listen in as I chat about:How to decide what things to delegate or take off your to-do list.What we can do to keep our big ambitions from causing us to burn out.The one thing you can do to become a better writer in the new year.What I’m proud of myself for and celebrating!You’ll also hear the four questions that I ask myself every New Year's Eve to really help me celebrate, focus, regroup, and set my intentions for the year ahead. Download the free PDF with these exact questions listed out and see what comes up for YOU!Have a happy New Year celebrating! Here's to an amazing, creative and beautiful 2026!

In this episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, it was such a joy to talk with authorMerav Fima and to celebrate her amazing collection of short stories that just came out. Late Blossoms is one of my favourite reads of the past year!I really think you'll be inspired to hear about her process of writing and editing these short stories, especially as a busy mom and a wife who is balancing a lot. Through it all, her joy for the writing process comes through so vividly.She shares:The moment that she knew she was going to be a writerWhat made her finally start taking herself seriously as a writer and writing consistentlyWhat it’s like having characters as part of your life for so long before your final work is completeHow the short story form is so different from longer forms like memoir or novels, and the misconceptions around thatHer process for writing a story when she gets an idea and how she knows if it's meant to be a story as opposed to a longer pieceAbout Merav: Merav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary critic currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026) and of the short story collection Late Blossoms (Vine Leaves Press, October 2025). She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Monash University and her work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals worldwide. Connect with her at meravfima.com and on IG @merav.fima>> And if you are an entrepreneur who wants to write and publish the book inside your heart, I’d love for you to join me in my free Facebook group Women Entrepreneurs Becoming Best Selling Authors. We discuss the podcast episodes, I host free challenges and you may even meet your new writing partner to swap pages with!

This special episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast features the beautiful voices of five of my clients in Thriving Authors Academy! This episode is a deep-dive into the importance of having a writing community. The right community – safe, supportive and nurturing – is often the secret sauce that we're missing and it makes all the difference in achieving our writing dreams.I’ve witnessed such huge shifts in a short amount of time when we stop trying to do it all alone. It's that beautiful mix of feeling inspired, but also feeling like we can just show up as ourselves on those days when nothing is going right.Listen in to hear what I’ve gained and witnessed as the benefits of community over the years.You’ll hear not only from me, but from my clients who sweetly recorded what they’ve gained from being part of the community of Thriving Authors Academy, and the shifts that they've seen in just six weeks.There are many incredible books coming out in 2026 by women who have been part of Thriving Authors Academy. It's so amazing and inspiring to hear from women who have been carrying these books inside of their hearts for years, sometimes even decades, and now are going to be able to hold their books in their hands.So I invite you, if you are craving that community – – if you're listening to this and thinking,Yes! This is a gift that I want to give myself in 2026! >> Head on over to Thriving Authors Academy.com and join the waitlist for our next round that starts April 11. (Pssst you’ll also grab some sweet bonuses by joining the waitlist, too!)