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Articles by Joyce Shafer, Book Doctor

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By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Attach Untrue Stories to Experiences?

A simple action sent me back, in memory, to the first time I became aware of attaching an untrue story to an experience. See if you recognize your own predilection or habit of doing this. I needed to open a new pint of Half & Half. The container had that opening that requires you pull the flaps just right to create the V-shaped spout. I started the pull and had a flashback. I don’t recall my age, but I was old enough to get myself ready for school without adult supervision (but still quite young). I needed to open a new half-gallon of milk for my cereal.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,548 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

It May Not Be Easy to Forgive But It Is Worth It to YOU

Walking through life with resentment is like walking through ankle-deep molasses. You move, but not well, not far, and not fast. Forgiveness, resentment, resistance… let’s look at them.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,543 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Does Trying to Be Positive Ever Annoy You?

Trying to be positive when that’s not how you feel is kind of like being hungry with a plate of food in front of you, but allowing yourself only a few or no bites. And then there’s the guilt, right?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,526 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Does a Road Trip Parallel a Life Journey?

Do you ever wonder if you’re on the right road of your life? If this is or has been your experience, how did you manage yourself? A friend and I took a road trip using her GPS to get us from New York City to Louisiana. We wanted to beat the anticipated July Fourth traffic, so left Thursday evening and drove until we stopped for the night.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,429 views4.5/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

A New Way to View Goals and Desired Outcomes

Goals and desired outcomes seem to come in two flavors: the ones easier to achieve and the ones we struggle with. There’s a word you can apply to both that can shift the quality of your experiences and take some of the “charge” out of struggle. Goals and desired outcomes—personal and professional—are imbued with an aspect we are, hopefully, aware of but sometimes aren’t. That aspect is our Why—why we want or feel motivated or inspired about what we say we desire to experience.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,514 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Number Your Days and Name Your Blessings

Do your days feel ordinary? Do you feel there are too few blessings in your life? Maybe you’d like to shift this.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,512 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Is Your Life Really the Same Old Thing?

Do you ever say or get the response to the question about how things are going, “Same old, same old,” or something similar? What does this really mean? I woke and, still under the covers, said my statement of “Good morning. Thank you for another day.” My ego-mind followed with the thought, “More of the same.” I sat up quickly because another part of me said, “That’s impossible. Every moment is a new one. If anything is the same, it has to be you: your perceptions, thoughts, words, actions, and behaviors.” That got my attention because it rang, rather clanged loudly, of Truth.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,502 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Maybe It Is All in Your Mind

Where do you experience most of your life? Is the majority of activity outside of you or inside your mind?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,502 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Feel Empty or Full?

Perhaps you have certain feelings or longings that are vague, or sharp. These are callings from your soul, drawing attention to areas of you that need to be filled. At one time or another, you may feel one or more of the following:rn-Depressed or at least that you could feel happier -Desirous of more meaning in and for your life -As though there is a void inside you and you don’t know how to fill itrn-Disillusioned about life and relationshipsrn-(Your own longing here)

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,489 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

To-Do vs. Inspired-to-Do

I’m a solopreneur who enjoys what I do; so I was amazed when I woke one morning not wanting to do any of it! I had to assess what had happened and flip it. It started the prior week, and proved to be a needed reminder of what I’d discovered about to-do vs. inspired-to-do, and temporarily forgot. I had my usual projects and tasks to attend to, as well as new ones. Added to this were conce s about several people I love. It was easy to become involved emotionally (stressed). When stressed, our tendency is to attempt to do everything as though nothing is different.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,405 views4/5 (3)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Yell at the Movie Screen of Your Life?

If you find you don’t like a movie, you don’t yell at the screen to change. But, is that what you do about your life? I’d decided to use the Ho’oponopono method to work on old program tapes that run in my subconscious. If you’re going to aim at a target so you can hit it consistently, you need to practice and more than just a few times.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,453 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Say Goodbye to New Year Resolutions

No, it isn’t too early to consider this; it is exactly the right time. The very things you do or don’t do about resolutions are what you do right now. And, you can do them differently starting today. First, it’s important to understand why resolutions you make any time fizzle out.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,491 views2.7/5 (7)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

How Big Does Your Dream Need to Be?

Many individuals don’t go after their dream because they don’t think they can, should, it’s too small, or “don’t know” what it is. Are any of these holding you back? Two inspirational videos were emailed to me: one about a dog named Ricochet and one about Rudy Ruettiger, for whom the popular movie Rudy is about. The links are available on the Resources page of my Website, and that link is in my bio.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,437 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Life Is Not Supposed to Be All About Problems

Do you wake every day, move through your day, and go to bed with problems on your mind? Maybe you’d like to do something about that right now. What can you do that’s quick? Reframe the problem or your perceptions about it to make a difference, even if just a small shift at first. I listened to an interview with Marcia Wieder and she said something like, “Life is not meant to be just about addressing problems.” How often you might feel that your days are all about problems! Maybe thinking that way has become a habit.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,431 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Living with BS Also Known as Belief Systems

I once wrote that beliefs change, Truths never do. But how can we know which is which; and, why should we conce ourselves with the difference?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,428 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Know What the Trinity of Self-Realization and Authenticity Is?

Do you ever feel inauthentic, like you wear a mask over what you believe you know, or fear, about who you really are? The trinity can help you follow the path to your authentic-self destination. I read Flip the S.W.I.T.C.H. (How to Turn On and Turn Up Your Mindset) by PJ McClure, The Mindset Maven, which he gives away on his website. I don’t want to spoil your experience of reading PJ’s brilliant book by recounting his content, nor is this a review. But, he did get me thinking about what I consider the trinity of self-realization and authenticity: Attitude, Mindset, and Personal Truth.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,423 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Is It Time to Simplify?

Could a lesson from Super Nanny apply to you and your personal and professional life? If you feel stressed and overwhelmed… yeah. The parents Super Nanny Jo Frost went to help were well-meaning—they wanted to give their children the best head start in life. Unfortunately, this meant not only school and homework hours for each child, but LOTS of additional activities to help them be well rounded individuals, as well. Super Nanny pointed out two things:r

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,413 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

What Else Can Your Negativity Cost You?

You are aware of some costs to you from being negative—too aware, likely. But there’s a new way it might cost you, and it’s not on the horizon, it’s happening now.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,329 views4/5 (3)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Are You Stuck in Survival Mode?

Another word for survival mode is stress. When stressed, we tend to become something we don’t really want to be: self-absorbed. There is a way out.

Primary topic: Empowerment

17,715 views

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Which of Your Selves Is More Sacred to You?

You have a spiritual self and a material self that operates in the world. Which do you nurture first? How’s that working for you? You have a “foot in two worlds.” One foot is in the spiritual world, which is where you come from, where you return to, though, that world stays with you through your human experience. The other foot is in the material world that is heavily influenced by society. Which world is more sacred to you? Are we meant to choose one or the other?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,387 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Is it Time to Ask Different Questions?

We’re half-way through 2009, and nearly everyone might agree shift has hit the fan. Significant change prompts significant questions.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,369 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Why Being and Feeling Authentic Can Be Challenging Especially These Days

Mark Twain said, “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.” Whatever you pursue in your outer life will never fill the inner void created by feeling inauthentic; you have to fill it yourself, and first.

Primary topic: Empowerment

2,391 views3/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Practice This Mega Energy Zapper?

You may use some of the usual ways to increase energy like rest, diet, supplements, etc., but finding a way to remove or shift this energy zapper will make a huge difference in every area of your life. It’s so commonly practiced that we hardly see it for what it is.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,359 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Fine Tune Your Life for the New Year or Any Time of Year

There’s a simple way to re-focus your time and energy to get a better start and results in a new year—or any time of year—in any area of your life. Just ask yourself the two questions offered here. Two emails I received reminded me about the principle described below. I’d already had in mind to do a similar process, but felt nudged to really “go there” using this formula. Maybe you’ve heard of the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Rule. It maintains that around 20 percent of what you do each day creates 80 percent of your desired results . . . including fulfillment.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,476 views3.7/5 (3)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

The Big Question for Many: Who Am I, Really?

It seems a minority of people feel genuinely at home in their skin, know who they are and how to go after what they want, and live as their authentic selves. Why is this? Let’s look at where things go off track for the others. We have a perplexing set-up as human beings: We come into our lives to be individualized expressions of our unique selves AND are completely dependent on others to meet our basic needs, for a period of time; and hopefully they meet more than just the basics. After a certain age, we still need others to fulfill the various aspects of our lives.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,300 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Three Keys to Goal Setting and Getting

Richard Bach said, “You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.” Are you working on your dream, or feel too stuck to move? There are three keys for goal setting and getting. When something other than achievement or accomplishment is the result, one or more keys have not been used to unlock a particular “door.” KEY 1 Do you acknowledge you have a dream or goal? Some never get that far. Some have a dream or goal but never start toward it. Some start and stop. Which applies to you?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,221 views4.5/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Are You Thinking or Processing?

Surely, the mental energy you’re giving current (or old) issues is accomplishing something, right? It depends on if you’re thinking or processing. You, too, may appreciate this exchange betwee Bob Proctor and Leslie Householder when they met, before she wrote her first book that became a best-seller. He told her she was fairly balanced between right and left brain but was more of a creative type. She disagreed and informed him she was a math major, analytical, that she constantly thought about her life and everything (always in thinking mode). She admitted she was a processor.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,611 views3/5 (4)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Is Trying to Be Positive Making You Negative?

Do you ever feel trying to be positive is more like one step forward and two or more steps back? There is a good reason you feel this way. You may believe you’re obligated to be positive 24/7; and that if you were, everything about your life you don’t like would shift to what you want. And, you’ve likely discovered that “Fake it till you make it” doesn’t work. It may even make you feel worse.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,246 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

WHERE Is the Best Place to Start

When you have a goal or dream in mind, do you ask yourself where the best place to start is? The answer is in the question: Where you’re going. You’ve seen floor plan maps in public places like large malls, stores, or office buildings that let you see where shops, offices, or sections are located. Here’s what’s interesting about this: you might think the first thing you do is find the You Are Here X then look up where you want to go. But the first thing you do is THINK about WHERE you want to go.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,239 views5/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Need to Amp Up Your Motivation and Commitment?

Can a simple statement really get you motivated to start, do, or improve something you’re putting off? Let’s find out. Think of something you desire to be different, or feel challenged about following through on. See or feel it in your mind’s eye. Really connect with it. Now, say to yourself, gently and truthfully: “I can do better than this.” First things first—remove any critical self-judgment from the picture right now. It isn’t useful.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,406 views4/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Would You Rather Be On Purpose or Perfect?

Be perfect or be on purpose? Which one of these has been “driving your bus” so far? If you or someone you know struggles with perfectionism, can this hold you back from living on purpose? Ask someone to walk to the moon and you’ll hear, “Not realistic,” as a response. They wouldn’t have a problem giving that answer. Ask some people to be perfect and you can almost hear the inner and outer dialogue start — “You have no idea how hard I try to be just that.” What was the appropriate response to the second request?

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,389 views4/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Prefer Experiencing or Learning?

Someone emailed this comment to me: “They say live and learn, but I think we should just LIVE. Learning is overrated. We would never accomplish anything.” Do you agree or disagree? This comment gave me pause; and I could have chosen to go down a certain mental-emotional path of disagreement. But, I chose a different one because my primary focus, fun, and fulfillment is about and comes from learning.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,374 views4/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Are You Engaged in Effort or Struggle?

When you feel disempowered, you engage in struggle. What’s the way back to personal strength and power when this happens? Based on how you feel in your life right now, you know if it’s effort or struggle you’re engaging at this time. Here’s a bit more information to help you gain greater understanding about this.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,778 views4/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Are You Attached to How Your Life Looks?

Which is more important: the structure of your life or the foundation of who you are? One individual provided an extreme example of why this is important. A friend/coaching client asked me to help him find his footing about a work-related incident. He works in the mental health field where clients receive whatever assistance they need, as well as guidance to live as independently as possible. A co-worker is away for a while, so my friend and members of his team have each taken on several of her clients. One of these additional clients received money to make payments, but lost it.

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,586 views3/5 (3)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Can Goals, Strategies, and Systems Prevent Your Success?

Goals, Strategies, and Systems vs. Magnetic Visions. What thoughts are triggered when you consider this? Which one feels like a better “ride” for you? Wallace Wattles wrote in his book, The Science of Getting Rich — “Man is a thinking center, and can originate thought. All the forms that man fashions with his hands must first exist in his thought; he cannot shape a thing until he has thought that thing . . . .

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,452 views3/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Ready to Write Your E-book?

Is sharing information in a form smaller than a manuscript right up your alley? Here are some tips to help you easily get it going and into the marketplace. Decide on a topic. Successful e-books aim at a niche market that seeks specific information. The best combination is to know what you ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,186 views2.5/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

How Will Reframing Prosperity Help Me?

What does prosperity mean to you? How’s that working for you? Wayne Dyer gave us a great quote about how to reframe: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” A statement from “Empower Me 365” is, “True prosperity is having something (anything) to share and ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,206 views3/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Do You Need New Writer Clues?

Ah, the thrill of being a new writer. You hold the image of or feel excitement about your completed or soon-to-be-completed project. What kind of clues might a new writer need; and will you avoid this kind of embarrassment? I received an email from the relative of a new writer. She was ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

999 views2.5/5 (2)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

"Left A Good Job In The City..."

Join in, if you know the tune—“Workin’ for the man every night and day...” You don’t have to work in a city these days, though, to want to start a home business, whether part- or full-time. There are as many reasons a person wants to work from home as there are people who wish or choose to do ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,010 views3/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Tips for Aspiring Writers: Tighten Your Writing

What does tighten your writing mean? What Blaise Pascal wrote gives you an idea: “The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter.” Though Pascal was a mathematician and physicist turned religious philosopher, his point benefits every ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,443 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

What's Your Opinion about Opinions?

Bill Bullard said, “Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge…is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.” Our society seems to admire highly ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

5,075 views

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

The Importance of Suspense in a Novel

What makes suspense work in a novel? There’s quite a lot to know about this, but here are some highlights.

Primary topic: Empowerment

5,008 views

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Proper Use of Abbreviations in Fiction and Nonfiction

To abbreviate or not to abbreviate—that is the question. In this day and age of texting, people are becoming adept at using abbreviations. However, this is not appropriate, for the most part, when writing fiction or nonfiction, unless your characters have dialogues that involve texting. You have to spell out the words. There is a lot more to know about abbreviations in creative and formal writing, of course, but here are several common occurrences writers are sometimes unfamiliar with or confused by.

Primary topic: Empowerment

4,891 views

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Manuscript Tips for New Novel Writers

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” You don’t want to imitate a favorite author, but you can learn a lot from him or her. Whether you create notes for plot and character development first or dive into writing your novel, you want to get as much written as possible in your first ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,182 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

The Hesitant Writer

Stephanie Chandler wrote in her book, “From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur” that a survey indicated nearly 80 percent of Americans would like to write a book. That’s a stunning number of potential writers. There are a variety of reasons why some do what’s needed to become a writer and why others ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,072 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

What Have You Done to Earn the Good Stuff in Life?

It’s been said repeatedly that you’d have most of what you want in life if there wasn’t a belief, or more than one, blocking you. One of the biggest blocks for many is the one that says, “I don’t deserve.” Anyone who’s practiced attracting what they want knows they have to allow it; they have ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

1,070 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

The Importance of Setting in a Fiction or Nonfiction Book

Setting is where the story and each scene take place, which you know. But do you grasp that setting can set the tone and mood readers experience, and can reveal and or trigger characters’ moods? You want to give enough (not too much) description for each scene to set the appearance, atmosphere, and mood for readers so they are clear enough in their own minds about the general or specific image you intend for them to have. It may help to create a list or essay description for your scenes (like a character sketch) and keep these handy so you stay consistent throughout the scenes and story.

Primary topic: Empowerment

3,527 views

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Manuscript Tips for New Novel Writers

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” You don’t want to imitate a favorite author, but you can learn a lot from him or her. Whether you create notes for plot and character development first or dive into writing your novel, you want to get as much written as possible in your first ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

955 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

How Important is Editing and Rewriting? And, Tips for Working with an Editor.

Enthusiasm is one reason why new writers gets anything written at all. Misconception of what else is involved is what usually rattles their enthusiasm. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. One reaso I wrote the e-book, “Write, Get Published, and Promote,”** was because my ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

879 views2/5 (1)

By Joyce Shafer, Book DoctorRecently published1 topic

Whack A Few Writing Myths

There’s all kinds of advice on how to write includingnn • You must write every day. • Write in the same designated spot at the same time every day. • Write for at least one hour every day. • Get up early several mornings or every morning to write. • You must have complete silence. • You must eat ...

Primary topic: Empowerment

878 views2/5 (1)

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