This month, we’re discussing Creative Strength, but we start in a less fun place.
Survival.
In order to move to a place of strength, we must first acknowledge what’s holding us back. In many instances, it’s ourselves.
I’ve been through a lot of grief over the last few months. I’ve survived a few things. I’m all about moving to a place of strength, but we first must do the work of mourning what we’ve lost.
NAME IT
The first step to recovering from a creative loss is admitting that you felt a loss in the first place. I mentioned one of mine yesterday in the email. That one was my own fault, and maybe yours are as well, but before you beat yourself up, think about your inner artist/child and how they might feel if you gave it another go.
What creative (or other) losses have you survived?
HONOR IT
It’s time to honor the loss and your place in the flow of things. Maybe that particular creative dream wasn’t ready to be born. Maybe now it is. Honor your role in bringing it forth, no matter what it looks like now.
How are you better or different on the other side of your loss? Or, how can you see that loss as beneficial in some context?
MOURN IT
It’s time to say goodbye to what you thought might be. I bet you’re making room for something better.
Let go of the hurt. You were made for bigger things.
RECOMMIT TO IT
What’s one small action you can do today to celebrate your progress or recommit to your goal?
Can you make one small step today to reinvest in your creative self or work?
This month, we’ve been discussing Creative Isolation: not just being alone, but being disconnected. If you’re exhausted, then you must be working… right? Wrong.
If you’ve been reading these posts and nodding along, but you’re not sure what the next step is, you’re in the right place. Connection happens when we collaborate.
All it takes is reaching out. Ask the question. Admit the problem. Accept the helping hand that’s offered.
CONNECTION:
What does connection actually look like when you work with me? Well, that depends, I suppose, on the nature of your problem and the sticky spot where you find yourself.
ALL OF AUGUST I will DOUBLE your INITIAL SESSION (Need a different meeting? Try me. I’ll double that too.) That’s twice as much time to put into words your issue(s), break the silence around your block, and finally(!) get some peace of mind, next steps, and a radical plan.
If you want to hear what The People say, it’s this: I understand. I believe in you. I can help…but don’t take it from me.
In their own words…
From LIVING WRITE:
Linsey is a creative who knows the struggles (and excuses) writers face. She’s cheerleader, a sage, and always asks what you need and checks in. She’s a generous and thoughtful coach and motivator. I can’t imagine getting started again without her helping me chart my course.
From EDIT SOBER:
Linsey is an amazing writer/editor. She understands the overwhelm because she experiences it as a writer. As an editor, she has developed a tool to help writers polish their manuscripts so they can move forward and get their books into the hands of their readers. Thank you, Linsey!
From Other Collaborations:
It’s hard to see the picture when you’re standing inside the frame. Linsey helped me take a more objective look at where I was with my writing. The results were fresh and empowering ideas and methods for getting me unstuck with my work.
Linsey took me seriously, even though I had no prior experience writing a novel. She was a thorough reader and had a lot of wonderful suggestions, which she clearly notated and discussed with me. If there was anything I had a question about, she took the time to clarify and was always eager to discuss options. She seemed genuinely interested in my project.
I have had the utmost pleasure in working with Linsey…She has been an editor and coach in helping me clean up and finish the story. My book is currently being considered for publishing, and it is all thanks to Linsey and her skills in the writing field.
Break the Cycle:
Reach out today. The only thing you’re risking is another couple of years spinning.
Check out my channels for the video Introduction, 1 QUARTER Review, and Halfway Video (which should go live right after this posting! Check it out! on the channels!)!
REMINDER: You can win a PRIZE (see some examples in the Halfway Video!) by commenting on the video, DMing me on those platforms, or emailing linseyewing@gmail.com with the subject: SUMMER READING
I’d love to hear from you!
F(inish) It Framework: Mentality for 2026
I am running my business and my life through the exact framework of my signature program, F(inish) It.
If you’re feeling burnt out, or like another thing on your list would break you
If you need to add some intentionality, or you’re ready to stop making excuses
If you are ready to stop starting and actually cross the finish line
Contact Me or COMMENT below, and we’ll make a customized plan for you and your project.
Are you done with the hamster wheel? Let’s talk.
Book an INITIAL call, and let’s talk about your work: FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.
DON’T FORGET YOU GET DOUBLE TIME IN AUGUST! MENTION THIS OFFER!
This month, we’re discussing Creative Isolation: not just being alone, but being disconnected. If you’re exhausted, then you must be working… right? Wrong.
You can’t keep doing this alone. If you think you can, maybe the better question is: how long are you willing to wait for the realization of your creative dreams?
Confessions of an Indie Author:
I have a confession to make: I, too, am isolating. My life is hard right now, but I don’t like showing my vulnerabilities. I prefer to hide behind my efficiency and let my routine mask the deep hurts that have hit me lately. I don’t like appearing less than the professional, put-together version I most often post online.
Sound familiar?
I, too, am guilty of wheel-spinning, perfectionism, and all the other icky stuff that comes with doing a thing largely alone.
All that changed when I decided to let someone else in. I reached out into a void, and the void answered. Almost instantly, in fact.
What Happened When I Collaborated:
Meet Elizabeth. She’s a bang-up developmental editor, and now I can confidently say, a dear friend.
If you want to read our origin story, she wrote about it in the Foreword to The Daily Grind. Thanks again. Suffice it to say, we started on a different project altogether, and that one is still on the back burner, perhaps due to similar advice, but she helped me get through a sticky spot on TDG, which I KNEW was my next novel, and I was right.
I don’t remember her exact words, but she told me it wasn’t finished. The novel that I had been toiling over, off and on granted, for upwards of a decade, wasn’t finished. What? I thought it was. I couldn’t see past the ending, in point of fact.
If I hadn’t had her extra perspective, that book would have remained, as so many of my (and I’m sure some of your) projects have, languishing in a drawer.
But, no!
The Daily Grind is out there! YOU can read it! Because I asked for help. Now here’s a funny story:
In her own words: My editor, Elizabeth.
I have always said I am an editor, not a writer. I have never had the burning desire to write anything other than short-form things about butterflies, gardens, and life on my Facebook. Then I started working with Linsey on her writing. I fell in love with her format of short character vignettes that all weave together into a bigger story. One day, I happened to be at the gym working out and people watching and decided that Linsey could write something amazing about the people at a gym, how they are all separate and doing their own things, but also all together, secretly cheering each other on. It’s a strange community, the gym people.
I messaged her and told her ‘the story you could write about these people!’ Her response: ‘You should write it.’
She issued a dare, a challenge I felt compelled to accept. Her format isn’t as intimidating as plodding through 80k words for a full-blown fiction. So, I borrowed it. At her nudging, ‘Gym People’ is slowly but surely coming to life. 5 separate people living their lives separately but together, with created backstories and issues to sort through. I have never felt compelled to stretch my writing wings, but because of my continuing relationship with Linsey as an editor, and her encouragement as a writer, I have found that writing helps me become a better editor. Now, I know the other side of the editing process, and I’m much closer-acquainted with the struggles my clients go through when creating, editing, and finally giving their work life in publishing.
Break the Cycle:
Can’t you see? It helped us BOTH in ways we never would have expected and couldn’t have predicted. Like MAGIC. I’m a big believer in magic. How bout you? Wanna give it a shot?
What would it take for you to break the cycle? Of Isolation? Of Wheel-Spinning? Of Perfectionism? I offer a few options, but it doesn’t have to be me. You can share your work with anyone…but make sure it’s the right person.
CAVEAT!
Here’s who TO SHARE your work with:
Encouraging people or the Cheerleaders of your Life. You know the ones who will build you up, not dream-crush.
Creatives: It doesn’t matter if they don’t read/write/work in your genre. ANYONE who is ACTIVELY creating will encourage you to do the same. I dare you to try this.
Someone on the path ahead of you: It’s safe to ask for mentorship. It may not come from the direction you expect, but opening yourself to it is a start.
ME! I would LOVE to hear about your struggles and successes! Please reach out!
Here’s who NOT TO SHARE with:
Negative Nancys or Debbie Downers: ANYONE who is NOT supporting your work artistically, emotionally, and/or financially does NOT get a say in how you do it. Period.
Other blocked creatives: the ones who LIKE to complain about how they never get anything done? Steer clear.
Critics: The time will come, but it is not now, when you will need a critical eye. Like your Inner Critic, give them a job to do, then remind them politely to stay in their lane.
REMINDER: You can win a PRIZE (some examples are coming soon in the Halfway Video!) by commenting on the video, DMing me on those platforms, or emailing linseyewing@gmail.com with the subject: SUMMER READING
I’d love to hear from you!
F(inish) It Framework: Mentality for 2026
I am running my business and my life through the exact framework of my signature program, F(inish) It.
If you’re feeling burnt out, or like another thing on your list would break you
If you need to add some intentionality, or you’re ready to stop making excuses
If you are ready to stop starting and actually cross the finish line
Contact Me or COMMENT below, and we’ll make a customized plan for you and your project.
Ready to go deeper?
Book a free intro call and let’s talk about your work: FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.
Every creator knows or has known that Creative Isolation is not just being alone; it’s being disconnected.
If you’re exhausted, then you must be working… right? Wrong.
If you’re still holding on to a work that was finished ages ago, you’re not making progress; you’re practicing perfectionism.
What Exactly is “Perfectionism”?
Here’s what Julia Cameron has to say about Perfectionism:
Perfectionism has nothing to do with getting it right. It has nothing to do with fixing things. It has nothing to do with standards. Perfectionism is a refusal to let yourself move ahead. It is a loop—an obsessive, debilitating closed system that causes you to get stuck in the details of what you are writing or painting or making and to lose sight of the whole. Instead of creating freely and allowing errors to reveal themselves later as insights, we often get mired in getting the details right. We correct our originality into a uniformity that lacks passion and spontaneity.
Why It Happens in Isolation:
The Mask of Flawlessness: In isolation, we convince ourselves that everyone else has it all figured out. We believe that we must present a “perfect” version of ourselves to be worthy of connection, not realizing that vulnerability is actually what builds bridges.
The Unchecked Inner Critic: Without external perspectives, our inner critic becomes the loudest voice in the room. There is no one around to say, “Hey, you’re being way too hard on yourself,” or “That’s actually an incredible first draft.”
The Cycle of Avoidance: Out of fear that our flaws will be exposed, we pull away from others. We tell ourselves, “I’ll reach out once…” transforming perfectionism into a self-imposed exile.
The Cost of Perfectionism:
The Eradication of Joy: When the goal is perfection, anything less feels like failure. What happens to our ability to celebrate small wins, enjoy our works of art for fun’s sake, or feel present in our lives?
Analysis Paralysis: The fear of making a mistake becomes so debilitating that we procrastinate, overthink, or abandon projects and dreams entirely before they even start. What happens to the work of art that’s never started or never shared?
Deepened Loneliness: The ultimate cost of perfectionism is isolation, keeping us disconnected from the very community we crave. What happens to the Art & Artists when we fail to create and maintain our creative communities?
Unpopular opinion:
That project you’re working on isn’t unfinished. You’re just using perfectionism to isolate yourself from the fear of judgment.
When we practice perfectionism, we not only fail to share our passion and ourselves, but we may fail to share our art at all. What does that get us? What does that get the world that needs our art, our message, our mission, and our voice?
It gets exactly nowhere.
Break the Cycle:
What would it take for you to break the cycle of Perfectionism? I offer a few options: A free 15-minute chat, you can COMMENT here, or contact me to talk about your project. Even saying the words out loud might be the thing you need.
It doesn’t have to be me. You can share your work with anyone.
Maybe not the whole draft yet, maybe that’s too much. What about confessing what you’re working on to a dear friend? A Stranger? What about announcing it on social media? Setting an accountability (shared) goal? Setting a date on the calendar by which time someone (you trust) will be expecting it? You can do it.
REMINDER: You can win a PRIZE (some examples are coming soon in the Halfway Video!) by commenting on the video, DMimg me on those plateforms, or emailing linseyewing@gmail.com with the subject: SUMMER READING
I’d love to hear from you!
F(inish) It Framework: Mentality for 2026
I am running my business and my life through the exact framework of my signature program, F(inish) It.
If you’re feeling burnt out, or like another thing on your list would break you
If you need to add some intentionality, or you’re ready to stop making excuses
If you are ready to stop starting and actually cross the finish line
Contact Me or COMMENT below, and we’ll make a customized plan for you and your project.
Ready to go deeper?
Book a free intro call and let’s talk about your work: FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.
Every creator knows or has known Creative Isolation.
Isolation is not just being alone; it’s being disconnected from other creatives, input, feedback, and fresh perspectives.
You’re exhausted, so you must be working… right? Wrong. You’re spinning your wheels.
What Exactly is “Wheel-Spinning”?
Wheel-spinning is high effort and zero velocity.
Think over: over-polishing, over-thinking, over-deleting, over-perfecting. And under: under-utilizing other creative perspectives, under-serving the work, and under-producing all under the illusion of productivity.
Why It Happens in Isolation
The Echo Chamber: Without external voices, your inner critic is the loudest person in the room.
The Perfectionism Loop: You try to fix a problem by staring harder at it, rather than stepping away or asking for help.
The Warning Signs: Spending hours picking your fonts, rewriting the same paragraph umpteen times, hiding your work-in-progress from others, etc.
The Cost of the Spin
Creative Burnout: You are spending maximum energy just to stay in the exact same spot.
The Imposter Spiral: When you don’t finish things, you start believing you can’t finish things.
The Paradox: You isolated yourself so you could “focus and get it done,” but the isolation is the very thing keeping it stuck.
Breaking the Wheels
Your inner critic has had enough floor time. Break the spin. Join my Creative Collective.
The antidote to isolation is connection. We mean it—and we aren’t going to leave you spinning.
We builtthe Creative Collectivefor exactly this reason: to be an external sounding board, a fresh set of eyes, and the motivational boost you need when your wheels start to spin.
You don’t need a finished masterpiece to join us. In fact, we prefer you don’t. Bring your roughest draft, your stuck project, or just your tired brain. Stop spinning. We’ll get you unstuck together.
COMMENT here OR EMAIL me for the ZOOM LINK: linseyewing@gmail.com
It’s been a mess for some time, as I’ve said, but I will re-approach it rested and ready after this past weekend’s Planning Retreat.
The goal(s)? To solidify and streamline my messaging and map that messaging for the second half of 2026.
Why? To free up more creative time. To simplify my administrative output. To strategize for times when my energy is low and my decision-making capabilities are next to nil.
Mid-Year Planning Retreat: Inside My Q3 Strategy Session
This was my first dedicated Planning retreat, and I think it went super well.
I set strict boundaries…
FRI: Brain Dump Only. No work. Nice dinner out and early bedtime.
SAT: Deep Focus x 2 (at least). Break (at least 2) outside with movement. Early bedtime.
SUN: Early rise. Deep focus x 1 (at least). Wrap and Reflect. Prep to leave.
…and accomplished a lot:
FRI: Brain Dump and Organized for Saturday. Set myself up for success.
SAT: Deep focus x 4 (at least, maybe 5) with long breaks in between, outside time, and a stroll around the block.
SUN: Deep focus x 2 and Next Week’s prep.
Something I’m trying this year: Using the time I feel good to set intentions for the times I feel bad. Now I have a plan and some strategies for making that plan happen, even when I don’t feel like doing anything. I know this roadmap will help. I’ve made it as easy as possible for myself. All I have to do is show up.
The blueprint is set. The mind is rested. Q3, we are ready for you.
Right now, my desk and desktop are beautiful disasters. Coming up:
I’m resetting my creative space to work better for me, aka. everything is everywhere
I’m planning for a planning retreat and a youth trip: 2 directions. 2 sets of plans.
I’m gearing up for the best and worst months of the year: Summer, yay, but Winter is Coming.
My to-do list is long, and my energy is high. I have:
3 projects on the horizon
At least 2 more on the back burner with more pushed to 2027
Weekly admin tasks, including this blog, and (more) habits that I want to build and continue.
All the while, my overachieving brain screams at me to make it all perfect.
Rest isn’t the reward for finishing the work; rest is a vital stage of the creative process itself.
My answer used to be: Push Through. Now I’m trying something different: Radical Rest. I am closing the laptop, grabbing my sunglasses, and heading out when I get overwhelmed.
There is an intense discomfort in walking away from a project when it is messy and half-done. We’ve been conditioned to believe that we only deserve a break after the work is perfectly polished.
But…
When you force a draft, you get forced results. By choosing to step away—by leaning into those pool vibes and letting the work sit untouched—you aren’t delaying your progress. You are participating in it.
My absolute best breakthroughs didn’t happen while I was white-knuckling my keyboard at a desk. They happened when I was swimming, reading a chapter of a novel, or just watching the sun.
Your subconscious mind needs the space of stillness to solve the problems your conscious mind is too tired to figure out.
So here it is: Your Permission Slip: If you are currently staring at a messy draft, a chaotic spreadsheet, or a half-done project—this is your sign to close the tab. Walk away for an hour, an afternoon, or a weekend. Let it breathe. It will be there when you get back, and you’ll be much better equipped to handle it.
I am running my business and my life through the exact framework of my signature program, F(inish) It.
Believe it or not, resting, or at least Breaking-from-the-Project, is the first step in many of my programs.
If you’re feeling burnt out, or like another thing on your list would break you
If you need to add some intentionality, or you’re ready to stop making excuses
If you are ready to stop starting and actually cross the finish line
Contact Me or COMMENT below, and we’ll make a customized plan for you and your project.
When we try to focus on everything, we finish nothing. You don’t need more hours in the day to make the rest of 2026 count. You need a definitive plan to finish 1 thing. I can help. Schedule your FREE diagnostic today.
It’s June. Has panic set in? 6 months of 2026 have already vanished.
The way I see it, we have 2 options:
We can 1). Live into the panic. Try to make up for lost time by adding more to our plates. Promise to hustle harder, wake up earlier, and juggle five new projects to “save” the year.
OR 2). We can pick 1 thing and finish.
The first half of the year was about making space and seeing what grew; let’s not put the pressure on the last to yield everything we’ve planted.
Some of those seeds have withered and died by now, haven’t they? Some have gone by the wayside in some other capacity. Some will take more years to bear fruit. All that are left will take consistent work to thrive. So, here at the crux of Q2 and Q3, we re-evaluate our process and progress, reset/realign to our goals, and resume our forward movement with new intention and direction.
I am running my business and my life through the exact framework of my signature program, F(inish) It. If you are ready to stop starting things and actually cross the finish line, Contact Me or COMMENT below, and we’ll make a customized plan for you and your project.
Here is the start to your mid-year reset:
Choose your “1 Thing”: Select 1 project and commit to seeing it through by the end of the Year. That is your anchor for Q3. Everything else is secondary.
Evaluate your resources. What do you have? What do you need? Map the progress you want to make onto your Calendar. Schedule your working sessions. Show up.
Optimize your habits. Make today 1% better than yesterday. Add 100 words. Cut 1 scene. Daydream 1 reward or future accolade.
When we try to focus on everything, we finish nothing. You don’t need more hours in the day to make the rest of 2026 count. You need a definitive plan to finish 1 thing. I can help. Schedule your FREE diagnostic today.
SUMMER READING Videos on Instagram and YouTube!
Check out my channels for the video Introduction and (coming soon!) Reviews!
xxxlinsey
If you need some help resetting this summer, try a FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.
Before we get geared up for the second half of the year, let’s take a break, shall we?
What’s your favorite Summer memory? The pool? Yes! The ball field? Definitely!
For me, though, the best part of Summer as a kid was always the (mostly) uninterrupted reading time. The Books, the Library Smell, the (seemingly, at the time) endless Stacks of Stories. The Adventures! The Emotions! The FUN!
Yes, my mom made me go outside, but I took my book most of the time. I played plenty, but my heart has always been within the pages of a good book.
So I’m returning there this Summer, and I hope you will join me.
Check out my channels for the video Introduction and (coming soon!) Reviews!
I had not even read the blurb when I acquired this book at a fundraiser sale.
Sometimes I do (read the back/blurb when shopping); sometimes I don’t, but this was an author familiar (but not too familiar) to me (Alice Hoffman-I have read 1, maybe 2), so I skipped it this time. If you’d like to hear the blurb and/or see my reaction to it, check out the NEW ANNOUNCEMENT/Summer Reading video on Instagram and YouTube.
The Title is The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman. If you’ve read it, PLEASE review it on the appropriate channels (i.e., mine, no; hers, yes!)! If you want to be involved in my experience, comment on the video or contact me, which you may also do here: Contact
The Daily Reading Ritual:
For me, the ultimate bridge between building a business and radical rest is a dedicated reading habit.
I have always loved reading, and I’ve got quite the TBR collection. For this new ritual, I have been rotating 4 TBR piles:
for my BIZ
Personal Growth or Health and Happiness
Play or Creativity Exploration
and the Summer Reading “fun read” choice.
4 “piles” with 5 optional “blocks.” Oh, and one of these blocks must be fiction. That’s it. Those are the only rules.
I set each block to be 30 minutes (e.g., from 10-10:30 AM), but I only set the timer for 20 minutes. It often takes me a minute to get settled, and I have been absolutely astounded at how difficult it is for me to keep still that entire time! Part of this is the gumption to get up and do what the book suggests. Part is the eroded attention span I’m trying to mend.
Here’s a sample schedule (it, of course depends on the day):
AM BLOCK 10-10:30 AM
NOON BLOCK 12:30-1PM
PM BLOCK 2-2:30 PM
EXTRA BLOCK 4-4:30 PM
BONUS BLOCK 8:30-9PM
Here’s what my Reading Ritual looks like:
I set a timer, grab my book and beverage, and head for the nearest comfy spot. If I’m anxious, or my mind is still spinning from what I “should” still be doing, I keep on my feet. I long ago mastered the art of pacing and reading simultaneously.
Depending on the block or book, I might also grab my pen and a notepad/book.
All 5 blocks equal 2.5 hours of reading a day. My minimum is 3 blocks or 1 hour total.
Think you can do it? Join me!
xxxlinsey
If you need some help resetting this summer, try a FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.
In April, we did the hard work of Spring Cleaning. We made space for what was possible. In May, we watched the first new ideas sprout. And we just hit June—the exact halfway mark of the year.
Remember…Anxiety and Anticipation are the same emotion. Check your perspective.
If you look back at the goals you set in January (HA!) and feel guilt instead of excitement, take a deep breath.
You are no longer that person; you are not headed that direction, and those goals do not serve you. Say it with me. The person who wrote those goals six months ago didn’t have what you have right now. And, by the way, it is entirely OK to change your mind. Pivoting isn’t quitting.
If you’re not where you want to be this June, we are giving ourselves permission to rewrite the script as we prepare to reset for Q3.
litewings.ink 