The Power of Gratitude

Let this mindset guide your writing life

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

If you feel discouraged by your writing income — or lack thereof — you aren’t alone. A recent study revealed that 62% of freelance workers would rather have permanent employment than face the uncertainty that comes with being a full-time creator.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation still in the rear-view mirror, our creator economy shows few signs of slowing down. In such a competitive climate, it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of writing for money, especially with the ever-present threat of inflation and economic instability.

However, focusing on the benefits we gain by pursuing our dreams is a better alternative. When we maintain a sense of gratitude for the opportunities we have, we will inevitably be happier and more productive.

The Power of Gratitude

When we express gratitude, we open ourselves up to positive emotions like joy, happiness, and love. This spills over into the words we put on the page and helps us persevere when we doubt our efforts are worth anything.

Gratitude is crucial for happiness in our writing careers — especially when things don’t go as we hoped.

The best way to develop the habit of gratitude? By being thankful. For the opportunity, no matter how small, and the chance to do something we love regardless of the payout.

The Path to Creative Success Is Not Linear

Writing is a long-haul affair, regardless of how we may romanticize it at times. And it’s not a lottery ticket.

Unlike traditional jobs, there are no guaranteed paychecks waiting to reward us for our efforts. There is simply more work… Editing that novel, researching markets to query, posting our content whenever and wherever we can.

The journey to a successful writing career is not linear, nor is it easy. There will be setbacks and rejections, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

However, we should keep this in mind: The organization reporting on employment preferences also noted that the independent workers it surveyed tended to be happier and healthier than their counterparts.