Hello,

I am so pleased to have your subscription to A-Muse Letter! I hope you are enjoying receiving it.

As you know, each month I offer coaching tips, ideas and inspiration to support you in your writing, creativity and personal growth. Please send your comments and questions and I'll write back personally or respond in a future edition of A-Muse Letter.

NEWS:

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

TUESDAY, MAY 12th, 2009 - VIRTUAL WRITING CIRCLE

Not Sure Yet ?? Check out the Complimentary OPEN HOUSE Below!

Don't miss this great opportunity to receive group coaching at a fraction of the cost of individual coaching!

If you are:

A writer or aspiring writer, wanting to connect with other writers Looking for support and gentle feedback on your writing An experienced writer, wanting to jumpstart a writing project Needing to brush up writing basics and improve your writing habits

Then a Virtual Writing Circle may be for you!

You'll receive:

Two one-hour sessions per month of a professionally coached group writing experience A facilitator who is a licensed and experienced psychotherapist, as well as an experienced writer, coach and teacher A supportive community of other writers you can connect to virtually An opportunity to meet with Susan 1:1 by phone for monthly mini-sessions, as needed

Only $65 per month.

For more information: Click Here for a Q & A (pdf) document or contact Susan Borkin at susan@susanborkin.com or call 1.800.552.WRITE.

To register: Click here to register!

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TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2009 COMPLIMENTARY TELESEMINAR

5 SECRETS TO BETTER HEALTH THROUGH WRITING

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 - 12:00 noon (Pacific)

Continuing with our 2009 Teleseminar Series, "Write, Creativity & the Pursuit of Happiness," you'll learn how the use of writing can impact your physical health in several positive ways.

We all know exercise is good for us, but did you know keeping track of your exercise makes it even better? Did you know studies prove writing down what you eat will help you to lose weight? Have you ever noticed that writing down negative feelings helps you to relieve stress?

While you may not necessarily associate writing with physical health, this unique teleseminar will address:

• The science behind how writing can help make you well
  
  
• Exact steps for keeping a log to lose weight
  
  
• How "talking" to your body can enhance your health and well-being
  
  And much more!

Never been to a teleseminar? A teleseminar is a virtual classroom. Accessible by telephone, you simply sign-up before hand then dial in at the appointed time. No travel, no hassle. Listen or be part of a class from anywhere in the world!

Can't make the sessions? No worries. Sign-up anyway and we'll send you the recording.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2009 VIRTUAL WRITING CIRCLE "OPEN HOUSE" - NO COST

If you've been thinking about joining the Virtual Writing Circle, but still have some questions, join us for a free Open House Question & Answer Session. This will give you an opportunity to experience a mini-session of the Virtual Writing Circle and get answers to any questions you might have.

Wednesday, May 20th, 9:00 am (PDT). Please R.S.V.P.

Can't make the Open House? That's OK. RSVP anyway and we'll send you the recording.

(Note: This is a complimentary session and when you checkout in the cart, your credit card will not be charged.)

RSVP HERE

If you are interested in finding out more about Susan Borkin’s availability to speak to your group or organization, click here or contact Susan at 408.973.7877

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BOOKS TO STIMULATE YOUR WRITING AND CREATIVITY By Susan Borkin

Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth and Transformation When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing

Both books are available for previewing and ordering at www.susanborkin.com. Sample chapters are only available to preview.

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GRATIS CORNER

Find out! Just contact me for a Complimentary Coaching Consultation and we'll talk about it. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

• Need some journaling tips? Send for your GRATIS BONUS ARTICLE "JUMPSTART YOUR JOURNALING" Send an e-mail to susan@susanborkin.com, requesting the article by name.
  

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GOT GOALS?

Last month in our teleseminar we discussed how writing could help to increase life satisfaction through the process of goal-setting. While not everyone finds goal-setting helpful, check out these ideas and see if they work for you!

THINK OF GOAL-SETTING AS A MAGNET

Your brain works like a computer. What you program into your "computer" is what you think about.

Through a process called reticular activating system, you are drawn to those things you are most conscious of. This means your brain filters out things you are not focused on. By the same token, your brain attracts thoughts you are focused on. By writing down your goals, you are keeping them in the forefront of your thoughts. This focus makes you more apt to draw to you, what you want.

Let's say for example that you are working on a project, a new chapter in your novel or a short story and are feeling a little stuck. You've just written down your goal of completing this project by a certain date. You wander through a bookstore and suddenly it seems ideas are everywhere! You have fired up your reticular activating system, seemingly magnetizing ideas to you.

USE WRITTEN LOGS TO BOOST YOUR PROGRESS

You may be familiar with the weight loss studies that prove writing down what you eat helps you lose weight faster than if you recorded nothing. Why is this so?

When you write down everything you eat you are helping yourself to stay focused. If you are honestly logging or tracking in writing everything you eat, you are much more likely to get to your weight goal.

Let's say you want to lose five pounds by the beginning of summer. You pass a bakery and see an incredibly delicious looking brownie, just staring at you from the bakery window. You say to yourself, "Oh, just one can't hurt." Then you remember your promise to yourself to write down everything you eat. You pause for a moment, knowing you don't want to have to look at your log and see that brownie written down tomorrow morning.

Or, you notice you are feeling a little down about how slowly your weight loss has been going. But then you decide to check your daily food log and the weight log you dutifully maintain weekly. You see how close you are getting to your weight goal and get inspired to keep going!

MAKE NOTES ALONG THE WAY

Sometimes a goal deadline is a long way off and you are not feeling particularly motivated to make progress. You have some ideas floating around in your head, but you tell yourself it's "too early," to bother with them.

Stop! Learn the technique of making notes as you go. Create what is known as a grass catcher---a file (computer or hard copy or both), notebook or even a drawer to begin collecting ideas and data.

This method helps to prime the pump for later. When you actually sit down to work on your goal or project, you already have a head start.

For example, I keep photo and letter albums for my granddaughter, sending her pages as I complete them. Sometimes it's difficult to look at a blank page and begin when I actually sit down to work on this project. But by keeping notes on ideas, photos I especially like and ideas for stories I want to share with her, sitting down and creating is a lot more inviting with a few ideas and pictures already collected.

Will writing down your goals, tracking your progress and collecting and writing down ideas as they come to you help you accomplish your goals?

Take care,

If you find yourself needing help managing your creative process contact me and request a GRATIS SESSION via phone or in person. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

ABOUT SUSAN BORKIN

Susan Borkin, M.A. is a licensed psychotherapist, coach and writer. She is the founder of Write Now! a professional practice specializing in the use of writing for personal and professional growth. Susan specializes in helping people overcome creative blocks and achieve deep personal transformation through the use of writing. A personal growth writing teacher for more than twenty-five years, she is the author of When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing and Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth & Transformation.

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