By Dr. Chrissy Whiting-Madison @joyfulgurly

I think most of us remember when we were first divinely inspired to become an author. At least I remember my moment very clearly. For several years, I had been traveling all over the United States giving motivational speeches about positive psychology and positivity in general. At one conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I had an individual approach me and say:

Wow, if I could bottle your positivity and sell it, I would make a fortune!

We both laughed, I made a joke about being the world’s happiest “drug” dealer, but the wheels started turning. While I couldn’t actually bottle myself and sell the bottles in dark alleys, I could tell the world how I did it for myself. How I transitioned from a mopey, awkward teen to the positive, confident woman I am today.

I am fairly certain that woman will never know how much she blessed me with her words, but her words effectively changed my life. Now with one book published, Choosing Happiness, and another in the works, Even Happier, the task at hand has become to keep my divine inspiration and not allow myself to veer off course from God’s plan for my life.  Luckily for me, I have found that when you allow God to work, He does not let you down.

First, allow those that you have already affected through your writing to come forward and remind you that what you are doing matters. I receive Facebook messages regularly from individuals who have heard me speak or read my book, or both. These messages mean the world to me because they serve as a reminder that what I am doing matters and has transformed their lives. I encourage all of you to share your work, even unfinished work, with trusted mentors and allow God to work through them to keep you invested and motivated. Also keep an active social media presence.  Your fans will keep you more inspired than you can begin to imagine.

Secondly, remember to keep your work in your daily prayer life. Ask God to bless you with the right words and keep you motivated to continue the process. Ask God for grace for those days when you fail, when watching Netflix has surpassed the urge to write. Most importantly, keep God in the forefront of the entire process.

Third, and lastly, when all else fails, turn to the Word. Turn to the bible, when you are experiencing writer’s block. Turn to the bible when you are losing motivation and questioning if this is truly the path God has planned for you. Allow the Word to not only quiet your doubts, but invigorate your soul.

Being an author is not the path for everyone, but if you are reading this, I think it’s safe to say it is His plan for you.  Don’t lose your inspiration, seek it out. I promise He won’t let you down.

Dr. Chrissy Whiting-Madison obtained her BA in Psychology from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from Langston University and her PhD in Rehabilitation & Research from the University of Arkansas. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Rogers State University where she avidly researches positive psychology, happiness, humor and joy. Dr. Chrissy published her first book this past year, called Choosing Happiness. She has presented all over the United States, and is currently working on her second book, Even Happier. You can connect with her on her website.

When Dr. Chrissy is not teaching, reading or traveling, she loves scary movies and spending time with her friends and family. She is also a proud mom of one daughter and 6 cats.