You are joining a generational chorus of the anxious. Some of us have navigated this well and figured out ways to overcome it. Some of us attempt to drown it in alcohol. Too many of us have slipped into self-destructive darkness to silence it.

I challenged myself to watch what I said and to stop complaining. I thought that by stopping the bad attitude was just a generally a good step in the direction of restraint. I had no idea that this would change nearly everything about my life.

I have a feeling, however, that I am not the only one who feels like this. So, I’ve come up with a quick list of No-Nos for us who are doubting our writerly futures during difficult times.

I'm in a place where my expectations of what could have been are paralyzing my current choices. But if I'm going to go any further in what I do as a writer, I need to get over myself and grow in confidence.

You’ve come home from a tiring day job. You try to sit down at your laptop and write a few words before relaxing for the evening. But the words won’t flow. Or maybe you’re one of those lucky people who get to write full-time for a living. You sit in your home office day after day pounding out the words. Are you a happy writer? Is it possible to be one?