From Overwhelm to Focus: Starting Your Writing Year with Clarity and Grace

The start of a new year can feel exciting and overwhelming all at once. Fresh goals, endless to-do lists, and the pressure to "get it right" can leave even the most passionate Christian writers feeling drained and stuck.

But what if you could swap stress for clarity and chaos for peace?

In this episode of Anointed Scribe: Diary of a Christian Writer, I share practical tips and fresh insights to help you beat overwhelm, set realistic goals, and reconnect with your God-given vision.

From powerful strategies to refocus and recharge to scriptural encouragement that will breathe life into your calling, this episode is packed with the tools you need to start your year with intention and grace.

Are you ready to overcome overwhelm and write with purpose in 2025?

If you’re a Christian writer already feeling like you’ve lost your focus and drive just days into 2025, this episode is for you.

👉 Listen now to beat overwhelm and distraction and stay on course this new year.

Don’t miss the next episode, where we'll be talking about how to build your brand as a Christian writer. Subscribe today!

Transcript

Do you feel like you're already drowning in 2025? The year has barely started and yet the excitement of fresh goals and new opportunities has already given way to exhaustion, overwhelm, and a to do list that feels impossible to tackle.

But what if this doesn't have to be how you start the new year?

What if instead of diving into the New year with chaos and overwhelm, you can swap your stress for clarity?

Well, that's exactly what I'm hoping to help you discover in today's episode, where I'll be sharing practical tips and relatable insights to help you reclaim your focus and joy as you pursue your God given vision for 2025.

So if you're ready to kick off this new year with intention and peace, turn up the volume, friend, because this episode is for you. This is episode eight.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning author of Christian fiction. It wasn't that long ago that I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, setting the course for a spiritual journey that transformed my life.

But the journey through self publishing hasn't been easy as I soon found myself obsessing over book sales rankings and getting to the top of the shelves, all the while trying to stay rooted in Christ and live out my purpose.

But God has graciously been teaching me how to navigate the spiritual pitfalls of the brutal book publishing industry, and now I'm sharing them with you. Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where each week I open my personal diary to share soul nourishing stories designed to inspire, uplift and equip you for your writing life.

If you're already a Christian author or one in the making trying to balance faith with business, you're in the right place. Because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And welcome back to Anointed Scribe Diary of a Christian Writer.

I am beyond thrilled that you're kicking off the New Year with me today. And if you're new to this podcast and this is your first time here, welcome to the Anointed Scribe tribe.

I know God brought you here for a reason and whatever it is he has in store for you as you tune into these weekly episodes, I pray it'll be a huge blessing to you.

And if you've been hanging out with me for a while, I just want to take a second to say thank you. Your support Your reviews and the stories you share with me mean the world.

So huge. Thank you for that.

So here we are. It's January. A brand new year.

A clean slate. Doesn't it just feel like a blank page waiting for a story to be written?

There's something magical about this time of the year, right?

There's something great about having fresh goals and endless possibilities that make us dream big.

But can I be honest with you?

Sometimes the excitement of a new year can feel a little heavy.

I mean, how many of you started this year feeling all fired up, only to find yourself already staring at a blank screen and a mountain of tasks, wondering how you're going to get it all done?

Maybe you've been hit with a case of New Year overwhelm. Friend, I've been there. In fact, let me share something I wrote in my journal almost exactly a year ago.

January 12, 2024.

How is it that I already feel like I'm behind school's back and life is already on a speed train to nowhere?

So much to do and so little time, and this is only January.

Does that sound familiar?

If it does, let's take a collective deep breath together. Because, friend, I'm here to tell you you're not alone and feeling stressed before you've even started writing. Your next book isn't exclusive to our profession either.

It's actually a very regular occurrence at the start of a new year when you've spent a few weeks over the holiday season feeling relaxed and carefree, only to slip in behind your desk and see your to do list and goals for the new year for the first time again since you did it before you shut your office down for the holidays.

Overwhelm is a sneaky, sneaky thing. It creeps in quietly, disguising itself as ambition or responsibility, and before you know it, you are weighed down by everything you think think you should be doing.

But here's the good news. It doesn't have to stay that way.

The thing about Overwhelm is that it doesn't happen because you're not good enough or not motivated or disciplined enough.

It happens because we are human and, let's face it, we sometimes expect ourselves to do all these things all at once and do them perfectly.

It's like stacking bricks. One or two bricks, totally manageable. But when you try to carry the whole stack, that's when it starts to feel impossible.

For me, Overwhelm often shows up when I've lost sight of my why?

Why am I doing this?

Why did I feel so passionate about this goal in the first place. And more importantly, why did God call me to write these books?

Sometimes it takes a moment of quiet reflection to just reconnect with my purpose and to allow God to remind me that he's right there with me and that I'm not doing this alone.

I don't have to tackle the new year in my own strength and lean on my own creativity. In fact, I've now learned to make my first day back in the office, after any break, my reconnection day.

A day where I spend it with God in the word and in prayer, surrendering my goals and plans for the new week, the new month, quarter, or the new year.

If you've already been in a corporate or working environment and you come back from a vacation, what's the first thing you do when you walk back into the office?

You call a meeting with your team and your boss to reconnect, don't you?

So this is no different when you run your own author business.

You call a meeting with your CEO to make sure you're headed in the same direction. Right? You connect with God.

One way that's helped me tremendously is by writing everything down. And I mean everything. Goals, worries, tasks, random thoughts. It's like doing a brain dump onto paper. And honestly, it's one of the most freeing things you can do.

Proverbs 16:3 says, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

So then I take this list of random things and I commit them to the Lord, and I ask him to help me organize them according to his plan.

There's something powerful about seeing it all laid out, giving it to God, and then saying, okay, Lord, what do you want me to focus on today? What project do you need me to start with first?

What should I abandon?

Show me how I should do xyz or xyz, if you're an American.

Where do you need me to focus?

And since we're speaking of focus, let's talk about boundaries. Because, yes, they are so simple in theory, but so hard to enforce, right?

If you're anything like me, protecting your writing time can sometimes feel like a battle. I'm a working mom. Our household is busy, and my family will always come before work.

But I do have to make time to do what God needs me to do also. And that will require me to set boundaries and protect my writing space and time.

And that's really hard sometimes.

But let me tell you, it's worth it. I've learned to discern which expectations sow back into my family or are just robbing me from my purpose.

I've learned that saying no to distractions means saying yes to the work God has called me to, and I've learned to ask for help.

And you know what? It's not selfish. This is stewardship.

So maybe this week you block out 30 minutes a day where writing is your only focus.

No emails, no laundry, no social media, just you and the page.

It's about placing your full focus on that one task at a time. That's going to move you forward in your goal.

And let me also just say that sometimes you need to take a small step back so you can take the next 10 steps forward. Yes, even at the start of a new year.

Especially at the start of a new year.

Take a day to reconnect with God and your goals. It's okay.

Now I know what you might be thinking.

You've just come back from a holiday and I'm already behind. I don't have time to rest.

So let me gently remind you that rest isn't just a waste of time or a luxury, it's a necessity.

When your brain is in overwhelm mode, your clarity and focus disappears and your natural coping mechanism is to shut down.

You quit before you've even started because it's all just too much to cope with.

And that's where we don't want to be as writers who are called to a mission, right?

So taking a small pause to gather your thoughts with God is very necessary.

In fact, even Jesus rested.

Think about that for a second. The Son of God with the most important mission in history still took time to step away and recharge.

If he needed rest, so do we.

And when it comes to staying motivated, I like to keep things fun.

Have you ever tried setting a timer for 25 minutes and seeing how much you can get done? It's called the Pomodoro technique and it works wonders for focus.

Or maybe you create a little reward system for yourself.

Finish a chapter, treat yourself to your favourite coffee.

Writing doesn't have to feel like a chore.

One scripture that always encourages me when I'm feeling completely overwhelmed is Galatians 6. 9 Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.

If we do not keep, give up. I love this verse because it reminds me that the work God has called us to is not in vain.

Even when progress feels slow or the road feels hard, there's a harvest waiting on the other side.

I always say that being a writer isn't A sprint. It's a marathon. And as a Christian writer, the road will take you through valleys of testing and it will be scattered with thorns.

But I promise you, if you turn to God during those moments and let him, he will protect you and carry you when you get weary.

And can we just talk about distractions for a minute?

There's this kids movie called Finding Nemo. I'm sure you've heard or even watched it. But there's the scene with the fish called Dory who gets easily loses focus easily. And so when she gets distracted, she sings, just keep swimming.

Just keep swimming.

I can't tell you how many times I've recalled that scene when life gets crazy and distractions threaten to derail me.

Writing can feel like an ocean, vast and sometimes overwhelming. But as long as you keep swimming and in our case with God, you'll find your rhythm.

So as we head into 2025, let's make a pact to do things differently this year, shall we?

Let's commit to focusing on what truly matters, giving ourselves grace and taking small, faithful steps every day.

Overwhelm doesn't have to define your year. You can take back control, find your focus, and write with purpose. Even when life feels chaotic.

When overwhelm creeps in, it can feel like you're juggling a hundred things at once, unsure of where to even start.

But in Matthew 11:28, 28:30, Jesus gives us this beautiful invitation.

He says this come to me, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Have you noticed the word yoke? A yoke is designed to guide and and direct, to keep us focused on the path ahead while sharing the load.

So when we walk with Jesus, he doesn't just lighten our burdens, he helps us focus on what truly matters, one step at a time.

So as you step into this new year, let go of the distractions and the weight of trying to do it all perfectly from the get go.

Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus, the one who has already set your path.

Start each day by asking the Lord, Lord, what is the one thing you want me to focus on today?

And then trust that as you walk with him, he will make the way clear. He will show you. Just ask.

Thank you for starting this year with me. If today's episode gave you some peace or encouragement, why not go ahead and share it with a friend who might also need a little boost.

And as always, please do let me know what resonated with you. I love hearing your thoughts.

Stay rooted, stay focused, keep writing. And remember, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe thanks for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe podcast.

I hope you're leaving feeling inspired, encouraged and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

If you found value and liked today's episode, would you stop right now and share this episode with someone else who's struggling to balance their faith with building their author career?

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And if you want more of the lessons I learned in my personal journey, good news because I drop new episodes every Friday, so go ahead and subscribe or follow this show so you don't miss any the next one.

Then head on over to anointed scribe.com for today's show notes and free access to my entire resource library to keep you rooted and on course. There's also a link where you can shoot me a message or ask a question.

Or if there's a specific topic you'd like me to talk about in a future episode, you can use the message link for that too. I look forward to our next episode together.

And remember, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe. I'll see you next time.