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Thursday, April 18, 2013

PMA!

PMA - Positive Mental Attitude!

You know what? You’re going to need one to finish the A to Z Challenge. At least finish sane and in one piece.

Yes, it can feel overwhelming. The list is huge and daunting. Your comment section explodes. All these new bloggers start following you. You realize you are falling behind with every aspect of blogging.

Your attitude will determine how you handle it.

You can grow frustrated. Maybe even angry. You tire of trying. Maybe instead of feeling overwhelmed, you are underwhelmed. You want to quit because your efforts don’t appear to be netting any results. A negative attitude takes over, and no matter what happens now, you view the situation through jaded eyes and a closed mind.

Or you can a positive approach. You take a deep breath, determined to take a proactive response and find a solution. No one is visiting your blog? You reevaluate your posts and set a goal to visit even more blogs on the list. More visitors than you can handle? Visit as many as you can and don’t sweat those you can’t. Regardless of the task or obstacle, you are determined to find a way to make it work and on your terms.

Which approach will garner better results?

Your attitude is all you can control. A PMA won’t make the problems go away, but it will equip you to better handle the situation. Choose a PMA whenever possible!

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good common sense written, having PMA CERTAINLY DO HELP.

Yvonne.

Lucy said...

Thanks for the pep talk. I need to re-evaluate my strategy because I sure am not having the problem of overflowing comments but I have found some great new blogs and that is definitely a plus :)
Lucy from Lucy's Reality

Anonymous said...

Doing this challenge with You Tube and Music...bands, singers and groups has been an interesting journey and I have found singers and groups I never knew existed. Guess You are never to old to learn lol... Thank you.

Unknown said...

Not only for A to Z but in every aspect of our life. great post, Diane!

Anonymous said...

I'd be interested to know how other bloggers are faring with additional traffic. I am doing this challenge on a blog I only started a week earlier. One thing I am reminding myself is that the posts will still be there long after the challenge is over.
http://suestrifles.wordpress.com/

Suzan said...

Just taking one letter at a time!! but I'm nervous about the letter Q ?????

Sue McPeak said...

PMA...for all of life's challenges! Excellent advice and postive reinforcement...Thanks!!!

My Letter 'P'...Prolific Patchwork Pattern Piecer
Sue CollectInTexasGal
AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee

Stephen Tremp said...

I wake up with a PMA. Although I don' always end the day that way. I need to work on that.

John Wiswell said...

I'm trying to play the game with positivity, except where people write very negative entries. There, I try to figure out what they're going through.

John at The Bathroom Monologues

Ida Thought said...

I'm definitely tired, and hitting O yesterday was a great feeling, knowing we are over the halfway mark, but opening a few of my, fast becoming favourite, blogs today made me realise that they won't be posting everyday when it's all over... I am loving the experience

Sandy said...

Trying to stay positive, not one to quit; but it doesn't seem I'm getting anywhere near the amount I'm putting out. Even with comments, I'll write a thoughtful response, and seem to get a lot of one liners, here from a-z, or they say something further about their blog vs my post...have picked up a few followers, hopefully they're will be interaction when the challenge is over.

A-Z

Ali said...

My positive mental attitude is focusing on the fact that once this month is over I will be more prepared to write more well thought out and edited posts. This month has been great for getting me in the habit of writing every day, but May will be my month of quality over quantity.

<a href="http://www.alioffthemark.com>alioffthemark.com</a>

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

sometimes PMA is harder than others. When your blog gets mysteriously dropped from A-Z PMA is tough. I am finishing the challenge but am not getting readers....:-(. Oh well.

Unknown said...

I'm thankful for the visitors I do have. Part of this is a self-challenge. Can I really post every single day with a topic that is more than just semi-coherent?

It's a wonderful experience and I'm already looking ahead to see if there are similar blog challenges that I can hop into.

Cath from Dramatics and Words

Anonymous said...

This post is so timely for me. I decided just last night to re-think my approach to the A to Z Challenge, because it hasn't been working quite as I'd hoped. I'm changing my theme to match me, rather than anyone else! A PMA is exactly what I needed and exactly what I'm trying to maintain!

-Katie at AdventuringAtHome

Mark Means said...

So very true! I'm loving all the comments and all the new blogs I'm finding.

It's still a great time, even though I feel myself slipping behind a bit.

Tina said...

Thanks for permission not to sweat the ones I haven't gotten to yet...just SO overwhelmed with all I have to do, and then there's my life...outside of the Challenge...it's challenging, too right now. Sigh. Enough whining. Hereby putting on PMA!

Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

Mark said...

Power to you for doing the A to Z challenge. I wasn't quite up for it, but a positive mental attitude never hurts:)

Jenelle Leanne said...

I am having SO. MUCH. FUN. with this challenge. And, yeah, it's a little overwhelming. But not too bad :)

Happy A-Zing!

http://jenelleschmidt.com/blog

Anonymous said...

I have PMA tattooed on my body, so I guess I have no excuse. I am a little concerned about the the number of visits and comments have slowed considerably, it this just me?

Tami Von Zalez said...

Best that bloggers don't try to tackle AtoZ as their first writing challenge.

I find if I at least do a draft post in the beginning, I can always revise it should something else come to mind.

I am pleased to have found at least 10 new blogs that intrigue me and have gained many new followers.

thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

Rowena said...

I'm loving the challenge! the comments do seem to have dropped a lot lately but that is to be expected I guess. I am staying positive and pleased with the few comments I am getting. Even the one-liners...

http://designsbyrow.blogspot.com/

Jo said...

So far enjoying the challenge, but having all my posts done in advance does help.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Patricia said...

I need some PMA today! I struggled writing this post, ugh.

it features a must-have cat accessory though!

- Patricia

Anonymous said...

Ooh I am late today

PhenoMenon
http://capturedalive.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/personality-atozchallenge/

Susan Scott said...

ha, PMA is the ONLY thing that helps among the sweating and getting it up and responding! Thank you for putting it into words - a necessary reminder thank you and also not to sweat the small stuff.
Susan Scott's Soul Stuff

Anonymous said...

This challenge is an eye and a mind opener, especially to an erratic blogger like me. And the PMA's definitely come in handy.

:)

JoJo said...

I admit I am overwhelmed this year. Still plugging away though.

Christine Rains said...

Awesome post! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but I do love the Challenge and all the wonderful bloggers.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

If it makes anyone feel better, I am very overwhelmed at the moment but I'll just keep trying my best.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Positive approach definitely.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely. I'm a positive person anyway and it really does make all the difference.

Kate @ Another Clean Slate said...

Being positive always helps!

Andrea said...

And keep in mind that it is supposed to be fun!

Lucy said...

How kind of a blogger to take the time to read my comment, try and check out my blog MORE IMPORTANT locate my email and let me know my link has not been working. That is kindness, Thank you Jennifer.

Lucy from Lucy's Reality

Keeping fingers crossed I got the link squared away :)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's the only way to actually finish.


Sonia Lal

Anonymous said...

Finding it difficult to find the time to read my 5 blogs plus reading the blogs I have started to follow as well as write the rest of the posts I did not have pre-written. I want to enjoy them all but do not have the time even with spending hours each day. How is everyone keeping up? I thoroughly am enjoying the challenge though. I have gained more followers and that makes me happy. Good luck to everyone! I will be celebrating once I finish my first challenge!!!!

Denise at Organization and Inspiration for Fellow Writers, participant of A to Z Blogging Challenge
Denise Reashore on Facebook

Susan Kane said...

I read the PMA as PMS at first, and wondered why anyone would write about that.

Good to keep a positive attitude.

Unknown said...

I'm not finding it tough to post everyday and I'm not having traffic problems but I have been enjoying finding new blogs and people who have made me laugh or provided me with knowledge I did not have prior to this challenge. It certainly is a great way to find other blogs

J said...

I have had a very positive experience with the A to Z Challenge, and discovered many new interesting bloggers I never would have checked out previously.

Kathleen Jennette said...

I'm trying. I have to say its been fun though. PMA - a good one :)

KaTy Did at: Life's Ride As I See It

Arlee Bird said...

It's encouraging to hear the positive energy out there. Keep the energy flowing! You will usually get as much as you put into this.

Thanks for the great message Diane.

Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out

Paula said...

I often struggle with having a positive attitude. Not everyone does! Nor does everyone need to have one. I am doing this challenge because it is giving me a challenge to write on my blog everyday. I have enjoyed my trip down my own memory lane. Has it increased my followers? Not really. There are times that no one comes. Have I found some new blogs? Yep, plenty. I read their and I leave plenty of comments. In the end....I am happy with what I have done.

Shannon Mashinchi said...

THoughts on Pain...

http://www.theothersideoftheequation.com/2013/04/pain.html

Shannon
<a href="http://www.theothersideoftheequation.com/>THe Other Side of the Equation</a>

Michelle Wallace said...

Positivity all the way!!

Writer In Transit

Lady Whispers said...

P for photographs for me :)
http://whisperingwithwords.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/abused/

Unknown said...

I'm loving it all, the new blogs I'm finding, they wonderful comments. Thanks everyone.
#atozchallenge
maggie at expat brazil

Kristen said...

The challenge has had the opposite affect on me. It has made me feel calm. Writing in my new blog is my favorite time to relax and just have fun. :)

#atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I am at T and it's the point where the brain seems to have stopped having ideas. As usual, I've had huge "other" stuff on my plate during the A-Z which has limited my visiting other blogs. This time I've been taking a web design course and building a web site -(course is finished, site will never be finished http://www.hardhack.ca). I've picked up a few new followers and after a year of almost zero blogging it's nice to have even a little increased - now I have to start visiting everyone who visited me, and so on. And I still have to write T, U, V, X, Y, and and do my taxes by April 30th.