Deadline extended to December 15, 2022!
Your mind and thoughts are very powerful. Almost anything is possible if you think you can. Staying upbeat and positive doesn't mean you ignore the seriousness of a situation. But expecting things to go well rather than expecting the worst does make a difference. Change is possible if you change your thoughts from negative to positive.
We know that using the power of positive thinking helps you to achieve your goals and lead a happy, purposeful, and productive life. You can dream big, overcome challenges, create the best life possible for yourself, and turn adversity into opportunity
We are looking for true stories and poems written in the first person about how deciding to use positive thinking changed your life. What was the situation that inspired you to think positive? What changes did you make in your attitude — from negative to positive — that turned your life around? How did you train yourself to be a positive thinker?
These inspirational stories will remind readers to focus on hope and show them that each day holds something to be grateful for. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both. Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking.
Here are some suggested topics but we know you can think of many more:
• How a change in attitude has made a difference for you
• The physical benefits to a positive mindset
• The mental benefits to a positive mindset
• Have you used the fake it till you make it strategy?
• The unexpected benefits of challenges
• Putting things in perspective
• Turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts
• Counting your blessings
• Using humor to improve your life
• Silver linings that you have discovered
• Appreciating the simple pleasures
• What changes you made to create the best possible life for yourself and for your family
• Attitudes are contagious — how did yours change someone else?
• How gratitude helped you achieve your goals
• How you used the power of forgiveness
• How you pursued your passion
• How you found purpose in your life
• Ways you can actively practice using positive thinking to improve your life
• Tell us about a role model who showed you how to "think positive"
• Using forgiveness to put the past in the past and find your way forward
• Powering through health challenges through positive thinking
• The best advice/wise words that helped you use positive thinking
A few guidelines for you and some general information:
All stories and poems need to be true — we do not publish fiction. Stories should be no longer than 1,200 words. Please write in the first person about something that happened to you or someone close to you. Every part of your story must be true. No "composite characters." But yes, you can use a pen name, if necessary, to protect yourself or someone else.
If your story was already published in a past Chicken Soup for the Soul book, please do not submit it. We will not republish it. If you recently submitted a story to this topic, no need to resubmit it. We have it in our system and our editors will read and consider it. If you submitted a story to one of our previous Chicken Soup for the Soul book titles and we did not publish it, please submit it to us again if you think it will fit in this title.
Please remember, we no longer publish "as told to" stories. Write your story or poem in the first person. Do not ghostwrite a story for someone else unless you list that person as the author. If a story was previously published, we will probably not use it unless it ran in a small circulation venue. Let us know where the story was previously published and the approximate exposure it received in the "Comments" section of the submission form.
We include stories in our books from as diverse a group of writers as possible, including the LGBTQ community and people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and religions.
If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it or self-publish it.
SUBMISSIONS GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
The deadline for story and poem submissions is December 15, 2022.
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