Nicole W. Barnes Author

Everyone has a why. It doesn’t matter what you are doing or the path you are taking, we all have a reason for starting. A reason for doing what we do. That is your why.

I am pursuing writing again because I love it. It’s my therapy. I am able to get so many more things out of my head and onto paper than I am in general conversation. I tend to hold things in and fight internal fights until I just can’t anymore. But my love for writing, my therapy, is not my complete why.

My family is also part of it. I want to be able to provide for my daughters the experiences I never had. I want to help my husband provide for our family more than I already do. (I also teach second grade.) I want to be able to save for my girls to go to college without having to rely on scholarships and loans.

The biggest part of my why is to prove to myself that I can do this. I CAN finish my novel. I CAN publish a children’s book. I AM able to help others get their stories out.

I love teaching. It’s what I was made to do. But I was also made to be a writer, to provide for my family, and to just be me. My self care is my writing. I’ve learned the hard way this past month just how important self care is. So yes, my own personal well-being is part of my why.

Now it’s your turn. What’s your why? How are you making sure you match that why with your actions?