Why did I write this book?

“What motivated you to write it?” Invariably, this is what I hear when I tell people about the book. So, in case you, too, are wondering, let’s get the question answered. Somehow, I knew I was eventually going to write a book, and always thought it would be fiction of some sort. Never did I dream of writing a self-help type of book. Then, after  endlessly listening to my friends and my children  complaining about their unhappiness because of what others were saying about them, and feeling mistreated, I felt compelled  to share my different point of view. After spending nearly 15 years dealing with my concern about others effect on me, I had a totally different perspective on life and the role others play in it. While I had read dozens of books on this subject, my first thought was to take a humorous, tongue in cheek look at what I called the what will people think syndrome. I didn’t get too far with that version.

I never intended to write about my journey, but once I started, the writing seemed to take on a life of its own. I am passionate about making a positive difference in people’s lives, and the words that seemed to easily spill onto the page evolved into sharing my journey of healing, and what I had learned along the way.  The original version had a different title, “Sticks and Stones…”, and was written in second person telling you what you needed to do to fix your life. Fortunately, I wasn’t successful in finding a publisher for this book, and I put it away for several years and got busy with life. Eventually, I felt an urging inside me to revisit it, and a book writing contest by Hay House Publishing provided sufficient motivation to do so. By this time, however, I realized this book wasn’t at all about me telling you what you needed to do. The best way I could help others was by sharing my healing adventure, the ups and downs, ins and outs, and all that I learned along the way. It was about so much more than what others think, it was about knowing and changing what I think and believe about me.

Writing a book about me is not because I love talking about myself. The truth is there is a lot of rich content as I really had a lot to learn, or maybe better said, unlearn, and to heal in order to have a happy, fulfilling life. And yes, I do feel a bit naked in front of the world. So, whenever my feelings of vulnerability are triggered, I remind myself that my passion to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

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