That little extra push: remembering your why

What’s one thing that motivates you to get out of bed each morning? For me, it’s a call to sprinkle hope, humor & heart through my writing. But whatever our “why,” it can prove hard to keep pressing forward when results remain elusive. For instance, last year I submitted six stories to a few publications that garnered little to no feedback, which prompted the question: Why am I doing this again? When that (often) happens, I must dig deep for my why—that reason I work hard, make sacrifices and show up. Fast-forward to the end of 2021 when I received notice that two of my pieces would be published—serving as extra nudges, or tangible thumbs-up, to remind me of my why and to keep showing up. Be sure to grab a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul…Kindness Matters, available March 22, to catch my story about a Converse-wearing OR nurse who goes the extra mile to return my smile.

What’s your “why” for showing up?