When your why is secretly shaped by survival, not your authentic self.
A student asked me a simple but layered question:
“Is it safe to say that your family is your why?”
And I knew immediately that there was something deeper there that she wanted us to unpack.
So here’s what I shared with her — and with the rest of the women inside Life-First Business:
Yes… and also, not in the way I once believed.
I grew up with a lot of financial instability.
Raised by a single mother trying her best to raise three girls, and be the pillar for our wider family.
When I became a mother, there was this very real desire to provide differently and make sure my children never felt the kind of struggle I did. But over time, I started to see that part of my “why” was actually a trauma response.
It wasn’t just about vision. It was about protection, safety and, to a large extent, proving to myself that we would never go back there again.
For someone else, “providing for my family” might come from a grounded, healthy place. For me, it had layers. It carried urgency. It carried pressure. And if I’m honest, it pulled me into survival-mode ways of building — even when my external life no longer required that pace.
That’s the thing about survival: it doesn’t always clock out when the circumstances change. Sometimes it just changes clothes.
I also think for many of us — especially those who’ve experienced lack — it can feel like we need a noble, selfless reason to want money. Like just desiring more… isn’t enough so we attach our ambition to care, to family, to the impact we can make with those resources.
And again, there’s nothing wrong with that; but when we’ve never had room to want things just because we want them, it’s worth asking:
Is my “why” truly mine — or just the safest version of desire I was allowed?
These days, my why has shifted.
It’s less about provision and more about presence. Less about pressure and more about pace.
I have a family — yes. But my focus is on how I want my life to feel. What kind of experiences I want to make room for. Whether I can enjoy summer with my kids without worrying that every hour I’m offline is money lost.
It’s not about achieving for them. It’s about building something that lets me be with them.
And the truth is, your why is allowed to change. Because you are changing.
That’s why, inside Life-First Business, we treat your vision and nervous system as living, breathing parts of your strategy. We don’t just define your why once. We return to it again and again — because that’s how safety and self-trust are built: not in a single aha moment, but over seasons.
If your why has started to feel too heavy… or not quite yours anymore that might simply signal that it’s time to update the lens you’re building from.
And if that’s you, I’d love to hear what this stirs up.
Reply and tell me: What does your “why” sound like in this season?
No polish needed.
Want to go deeper with this kind of re-rooting?
Life-First Business is where we start with your nervous system, not just your niche. You’ll get structure without pressure, systems without complexity, and the emotional safety to build a business that fits your actual life.
If your “why” is shifting and you want to grow in a different way, this is where to land.
🔗 What to explore next…
✨ Feeling the gap between what you want and how your business actually feels?
Take the Business Archetypes Quiz—a 2-minute diagnostic to uncover what’s shaping your business decisions behind the scenes.
You’ll get your personalized archetype + tailored next steps to help you align your strategy with how you actually want to work.
📈 Want to earn more without working more this summer?
Scale Your Sales is a 7-step system designed to increase revenue without increasing your hours.
If you’re craving more income, more clients, and more flow without scope creep or burnout—this is where to start.
💰 Pricing doesn’t have to be stressful.
The Profitable Pricing Method gives you a calm, clear framework to price your offers in a way that honors your time, your expertise, and your season of life.
No spreadsheets. No overthinking. Just pricing that actually works—for you and your clients.
📲 Stuck on a decision? Need quick clarity?
Book a Voxer Momentum Hour—a 60-minute private coaching session (via voice + text) to break through a challenge, untangle your next move, and get clear on what to do now.
Perfect if this letter stirred something and you’re ready to act on it.
