Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Bailey.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Noelle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been into storytelling. I’m an only child and grew up with a working single mom, so I had to find ways to entertain myself. Reading was my first passion and then once I learned how to write, I gravitated towards making my own kid-version of books (think crayons, construction paper, and a glue stick) and fell in love with writing.
As a journalism major in college, I inevitably had an assignment to create a blog which was my first introduction to this passion. I started my first blog after college as sort of a public diary, but I wasn’t consistent. A few years later, in 2016 I started the blog I have now and used it to share my personal experiences and it’s been therapeutic ever since.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t describe my journey as smooth but I will say it has been organic. With obvious struggles. When it comes to writing, it’s natural to have highs and lows. I’ll go months with plenty of content and inspiration and then I might go months where I don’t feel the urge to write anything. For the first few years, I only blogged when I felt like it and my audience and content suffered as a result. Recently, my pastor was preaching on the importance of consistency in everything that you are called to do and it’s changed my creative process completely.
I also struggle with the feeling that no one wants to hear what I have to say. When I get to writing a story, I tend to stop myself and think “who am I to give advice?” But everyone has to start somewhere and that motivates me to just finish the post and hit the publish button. So, I’d say my current hurdle is overcoming imposter syndrome and being brave enough to own myself and hope I’ll help someone in the process.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
If you visit the blog, my readers can find anything from a post documenting my first nude spa experience (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it) to several introspective posts that promote self-love.
I’m drawn towards talking about relationships specifically because I’m a millennial newlywed. My approach to marriage as a 26 year old, Black professional woman whose parents were never married is unique, to say the least. So, I feel like I’m looking at marriage and relationships with a fresh set of eyes and it’s been beneficial for me to share with others.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about lessons I learned from my wedding that we can all benefit from and I discussed trust. I opened that section by asking readers to “raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by past relationships that have scarred you from allowing a decent relationship into your life.” Long story short, I received multiple “same sis” messages following that post and felt like my transparency inspired someone else to accept that they’re not alone with their feelings. At the end of the day, if I can help someone just by sharing my journey I’ll be an open book.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
This is weird, but I didn’t really realize my favorite childhood memory until discussing it in therapy recently. My dad lived in Grenada the majority of my childhood and my mom and I visited when I was eight. The food was amazing, the people were gorgeous, the beaches were way better than what I was used to at Dockweiler and Manhattan. It was a vibe. For whatever reason, every time I thought about this trip I was super negative about it solely based on the fact that my mom and I came back to L.A. and my dad was still there, which was a big deal but I’m thankful for growth. Now, as an adult I’m proud that I was able to examine that experience, reframe it and acknowledge that that trip was fire.
Contact Info:
- Website: noelledaydream.com
- Instagram: @noelledaydream
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