Meet Alison Auditore

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alison Auditore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alison, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Blink 182 wasn’t kidding when they said nobody likes you when you’re 23! My self esteem at that age was at such a low. I was watching people from my graduating class soar, while I felt left behind. I’d always been sure of myself, but failing to achieve my goals post graduation lead to a lot of self doubt and depression. I started to journal regularly about my feelings, which eventually helped me feel comfortable enough to talk with my friends about it. It was like a light went on in my brain. I was being my biggest critic, and beating myself up for not meeting an imagined deadline wasn’t going to help me get where I wanted to be. I focused on the things I liked about myself, the things I was proud of, and focused on that. Those adjustments helped me regain my confidence and start making art again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a visual artist with a focus on hand drawn portraits. Something about faces calls out to me, I always come back to drawing them. I love the way we communicate with expressions, so I work to capture that in my art. I am currently accepting commissions, and I have to say I absolutely love creating custom art pieces for people, so don’t hesitate to reach out! I’m excited to share that I am working on an exciting project; My illustrated series Study of Songs which is a celebration of music and how it relates to the human experience. This series is underway the first images will be released in December 2023!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that impacted me were: 1. Knowing when to ask for help
I’ve always been the type of person who likes to figure things out on my own, but I realized (maybe later than I should have) that sometimes you just have to reach out to the people who are where you want to be. Getting over my fear of seeming inexperienced and asking for advice made a huge difference in my progress.

2. Trying new things
Lately, when I have an idea, whether it’s for a youtube series or a piece of art, I just try it. I try not to second guess myself and just see what happens. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, and sometimes it’s amazing but either way I learn from it and have a new experience to grow from.

3. Protecting my time
Over the years I have learned the value of saying “No.” We all know that time flies by. How often do we hear, “I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year! I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas!” Prioritizing time for myself and what I want to do has been incredible for my work and my mental health.

My advice for people early in their journey is to develop these three qualities. They really make a difference!

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When feeling overwhelmed, I drop whatever I can. Obviously some deadlines and duties can’t be shrugged off, but those that I can postpone, I do. My next step is to grab my journal and WRITE. Whatever is bothering me, whatever is stressing me out, I write until it feels smaller. Finally, I put on some music and just lay down. For at least one song I just lay still and focus on what I’m hearing. By the end of this routine, I always feel calmer.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where does your optimism come from?

Optimism is the invisible ingredient that powers so much of the incredible progress in society

Confidence
Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and

Resilience
The Power of Persistence: Overcoming Haters and Doubters

Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made