Avery Robinson Rouda shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Avery Robinson, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
What I’m being called to do now is step out fully on my own as both a publisher and a filmmaker. For a long time, I was afraid of that — because without the security of a bigger industry machine behind you, launching a product or growing a brand in such a competitive market can feel incredibly intimidating, especially when it comes to the marketing, sales, and distribution side of things. It can almost feel debilitating at times.
But I’ve realized that if I’m going to make my mark, I can’t wait for someone else to hand me that security. I have to go out there and build it myself. And I’m no longer afraid of that personal and professional growth — in fact, I feel called to it. Because how else am I going to create the kind of impact I want unless I actually take that leap of faith?
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Avery Robinson Rouda, the writer, director, and producer behind Enlighten Productions, an LA-based Production Company & Dreamer Collective dedicated to telling stories that shift and uplift collective consciousness. What makes Enlighten unique is that we see storytelling as a powerful conduit to dream the world awake — to bridge the world of spirit with creativity, producing art that connects us all across time and space. I’m really excited to announce the launch of Enlighten Books, our new publishing arm, which expands our mission into children’s literature. Our first title, Bloom In, based on the award-winning short film, just launched in hardcover, paperback, & e-book is already connecting with young readers and families worldwide.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My husband, long before we were married, really saw me clearly before I could see myself. Back when we were just college kids in film school, still trying to figure out who we were, we would spend hours in reflection and expansion — discovering each other as we were discovering ourselves.
He used to read my poems, and I could always tell how much he loved them. The way he received my words made me realize that poetry might actually be one of my true gifts for the world. I’ve been writing poetry since I was a child, but it wasn’t until those moments with him that I began to believe in it.
Now, coming full circle, writing children’s books has become a way of returning to that original love of poetry — and it’s incredibly fulfilling to know that what first connected me with my great love has grown into something that now connects me with my readers, too.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
The Buddha said, ‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.’ That phrase is one I return to time and time again. It reminds me that while pain is an unavoidable part of the human journey — whether through unexpected life changes, heartbreak, or confronting our own limiting belief systems rooted in old programming — suffering is something we don’t have to dwell in. That’s the real trick.
What suffering has taught me is the art of surrender as a sacred alignment (and realignment) with my own truth. Success never gave me that lesson. In fact, it’s only through this dance with duality that I’ve come to understand true success isn’t about external markers at all, but about living with purpose. It’s about stepping off the endless wheel of suffering in order to claim a deeper, more divine sense of fulfillment.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’ve got big dreams of producing a lot of content for the world — and I’m in it for the long game. No matter how much money it costs, how many hands I’ve got to shake, or how many emails I need to send, I know I’m going to make it happen.
That means writing and directing feature-length animated movies, and one day building out a massive catalog of children’s books that future generations can hold onto. Those dreams are my soul-level motivators because this is what I was put here to do.
And honestly, if you ever find yourself in that place of uncertainty, remember this: you already have everything you need to make your dreams come true and to claim your big destiny.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m honoring my own pace. Whether that’s creatively, physically, intellectually, or spiritually — there’s a divine presence of peacefulness in knowing what my highest excitement is in each now moment.
As an artist, I feel like I’m on this ever unfolding quest to discover the truths within the stories that shine a light on the shadows of human nature — that level of awareness takes perseverance, patience, and an unwavering devotion to the process with a level of faith that alleviates anxiety caused by fears and doubts.
So I have learned to make love to my fears. I’ve learned to stop leaving room for doubt. I’ve given myself grace to hold multitudes, and I think ultimately everyone has the potential within them to do the same. For me, it’s a shift that has quieted the noise so that I can fully realize my inner being as the wave who is also the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://enlightenproductions.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averyrobinsonrouda/?hl=en
Image Credits
Paul Young Lee
Holly Lynch
Sarah Wilson Thacker
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