An Inspired Chat with Aye Akoda of Wentzville

Aye Akoda shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Aye, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Right now, I’m being called to stand unapologetically in my truth and amplify my voice as a guide for others on their journey of self-discovery, healing, and manifestation. For a long time, I kept parts of my story private, afraid of how the rawness of my experiences might be perceived. I have come to understand that my authenticity is my greatest tool for connection. The very things I once thought might make me appear vulnerable are, in fact, the keys that allow others to see themselves in my journey and believe transformation is possible for them too.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Aye K. Akoda, founder of Focus-Trust-Manifest™, a holistic wellness and manifestation brand that helps people align their mind, body, and spirit so they can create lives rooted in purpose, peace, and abundance. My work combines over two decades of personal mastery in positive thinking, my background in rehab nursing, and my passion for creativity through photography, poetry, and community building.
As part of my commitment to whole-person wellness, I am a certified SHAPE ReClaimed Practitioner, guiding clients through an anti-inflammatory nutrition and lifestyle program that supports healing from the inside out. I believe that transformation begins from within, and that what we put into our bodies directly shapes how we show up in life. This belief also extends to my family’s home garden and the community garden we manage, where we grow nutrient-rich produce that nourishes both our own table and the tables of others in our community. For me, tending the soil and supporting people’s health share the same intention of planting seeds that grow into lasting change.

Right now, I’m expanding Focus-Trust-Manifest™ to include a year-long daily mindfulness and manifestation newsletter, new workshops, and a line of products that merge inspiration with practical guidance. Whether through my writing, photography, or one-on-one work, my mission remains the same: to help people see that they are co-creators of their reality and that their transformation is always within reach.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a deeply curious and intuitive boy with an active imagination and a natural ability to sense the energy around me. I believed in possibilities that others couldn’t yet see and felt a strong connection to the unseen forces that shape our lives. I loved creating, whether it was through storytelling, drawing, or simply envisioning a better world, and I carried an unshakable faith that life was meant to be lived with purpose and joy. Over time, life tried to shape me into someone who fit the expectations of others, but I found my way back to that original version of myself. Today, the same curiosity, intuition, and creativity guide my work and allow me to help others reconnect with their own truth and potential.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain the moment I realized it was never meant to be buried; it was meant to be transformed. For years, I carried my struggles quietly: the losses, the setbacks, the weight of being underestimated. I thought keeping them hidden would make me appear stronger. But the truth is, those moments forged the very resilience, discipline, and compassion that fuel my work today.

When I finally began sharing my story, I watched people lean in, not out. They didn’t see weakness; they saw themselves. That connection became a spark, a bridge between my journey and theirs. My pain became a blueprint for perseverance, proof that even in the darkest seasons, light can be found and shared.

Now, I use every part of my story as fuel. Not to dwell on what broke me, but to show what’s possible when you choose to rise anyway.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to the belief that every person has the power to rewrite their story, no matter where they start or what they’ve been through. This is not a quick-fix mindset; it’s a lifelong commitment to transformation from the inside out. Through Focus-Trust-Manifest™, my work as a SHAPE ReClaimed Practitioner, and the hands-on lessons of our family and community gardens, I’ve seen what happens when people nurture themselves the way they would nurture something they want to see grow.
Transformation takes time. It’s like planting a seed. You don’t see the roots forming at first, but the foundation is being built beneath the surface. My role is to walk alongside people as they cultivate the habits, mindset, and spiritual alignment that allow their lives to flourish. Whether it takes months or years, I am committed to guiding that process until they see for themselves that they were capable all along.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived with purpose, integrity, and an open heart. That I used my gifts to lift others, to remind them of their worth, and to help them believe in what was possible for their lives. I want to be remembered as someone who did not just talk about transformation but embodied it, even in the face of challenges.
If the story they tell is that I planted seeds in words, in actions, in gardens, and in communities that continued to grow long after I was gone, then I will have done my work. My legacy is not in titles or possessions. It is in the people who found the courage to rewrite their own stories because they saw me rewrite mine.

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Image Credits
Aye K. Akoda

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