Meet Alyssa-Ray Bouman

We were lucky to catch up with Alyssa-Ray Bouman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alyssa-Ray, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome is something I feel has always been an ongoing issue that I’ve had to overcome time and time again. I have found that it is about deciding each day that I am more than enough and that what I have accomplished is something to be proud of.

I started my career as a Substance Abuse Counselor when I was very young. I counseled hundreds of people and there were days where I would ask myself “Am I good enough to make a difference?” It didn’t matter how much life experience I had or the tremendous amount of degrees and certifications I had. I still experienced that feeling of imposter syndrome. Fortunately, I was able to see over time the differences that I was making in the lives of those around me and it helped me realize I am my worst critic.

After 6 years of counseling I decided to try my hands in a new skill. I followed my in mother’s footsteps and got my Teacher’s License in Cosmetology. The world of cosmetology is always changing and it is truly an ART! Once again I had to come to terms with the idea that I can only aim to be better than the me of yesterday. It’s easy to want to compare one’s success to others but in doing that we take away from our own accomplishments and tend to belittle them.

Writing has always been a love of mine. After having my son I dove into motherhood 100%, but after his first birthday I started to yearn for something that could feel like mine again. I think it’s easy to lose your autonomy in motherhood, so I found something that was mine again. With encouragement from my husband and many long nights I accomplished writing my first novel, Will She Run. I remember when I self-published it family and friends congratulated me. Still, I was able to come up with all these excuses why “it wasn’t a big deal.” It wasn’t until I sat back and looked at all I have done that I realized something.

The little girl of my past would be so proud of me and I deserve to be proud of me too, to not be held back by comparison to others or where I think I should be. I have worked so hard for everything I have done. I now decide every day to step back and appreciate all the milestones, all the successes, and all the blessings that God has given me. By doing those three things it helps me to actively overcome imposter syndrome every day.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m not here for a long time, but I’m here for a good time. I’ve come to the conclusion that in this life I want to be everything and anything I want to be and if I can accomplish it, then I’m going to work my hardest to do so. The only restrictions to what I can do are the ones I put on myself.

God has blessed my life tremendously and without Him I would have and be nothing. To tell my story is to tell of His great love.

I have the most amazing husband and son who fill my life with so much joy. I have known my husband since I was born, we grew up in the same church and after years apart we reconnected while I was living in the Adirondacks. It’s because of the support from him that I have been able to chase my dreams and do the things that I love.

After six years of counseling those who suffer with addiction I decided I wanted to help others in a different way. I went on to get my cosmetology license and work in salons and as a freelance makeup artist through my business, AlyssaRaydiant Creations. A name I was inspired to use because of my husband’s business Memory Creations Photography.

I of course didn’t stop there. At 3 months pregnant I decided to go back to school and work towards my Teachers License so that I could teach Cosmetology to others. Many thought I was over ambitious but even after having my son I went back and finished what I started, achieving my license. Now I’m happy to announce that I will be one of the teachers launching the brand new Adult Cosmetology Evening Program at Bergen Technical High School in Paramus New Jersey, this September 2025.

Some would stop there and enjoy the time off. After all I’m raising a little man and being a Stay at Home Mom is no joke but I realized that I want my son to grow up knowing that he can “Do all things through Christ who strengthens him.” Which means he doesn’t have to be restricted to one thing if his ambitions run wild.

What started as a joke from my husband turned into a dream. A fun game I like to play is making up stories about the people I see while people watching. My husband joked that I should write a book. I don’t think he ever imagined I would but 6 months later I published my debut novel, Will She Run.

A story of love, survival, and the fight to reclaim what’s been lost—Will She Run is an emotional journey through one woman’s battle to confront the past that haunts her and the future she never thought she deserved, but is now desperate to protect. Running from her past and hiding from danger, Della finds refuge in the Adirondacks, only to face the one thing she can’t escape—her own heart. Torn between trust and survival, she must decide: will she risk it all for love, or keep running?

This romantic suspense novel is now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback I have received. Writing this story has been my passion project and such a joy. Writing awakens a part of me that yearns to see the light. Now that I’ve started I don’t plan to stop. Book 2 is already in the works thanks to popular demand. I’m hoping to have it be released by November of this year.

Bringing my characters to life and loving them is one thing but it’s my hope that others will read their stories and find their own healing along the journey. I want others to see parts of themselves in my characters and know that they aren’t alone. I want others to know that just like for me, the possibilities of all that you can be and accomplish are endless.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, I think three things have been the most impactful in my journey.

The first is adaptability and a love for learning. Whether I’m behind the chair, teaching in the classroom, or writing, being open to learning and growing keeps me inspired.

In cosmetology, staying up to date with trends and techniques is key, and in writing, every story challenges me to dig deeper and try something new. For anyone starting out, my advice is to stay curious and never stop learning. It’s amazing where it can take you.

The second is empathy and connection. Whether I’m helping a client feel beautiful, guiding a student to succeed, or creating characters that readers can relate to, it’s all about understanding people.

Listening and building connections has been at the heart of everything I do. It’s what makes my work so fulfilling. My advice is to truly listen to the people around you. Whether they’re clients, coworkers, friends, or family. That connection will make your journey so much richer.

Lastly, creativity and vision are what drive me every day. In cosmetology, I love imagining what’s possible for someone and helping them transform. With writing, it’s about creating new worlds, building characters, and telling stories that stick with people. Creativity keeps everything exciting and fresh.

My advice? Don’t hold back. Trust your ideas and let your creativity lead you. You might even be surprised at what you can accomplish.

These three things, learning, connection, and creativity, are what make my journey so joyful and meaningful every single day.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I think something that all of us can relate to no matter what you do, what your occupation is, or where you are in your walk of life, is feeling overwhelmed.

At some point we have all been there and sometimes multiple times a day. When I feel overwhelmed there are three things I do to help.

My first go to is to pray. I can’t do anything if I don’t have God. He’s my higher power and He’s bigger than me. If He’s not with me then I’m already failing. I ask Him for peace and contentment. These are things I have found we could all have more of.

The next thing I do is I give myself grace. I can be so hard on myself sometimes. When I’m trying to be and do everything all at once it’s easy to feel like I’m not doing enough or doing it good enough. I can start to spiral and feel like I’m failing. Mom guilt hits hard and all the things I think I should be accomplishing start to pile up until I feel like I’m drowning. It’s in that moment that I actively decide to pump the brakes, step back and gain perspective. I give myself grace. I remember to be kind and forgiving to myself and not expect perfection. I wouldn’t demand such things from others but instead I’d show compassion. It’s important that we do the same for ourselves.

The last thing I do is remember that things are only as big as we make them. It’s easy to make everything a catastrophe but by stepping back, appreciating the little things and gaining perspective on what’s actually important I find my peace again.

(As I write this my son has his hand on my lap and looks at me like I’m his whole world. He’s happy. That’s all that truly matters.)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alyssaraywrites.wixsite.com/alyssaraywrites
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/alyssaraywrites
• Other: http://goodreads.com/alyssa-rayhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Alyssa-Ray-Bouman/author/B0DL4RS8GC?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Image Credits

Memory Creations Photography